Voltaire

Tears are the silent language of grief.

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

Never having been able to succeed in the world he took his revenge by speaking ill of it.

Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe. It is not enough that a thing be possible for it to be believed.

Many are destined to reason wrongly others not to reason at all: and others to persecute those who do reason.

The punishment of criminals should be of use when a man is hanged he is good for nothing.

Doubt is not a pleasant condition but certainty is.

The infinitely little have pride infinitely great.

God prefers bad verses recited with a pure heart to the finest verses chanted by the wicked.

We offer up prayers to God only because we have made Him after our own image. We treat Him like a Pasha or a Sultan who is capable of being exasperated and appeased.

One merit of poetry few persons will deny: it says more and in fewer words than prose.

The discovery of what is true and the practice of that which is good are the two most important objects of philosophy.

Fear could never make a virtue.

Originality is nothing but judicious imitation. The most original writers borrowed one from another. The instruction we find in books is like fire. We fetch it from our neighbours kindle it at home communicate it to others and it becomes the property of all.

The opportunity for doing mischief is found a hundred times a day and of doing good once in a year.

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

When we hear news we should always wait for the sacrament of confirmation.

Nature has always had more force than education.