Quotes from work
Dictionnaire philosophique

Voltaire Original title Dictionnaire philosophique (French, 1764)

The Dictionnaire philosophique is an encyclopedic dictionary published by Voltaire in 1764. The alphabetically arranged articles often criticize the Roman Catholic Church, Judaism, Islam, and other institutions. The first edition, released in June 1764, went by the name of Dictionnaire philosophique portatif. It was 344 pages and consisted of 73 articles. Later versions were expanded into two volumes consisting of 120 articles. The first editions were published anonymously in Geneva by Gabriel Grasset. Due to the volatile content of the Dictionnaire, Voltaire chose Grasset over his usual publisher to ensure his own anonymity. There were many editions and reprints of the Dictionnaire during Voltaire's lifetime, but only four of them contained additions and modifications. Furthermore, another work published in 1770, Questions sur l'Encyclopédie, which contained reshaped and modified articles from the Encyclopédie always in alphabetical order, led many following editors to join this and the Dictionnaire in a unique opus.


Voltaire photo

“All philosophical sects have run aground on the reef of moral and physical ill. It only remains for us to confess that God, having acted for the best, had not been able to do better.”

Toutes les sectes des philosophes ont échoué contre l’écueil du mal physique et moral. Il ne reste que d’avouer que Dieu ayant agi pour le mieux n’a pu agir mieux.
"Power, Omnipotence," Dictionnaire philosophique (1785-1789)
Citas

Voltaire photo

“Let us read, and let us dance; these two amusements will never do any harm to the world.”

Laissez lire, et laissez danser; ces deux amusements ne feront jamais de mal au monde.
"Liberty of the Press," Dictionnaire philosophique (1785-1789)
Citas

Voltaire photo

“Let the punishments of criminals be useful. A hanged man is good for nothing; a man condemned to public works still serves the country, and is a living lesson.”

Que les supplices des criminels soient utiles. Un homme pendu n’est bon à rien, et un homme condamné aux ouvrages publics sert encore la patrie, et est une leçon vivante.
"Civil and Ecclesiastical Laws," Dictionnaire philosophique (1785-1789)
The Dictionnaire philosophique was a posthumously published collection of articles combining the Dictionnaire philosophique portatif (published under various editions and titles from 1764 to 1777), the Questions sur l'Encyclopédie (published from 1770 to 1774), articles written for the Encyclopédie and the Dictionnaire de l'Académie française, the manuscript known as l'Opinion sur l'alphabet and a number of previously published miscellaneous articles.
Citas

Similar authors

Voltaire photo
Voltaire 167
French writer, historian, and philosopher 1694–1778
Claude Adrien Helvétius photo
Claude Adrien Helvétius 8
French philosopher
Jean de La Bruyère photo
Jean de La Bruyère 65
17th-century French writer and philosopher
Marquis de Sade photo
Marquis de Sade 30
French novelist and philosopher
Denis Diderot photo
Denis Diderot 106
French Enlightenment philosopher and encyclopædist
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing photo
Gotthold Ephraim Lessing 18
writer, philosopher, publicist, and art critic
Friedrich Schiller photo
Friedrich Schiller 111
German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright
Maximilien Robespierre photo
Maximilien Robespierre 78
French revolutionary lawyer and politician
Baron d'Holbach photo
Baron d'Holbach 9
French-German author, philosopher, encyclopedist
Blaise Pascal photo
Blaise Pascal 144
French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer, and Chri…