Evil always turns up in this world through some genius or other.

Quote by Denis Diderot

Topics: Denis Diderot Quotes

People praise virtue, but they hate it, they run away from it. It freezes you...

People praise virtue, but they hate it, they run away from it. It freezes you...

Although a man may wear fine clothing, if he lives peacefully; and is good, self-possessed,...

Although a man may wear fine clothing, if he lives peacefully; and is good, self-possessed,...

Pithy sentences are like sharp nails which force truth upon our memory.

Pithy sentences are like sharp nails which force truth upon our memory.

To attempt the destruction of our passions is the height of folly. What a noble...

To attempt the destruction of our passions is the height of folly. What a noble...

Gaiety is a quality of ordinary men. Genius always presupposes some disorder in the machine.

Gaiety is a quality of ordinary men. Genius always presupposes some disorder in the machine.

In order to shake a hypothesis, it is sometimes not necessary to do anything more...

In order to shake a hypothesis, it is sometimes not necessary to do anything more...

Poetry must have something in it that is barbaric, vast and wild.

Poetry must have something in it that is barbaric, vast and wild.

There are three principal means of acquiring knowledge... observation of nature, reflection, and experimentation. Observation...

There are three principal means of acquiring knowledge... observation of nature, reflection, and experimentation. Observation...

Our observation of nature must be diligent, our reflection profound, and our experiments exact. We...

Our observation of nature must be diligent, our reflection profound, and our experiments exact. We...

Only a very bad theologian would confuse the certainty that follows revelation with the truths...

Only a very bad theologian would confuse the certainty that follows revelation with the truths...

Morals are in all countries the result of legislation and government; they are not African...

Morals are in all countries the result of legislation and government; they are not African...

From fanaticism to barbarism is only one step.

From fanaticism to barbarism is only one step.

Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of...

Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of...

The God of the Christians is a father who makes much of his apples, and...

The God of the Christians is a father who makes much of his apples, and...

It is very important not to mistake hemlock for parsley, but to believe or not...

It is very important not to mistake hemlock for parsley, but to believe or not...

When superstition is allowed to perform the task of old age in dulling the human...

When superstition is allowed to perform the task of old age in dulling the human...

Women swallow at one mouthful the lie that flatters, and drink drop by drop the...

Women swallow at one mouthful the lie that flatters, and drink drop by drop the...

Every man has his dignity. I'm willing to forget mine, but at my own discretion...

Every man has his dignity. I'm willing to forget mine, but at my own discretion...

The first step towards philosophy is incredulity.

The first step towards philosophy is incredulity.

The possibility of divorce renders both marriage partners stricter in their observance of the duties...

The possibility of divorce renders both marriage partners stricter in their observance of the duties...