Voltaire

In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one class of citizens to give to another.

Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.

Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.

God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.

I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.

We're neither pure, nor wise, nor good; we do the best we know.

Secret griefs are more cruel than public calamities.

But there must be some pleasure in condemning everything--in perceiving faults where others think they see beauties.' 'You mean there is pleasure in having no pleasure.

You are very harsh.' 'I have seen the world.

We admit, in geometry, not only infinite magnitudes, that is to say, magnitudes greater than any assignable magnitude, but infinite magnitudes infinitely greater, the one than the other. This astonishes our dimension of brains, which is only about six inches long, five broad, and six in depth, in the largest heads.

One great use of words is to hide our thoughts.

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

Tyrants have always some slight shade of virtue; they support the laws before destroying them.

There are truths that are not for all men, nor for all times.

Rest is a good thing, but boredom is its brother.

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

He must be very ignorant for he answers every question he is asked.

Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.

The public is a ferocious beast: one must either chain it up or flee from it.

The infinitely little have a pride infinitely great.

Perfection is attained by slow degrees; it requires the hand of time.

Originality is nothing but judicious imitation.

All sects are different, because they come from men; morality is everywhere the same, because it comes from God.

As long as people believe in absurdities they will continue to commit atrocities.

To succeed in the world it is not enough to be stupid, you must also be well-mannered.

The true character of liberty is independence, maintained by force.

I was never ruined but twice: once when I lost a lawsuit and once when I won one.

Every man is guilty of all the good he didn't do.

If God has created us in His image, we have more than returned the compliment.

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