- The publisher feels he must warn the reader that he can't vouch for the fact that these are real letters; it could well be just a novel using letters as its structure.
- He feels this way because he thinks the letters are extremely unrealistic because the kind of evil people who are supposedly writing these letters couldn't possible exist in the present day.
- After all, it's the age of reason, and everyone is enlightened and virtuous.
- Plus there are some very unlikely scenarios in the letters.
- For example, a rich girl (Cécile) would never become a nun; pretty young married women (like Madame de Tourvel) just don't die of grief.
- So reader beware, this is probably all fiction.