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Voltaire Facts

François-Marie Arouet, known by his nom de plume Voltaire, was a 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. Voltaire was a versatile writer, producing works in almost every literary form, including plays, poems, novels, essays, and historical and scientific works. He wrote more than 20,000 letters and more than 2,000 books and pamphlets. He was an outspoken advocate, despite strict censorship laws with harsh penalties for those who broke them.[clarification needed] As a satirical polemicist, he frequently made use of his works to criticize intolerance, religious dogma, and the French institutions of his day. (1694 – 1778)

Quotes by Voltaire

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

Behind every successful man stands a surprised mother-in-law.
Voltaire

Better is the enemy of good.
Voltaire

Common sense is not so common.
Voltaire

Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd.
Voltaire

God is not on the side of the big battalions, but on the side of those who shoot best.
Voltaire

History is only the register of crimes and misfortunes.
Voltaire

I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.
Voltaire

In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one class of citizens to give to another.
Voltaire

Is there anyone so wise as to learn by the experience of others?
Voltaire

It is dangerous to be right in matters on which the established authorities are wrong.
Voltaire

It is lamentable, that to be a good patriot one must become the enemy of the rest of mankind.
Voltaire

Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.
Voltaire

Let us read and let us dance - two amusements that will never do any harm to the world.
Voltaire

Man is free at the moment he wishes to be.
Voltaire

Men use thought only as authority for their injustice, and employ speech only to conceal their thoughts.
Voltaire

No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible.
Voltaire

Opinion has caused more trouble on this little earth than plagues or earthquakes.
Voltaire

Prejudices are what fools use for reason.
Voltaire

The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.
Voltaire

The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us.
Voltaire

The multitude of books is making us ignorant.
Voltaire

The secret of being a bore... is to tell everything.
Voltaire

The secret of boring people lies in telling them everything.
Voltaire

They only live who dare.
Voltaire

Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so, too.
Voltaire

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

We are all full of weakness and errors; let us mutually pardon each other our follies - it is the first law of nature.
Voltaire

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