Voltaire quotes

1694–1778 · Paris, France

• Fanaticism is, in reference to superstition, what delirium is to fever, or rage to anger.

• What is toleration? It is the appurtenance of humanity. We are all full of weakness and errors; let us mutually pardon each other our follies--it is the first law of nature.

• One does not need great art and skilful eloquence to prove that Christians ought to tolerate each other--nay, even to regard all men as brothers. Why, you say, is the Turk, the Chinese, or the Jew my brother? Assuredly; are we not all children of the same father, creatures of the same God?

• The supposed right of intolerance is absurd and barbaric. It is the right of the tiger; nay, it is far worse, for tigers do but tear in order to have food, while we rend each other for paragraphs.