Voltaire

“There are truths which are not for all men, nor for all times.”

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

“Common sense is not so common.”

“It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part.”

“To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid, you must also be well-mannered.”

“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.”

“One merit of poetry few persons will deny: it says more and in fewer words than prose.”

“He who has not the spirit of this age, has all the misery of it.”

“It is clear that the individual who persecutes a man, his brother, because he is not of the same opinion, is a monster.”

“It is vain for the coward to flee; death follows close behind; it is only by defying it that the brave escape.”

“By what incomprehensible mechanism are our organs held in subjection to sentiment and thought? How is it that a single melancholy idea shall disturb the whole course of the blood; and that the blood should in turn communicate irregularities to the human understanding? What is that unknown fluid which certainly exists and which, quicker and more active than light, flies in less than the twinkling of an eye into all the channels of life,—produces sensations, memory, joy or grief, reason or frenzy,—recalls with horror what we would choose to forget; and renders a thinking animal, either a subject of admiration, or an object of pity and compassion?”

“Marriage is the only adventure open to the cowardly.”

“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.”

“The sovereign is called a tyrant who knows no laws but his caprice.”

“Perfect is the enemy of good.”

“One great use of words is to hide our thoughts.”

“All the reasonings of men are not worth one sentiment of women.”

“It is not love that should be depicted as blind, but self-love.”

“when man was put into the garden of eden, he was put there with the idea that he should work the land; and this proves that man was not born to be idle.”

“It is said that God is always on the side of the big battalions.”