Persian Letters

With Related Texts

Montesquieu, Raymond N. MacKenzie

• Publisher: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN: 9781624661808
• eBook ISBN: 9781624661839
• Topic: Filosofia
• Subtopic: Filosofia medievale e rinascimentale

A classic work of the European Enlightenment--and one of the most popular, if scandalous, in its day--the Persian Letters captures, in an engaging epistolary format, the transformational spirit of the era. Amid an ongoing tale rife with sex, violence, and wit, the work addresses a diverse range of topics from human nature and the origins of society, to the nature and role of religious belief, the role of women, statecraft, justice, morality, and human identity.

With skill and artistry, Raymond MacKenzie's stunning new translation accurately reflects the mood and character of the work. In his richly conceived Introduction, MacKenzie seamlessly weaves together an overview of the period with details of Montesquieu's life, including the influences that inspired the Persian Letters, the character and power of the book, and its reception.

This edition also includes a Calendar of the Persian Letters, a Bibliography of Works in English, and a Bibliography of Works in French. Related texts provide insight into the legacy of the Persian Letters. They include selections from works by George Lyttelton, Voltaire, Oliver Goldsmith, and Maria Edgeworth.

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Titles of Related Interest Available from Hackett Publishing
• Contents
• Introduction
• Acknowledgments
• The Calendar of the Persian Letters
• The Text of the Persian Letters
• Persian Letters
• Bibliography
• Appendix—The Legacy of Montesquieu’s Persian Letters
• Back Cover