Quotes by Voltaire

I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.

— Voltaire

Life

God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.

— Voltaire

Life

What is tolerance? It is the consequence of humanity. We are all formed of frailty and error; let us pardon reciprocally each other's folly - that is the first law of nature.

— Voltaire

Life

Optimism is the madness of insisting that all is well when we are miserable.

— Voltaire

Wisdom

Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.

— Voltaire

Wisdom

Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.

— Voltaire

Wisdom

It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere.

— Voltaire

Wisdom

Common sense is not so common.

— Voltaire

Wisdom

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.

— Voltaire

Wisdom

Is there anyone so wise as to learn by the experience of others?

— Voltaire

Education

To hold a pen is to be at war.

— Voltaire

Wisdom

It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.

— Voltaire

Wisdom

Each player must accept the cards life deals him or her: but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game.

— Voltaire

Life

The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.

— Voltaire

Wisdom

Of all religions, the Christian should of course inspire the most tolerance, but until now Christians have been the most intolerant of all men.

— Voltaire

Wisdom

It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong.

— Voltaire

Wisdom

Every man is guilty of all the good he did not do.

— Voltaire

Wisdom

Superstition is to religion what astrology is to astronomy the mad daughter of a wise mother. These daughters have too long dominated the earth.

— Voltaire

Wisdom

Tears are the silent language of grief.

— Voltaire

Wisdom

Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.

— Voltaire

Wisdom

Life is thickly sown with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to pass quickly through them. The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us.

— Voltaire

Life

Opinion has caused more trouble on this little earth than plagues or earthquakes.

— Voltaire

Wisdom

The superfluous, a very necessary thing.

— Voltaire

Wisdom

Man is free at the moment he wishes to be.

— Voltaire

Wisdom