The best is the enemy of the good.

Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien.

Voltaire

More information about this quote

Topic

Perfection

Author

Voltaire

Medium

Poem

Language

French

Time

1770 1770s 18th century

Occupation

Philosopher Writer

From

France Europe

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Voltaire. La Bégueule, Conte Moral. Lausanne: Chez François Grasset et Comp, 1772.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by Voltaire about perfection: “The best is the enemy of the good.”
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A quote by Voltaire about perfection: “The best is the enemy of the good.”
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A quote by Voltaire about perfection: “The best is the enemy of the good.”
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Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote by Voltaire

I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: "Oh Lord, make my enemies ridiculous." And God granted it.

Voltaire

More information about this quote
Topic
Enemies

Author

Voltaire
Medium
Letter
Language
French
Time
1767 1760s 18th century
Authentication Score 1
Citation

Voltaire. Letter to Etienne Noel Damilaville. 16 May 1767.

Another quote from the 1770s

The public seldom forgive twice.

Johann Kasper Lavater

More information about this quote
Topic
Public opinion Second chances

Author

Johann Kasper Lavater
Language
German
Time
1773 1770s 18th century
Authentication Score 3
Original Citation

Lavater, Johann Caspar. Aphorisms of Man. London: J. Johnson, 1788, no. 606.

Current Citation

Lavater, Johann Caspar. "Annotations to Lavater's Aphorisms on Man." The Complete Poetry and Prose of William Blake, edited by David Erdman. University of California Press, 2008.

Another quote originally in French

To have common glories in the past, a common will in the present; to have done great things together, to will to do the like again-these are the essential conditions for the making of a people.

Ernest Renan

More information about this quote
Topic
Political community

Author

Ernest Renan
Source
What is a Nation?
Medium
Lecture
Language
French
Time
1882 1880s 19th century
Authentication Score 1
Original Citation

Renan, Ernest. "Qu’est-ce qu’une nation? [What is a Nation?]" 11 Mar. 1882, University of Sorbonne, Paris, France, pt. 3.

Current Citation

Renan, Ernest. "What is a Nation?" What is a Nation and Other Political Writings, translated by M. F. N. Giglioli. Columbia University Press, 2018, ch. 10, pt. 3.