From Voltaire (1694–1778), French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher:
“Now, now my good man, this is no time to be making enemies.”
(Voltaire on his deathbed in response to a priest asking him to renounce Satan.)
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Tag Archives: Voltaire
He Said That? 8/3/18
He Said That? 7/7/18
From Voltaire (1694–1778), French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher, Questions sur les Miracles à M. Claparede, Professeur de Théologie à Genève, par un Proposant: Ou Extrait de Diverses Lettres de M. de Voltaire (1764):
Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.
He Said That? 8/3/17
From Voltaire (1694–1778), French writer, deist and philosopher, Candide (1759):
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 experienced in a town when it is under siege.
He Said That? 7/19/17
From Voltaire (1694–1778), 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 speech, and separation of church and state:
The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease
He Said That? 11/20/16
From Voltaire (1694–1778), French writer, deist and philosopher, letter to Marie-Louise Denis (1752), a good reminder to writers:
To hold a pen is to be at war. This world is one vast temple consecrated to discord
He Said That? 4/22/16
From François-Marie Arouet (1694–1778), pen name Voltaire, French writer, deist and philosopher, Letters On England, Letter 6, “On the Presbyterians”
Go into the London Stock Exchange – a more respectable place than many a court – and you will see representatives from all nations gathered together for the utility of men. Here Jew, Mohammedan and Christian deal with each other as though they were all of the same faith, and only apply the word infidel to people who go bankrupt. Here the Presbyterian trusts the Anabaptist and the Anglican accepts a promise from the Quaker. On leaving these peaceful and free assemblies some go to the Synagogue and others for a drink, this one goes to be baptized in a great bath in the name of Father, Son and Holy Ghost, that one has his son’s foreskin cut and has some Hebrew words he doesn’t understand mumbled over the child, others go to heir church and await the inspiration of God with their hats on, and everybody is happy.
He Said That? 2/19/16
From Voltaire (1694–1778), 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, Philosophical Dictionary (1764):
Our wretched species is so made that those who walk on the well-trodden path always throw stones at those who are showing a new road.
He Said That? 11/24/15
From François-Marie Arouet (1694-1778), known by his nom de plume Voltaire, French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher, Questions sur l’Encyclopédie (1770–1774)
It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.
He Said That? 5/20/15
From French writer Voltaire (1694-1778):
Animals have these advantages over man: they never hear the clock strike, they die without any idea of death, they have no theologians to instruct them, their last moments are not disturbed by unwelcome and unpleasant ceremonies, their funerals cost them nothing, and no one starts lawsuits over their will.
