“If there’s life on other planets, then the earth is the Universe’s insane asylum.”

“I know of only one serious thing on this earth, the growing of grapes.”

“Life is thickly sown with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to pass quickly through them. The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us.”

“But for what purpose was the earth formed?" asked Candide. "To drive us mad," replied Martin.”

“Clearly,” I said, “we should choose not to have good sense, if that good sense contributes to our misery.” Everyone agreed with me, and yet I found no one who wanted to accept the bargain of becoming ignorant in order to become content. From this I concluded that though we greatly value happiness, we place even greater value on reason.But yet, upon reflection, it seems that to prefer reason to happiness is to be quite insane.”

“If this is the best of possible worlds, what then are the others?”

“Is politics nothing other than the art of deliberately lying?”