The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Voltaire a Philosophical Dictionary Vol. Iv — Part I
• Cannibals.
• Casting (in Metal).
• Cato. On Suicide, and the Abbe St. Cyran’s Book Legitimating Suicide.
• Celts.
• Ceremonies—titles—precedence.
• Certain—certainty.
• Chain of Created Beings.
• Chain Or Generation of Events.
• Changes That Have Occurred In the Globe.
• Character. [from the Greek Word Signifying Impression, Engraving.—it Is What Nature Has Engraved In Us.]
• Charity. Charitable and Beneficent Institutions, Almshouses, Hospitals, Etc.
• Charles IX.
• China.
• Christianity.
• Christmas.
• Chronology.
• Church.
• Church of England.
• Church Property.
• Cicero.
• Circumcision.
• Clerk—clergy.
• Climate.
• Coherence—cohesion—adhesion.
• Commerce.
• Common Sense.
• Confession.
• Confiscation.
• Conscience.
• Consequence.
• Constantine.
• Contradictions.
• Contrast.
• Convulsionaries.
• Corn.
• Councils. Meetings of Ecclesiastics, Called Together to Resolve Doubts Or Questions On Points of Faith Or Discipline.
• Voltaire a Philosophical Dictionary Vol. Iv — Part Ii
• Country.
• Crimes Or Offences.
• Criminal.
• Cromwell.
• Cuissage.
• Curate (of the Country).
• Curiosity.
• Customs—usages.
• Cyrus.
• Dante.
• David.
• Decretals.
• Deluge (universal).
• Democracy.
• Demoniacs.
• Destiny.
• Devotee.
• Dial. Dial of Ahaz.
• Dictionary.
• Diocletian.
• Dionysius, St. (the Areopagite), and the Famous Eclipse.
• Diodorus of Sicily, and Herodotus.
• Director.
• Disputes.
• Distance.
• Divinity of Jesus.
• Divorce.
• Dog.
• Dogmas.
• Donations.
• Drinking Healths.
• The Druids.
• Ease.
• Eclipse.
• Economy (rural).
• Economy of Speech— to Speak By Economy.
• Elegance.
• Elias Or Elijah, and Enoch.
• Eloquence.
• Emblems. Figures, Allegories, Symbols, Etc.
• Enchantment. Magic, Conjuration, Sorcery, Etc.
• End of the World.
• Enthusiasm.
• Envy.
• Epic Poetry.
• Epiphany. the Manifestation, the Appearance, the Illustration, the Radiance.
• Equality.
• Essenians.
• Eternity.
• Eucharist.
• Execution.
• Executioner.
• Expiation. Dieu Fit Du Repentir La Vertu Des Mortels.
• Extreme.
• Ezekiel. of Some Singular Passages In This Prophet, and of Certain Ancient Usages.
• Fable.
• Faction. On the Meaning of the Word.
• Faculty.
• Faith.
• Falsity.
• Falsity of Human Virtues.

DEVOTEE.

The word devout (dévot) signifies devoted (dévoué), and, in the strict sense of the term, can only be applicable to monks, and to females belonging to some religious order and under vows. But as the gospel makes no mention of vows or devotees, the title should not, in fact, be given to any person: the whole world ought to be equally just. A man who calls himself devout is like a plebeian who calls himself a marquis; he arrogates a quality which does not belong to him; he thinks himself a better man than his neighbor. We pardon this folly in women; their weakness and frivolity render them excusable; they pass, poor things, from a lover to a spiritual director with perfect sincerity, but we cannot pardon the knaves who direct them, who abuse their ignorance, and establish the throne of their pride on the credulity of the sex. They form a snug mystical harem, composed of seven or eight elderly beauties subjugated by the weight of inoccupation, and almost all these subjects pay tribute to their new master. No young women without lovers; no elderly devotee without a director.—Oh, how much more shrewd are the Orientals than we! A pasha never says, “We supped last night with the aga of the janissaries, who is my sister’s lover; and with the vicar of the mosque, who is my wife’s director!”