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
discovery shall
If we do not find anything pleasant, at least we shall find something new
duty goal pleasure rational
Pleasure is the object, duty and the goal of all rational creatures.
brilliant idleness itself rust shun
Shun idleness is the rust that attaches itself to the most brilliant metals.
above almost creation doctors exertion great health joint men noble occupied preserve renew since skill
Men who are occupied in the restoration of health to other men, by the joint exertion of skill and humanity, are above all the great of the earth. They even partake of divinity, since to preserve and renew is almost as noble as to create.
console frivolous miseries nature
Nature has made us frivolous to console us for our miseries
appear cut extend few fortune happiness human means men miserable prefer ruin throats
Men appear to prefer to ruin one another's fortunes, and to cut each other's throats over a few miserable villages, than to extend the means of human happiness
argument both motto sides weakness
Weakness on both sides is, the motto of all quarrels.
appearance belly female wide yellow
To a toad, what is beauty? A female with two pop-eyes, a wide mouth, yellow belly and spotted back
books books-and-reading great lost multitude number rest small
It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part, the rest are lost in the multitude
best boring french-writer leave
The best way to be boring is to leave nothing out.
advice philosophy sets
Superstition sets the whole world in flames; philosophy quenches them
inspirational funny life
I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.
hear news sacrament wait
When we hear news we should always wait for the sacrament of confirmation
country
Who serves his country well has no need of ancestors.