Voltaire

He was a great patriot, a humanitarian, a loyal friend; provided, of course, he really is dead.

Every one goes astray, but the least imprudent are they who repent the soonest.

Originality is nothing but judicious imitation. The most original writers borrowed one from another.

The opportunity for doing mischief is found a hundred times a day, and of doing good once in a year.

The ideal form of government is democracy tempered with assassination.

Friendship is the marriage of the soul, and this marriage is liable to divorce.

No place affords a more striking conviction of the vanity of human hopes, than a public library.

No two on earth in all things can agree. All have some daring singularity.

How great, my friends, is the virtue of living upon a little!

Hitch your wagon to a star. Let us not fag in paltry works which serve our pot and bag alone.

The most dangerous people are those who have passion but lack wisdom.

Every great man, every successful man, no matter what the field of endeavor, has known the magic that lies in these words: every adversity has the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit.

The safest course is to do nothing against one’s conscience. With this secret, we can enjoy life and have no fear from death.

Play the game for more than you can afford to lose… only then will you learn the game.

The ideal form of government is democracy tempered with assassination.

Should you find yourself in a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is likely to be more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks.

He is no wise man who will quit a certainty for an uncertainty.

The greatest gift is a portion of thyself.

The seven deadly sins: Want of money, bad health, bad temper, chastity, family ties, knowing that you know things, and believing in the Christian religion.

Wine makes a man better pleased with himself. I do not say that it makes him more pleasing to others… This is one of the disadvantages of wine, it makes a man mistake words for thoughts.

Thought makes every thing fit for use.