https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-voltaire-library--7196115enPhilosophyPublic domainhttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/85203d64eec8de3afbb916095c5877aa.jpghttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-voltaire-library--7196115Thu, 05 Nov 2026 18:33:28 +0000VoltaireGood Old Classicsfeeds@spreaker.comWelcome 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...false095ece33-6695-57d2-ac67-acb14760baf9serialhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-introduction--73132936https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132936Thu, 23 Jul 2026 20:34:33 +0000VoltaireIn 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 endeavours to his sharp pen that led to imprisonment and exile. It is during his stay in...428false11fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-i-on-the-quakers--73132949https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132949Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:30:03 +0000VoltaireIn 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 peculiar sect. The Quaker expounds upon their rejection of outward rites, their plain speech and...887false12fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-ii-on-the-quakers--73132937https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132937Wed, 29 Jul 2026 18:30:04 +0000VoltaireIn which a curious visitor accompanies a Quaker to one of their silent meetings near The Monument, observing the peculiar customs of spontaneous, unmediated expressions of faith devoid of priests or formal clergy. The discourse reveals their belief in...432false13fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-iii-on-the-quakers--73132938https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132938Sat, 01 Aug 2026 18:30:03 +0000VoltaireIn 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 defiance and peculiar gestures earned his followers their distinctive name. Their steadfast...671false14fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-iv-on-the-quakers--73132946https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132946Tue, 04 Aug 2026 18:30:04 +0000VoltaireIn which the curious rise and endeavours of William Penn, that singular Quaker sovereign of Pennsylvania, are recounted with a mixture of admiration and gentle irony, painting a portrait of a man both devout and pragmatic amidst the religious tumult...771false15fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-v-on-the-church-of-england--73132941https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132941Fri, 07 Aug 2026 18:30:05 +0000VoltaireIn which the diverse sects of England are observed with a particular emphasis on the established Church of England, whose members hold significant sway in public offices and maintain a curious blend of ancient rites and legal dependence. The character...507false16fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-vi-on-the-presbyterians--73132950https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132950Mon, 10 Aug 2026 18:30:05 +0000VoltaireIn 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 Anglican clergy, revealing a sect marked by severity and modesty. The peaceful coexistence of...299false17fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-vii-on-the-socinians-or-arians-or-antitrinitarians--73132942https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132942Thu, 13 Aug 2026 18:30:04 +0000VoltaireIn which Voltaire reflects upon the resurgence of Arianism in England and beyond, observing the sober debates of learned men who challenge orthodox views on the Trinity with a mixture of reason and mathematical rigor. He muses lightly on the...341false18fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-viii-on-the-parliament--73132955https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132955Sun, 16 Aug 2026 18:30:03 +0000VoltaireIn which the English Parliament is examined with a discerning eye, contrasting its constitutional balance and civil discord with the tumultuous and sanguine history of ancient Rome and contemporary France. The discourse reflects on the English triumph...533false19fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-ix-on-the-government--73132940https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132940Wed, 19 Aug 2026 18:30:05 +0000VoltaireIn which the historical evolution of England’s government is explored, revealing the turbulent struggles between kings, barons, bishops, and the Commons, and how liberty gradually emerged from the conflicts and concessions among these powers. The...747false110fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-x-on-trade--73132956https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132956Sat, 22 Aug 2026 18:30:04 +0000VoltaireIn which the industrious spirit of English commerce is observed to nurture both national wealth and liberty, raising the island nation to a formidable naval power that extends its influence across distant seas. The letter contrasts the practical...310false111fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-xi-on-inoculation--73132939https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132939Tue, 25 Aug 2026 18:30:02 +0000VoltaireIn 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 courts of England, revealing a practice born of maternal love and commercial prudence. The...779false112fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-xii-on-the-lord-bacon--73132960https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132960Fri, 28 Aug 2026 18:30:03 +0000VoltaireIn which the author contemplates the grandeur of minds like Sir Isaac Newton, and introduces the illustrious Lord Bacon—whose life intertwined profound philosophical innovation with the intrigues of courtly disgrace. This letter unfolds Bacon’s...871false113fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-xiii-on-mr-locke--73132943https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132943Mon, 31 Aug 2026 18:30:03 +0000VoltaireIn which the nature of the soul is examined through the lens of Mr. Locke’s measured philosophy, juxtaposed against the extravagant and often contradictory assertions of ancient and ecclesiastical authorities. Voltaire gently reveals how Locke’s sober...1189false114fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-xiv-on-descartes-and-sir-isaac-newton--73132952https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132952Thu, 03 Sep 2026 18:30:02 +0000VoltaireIn which a French observer contrasts the contrasting philosophies and lives of Descartes and Sir Isaac Newton, reflecting upon the shift from Cartesian vortices to Newtonian attractions that mark the English and French schools of thought. The letter...909false115fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-xv-on-attraction--73132953https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132953Sun, 06 Sep 2026 18:30:02 +0000VoltaireIn which the profound meditations of Sir Isaac Newton are gently unfolded, revealing his elegant refutation of Cartesian vortices and his celebrated conception of universal gravitation as the celestial principal animating the motions of planets and...1625false116fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-xvi-on-sir-isaac-newton-s-optics--73132944https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132944Wed, 09 Sep 2026 18:30:03 +0000VoltaireIn which the enlightened author expounds upon the marvels unveiled by Sir Isaac Newton’s studies of light and colour, revealing the natural philosophy that dispels former mistaken notions and elucidates the very essence of visibility and optics. With...720false117fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-xvii-on-infinites-in-geometry-and-sir-isaac-newton-s-chronology--73132957https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132957Sat, 12 Sep 2026 18:30:04 +0000VoltaireIn which we muse upon the labyrinthine nature of infinity explored through the ingenious calculus of fluxions, a mighty invention that tames the immeasurable in the service of geometry, and observe the stirring dispute over its true inventor. We then...1064false118fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-xviii-on-tragedy--73132958https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132958Tue, 15 Sep 2026 18:30:03 +0000VoltaireIn 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 beauties and faults have shaped dramatic art in that island. The discourse further...1116false119fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-xix-on-comedy--73132947https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132947Fri, 18 Sep 2026 18:30:03 +0000VoltaireIn which the nature and qualities of English comedy are examined through the works of celebrated playwrights such as Wycherley, Congreve, and Vanbrugh, with particular attention paid to their wit, spirit, and the reflection of national character....810false120fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-xx-on-such-of-the-nobility-as-cultivate-the-belles-lettres--73132945https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132945Mon, 21 Sep 2026 18:30:03 +0000VoltaireIn which Voltaire reflects upon the changing tastes of French nobility, lamenting a decline in the cultivation of polite literature, while contrasting it with the English admiration for learning fostered by their political freedoms. He also presents a...316false121fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-xxi-on-the-earl-of-rochester-and-mr-waller--73132948https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132948Thu, 24 Sep 2026 18:30:03 +0000VoltaireIn 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 combine fire, tenderness, and grave eloquence to depict the human condition and the...945false122fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-xxii-on-mr-pope-and-some-other-famous-poets--73132954https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132954Sun, 27 Sep 2026 18:30:03 +0000VoltaireIn 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 styles and the challenges of translating their wit and humour into foreign tongues. The...827false123fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-xxiii-on-the-regard-that-ought-to-be-shown-to-men-of-letters--73132959https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132959Wed, 30 Sep 2026 18:30:04 +0000VoltaireIn 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 institutional patronage found in France. He also reflects on the public esteem bestowed upon...635false124fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/letters-on-england-letter-xxiv-on-the-royal-society-and-other-academies--73132951https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73132951Sat, 03 Oct 2026 18:30:02 +0000VoltaireIn which the differences between the English Royal Society and the French Academy of Sciences are examined with a discerning eye, highlighting the virtues of order, reward, and specialization in the latter, alongside reflections on the learned but...897false125fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/candide-introduction--75586616https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75586616Tue, 06 Oct 2026 18:30:05 +0000VoltaireIn which a lively introduction celebrates Voltaire’s *Candide* as a timeless, swift-witted satire that playfully mocks the optimistic philosophy of its age with elegant brevity and unsparing humour. The commentary gently contrasts eighteenth-century...512false21fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/candide-chapter-1-how-candide-was-brought-up-in-a-magnificent-castle-and-how-he-was-expelled-thence--75586617https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75586617Fri, 09 Oct 2026 18:30:03 +0000VoltaireIn which a tender-hearted youth named Candide is raised in the splendid castle of a powerful Westphalian Baron, receiving philosophical instruction from the learned Pangloss alongside youthful affections for the Baron's daughter. The innocence of...409false22fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/candide-chapter-2-what-became-of-candide-among-the-bulgarians--75586618https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75586618Mon, 12 Oct 2026 18:30:04 +0000VoltaireIn 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 unexpected enlistment that tests both his body and spirit. Through trials of discipline,...381false23fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/candide-chapter-3-how-candide-made-his-escape-from-the-bulgarians-and-what-afterwards-became-of-him--75586619https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75586619Thu, 15 Oct 2026 18:30:05 +0000VoltaireIn 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 tangled web of causes and effects amidst ruins and human misery. Seeking charity in Holland, he...350false24fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/candide-chapter-4-how-candide-found-his-old-master-pangloss-and-what-happened-to-them--75586620https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75586620Sun, 18 Oct 2026 18:30:03 +0000VoltaireIn 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 and common sense provide a balm for their woes amidst the turbulence of the world. As...552false25fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/candide-chapter-5-tempest-shipwreck-earthquake-and-what-became-of-doctor-pangloss-candide-and-james-the-anabaptist--75586621https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75586621Wed, 21 Oct 2026 18:30:04 +0000VoltaireIn which a tempestuous sea voyage and a devastating earthquake of Lisbon reveal the fragility of human endeavours and the resilience of philosophical discourse amidst calamity. The steadfast Pangloss expounds his unfaltering optimism even as ruin and...427false26fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/candide-chapter-6-how-the-portuguese-made-a-beautiful-auto-da-fe-to-prevent-any-further-earthquakes-and-how-candide-was-publicly-whipped--75586622https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75586622Sat, 24 Oct 2026 18:30:04 +0000VoltaireIn which a dreadful earthquake devastates Lisbon, leading the authorities to enforce a grim ritual of public punishment in hopes of quelling further calamity, whilst Candide and his companions suffer unjust and brutal fates. Amidst his suffering and...209false27fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/candide-chapter-7-how-the-old-woman-took-care-of-candide-and-how-he-found-the-object-he-loved--75586623https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75586623Tue, 27 Oct 2026 18:30:04 +0000VoltaireIn 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 Cunegonde, whose presence restores a flicker of hope amid their calamities. They exchange the...345false28fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/candide-chapter-8-the-history-of-cunegonde--75586624https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75586624Fri, 30 Oct 2026 18:30:03 +0000VoltaireIn which the tender Cunegonde recounts the dreadful ravages wrought upon her family by the Bulgarians and the subsequent trials she endured under various masters, including a harsh Jewish merchant and the formidable Grand Inquisitor. Through her vivid...481false29fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/candide-chapter-9-what-became-of-cunegonde-candide-the-grand-inquisitor-and-the-jew--75586625https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75586625Mon, 02 Nov 2026 18:30:03 +0000VoltaireIn which Candide, faced with sudden and violent peril within Cunegonde’s chamber, resorts to swift and decisive action to ensure their survival, displaying a mix of desperation and resolve. The trio, guided by the wise counsel of the old woman,...274false210fullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/candide-chapter-10-in-what-distress-candide-cunegonde-and-the-old-woman-arrived-at-cadiz-and-of-their-embarkation--75586626https://api.spreaker.com/episode/75586626Thu, 05 Nov 2026 18:30:03 +0000VoltaireIn 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 discoursing upon the curious philosophy that all is for the best in this best of all possible...338false211full