The voices / 73 fragments

Francis M. Voltaire

1694 AD — 1778 AD

Listed in the author section of Bartlett’s ninth-edition anthology, in the linked 1905 printing. Dates reflect that historical edition and may differ from modern scholarship.

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Historical source references

Epître à l'Auteur du Livre des Trois Imposteurs
Reply to General Manstein
Dialogue xiv
L'Ingénu
Merope
Candide
Le Mondain
Letter to d'Alembert, June 23, 1760
Letter to Cardinal de Bernis, April 23, 1761
Letter to Count d'Argental, Nov
Letter to M
Discours sur l'Homme
Books · anthology attribution: Voltaire
Conversation · anthology attribution: Voltaire
Dress · anthology attribution: Voltaire
Morality · anthology attribution: Voltaire
Opportunity · anthology attribution: Voltaire
Patriotism · anthology attribution: Voltaire
Poetry · anthology attribution: Voltaire
Secrecy · anthology attribution: Voltaire
Superstition · anthology attribution: Voltaire
Virtue · anthology attribution: Voltaire
Printed citation: Voltaire
Page 160 · printed citation: Voltaire
Page 23 · printed citation: Voltaire · subject: Authors
Page 44 · printed citation: Voltaire · subject: Commander
Page 64 · printed citation: Voltaire · subject: Diet
Page 87 · printed citation: Voltaire · subject: Fanaticism
Page 98 · printed citation: Voltaire · subject: Genius
Page 126 · printed citation: Voltaire · subject: Ideas

Archive entries

01c. 1736 AD

If there were no God, it would be necessary to invent him.

Francis M. Voltaire / quote

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02c. 1736 AD

The king [Frederic] has sent me some of his dirty linen to wash; I will wash yours another time.

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03c. 1736 AD

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

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04c. 1736 AD

History is little else than a picture of human crimes and misfortunes.

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05c. 1736 AD

The first who was king was a fortunate soldier: Who serves his country well has no need of ancestors.

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06c. 1736 AD

In the best of possible worlds the château of monseigneur the baron was the most beautiful of châteaux, and madame the best of possible baronesses.

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07c. 1736 AD

In this country [England] it is well to kill from time to time an admiral to encourage the others.

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08c. 1736 AD

The superfluous, a very necessary thing.

Francis M. Voltaire / quote

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09c. 1736 AD

Crush the infamous thing.

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10c. 1736 AD

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

Francis M. Voltaire / quote

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11c. 1736 AD

The proper mean.

Francis M. Voltaire / quote

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12c. 1736 AD

It is said that God is always on the side of the heaviest battalions.

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13c. 1736 AD

Love truth, but pardon error.

Francis M. Voltaire / quote

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14Undated

It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part; the rest are confounded with the multitude.

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15Undated

The secret of tiring is to say everything that can be said on the subject.

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16Undated

Dress changes the manners.

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17Undated

All sects are different, because they come from men; morality is everywhere the same, because it comes from God.

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18Undated

The opportunity to do mischief is found a hundred times a day, and that of doing good once a year.

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19Undated

How dear is fatherland to all noble hearts!

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20Undated

Poetry is the music of the soul, and, above all, of great and feeling souls.

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21Undated

A woman can keep one secret,—the secret of her age.

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22Undated

I die adoring God, loving my friends, not hating my enemies, and detesting superstition.

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23Undated

Virtue is everywhere the same, because it comes from God, while everything else is of men.

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24Undated

All the makers of dictionaries, all the compilers of opinions already printed, we may term plagiarists, but honest plagiarists, who arrogate not the merit of invention.

Francis M. Voltaire / quote

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Francis M. Voltaire

Archive entries

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Meditations

The Prophet

Confessions