Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet, known by his nom de plume Voltaire, was a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher famous for his wit, his attacks on the established Catholic Church, and his advocacy of freedom of religion, freedom of expression, and separation of church and state...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionHistorian
Date of Birth21 November 1694
CityParis, France
CountryFrance
religion has-beens ifs
If there were no God, it would have been necessary to invent him.
games honor chess
Chess is a game which reflects most honor on human wit.
wine french-wine my-friends
I serve your Beaune to my friends, but your Volnay I keep for myself.
wine people champagne
The effervescence of this fresh wine reveals the true brilliance of the French people.
names idols fame
What a heavy burden is a name that has become too famous.
men different morality
All sects are different, because they come from men; morality is everywhere the same, because it comes from God.
life-and-death enemy famous-last-words
This is no time to make new enemies.
impossible language translate
It is impossible to translate poetry. Can you translate music?
life rust brilliant
Shun idleness. It is rust that attaches itself to the most brilliant metals.
men way speak
The only way to compel men to speak good of us is to do it.
errors opinion humans
The history of human opinion is scarcely anything more than the history of human errors.
peace cutting two
If there were only one religion in England there would be danger of despotism, if there were two, they would cut each other's throats, but there are thirty, and they live in peace and happiness.
fool knavery knaves
Very often, say what you will, a knave is only a fool.
superfluous
The superfluous is very necessary.