Deserving brief notice also is the Essai sur les meurs (1753-56), which Voltaire began writing during the Cirey period. This work was an attempt, rather successful in consideration of the time in which it was written, to produce a universal history. M. Morize (Candide, 1913) stated that the abstract generalizations of the Essai become persons and incidents in the philosophical tale. For example, the Essai includes material on the French colonies in America; the Jesuits in South America; the Anabaptists; the treatment of captured Christians by the Moors; and comparable material. Indeed, throughout Candide are found details the origin of which may be traced to the earlier work.
As regards Candide, the source hunters have been indefatigable, citing earlier narratives that, in one way or another, have affinities with the philosophical and/or satirical tale. These include the seventeenth and eighteenth century pastoral and heroic-gallant romances, which were so popular. There were also the novels of travel, some of which have been held to have made contributions to Candide. These include Fénelon's Télémaque (1699); Lesage's widely popular Gil Blas (1715-1735), the great picaresque romance memorable for animation of narrative, fluidity, and precision of style; and Montesquieu's Letters persanes (1721; additions 1754), the imaginary correspondence of two Persian princes in which are recorded what they observed and experienced in France and their reflections which provided the opportunity for satirical comment on contemporary society and political institutions.
