Actually, most were written as novellas or plays much like Shakespeare. Voltaire, if I recall correctly, is actualy a pen-name which he wrote under to avoid being jailed by the French government. Although he was careful to always place his stories in faraway places with foreign characters, he was mocking the French monarchy and all knew it.
Indeed, Voltaire is a pen name, meaning roughly, "wishful one." His real name was Francois-Marie Arouet.
Voltaire was a funny, perceptive, and quite merciless man. He let no windbag go unpunctured -- but he always laughed as he skewered. Thanks for posting these.
Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
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