The Persian Letters Author:Montesquieu; George R. Healy (Translator) The Persian Letters (Lettres persanes, published in 1721) is an epistolary novel consisting of letters sent to and from two fictional Persians, Usbek and Rica, who set out for Europe in 1711 and remain there at least until 1720, when the novel ends. In this satire of contemporary society Montesquieu (1689-1755) tries to imagine how European cult... more »ure might look to travellers from non-European countries, a device he uses with particular brilliance.« less