V

Voltaire

92 quotes

Voltaire (1694–1778) was the pen name of François-Marie Arouet, a French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher famous for his wit, advocacy of civil liberties, and criticism of established religion and institutions. His satirical novel *Candide* remains one of the most widely read works of French literature.

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

— Voltaire

Poetry

All Quotes by Voltaire

“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

Men

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

— Voltaire

Men

“Friendship is the marriage of the soul, and this marriage is liable to divorce.”

— Voltaire

Friendship

“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

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

— Voltaire

Great

“He was a great patriot, a humanitarian, a loyal friend provided, of course, he really is dead.”

— Voltaire

Great

“Very learned women are to be found, in the same manner as female warriors but they are seldom or ever inventors.”

— Voltaire

Women

“To believe in God is impossible not to believe in Him is absurd.”

— Voltaire

God

“It is said that the present is pregnant with the future.”

— Voltaire

Future

“Let us work without theorizing, tis the only way to make life endurable.”

— Voltaire

Work

“To hold a pen is to be at war.”

— Voltaire

War

“The ideal form of government is democracy tempered with assassination.”

— Voltaire

Government

“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

Work

“Nature has always had more force than education.”

— Voltaire

Education

“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

Alone

“Perfection is attained by slow degrees it requires the hand of time.”

— Voltaire

Time

“An ideal form of government is democracy tempered with assassination.”

— Voltaire

Government

“Love has features which pierce all hearts, he wears a bandage which conceals the faults of those beloved. He has wings, he comes quickly and flies away the same.”

— Voltaire

Love

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

— Voltaire

Death

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

— Voltaire

Age