Improper citation, reworded

[Omar]

Quote 6885 (no internal links allowed?) had always bothered me because I knew it wasn’t what Voltaire had stood for in his other writings. And searching in the original French (quote 7465918), now I know the original source and context.

Search Google Books for “Maximes, préceptes et réflexions sur différens sujets de morale et de politique” by Pierre Marc Gaston de Lévis. I also posted on BlueSky about “a quote often misattributed to Voltaire or Socrates.”

I had to access the Google Books link from a foreign country using my VPN to load the relevant page. Screenshot is on Bluesky. And a French source, Le Figaro, backs me up as well. You can search lefigaro dot fr for ““Il est encore plus facile de juger de l'esprit d'un homme par ses questions que par ses réponses.”

A properly translated and corrected reference would allow people to learn about the Duke of Lévis, who was likely an admirer of Socrates, but in the original French never commanded anyone to “judge a person” a certain way. He said “It’s even easier to judge the spirit of a man by his questions than his answers.” So the translation needs updating too: maybe “It’s easier to judge a man by his questions than his answers” is a nice modern simplification (the other is more on the literal side)

Easier than what? “Repeating is persuasion in detail,” he wrote. “Strength and reason can barely guard against insinuations repeated ceaselessly anew.” —Something more in line with the spirit of the call to Enlightenment I had learned, sapere aude or “dare to know.” —also “nevertheless she persisted,” or “you can’t keep a good man down.” … but that might be another quote :) I just want to see these ones properly attributed in English.

I have not found a primary source from Voltaire himself for this particular phrasing (an infinitive command as opposed to saying what is easier), and this French book (Maxims, precepts and reflections) was presented as original work in the foreword/introduction.

Quote 7465918 has the original French as well

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Omar wrote: "Quote 6885 (no internal links allowed?) had always bothered me because I knew it wasn’t what Voltaire had stood for in his other writings. And searching in the original French (quote 7465918), now ..."

Hi Omar

You have already made this request.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

In future could you bump your request up by replying to your original post please. & you need to keep an eye on your request (the best way is by checking notify me when people comment) If you look at the original post you will see in my message that I advised you that a regular librarian can't help you & that you need a Super. A Super is a librarian with a few more powers. So that a Super sees their help is needed you need to edit the title of this thread to add [needs a Super] or something similar. This is only possible in the desktop view (this means you can't do it in the app)

I don't know why you can't link to the quote. I've just checked with another quote & it is working for me.
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/1988...

You need to click on the likes & that will take you to where you can c&p the quote. If you have tried that then that is a functionality issue which volunteer librarians can't help with & you should contact Support (Staff)
https://www.goodreads.com/about/conta...