Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary

A complete list of corrections follows the text. Greek words that may not display correctly in all browsers are similarly transliterated: βιβλος . Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary New York CARLTON HOUSE MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PREFACE This book does not demand continuous reading; but at whatever place one opens it, one will find matter for reflection. The most useful books are those of which readers themselves compose half; they extend the thoughts of which the germ is presented to them; they correct what seems defective to them, and they fortify by their reflections what seems to them weak. It is only really by enlightened people that this book can be read; the ordinary man is not made for such knowledge; philosophy will never be his lot. Those who say that there are truths which must be hidden from the people, need not be alarmed; the people do not read; they work six days of the week, and on the seventh go to the inn. In a word, philosophical works are made only for philosophers, and every honest man must try to be a philosopher, without pluming himself on being one. This alphabet is extracted from the most estimable works which are not commonly within the reach of the many; and if the author does not always mention the sources of his information, as being well enough known to the learned, he must not be suspected of wishing to take the credit for other people's work, because he himself preserves anonymity, according to this word of the Gospel: "Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth." CONTENTS PAGE Preface by Voltaire 5 Adultery 11 Advocate 16 Ancients and Moderns 17 Animals 21 Antiquity 24 Arts 27 Astrology 29 Atheism 32 Authority 46 Authors 48 Banishment 50 Bankruptcy 51 Beauty 53 Bishop 55 Books 57 Bouleverd 60 Bourges 61 Brahmins 62 Character 65 Charlatan 68 Civil Laws 73 Climate 74 Common Sense 78 Concatenation of Events 80 Contradictions 83 Corn 85 Cromwell 88 Customs 94 Democracy 96 Destiny 98 Devout 102 Ecclesiastical Ministry 103 Emblem 106 English Theatre, on the 110 Envy 112 Equality 114 Expiation 118 Extreme 122 Ezourveidam 125 Faith 126 False Minds 128 Fatherland 131 Final Causes 133 Fraud 136 Free-will 142 French 146 Friendship 150 God 151 Helvetia 156 History 157 Ignorance 163 Impious 166 Joan of Arc 168 Kissing 173 Languages 178…