Letters on England

Voltaire said of England: "If every I smell of a Resurrection, or come a second time on Earth, I will pray to God to make me born in England, the Land of Liberty."
In the two years or so he was here for, he fell in love with the island across the Channel from his native homeland, and wrote Letters Concerning the English Nation. In it he surveys all of English politics and culture, using irony and his own reasoning in questioning the norms throughout his work, and I like his playful style and allusiveness.
Among his key themes, is religion, in which Voltaire notes that "A man should never attempt to win over a fanatic by strength of reasoning." He argues not against religion, but against the public dominance of any specific religion, or the public conflict between them. "The Romans never knew the dreadful folly of religious wars, and abomination reserved for devout preachers of patience and humility.
His account of English political liberty implies that France has a long way to go in regards to rational and restrained government, but then he writes that the "house of Lords and that of the Commons divide the legislative power under the King," Voltaire is making a statement about the ideal form of English constitutionalism at a time when it was under debate in England.
Culturally, he attempts to catalogue the intellectual and cultural heroes of England, such as Locke, Bacon, Newton and Shakespeare, arguing that it's the intellectual geniuses who push a civilisation forward as opposed to kings and military leaders.

Eighteenth-century Frenchman's critique of his own country couched in terms of description of Britain.

I love Voltaire, always have. Voltaire is humorous, sarcastic and opinionated, and like his other works, there is a unique style that fully captures his character. In this work, he addresses Quakers, Parliament, literature, smallpox vaccination, Presbyterians, Anglicans, Government, Commerce, and many other subjects. He also expresses his profound respect for John Locke and Francis Bacon, and especially for Isaac Newton. Although most his arguments are of course outdated, the book definitely gives the reader a glimpse into the 18th c. enlightened mind. However some remain relevant today, and the reader may even find one on which to find common ground. Although still a man of his time, it is always surprising to read how open-minded he was. ( )

An odd little book. I can't say I gave it the attention it warranted. The sections on Quakers and English manners were great, those on Newton well-nigh unreadable.