Voltaire Quotes

All our ancient history, as one of our wits remarked, is no more than accepted fiction.

Men employ speech only to conceal their thoughts.

But how conceive a God supremely good/ Who heaps his favours on the sons he loves, / Yet scatters evil with as large a hand?[Written after an earthquake in Lisbon killed over 15, 000 people]

The truths of religion are never so well understood as by those who have lost the power of reasoning.

I assert nothing, I content myself with believing that more is possible than people think.

One should always cite what one does not understand at all in the language one understands the least.

Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.

Think for yourself and let others enjoy the privilege of doing so too.

Ice-cream is exquisite. What a pity it isn't illegal.

It is dangerous to be right, when the government is wrong

If God created us in his own image, we have more than reciproc

It is better to risk saving a guilty person than to condemn an innocent one.

I've decided to be happy because it's good for my health.

The best is the enemy of good.

Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.

Optimism, " said Cacambo, "What is that?" "Alas!" replied Candide, "It is the obstinacy of maintaining that everything is best when it is worst.

One day everything will be well, that is our hope. Everything's fine today, that is our illusion

What a pessimist you are!" exclaimed Candide."That is because I know what life is, " said Martin.

What's optimism? said Cacambo. Alas, said Candide, it is a mania for saying things are well when one is in hell.

An opportunity fordoing an injury happens a hundred times a day, hut for doing good not once a year, " says Zoroaster.

It is not improbable that in hot countries, monkeys may have enslaved girls.

I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: Oh Lord, make my enemies ridiculous. And God grante

He was a great patriot, a humanitarian, a loyal friend- provided of course he really is dead.

Doubt is an uncomfortable condition, but certainty is a ridiculous one.

Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do.

In the beginning God created man in His own image, and man has been trying to repay the favor ever since.

But there must be some pleasure in condemning everything--in perceiving faults where others think they see beauties.''You mean there is pleasure in having no pleasure.

Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien. (The perfect is the enemy of the good.)

My dear young lady, when you are in love, and jealous, and have been flogged by the Inquisition, there's no knowing what you may do.

It is fancy rather than taste which produces so many new fashions.

Imagine all contradictions, all possible incompatibilities--you will find them in the government, in the law-courts, in the churches, in the public shows of this droll nation.

The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.

Having lived with kings, I have become a king in my own home.

Now, now my good man, this is no time to be making enemies."(Voltaire on his deathbed in response to a priest asking him that he renounce Satan.)

People will continue to commit atrocities as long as they believe in absurdities.

What is tolerance? It is a necessary consequence of humanity. We are all fallible, let us then pardon each other's follies. This is the first principle of natural right.

Better is the enemy of the good.

Often the prudent far from making their destinies succumb to them.

Weakness on both sides is as we know the motto of all quarrels.

Ask a toad what is beauty? ... a female with two great round eyes coming out of her little head a large flat mouth a yellow belly and a brown back.

The first step my son which one makes in the world is the one on which depends the rest of our days.

All the known world excepting only savage nations is governed by books.

If there had been a censorship of the press in Rome we should have had today neither Horace nor Juvenal nor the philosophical writings of Cicero.

Originality is nothing but judicious imitation.

The world embarrasses me and I cannot dream That this watch exists and has no watchmaker.

Fear succeeds crime - it is its punishment.

Doubt is not a pleasant state but certainty is a ridiculous one.

My prayer to God is a very short one "Oh Lord make my enemies ridiculous!" God has granted it.

Froth at the top dregs at bottom but the middle excellent.

The longer we dwell on our misfortunes the greater is their power to harm us.