Treatise on Tolerance and Other Writings Quotes

“Toleration is the prerogative of humanity; we are all full of weaknesses and mistakes; let us reciprocally forgive ourselves. It is the first law of nature.

La tolérance, c'est l'apanage de l'humanité; nous sommes tous pétris de faiblesse et d'erreurs; pardonnons-nous réciproquement nos sottises. C'est la première loi de la nature.”
― Voltaire, Treatise on Toleration and Other Essays

“Perhaps, if I use my reason in good faith, I may suceed in discovering some ray of probability to lighten me in the dark night of nature. And if this faint dawn which I seek does not come to me, I shall be consoled to think that my ignorance is invincible; that knowledge which is forbidden me is assuredly useless to me; and that the great Being will not punish me for having sought a knowledge of him and failed to obtain it.”
― Voltaire, Treatise on Toleration and Other Essays

“Shall I not render a service to men in speaking to them only of morality? This morality is so pure, so holy, so universal, so clear, so ancient, that it seems to come from God himself, like the light which we regard as the first of his works. Has he not given men self-love to secure their preservation; benevolence, beneficence, and virtue to control their self-love; the natural need to form a society; pleasure to enjoy, pain to warn us to enjoy in moderation, passions to spur us to great deeds, and wisdom to curb our passions? ”
― Voltaire, Treatise on Toleration and Other Essays

“It would be much easier to conquer the whole world by force of arms than to subjugate all the human minds in a single town.”
― Voltaire, Toleration and Other Essays

“The law of intolerance is . . . absurd and barbaric. It is the law of the jungle and, indeed, it is even worse because wild animals kill others only to eat, while we human beings are exterminating each other for the sake of a few paragraphs.”
― Voltaire, Toleration and Other Essays

“Never has the slightest religious quarrel disturbed this Province since it belonged to our Kings. Why? Because no one was ever persecuted there. Seek not to vex men's hearts and the hearts are all yours.”
― Voltaire, Treatise on Tolerance and Other Writings

“Gustavo Solivellas dice: "Hay alguien tan inteligente que aprende de la experiencia de los demás" (Voltaire)”
― Voltaire, Treatise on Tolerance and Other Writings