Aphorisms Galore!

Voltaire

French writer and philosopher; b. 1694; d. 1778

Aphorisms Attributed to This Aphorist

tiny.ag/t9jmvbpa  ·  submitted 1997

A witty saying proves nothing.

Voltaire, in Success and Failure and Wisdom and Ignorance

tiny.ag/zrxpvvz6  ·  submitted 1997

All men are equal; it is not birth, but virtue alone, that makes the difference.

Voltaire, in Vice and Virtue

tiny.ag/hcrgr6oa  ·  submitted 1997

Anything that is too stupid to be spoken is sung.

Voltaire, in Art and Literature and Wisdom and Ignorance

tiny.ag/ymq69cki  ·  submitted 1997

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

Voltaire, in Life and Death

tiny.ag/k92gvbst  ·  submitted 1997

I advise you to go on living solely to enrage those who are paying your annuities. It is the only pleasure I have left.

Voltaire, in Happiness and Misery

tiny.ag/jjhww8cq  ·  submitted 1997

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

Voltaire, in Law and Politics

tiny.ag/5otyux70  ·  submitted 1997

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

Voltaire, in Altruism and Cynicism

tiny.ag/f4xotdy1  ·  submitted 1997

I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend, to the death, your right to say it.

Voltaire, in Law and Politics

tiny.ag/v7xs8s9o  ·  submitted 1997

It is one of the superstitions of the human mind to have imagined that virginity could be a virtue.

Voltaire, in Vice and Virtue

tiny.ag/lakz6spw  ·  submitted 1997

Marriage is the only adventure open to the cowardly.

Voltaire, in Love and Hate

tiny.ag/wpd94fsg  ·  submitted 1997

The superfluous is very necessary.

Voltaire, in Vice and Virtue