French Literature Reviews - 2026

Voltaire, Works of 1774–1775
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas

The Complete Works of Voltaire, vol. 76

Works of 1774–1775

This volume comprises a collection of philosophical and historical texts addressing themes such as fatalism, the nature of the soul, the dangers of atheism, and humanity's slow progress toward a better future. It includes, among other works, the tales The Travels of Scarmentado (published as Histoire de Jenni, ou le Sage et l’athée) and The Ears of Lord Chesterfield and Chaplain Goudman (Les Oreilles du comte de Chesterfield), as well as occasional writings (On the Death of Louis XV, Eulogy of Louis XV, Historical Eulogy of Reason, Letter from an Ecclesiastic), an allegory (Dialogue between Pegasus and the Old Man), a defense of his Commentaries on Corneille (Opinion of an Academician of Lyon), and, as always, poetry.

OCV 76, 2013, ISBN 978-0-7294-1019-9, xxii+628 pages

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This volume contributes to the extensive scholarly enterprise of the Complete Works of Voltaire, an ongoing critical edition dedicated to making the vast output of the leading French Enlightenment figure accessible in its entirety. Voltaire's later writings frequently returned to foundational questions regarding human progress, religious belief, and philosophical systems. The works gathered in this collection reflect his lifelong engagement with these persistent intellectual debates, combining historical inquiry with literary expression across multiple genres.