Discussion Questions:

Voltaire, Letters on the English Nation 1733

Voltaire's time in England and his appreciation of aspects of English life had a profound
impact on his critique of the French monarchy and religion. Here are some questions:

How does the organization of churches in England differ from that of France?

What aspects of English church organization are particularly attractive to Voltaire?

How does Voltaire use the analogy of the English stock market to illustrate English religions?

How does he compare English institutions with those of Rome or other modern countries?
How does he rate the English in terms of stability of its institutions as opposed to violence?

What were the contributions of Bacon and Locke? Descartes and Newton?

In general, what does Voltaire seem to admire about the English nation?

Treatise of the Three Impostors 1719 This anonymous treatise was a scandal throughout
both Protestant and Catholic worlds, and is perhaps the earlier statement of European
atheism. Does it still have the power to shock or to surprise the reader ?

What do the anonymous authors think are the problems with common ideas about God?
(The terms anthropomorphism and antropocentrism are useful here.)

What are the motivations of priests, clerics and ministers?

What is his opinion of ancient Roman religion, of Judaism, of Christianity and of Islam?

What is his opinion of the careers of Moses, Jesus Christ and of Mohammed?