Voltaire Quotes

In the matter of taxation, every privilege is an injustice.

All pleasantry should be short; and it might even be as well were the serious short also.

Governments need to have both shepherds and butchers.

Errors flies from mouth to mouth, from pen to pen, and to destroy it takes ages.

We never live; we are always in the expectation of living.

When one man speaks to another man who doesn't understand him, and when a man who's speaking no longer understands, it's metaphysics.

Once the people begin to reason, all is lost

Thought depends absolutely on the stomach, but in spite of that, those who have the best stomachs are not the best thinkers.

Almost all life depends on probabilities.

All is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.

There are some that only employ words for the purpose of disguising their thoughts.

The most amazing and effective inventions are not those which do most honour to the human genius.

We are astonished at thought, but sensation is equally wonderful.

The effervescence of this fresh wine reveals the true brilliance of the French people.

It is with books as with the fires of our grates, everybody borrows a light from his neighbor to kindle his own, which in turn is communicated to others, and each partakes of all.

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.

Life is bristling with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to cultivate one's garden.

Love has features which pierce all hearts, he wears a bandage which conceals the faults of those beloved. He has wings, he comes quickly and flies away the same.

Very often, say what you will, a knave is only a fool.

He who has not the spirit of this age, has all the misery of it.

Every one goes astray, but the least imprudent are they who repent the soonest.

Individual misfortunes give rise to the general good; so that the more individual misfortunes exist, the more all is fine.

Our country is that spot to which our heart is bound.

But for what purpose was the earth formed?" asked Candide. "To drive us mad," replied Martin.

Man can have only a certain number of teeth, hair and ideas; there comes a time when he necessarily loses his teeth, hair and ideas.

History is but the record of crimes and misfortunes. L'histoire n'est que le tableau des crimes et des malheurs

Let us leave every man at liberty to seek into him and to lose himself in his ideas.

I should like to lie at your feet and die in your arms.

It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part.

Time, which alone makes the reputation of men, ends by making their defects respectable.

It is the triumph of superior reason to live with folks who don't have any.

I read these words which are the sum of all moral philosophy, and which cut short all the disputes of the casuists: When in doubt if an action is good or bad, refrain.

A good action is preferable to an argument.

The passions are the winds which fill the sails of the vessel; they sink it at times, but without them it would be impossible to make way.

What is not in nature can never be true.

For seventeen hundred years the Christian sect has done nothing but harm.

A good cook is a certain slow poisoner, if you are not temperate.

my soul is the mirror of the universe, and my body is its frame

We cannot wish for that we know not.

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

The sentiment of justice is so natural, and so universally acquired by all mankind, that it seems to be independent of all law, all party, all religion.

Fools admire everything in an author of reputation.

Why are the Jews hated? It is the inevitable result of their laws; they either have to conquer everybody or be hated by the whole human race.

Every beauty, when out of it's place, is a beauty no longer.

If God has made us in his image, we have returned him the favor.

The spirit of property doubles a man's strength.

The multitude of books is making us ignorant.

The instinct of a man is to pursue everything that flies from him, and to fly from all that pursue him.

Happiness is a good that nature sells us.

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