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The Voltaire Library
Welcome to The Voltaire Library, where every work is read in full, every argument is given its voice, and no cherished opinion is entirely safe. Bring your curiosity, leave your certainty at the door, and discover why ideas have always been the most delightful form of mischief.
Episodes
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Candide Chapter 10 - In What Distress Candide, Cunegonde, and the Old Woman Arrived at Cadiz; and of Their Embarkation
In which a poor lady and her companions, having suffered various losses and indignities, make their way to Cadiz and embark for a far-off land, all the while…
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Candide Chapter 9 - What Became of Cunegonde, Candide, the Grand Inquisitor, and the Jew
In which Candide, faced with sudden and violent peril within Cunegonde’s chamber, resorts to swift and decisive action to ensure their survival, displaying a…
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Candide Chapter 8 - The History of Cunegonde
In which the tender Cunegonde recounts the dreadful ravages wrought upon her family by the Bulgarians and the subsequent trials she endured under various…
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Candide Chapter 7 - How the Old Woman Took Care of Candide, and How He Found the Object He Loved
In which a tender old woman tends to Candide’s wounds with devoted care, leading him to a clandestine reunion with the long-lost and much-beleaguered…
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Candide Chapter 6 - How the Portuguese Made a Beautiful Auto-Da-Fé, to Prevent Any Further Earthquakes: and How Candide Was Publicly Whipped
In which a dreadful earthquake devastates Lisbon, leading the authorities to enforce a grim ritual of public punishment in hopes of quelling further calamity…
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Candide Chapter 5 - Tempest, Shipwreck, Earthquake, and What Became of Doctor Pangloss, Candide, and James the Anabaptist
In which a tempestuous sea voyage and a devastating earthquake of Lisbon reveal the fragility of human endeavours and the resilience of philosophical discourse…
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Candide Chapter 4 - How Candide Found His Old Master Pangloss, and What Happened to Them
In which Candide discovers the dismal plight of his old tutor Pangloss, and they are both taken under the wing of the kindly Anabaptist James, whose charity…
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Candide Chapter 3 - How Candide Made His Escape From the Bulgarians, and What Afterwards Became of Him
In which the thunderous clash of armies reveals a grim theatre of carnage beyond the pomp and blare of trumpets, compelling our young hero to ponder the…
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Candide Chapter 2 - What Became of Candide Among the Bulgarians
In which Candide, having suffered expulsion from a most blissful abode, finds himself at the mercy of the world’s harsh and curious fortunes, including an…
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Candide Chapter 1 - How Candide Was Brought up in a Magnificent Castle, and How He Was Expelled Thence
In which a tender-hearted youth named Candide is raised in the splendid castle of a powerful Westphalian Baron, receiving philosophical instruction from the…
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Candide Introduction
In which a lively introduction celebrates Voltaire’s *Candide* as a timeless, swift-witted satire that playfully mocks the optimistic philosophy of its age…
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Letters on England Letter XXIV - On the Royal Society and Other Academies
In which the differences between the English Royal Society and the French Academy of Sciences are examined with a discerning eye, highlighting the virtues of…
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Letters on England Letter XXIII - On the Regard that Ought to be Shown to Men of Letters
In which Voltaire observes the English nation's unique reverence and practical support for men of letters and artists, contrasting it with the more formal and…
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Letters on England Letter XXII - On Mr. Pope and Some Other Famous Poets
In which the delicate art of English poetry is explored through the works of luminaries such as Mr. Pope and Dean Swift, with an emphasis on their distinct…
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Letters on England Letter XXI - On the Earl of Rochester and Mr. Waller
In which the genius of the English poets is revealed through the spirited satires of the Earl of Rochester and the varied talents of Mr. Waller, whose verses…
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Letters on England Letter XX - On Such of the Nobility as Cultivate the Belles Lettres
In which Voltaire reflects upon the changing tastes of French nobility, lamenting a decline in the cultivation of polite literature, while contrasting it with…
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Letters on England Letter XIX - On Comedy
In which the nature and qualities of English comedy are examined through the works of celebrated playwrights such as Wycherley, Congreve, and Vanbrugh, with…
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Letters on England Letter XVIII - On Tragedy
In which the English theatre is examined through the lens of its grand yet irregular genius, as exemplified by Shakspeare’s sublime but unorthodox plays, whose…
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Letters on England Letter XVII - On Infinites in Geometry, and Sir Isaac Newton’s Chronology
In which we muse upon the labyrinthine nature of infinity explored through the ingenious calculus of fluxions, a mighty invention that tames the immeasurable…
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Letters on England Letter XVI - On Sir Isaac Newton’s Optics
In which the enlightened author expounds upon the marvels unveiled by Sir Isaac Newton’s studies of light and colour, revealing the natural philosophy that…
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Letters on England Letter XV - On Attraction
In which the profound meditations of Sir Isaac Newton are gently unfolded, revealing his elegant refutation of Cartesian vortices and his celebrated conception…
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Letters on England Letter XIV - On Descartes and Sir Isaac Newton
In which a French observer contrasts the contrasting philosophies and lives of Descartes and Sir Isaac Newton, reflecting upon the shift from Cartesian…
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Letters on England Letter XIII - On Mr. Locke
In which the nature of the soul is examined through the lens of Mr. Locke’s measured philosophy, juxtaposed against the extravagant and often contradictory…
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Letters on England Letter XII - On the Lord Bacon
In which the author contemplates the grandeur of minds like Sir Isaac Newton, and introduces the illustrious Lord Bacon—whose life intertwined profound…
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Letters on England Letter XI - On Inoculation
In which the curious custom of inoculating children with small-pox to prevent a more violent contagion is traced from the distant Circassian mountains to the…
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Letters on England Letter X - On Trade
In which the industrious spirit of English commerce is observed to nurture both national wealth and liberty, raising the island nation to a formidable naval…
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Letters on England Letter IX - On the Government
In which the historical evolution of England’s government is explored, revealing the turbulent struggles between kings, barons, bishops, and the Commons, and…
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Letters on England Letter VIII - On the Parliament
In which the English Parliament is examined with a discerning eye, contrasting its constitutional balance and civil discord with the tumultuous and sanguine…
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Letters on England Letter VII - On the Socinians, or Arians, or Antitrinitarians
In which Voltaire reflects upon the resurgence of Arianism in England and beyond, observing the sober debates of learned men who challenge orthodox views on…
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Letters on England Letter VI - On the Presbyterians
In which the customs and character of the Presbyterian Church in the British Isles are examined with a keen eye on their austere manners and contrasts to the…
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Letters on England Letter V - On the Church of England
In which the diverse sects of England are observed with a particular emphasis on the established Church of England, whose members hold significant sway in…
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Letters on England Letter IV - On the Quakers
In which the curious rise and endeavours of William Penn, that singular Quaker sovereign of Pennsylvania, are recounted with a mixture of admiration and gentle…
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Letters on England Letter III - On the Quakers
In which the curious rise and peculiar practices of the Quakers are examined, tracing their origins to George Fox—a humble but fervent preacher whose spirited…
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Letters on England Letter II - On the Quakers
In which a curious visitor accompanies a Quaker to one of their silent meetings near The Monument, observing the peculiar customs of spontaneous, unmediated…
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Letters on England Letter I - On the Quakers
In which a curious observer visits a venerable Quaker, a man of serene demeanor and austere simplicity, to inquire into the doctrines and customs of this…
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Letters on England Introduction
In which the young François Marie Arouet, later known as Voltaire, is introduced through the early contours of his life—from his Jesuit education and poetic…