Voltaire

Candide - Voltaire

“Mankind were born to assist one another.” (Pg 14)

“Good heavens! To what excess does religious zeal transport the female kind.” (Pg 18)

“It was love; love, the comfort of the human species; love, the preserver of the universe, the soul of all sensible beings; love, tender love!” (Pg 21)

“Mankind must in some things have deviated from their original innocence; for they were not born wolves, and yet they worry one another like those beasts of prey. God never gave them twenty-four pounders nor bayonets, and yet they have made cannon and bayonets to destroy one another.” (Pg 23)

“If this is the best of all possible worlds, what are the others like?” (Pg 29)

“A modest woman may be once violated, but her virtue is greatly strengthened as a result.” (Pg 33)

“The goods of this world are common to all men, and that every one has an equal right to the enjoyment of them.” (Pg 39)

“I have been a hundred times on the point of killing myself, but still was fond of life. This ridiculous weakness is perhaps one of our worst instincts. What can be more absurd than choosing to carry a burden that one really wants to throw to the ground? To detest, and yet to strive to preserve our existence? To caress the serpent that devours us, and hug him close to our bosoms till he has gnawed into our hearts?” (Pg 50)

“Ask each passenger to tell his story, and if there is one of them all who has not cursed his existence many times, and said to himself over and over again that he was the most miserable of men, I give you permission to throw me head-first into the sea.” (Pg 50)

“I am very ignorant, sir, but I am contented with my ignorance.” (Pg 70)

“Ours, I suppose, is the religion of the whole world. We worship God from morning till night.” (Pg 71)

“When people are tolerably at ease in a place, I’d think it would be to their interest to remain there.” (Pg 74)

“You see, my dear friend, how fleeting the riches of this world are; there is noting solid but virtue.” (Pg 76)

“Private griefs are still more dreadful than public calamities.” (Pg 82)

“I figured I knew as much as himself, and had no need of a guide to learn ignorance.” (Pg 109)

“Man was born to live either in the convulsions of misery, or in the lethargy of boredom.” (Pg 127)

“Human grandeur is very dangerous, if we believe the testimonies of almost all philosophers.” (Pg 129)

“When man was put into the Garden of Eden, he was put there with the idea that he should work the land; and this proves that man was not born to be idle.” (Pg 129)