About this ebook
Letters Between Voltaire and Diderot, readers are invited into the intimate and often incendiary correspondence between two of the Enlightenment's most iconic thinkers. Stretching from the mid 18th century through the height of the Encyclopédie controversy and into the final decades of their lives, these letters reveal the passion, intellect, and mutual admiration of Denis Diderot and Voltaire as they grapple with questions of faith, freedom, morality, and the fate of reason in an age of superstition and repression. Philosophical, political, and deeply personal, the letters capture Diderot's fiery commitment to truth and social reform, and Voltaire's razor sharp wit and relentless pursuit of justice. Their exchange spans reflections on metaphysics and the nature of God, the persecution of philosophers, the censorship and eventual triumph of the Encyclopédie, and their shared contempt for tyranny, whether political, clerical, or intellectual. Beginning with Diderot's 1749 response to Voltaire's praise of his controversial Letter on the Blind, the correspondence traces the evolution of a friendship built on admiration, sharp wit, and a common cause: the battle for reason in a superstitious world. The letters chronicle the birth and embattled progress of the Encyclopédie, with Diderot often writing from the front lines, defending the project against censorship, clerical backlash, and the loss of allies like d'Alembert. Voltaire, meanwhile, writes from Ferney with a blend of ironic detachment and fervent support, offering counsel, criticism, and unrelenting scorn for what he called "l'infâme" organized religious hypocrisy. On 19 February 1758, Diderot sent a forceful response to Voltaire's suggestion that they abandon or relocate the Encyclopédie due to mounting censorship. Diderot firmly opposed this, arguing that quitting would betray their cause and the public. He criticized d'Alembert's withdrawal from the project, defended their responsibility to continue despite persecution, and expressed both philosophical weariness and determination. The letter reveals Diderot's mix of personal sacrifice, public duty, and disdain for cowardice in the face of repression. In a letter from 28 November 1760, Diderot continued his correspondence with Voltaire amid ongoing external pressures on the Encyclopédie project. The final letter from Diderot, written in the summer of 1766, was a direct and emotionally charged reply to a covert message from Voltaire urging Diderot to leave France for his safety. This letter displays Diderot's resilience and refusal to flee, despite the execution of the Chevalier de La Barre and heightened risk. He critiques Voltaire's theological views, shows on mortality and philosophical usefulness, and famously compares Shakespeare to the giant Saint Christopher, defending creative genius against classical judgment. It captures Diderot at his boldest, loyal, combative, and philosophically defiant. 1749, 1758: Early exchanges focus on metaphysical debates about God, materialism, and blindness, both literal and philosophical. These letters reveal Diderot's bold intellect and Voltaire's detailed skepticism. 1758, 1765: As the Encyclopédie faces bans and backlash, Diderot writes with urgency and defiance. Voltaire's replies oscillate between encouragement, warnings, and offers to relocate the project to Prussia or Russia. 1762, 1766: The tone darkens as Diderot fears imprisonment or worse for his views. His letters offer a rare, emotional understanding into the private life of a public thinker caught in a tightening web of surveillance and hostility. 1766, 1778: Later letters reflect on aging, legacy, and artistic pursuits. Voltaire remains the eternal provocateur, while Diderot becomes increasingly reflective, even melancholic, though no less committed to truth. For contextual study, Letters Between Voltaire and Diderot: A Dialogue of Reason and Resistance is accompanied by a new Afterword by the translator, a short biography, a glossary of Philosophical Terms used by Diderot, a chronology of his core life and works, and a summary index of all of Diderot's works. Letters Between Voltaire and Diderot: A Dialogue of Reason and Resistance presents Diderot's Enlightenment-era French in modern English while preserving the movement of his argument and its place in the intellectual debates of his time.
Letters Between Voltaire and Diderot, readers are invited into the intimate and often incendiary correspondence between two of the Enlightenment's most iconic thinkers. Stretching from the mid 18th century through the height of the Encyclopédie controversy and into the final decades of their live...
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About the author
Denis Diderot (1713 to 1784) was a French writer, philosopher, art critic, and editor. He directed much of the Encyclopédie, wrote fiction and drama, and produced essays on art, religion, natural philosophy, education, politics, and the material basis of mind.
Denis Diderot (1713 to 1784) was a French writer, philosopher, art critic, and editor. He directed much of the Encyclopédie, wrote fiction and drama, and produced essays on art, religion, natural philosophy, education, politics, and the material basis of mind.
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