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John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919.

Page 987

 
 
François Marie Arouet de Voltaire. (1694–1778) (continued)
 
9591
    History is little else than a picture of human crimes and misfortunes. 1
          L’Ingénu. Chap. x. (1767.)
9592
    The first who was king was a fortunate soldier:
Who serves his country well has no need of ancestors. 2
          Merope. Act i. Sc. 3.
9593
    In the best of possible worlds the château of monseigneur the baron was the most beautiful of châteaux, and madame the best of possible baronesses.
          Candide. Chap. i.
9594
    In this country [England] it is well to kill from time to time an admiral to encourage the others.
          Candide. Chap. xxiii.
9595
    The superfluous, a very necessary thing.
          Le Mondain. Line 21.
9596
    Crush the infamous thing.
          Letter to d’Alembert, June 23, 1760.
9597
    There are truths which are not for all men, nor for all times.
          Letter to Cardinal de Bernis, April 23, 1761.
9598
    The proper mean. 3
          Letter to Count d’Argental, Nov. 28, 1765.
9599
    It is said that God is always on the side of the heaviest battalions. 4
          Letter to M. le Riche, Feb. 6, 1770.
9600
    Love truth, but pardon error.
          Discours sur l’Homme. Discours 3.
 
Marie de Vichy-Chamrond, marquise Du Deffand. (1697–1780)
 
9601
    He [Voltaire] has invented history. 5
9602
    It is only the first step which costs. 6
          In reply to the Cardinal de Polignac.
 
Note 1.
See Gibbon, Quotation 1. [back]
Note 2.
See Scott, Quotation 72.

Borrowed from Lefranc de Pompignan’s “Didon.” [back]
Note 3.
See Cowper, Quotation 112. [back]
Note 4.
See Gibbon, Quotation 6.

Bussy Rabutin: Lettres, iv. 91. Sévigne: Lettre à sa Fille, p. 202. Tacitus: Historia, iv. 17. Terence: Phormio, i. 4. 26. [back]
Note 5.
Fournier: L’Esprit dans l’Histoire, p. 191. [back]
Note 6.
Voltaire writes to Madame du Deffand, January, 1764, that one of her bon-mots is quoted in the notes of “La Pucelle,” canto 1: “Il n’y a que le premier pas qui coûte.” [back]