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
writing voice painting
Writing is the painting of the voice.
men years two
Religion may be purified. This great work was begun two hundred years ago: but men can only bear light to come in upon them by degrees.
tyrants government politics
The best government is a benevolent tyranny tempered by an occasional assassination.
war slavery human-nature
Slavery is also as ancient as war, and war as human nature.
interesting common-sense leader
Common sense is both more rare and more desirable in leaders than mere intelligence.
making-love age youth
Pleasure has its time; so too, has wisdom. Make love in thy youth, and in old age attend to thy salvation.
sides weakness argument
Weakness on both sides is, as we know, the motto of all quarrels.
men ideas numbers
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.
wisdom believe sacrifice
Once your faith persuades you to believe what your intelligence declares absurd, beware, lest you likewise sacrifice your reason in the conduct of your life.
europe america history
A torch lighted in the forests of America set all Europe in conflagration.
doubt ridiculous certainty
Doubt is not a very agreeable status, but certainty is a ridiculous one.
soul stones philosopher
Constant happiness is the philosopher's stone of the soul.
boredom way bores
The way to be a bore is to say everything.
wine juice september
Wine is the divine juice of September.