Voltaire

What most persons consider as virtue, after the age of 40 is simply a loss of energy.

Doubt is an uncomfortable condition, but certainty is a ridiculous one.

The comfort of the rich depends upon an abundant supply of the poor.

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

It is proved...that things cannot be other than they are, for since everything was made for a purpose, it follows that everything is made for the best purpose.

I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: Oh Lord, make my enemies ridiculous. And God grante

I have lived eighty years of life and know nothing for it, but to be resigned and tell myself that flies are born to be eaten by spiders and man to be devoured by sorrow.

It is not improbable that in hot countries, monkeys may have enslaved girls.

If you want good laws, burn those you have and make new ones.

Perhaps there is nothing greater on earth than the sacrifice of youth and beauty, often of high birth, made by the gentle sex in order to work in hospitals for the relief of human misery, the sight of which is so revolting to our delicacy. Peoples separated from the Roman religion have imitated but imperfectly so generous a charity.

In cities where peace and the arts flourish, men are more consumed by jealousy, worry, and anxiety than they are in cities under the blight of a besieging army. Private sorrows are more bitter than public suffering.

Perhaps, if I use my reason in good faith, I may suceed in discovering some ray of probability to lighten me in the dark night of nature. And if this faint dawn which I seek does not come to me, I shall be consoled to think that my ignorance is invincible; that knowledge which is forbidden me is assuredly useless to me; and that the great Being will not punish me for having sought a knowledge of him and failed to obtain it.

We are rarely proud when we are alone.

An opportunity fordoing an injury happens a hundred times a day, hut for doing good not once a year," says Zoroaster.

Every man is a creature of the age in which he lives and few are able to raise themselves above the ideas of the time.

What's optimism? said Cacambo. Alas, said Candide, it is a mania for saying things are well when one is in hell.

Optimism," said Cacambo, "What is that?" "Alas!" replied Candide, "It is the obstinacy of maintaining that everything is best when it is worst.

One day everything will be well, that is our hope. Everything's fine today, that is our illusion