Voltaire

Enlightenment philosopher

Early Modern influential 93 sayings

Sayings by Voltaire

I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: 'O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous.' And God granted it.

1767 — Letter to M. Damilaville
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.

1768 — Epistle to the Author of the Book, The Three Impostors
Strange & Unusual Confirmed

The more I read, the more I acquire, the more certain I am that I know nothing.

1770 — Letter to Frederick the Great
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

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

1770 — Letter to Jean le Rond d'Alembert
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

1906 (misattributed) — Often attributed to Voltaire, but actually Evelyn Beatrice Hall in 'The Friends of Voltaire'
Strange & Unusual Confirmed

Common sense is not so common.

1764 — Philosophical Dictionary, 'Common Sense'
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Man is free at the moment he wishes to be.

1759 — Candide
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Optimism is the madness of insisting that all is well when we are miserable.

1759 — Candide
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The best is the enemy of the good.

1764 — Philosophical Dictionary, 'Art'
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.

1764 — War (from Philosophical Dictionary)
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The human brain is a complex organ with the wonderful power of enabling man to find reasons for continuing to believe whatever he wants to believe.

Uncertain, 18th century — Attributed, but precise source hard to pin down. Likely a synthesis of his views.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Let us cultivate our garden.

1759 — Candide (final line)
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh.

Uncertain, 18th century — Attributed, but no direct source found in his works. Possible misattribution or paraphrase.
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Paradise is where I am.

1759 — Candide (Pangloss's philosophy, often ironically presented)
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Fear follows crime and is its punishment.

1764 — Philosophical Dictionary, 'Crime'
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The first step, my son, which one takes in the world, is to make oneself necessary.

1760 — Letter to M. d'Argental
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Superstition sets the whole world in flames; philosophy extinguishes them.

1764 — Philosophical Dictionary, 'Superstition'
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

Prejudice is the reason of fools.

1764 — Philosophical Dictionary, 'Prejudice'
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

All that we know is that there is nothing that we know.

1769 — Letter to Frederick the Great
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable

The multitude of books is making us ignorant.

1768 — Letter to Horace Walpole
Strange & Unusual Unverifiable