r such knowledge; philosophy will never be his lot. Those who say that there are truths which must be hidden from the people, need not be alarmed; the people do not read; they work six days of the week, and on the seventh go to the inn. In a word, philosophical works are made only for philosophers, and every honest man must try to be a philosopher, without pluming himself on being one.
This alphabet is extracted from the most estimable works which are not commonly within the reach of the many; and if the author does not always mention the sources of his information, as being well enough known to the learned, he must not be suspected of wishing to take the credit for other people's work, because he himself preserves anonymity, according to this word of the Gospel: "Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth."
CONTENTS
PAGE PREFACE BY VOLTAIRE 5
ADULTERY 11 ADVOCATE 16 ANCIENTS AND MODERNS 17 ANIMALS 21 ANTIQUITY 24 ARTS 27 ASTROLOGY 29 ATHEISM 32 AUTHORITY 46 AUTHORS 48
BANISHMENT 50 BANKRUPTCY 51 BEAUTY 53 BISHOP 55 BOOKS 57 BOULEVERD 60 BOURGES 61 BRAHMINS 62
CHARACTER 65 CHARLATAN 68 CIVIL LAWS 73 CLIMATE 74 COMMON SENSE 78 CONCATENATION OF EVENTS 80 CONTRADICTIONS 83 CORN 85 CROMWELL 88 CUSTOMS 94
DEMOCRACY 96 DESTINY 98 DEVOUT 102
ECCLESIASTICAL MINISTRY 103 EMBLEM 106 ENGLISH THEATRE, ON THE 110 ENVY 112 EQUALITY 114 EXPIATION 118 EXTREME 122 EZOURVEIDAM 125
FAITH 126 FALSE MINDS 128 FATHERLAND 131 FINAL CAUSES 133 FRAUD 136 FREE-WILL 142 FRENCH 146 FRIENDSHIP 150
GOD 151
HELVETIA 156 HISTORY 157
IGNORANCE 163 IMPIOUS 166
JOAN OF ARC 168
KISSING 173
LANGUAGES 178 LAWS 184 LIBERTY 187 LIBRARY 191 LIMITS OF THE HUMAN MIND 194 LOCAL CRIMES 195 LOVE 197 LUXURY 200
MAN 203 MAN IN THE IRON MASK 204 MARRIAGE 210 MASTER 211 MEN OF LETTERS 214 METAMORPHOSIS 216 MILTON, ON THE REPROACH OF PLAGIARISM AGAINST 217 MOHAMMEDANS 220 MOUNTAIN 221
NAKEDNESS 222 NATURAL LAW 224 NATURE 2