Voltaire

Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.

I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: “O Lord make my enemies ridiculous.” And God granted it.

Perfection is attained by slow degrees; it requires the hand of time.

It is not sufficient to see and to know the beauty of a work. We must feel and be affected by it.

The progress of rivers to the ocean is not so rapid as that of man to error.

Every great movement must experience three stages ridicule, discussion, adoption.

Every man supposes himself not to be fully understood or appreciated.

Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable.

Drag your thoughts away from your troubles… by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it.

Every time you stop a school, you will have to build a jail. What you gain at one end you lose at the other. It’s like feeding a dog on his own tail. It won’t fatten the dog.

We hate the kindness which we understand.

You should always own a black dress because no one ever remembers a black dress.

We hand folks over to God’s mercy, and show none ourselves.

I never thought much of the courage of a lion tamer. Inside the cage he is at least safe from people.

There is no value in life except what you choose to place upon it and no happiness in any place except what you bring to it yourself.

Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance.

Logic is a poor guide compared with custom.

There is a great deal of unmapped country within us which would have to be taken into account in an explanation of our gusts and storms.

He that lives to forever, never fears dying.

Pain never really goes away; you just elevate and get used to it by growing stronger.

There is no love sincerer than the love of food.