The first clergyman was the first rascal who met the first fool. Voltaire More Quotes by Voltaire More Quotes From Voltaire Where some states possess an army, the Prussian Army possesses a state. Voltaire armystateswar 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. Voltaire sacrificewisdombelieve 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 daughterwisemother Fools admire everything in an author of reputation. Voltaire reputationadmirefool True greatness consists in the use of a powerful understanding to enlighten oneself and others. Voltaire greatnesspowerfulunderstanding Man is free at the instant he wants to be. Voltaire spiritualinspirationallife What is faith? Is it to believe that which is evident? No. It is perfectly evident to my mind that there exists a necessary, eternal, supreme, and intelligent being. This is no matter of faith, but of reason. Voltaire intelligentmindbelieve The flowery style is not unsuitable to public speeches or addresses, which amount only to compliment. The lighter beauties are in their place when there is nothing more solid to say; but the flowery style ought to be banished from a pleading, a sermon, or a didactic work. Voltaire addressesstylespeech Men who have seen life and death... as an unbroken continuum, the swinging pendulum, have been able to move as freely into death as they walked through life. Socrates went to the grave almost perplexed by his companions' tears. Voltaire spiritualmenmoving In France every man is either an anvil or a hammer; he is a beater or must be beaten. Voltaire anvilshammersmen The interest I have to believe a thing is no proof that such a thing exists. Voltaire proofinterestbelieve It is only through timidity that states are lost. Voltaire shynessstateslost The secret of being a bore... is to tell everything. Voltaire brevityboredomsecret All men are by nature free; you have therefore an undoubted liberty to depart whenever you please, but will have many and great difficulties to encounter in passing the frontiers. Voltaire encounterslibertymen There can be no happiness without good health Voltaire good-health What! Have you no monks to teach, to dispute, to govern, to intrigue and to burn people who do not agree with them? Voltaire candideatheismpeople When one man speaks to another man who doesn't understand him, and when a man who's speaking no longer understands, it's metaphysics. Voltaire speakmenphilosophy Let us therefore reject all superstition in order to become more human; but in speaking against fanaticism, let us not imitate the fanatics: they are sick men in delirium who want to chastise their doctors. Let us assuage their ills, and never embitter them, and let us pour drop by drop into their souls the divine balm of toleration, which they would reject with horror if it were offered to them all at once. Voltaire doctorsmenorder If you want good laws, burn those you have and make new ones. Voltaire lawyerlawwant 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 christianmeninspire
