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Voltaire

Candide

Candide, ou l'Optimisme (1759) is a French satire by the Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire, English translations of which have been titled Candide: Or, All for the Best (1759); Candide: Or, The Optimist (1762); and Candide: Or, Optimism (1947). The novella begins with a young man, Candide, who is living a sheltered life in an Edenic paradise and being indoctrinated with Leibnizian optimism (or simply optimism) by his tutor, Pangloss. The work describes the abrupt cessation of this existence, followed by Candide's slow, painful disillusionment as he witnesses and experiences great hardships in the world. Voltaire concludes with Candide, if not outright rejecting optimism, advocating an enigmatic precept, «we must cultivate our garden», in lieu of the Leibnizian mantra of Pangloss, «all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds».
129 printed pages
Translator
Tobias Smollett
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Impressions

  • Samir Đokovićshared an impression4 years ago
    👍Worth reading
    🔮Hidden Depths

    Very enjoyable book. I suggest reading it!

  • missninashared an impression5 years ago
    🎯Worthwhile

  • b5226708365shared an impression5 years ago
    👍Worth reading
    🔮Hidden Depths
    💡Learnt A Lot
    🎯Worthwhile
    🚀Unputdownable
    😄LOLZ

Quotes

  • Samir Đokovićhas quoted4 years ago
    "It is demonstrable," said he, "that things cannot be otherwise than as they are; for as all things have been created for some end, they must necessarily be created for the best end.
  • Shabrina Fadhilahhas quoted5 years ago
    "I conceive there can be no effect without a cause; everything is necessarily concatenated and arranged for the best.
  • josuedr11has quoted7 years ago
    I have been a hundred times upon the point of killing myself, but still I was fond of life. This ridiculous weakness is, perhaps, one of the dangerous principles implanted in our nature. For what can be more absurd than to persist in carrying a burden of which we wish to be eased? to detest, and yet to strive to preserve our existence? In a word, to caress the serpent that devours us, and hug him close to our bosoms till he has gnawed into our hearts?

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