Candide

by Voltaire

they who assert that all is well have said a foolish thing, they should have said all is for the best.”

“There can be no effect without a cause,” modestly answered Candide;

“mankind have a little corrupted nature, for they were not born wolves, and they have become wolves; God has given them neither cannon of four-and-twenty pounders, nor bayonets; and yet they have made cannon and bayonets to destroy one another. Into this account I might throw not only bankrupts, but Justice which seizes on the effects of bankrupts to cheat the creditors.”