Voltaire quotes - page 11

He who doesn't have the spirit of his time, has all its misery. (Voltaire)
Men hate the individual whom they call avaricious only because nothing can be gained from him. View quote
Voltaire
Whoever serves his country well has no need of ancestors. View quote
Voltaire
You despise books; you whose lives are absorbed in the vanities of ambition, the pursuit of pleasure or indolence; but remember that all the known world, excepting only savage nations, is governed by books. View quote
Voltaire
There are some that only employ words for the purpose of disguising their thoughts. View quote
Voltaire
All sects are different, because they come from men; morality is everywhere the same, because it comes from God. View quote
Voltaire
Indolence is sweet, and its consequences bitter. View quote
Voltaire
William Penn, when only fifteen years of age, chanced to meet a Quaker in Oxford, where he was then following his studies. View quote
Voltaire
The Eternal has his designs from all eternity. View quote
Voltaire
Thus was a Quaker raised to sovereign power. View quote
Voltaire
Virtue supposes liberty, as the carrying of a burden supposes active force. Under coercion there is no virtue, and without virtue there is no religion. (Voltaire)
William answered that his conscience would not permit him to do these things. View quote
Voltaire
The Quakers suffered several persecutions under Charles II; not upon a religious account, but for refusing to pay the tithes, for "theeing" and "thouing" the magistrates, and for refusing to take the oaths enacted by the laws. View quote
Voltaire
William Penn might, with reason, boast of having brought down upon earth the Golden Age, which in all probability, never had any real existence but in his dominions. View quote
Voltaire
One hundred years from my day there will not be a Bible in the earth except one that is looked upon by an antiquarian curiosity seeker. View quote
Voltaire
The most original minds borrowed from one another. View quote
Voltaire
It is with books as with the fire in our hearths; we go to a neighbor to get the embers and light it when we return home, pass it on to others, and it belongs to everyone. View quote
Voltaire
Being of opinion that the doctrine and history of so extraordinary a sect as the Quakers were very well deserving the curiosity of every thinking man, I resolved to make myself acquainted with them. View quote
Voltaire
Christ was baptized by John, but He Himself never baptized any one; now we profess ourselves disciples of Christ, and not of John. View quote
Voltaire
The most surprising circumstance is that this letter, though written by an obscure person, was so happy in its effect as to put a stop to the persecution. View quote
Voltaire
You have already heard that the Quakers date their epoch from Christ, who, according to them, was the first Quaker. (Voltaire)
He advanced toward me without moving his hat, or making the least inclination of his body; but there appeared more real politeness in the open, humane air of his countenance, than in drawing one leg behind the other, and carrying that in the hand which is made to be worn on the head. View quote
Voltaire
His first care was to make an alliance with his American neighbors; and this is the only treaty between those people and the Christians that was not ratified by an oath, and that was never infringed. View quote
Voltaire
In all countries, where the established religion is of a mild and tolerating nature, it will at length swallow up all the rest. View quote
Voltaire
It was in the reign of Charles II that they obtained the noble distinction of being exempted from giving their testimony on oath in a court of justice, and being believed on their bare affirmation. View quote
Voltaire