A Pocket Philosophical Dictionary

Voltaire
Translated by John Fletcher and Introduction and Notes by Nicholas Cronk

Oxford World's Classics

• One of the landmarks of European Enlightenment thought, Voltaire's Pocket Philosophical Dictionary is concerned primarily with religious dogma and intolerance and remains highly relevant today.
• This is the only available English translation of Voltaire's original Pocket Philosophical Dictionary of 1764, expanded in successive editions until it became less coherent, and the edition that provoked widespread condemnation and controversy.
• The only translation based on the definitive French critical edition.
• The new translation by John Fletcher is readable and accurate and is accompanied by a contextualizing introduction by Nicholas Cronk that considers France and Europe in the 1760s, the nature of Voltaire's engagement in political debate, literary style, contemporary reaction, the lasting impact of the work and its continuing relevance to debates on religious intolerance.
• Includes up-to-date bibliography and full notes.

A Pocket Philosophical Dictionary

Voltaire
Translated by John Fletcher and Introduction and Notes by Nicholas Cronk

Oxford World's Classics

Description

A Pocket Philosophical Dictionary

Voltaire
Translated by John Fletcher and Introduction and Notes by Nicholas Cronk

Oxford World's Classics

Author Information

A Pocket Philosophical Dictionary

Voltaire
Translated by John Fletcher and Introduction and Notes by Nicholas Cronk

Oxford World's Classics

From Our Blog

Voltaire, l'esprit, and irony

By John Fletcher In 1744 Voltaire produced for an edition of M©rope a 'Lettre sur l'esprit', which he later incorporated after corrections in later editions of the Dictionnaire philosophique under the article 'Esprit.' In it he attempted to define the nature of wit in the following terms: Ce qu'on appelle esprit est tant´t une comparaison nouvelle, tant´t une allusion fine:

Posted on November 21, 2012

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