The provincial letters of Blaise Pascal
In 1656 and 1657 Blaise Pascal published a series of anonymous letters defending his friend Antoine Arnauld and the Jansenists of Port-Royal against the Sorbonne and the Jesuits. Posing as a curious outsider writing to a friend in the provinces, he interviews theologians and confessors and lets them expose, in their own words, the subtleties of casuistry and lax moral teaching. The tone moves from comic irony to open indignation in the final letters. The Provincial Letters were condemned and burned, yet they became a model of French prose and of polemic. This English translation is by Thomas M'Crie. It is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, and the first chapter is free.
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Is The provincial letters of Blaise Pascal in the public domain?
Yes. The provincial letters of Blaise Pascal by Blaise Pascal is a public-domain work, here in the translation by Thomas M'Crie. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
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What kind of book is The provincial letters of Blaise Pascal?
The provincial letters of Blaise Pascal by Blaise Pascal is filed under "Classics" in the Vinteuil library.
