Voltaire
Voltaire
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...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionHistorian
Date of Birth21 November 1694
CityParis, France
CountryFrance
silly religion priests
Our priests are not what a silly populace supposes; all their learning consists in our credulity.
love errors pardon
Love truth, and pardon error.
genius most-amazing invention
The most amazing and effective inventions are not those which do most honour to the human genius.
math imagination mathematics
There is an astonishing imagination, even in the science of mathematics.
christian rome religion
In all the disputes which have excited Christians against each other, Rome has invariably decided in favor of that opinion which tended most towards the suppression of the human intellect and the annihilation of the reasoning powers.
prayer persistence mind
Persistence with patience and prayer pays with profits, prosperity and peace of mind.
motivational giving answers
It is not the answers you give, but the questions you ask.
wise adversity men
He is a hard man who is only just, and a sad one who is only wise.
retirement age goes-on
I advise you to go on living solely to enrage those who are paying your annuities. It is the only pleasure I have left.
philosophy flames world
Superstition sets the whole world in flames, but philosophy douses them.
funny men thinking
There are men who can think no deeper than a fact.
zero historical return
Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value - zero.
acceptance destiny prudent
Often the prudent, far from making their destinies, succumb to them. -Francois
kings war europe
Los Padres have everything and the people have nothing; 'tis the masterpiece of reason and justice. For my part, I know nothing so divine as Los Padres who make war on Kings of Spain and Portugal and in Europe act as their confessors; who here kill Spaniards and at Madrid send them to Heaven.