“Speaking of Newton but also commenting more broadly on education and the Enlightenment: "I have seen a professor of mathematics only because he was great in his vocation, buried like a king who had done well by his subjects.”

French Enlightenment writer and philosopher of the 18th century, he is best known for his wit and sharp critiques of religious intolerance and absolutism. His works, including *Candide* and *Treatise on Toleration*, remain influential for their blend of satire and philosophical inquiry.