Lettres philosophiques
- Sprache:
- Englisch
- Status:
- Vollständiges Werk
- Autorschaft:
- Vom Autor verfasst
- Zustand des Textes:
- Kein Scanrauschen festgestellt (automatische Messung über den ganzen Text, nicht von Hand geprüft)
- Umfang:
- ~39.200 Wörter · 186 Passagen
Dieses Werk zitieren
- APAVoltaire. (n.d.). Letters on England [Lettres philosophiques]. Digital reproduction: SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/de/works/voltaire/letters-on-england
- MLAVoltaire. Letters on England [Lettres philosophiques]. Digital reproduction, SigPhi, https://sigphiai.com/de/works/voltaire/letters-on-england.
- ChicagoVoltaire. Letters on England [Lettres philosophiques]. Digital reproduction, SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/de/works/voltaire/letters-on-england.
Angabe der Ausgabe, die SigPhi wiedergibt: SigPhi ist ihre digitale Reproduktion, nicht der Verlag. Das Erscheinungsjahr steht nicht in den Metadaten (daher „n.d.“), und der Übersetzer erscheint nur, wenn er verzeichnet ist.
Wovon es handelt
Die Philosophischen Briefe, oder Briefe über England (1734): England, den Franzosen als Lehre über das erklärt, was ihnen fehlte.
Kontext und Geschichte
Voltaire schreibt über die Quäker, über das Parlament, über die Pockenimpfung, über Newton und über Locke, und jedes Lob der Engländer ist eine Anklage gegen Frankreich. Das Buch wurde in Paris vom Henker verbrannt und kostete ihn die Verbannung. Es ist der Text, der Newton auf den Kontinent gebracht hat. Voltaire schrieb auf Französisch: dies ist eine alte englische Übersetzung, gemeinfrei. Zum Zitieren das Original.
Redaktioneller Kontext, keine zitierfähige Quelle: anders als die Passagen des Werks lassen sich diese Angaben nicht am Korpus überprüfen.
the priestess of the Pythian god at Delphos could not have acted her part to better advantage. Inspiration soon became so habitual to him that he could scarce deliver himself in any other manner. This was the first gift he communicated to his disciples. These aped very sincerely their master's several grimaces, and shook in every limb the instant the fit of inspiration came upon them, whence they were called Quakers. The vulgar attempted to mimic them; they trembled, they spake through the nose, they quaked and fancied themselves inspired by the Holy Ghost. The only thing now wanting was a few miracles, and accordingly they wrought some. Fox, this modern patriarch, spoke thus to a justice of peace before a large assembly of people: "Friend, take care what thou dost; God will soon punish thee for persecuting His saints." This magistrate, being one who besotted himself every day with bad beer and brandy, died of an apoplexy two days after, the moment he had signed a _mittimus_ for imprisoning some Quakers. The sudden death with which this justice was seized was not ascribed to his intemperance, but was universally looked upon as the effect of the holy man's predictions; so that this accident made more converts to Quakerism than a thousand sermons and as many shaking fits could have done. Oliver, finding them increase daily, was desirous of bringing them over to his party, and for that purpose attempted to bribe them by money. However, they were incorruptible, which made him one day declare that this religion was the only one he had ever met with that had resisted the charms of gold. The Quakers were several times persecuted under Charles II.; not upon a religious account, but for refusing to pay the tithes, for "theeing" and "thouing" the magistrates, and for refusing to take the oaths enacted by the laws.…