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
judge questions rather
Judge a person by their questions, rather than their answers.
french-writer judge man questions rather
Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers.
burning earth few men opens persecute preachers teach
What will the preachers say? ... to teach men not to persecute men: for, while a few sanctimonious humbugs are burning a few fanatics, the earth opens and swallows up all alike.
chains fools free french-writer hard
It is hard to free fools from the chains they revere.
good objects philosophers-and-philosophy practice pursuit true
The pursuit of what is true and the practice of what is good are the two most important objects of philosophy.
crime-and-criminals crimes history portrayal
History is no more than the portrayal of crimes and misfortunes
duty goal pleasure rational
Pleasure is the object, duty and the goal of all rational creatures.
failure lost ruined twice won
I was never ruined but twice - once when I lost a lawsuit, once when I won one
charlatans faith hundred regimen superior time
Regimen is superior to medicine, especially as, from time immemorial, out of every hundred physicians, ninety-eight are charlatans
borrowed french-writer judicious original writers
Originality is nothing by judicious imitation. The most original writers borrowed one from another.
freedom natural pens risk
We have a natural right to make use of our pens as of our tongues, at our peril, risk and hazard.
country
Who serves his country well has no need of ancestors.
religion subject
Such is the feebleness of humanity, such is its perversity, that doubtless it is better for it to be subject to all possible superstitions, as long as they are not murderous, than to live without religion.
condemned criminals good hanged man public serves works
Let the punishments of criminals be useful. A hanged man is good for nothing; a man condemned to public works still serves the country, and is a living lesson.