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
crush voice knowing
She blushed and so did he. She greeted him in a faltering voice, and he spoke to her without knowing what he was saying.
beauty eye yellow
To a toad, what is beauty? A female with pop eyes, a wide mouth, yellow belly, and a spotted back,
running loss god-provides
the women are never at a loss, God provides for them, let us run.
kings war europe
Los Padres have everything and the people have nothing; 'tis the masterpiece of reason and justice. For my part, I know nothing so divine as Los Padres who make war on Kings of Spain and Portugal and in Europe act as their confessors; who here kill Spaniards and at Madrid send them to Heaven.
illusion disaster
All is but illusion and disaster.
country war greatness
Such then is the human condition, that to wish greatness for one's country is to wish harm to one's neighbors.
giving sage want
He wanted to know how they prayed to God in El Dorado. "We do not pray to him at all," said the reverend sage. "We have nothing to ask of him. He has given us all we want, and we give him thanks continually.
book taken men
I never approved either the errors of his book, or the trivial truths he so vigorously laid down. I have, however, stoutly taken his side when absurd men have condemned him for these same truths.
atheism positive-atheism
What can I hope when all is right?
art blessing cities
Even in those cities which seem to enjoy the blessings of peace, and where the arts florish, the inhabitants are devoured by envy, cares and anxieties, which are greater plagues than any expirienced in a town when it is under siege.
ignorance needs guides
had no need of a guide to learn ignorance
men boredom misery
Martin in particular concluded that man was born to live either in the convulsions of misery, or in the lethargy of boredom.
grace burning distraction
He was my equal in beauty, a paragon of grace and charm, sparkling with wit, and burning with love. I adored him to distraction, to the point of idolatry: I loved him as one can never love twice.
chosen
I have chosen to be happy because it is goo for my health.