--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have been in several provinces of that…" description: "\"“I have been in several provinces of that kingdom. In some, one half of the people are fools and madmen; in some, they are too artful; in others, again..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bca/voltaire-173_fools_i-have-been-in-several-provinces-of-that_472459.png" --- # I have been in several provinces of that kingdom. In some… ![“I have been in several provinces of that kingdom. In some, one half of the people are fools and madmen; in some, they are too artful; in others, again, they are, in general, either very good–natured or very brutal; while in others, they affect to be witty, and in all, their ruling passion is love…” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bca/voltaire-173_fools_i-have-been-in-several-provinces-of-that_472459.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bca/voltaire-173_fools_i-have-been-in-several-provinces-of-that_472459.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bca/voltaire-173_fools_i-have-been-in-several-provinces-of-that_472459.png) > ““I have been in several provinces of that kingdom. In some, one half of the people are fools and madmen; in some, they are too artful; in others, again, they are, in general, either very good–natured or very brutal; while in others, they affect to be witty, and in all, their ruling passion is love, the next is slander, and the last is to talk nonsense.”” [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human nature is a mix of virtues and vices; societies are driven by love, slander, and nonsense. **In simple terms:** People are both good and bad. Key Takeaway Recognize complexity in human behavior. Themes human nature society virtue vice Mood analytical skeptical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - political analysis - social media critique - conflict resolution - education curricula Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What motivates people to spread slander? - How can love overcome baseness? A Different Perspective Generalizations can oversimplify; individual variation matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools/) [Fools Madmen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools-madmen-2672860/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Madmen Artful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/madmen-artful-4081568/) [People Fools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-fools-398910/) [Provinces Kingdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/provinces-kingdom-4081567/) ## Related quotes > [This cold night will turn us all to fools and madmen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/this-cold-night-will-turn-us-all-to-fools-and-madmen/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“What name do you use then, for two people who help each other?” “Why are they helping each other?” “Simply to be kind, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-manning/what-name-do-you-use-then-for-two-people-who-help-each-other-why-are/) [Michael G. Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-manning/) > [Most people are such fools that it is really no great compliment to say that someone is above the average.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/most-people-are-such-fools-that-it-is-really-no-great-compliment-to/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [The young people think the old people are fools -- but the old people know the young people are fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/the-young-people-think-the-old-people-are-fools-but-the-old-people/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [God helps three sorts of people: fools, children and drunkards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/god-helps-three-sorts-of-people-fools-children-and-drunkards/) [Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proverb/) > [As though God had turned away from the wise, and written his decrees, not in the mind of man but in the entrails of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/as-though-god-had-turned-away-from-the-wise-and-written-his-decrees/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [Except for fools and madmen, everyone knows that nuclear war would he an unprecedented human catastrophe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/except-for-fools-and-madmen-everyone-knows-that-nuclear-war-would-he/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [I buy all my perfumes duty free - I think people are fools not to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leandra-medine/i-buy-all-my-perfumes-duty-free-i-think-people-are-fools-not-to/) [Leandra Medine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leandra-medine/) > [People are fools, not monsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-winton/people-are-fools-not-monsters/) [Tim Winton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-winton/) > [It was not power that corrupted people, but fools who corrupted power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-was-not-power-that-corrupted-people-but-fools-who-corrupted-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Most people are fools, most authority is malignant, God does not exist, and everything is wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nelson/most-people-are-fools-most-authority-is-malignant-god-does-not-exist/) [Ted Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nelson/) > [President Biden has gotten away his entire career with bending the truth and taking people for fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-devine/president-biden-has-gotten-away-his-entire-career-with-bending-the/) [Miranda Devine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-devine/) > [Because other people are fools, must you be so too?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/because-other-people-are-fools-must-you-be-so-too/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Young people tell what they are doing, old people what they have done and fools what they wish to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/french-proverb/young-people-tell-what-they-are-doing-old-people-what-they-have-done/) [French Proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/french-proverb/) > [Drinking makes such fools of people, and people are such fools to begin with that it's compounding a felony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/drinking-makes-such-fools-of-people-and-people-are-such-fools-to/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) ## More by Voltaire > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Fanaticism, to which men are so much inclined, has always served not only to render them more brutalized but more wicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/fanaticism-to-which-men-are-so-much-inclined-has-always-served-not/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [History is the study of the world's crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/history-is-the-study-of-the-world-s-crime/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [We’re neither pure, nor wise, nor good; we do the best we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/we-re-neither-pure-nor-wise-nor-good-we-do-the-best-we-know/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part, the rest are lost in the multitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-with-books-as-with-men-a-very-small-number-play-a-great-part/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Meslier was the most singular phenomenon ever seen among all the meteors fatal to the Christian religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/meslier-was-the-most-singular-phenomenon-ever-seen-among-all-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Being unable to make people more reasonable, I preferred to be happy away from them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/being-unable-to-make-people-more-reasonable-i-preferred-to-be-happy/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [When his highness sends a ship to Egypt, does he trouble his head whether the mice on board are at their ease or not?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/when-his-highness-sends-a-ship-to-egypt-does-he-trouble-his-head/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Madness is to think of too many things in succession too fast, or of one thing too exclusively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/madness-is-to-think-of-too-many-things-in-succession-too-fast-or-of/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/god-gave-us-the-gift-of-life-it-is-up-to-us-to-give-ourselves-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is not inequality which is the real misfortune, it is dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-not-inequality-which-is-the-real-misfortune-it-is-dependence/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Providence has given us hope and sleep as a compensation for the many cares of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/providence-has-given-us-hope-and-sleep-as-a-compensation-for-the-many/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Men use thought only to justify their wrong doings, and employ speech only to conceal their thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/men-use-thought-only-to-justify-their-wrong-doings-and-employ-speech/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Work spares us from three evils: boredom, vice, and need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/work-spares-us-from-three-evils-boredom-vice-and-need/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) [Explore all 934 Voltaire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## More Fools quotes > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [Every man must wear out at least one pair of fools shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-derr-biggers/every-man-must-wear-out-at-least-one-pair-of-fools-shoes/) [Earl Derr Biggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-derr-biggers/) > [Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prefer-to-be-defeated-in-the-presence-of-the-wise-than-to-excel-among/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/the-majority-is-never-right-never-i-tell-you-that-s-one-of-these-lies/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [“What would have been the fate of sages if there were no fools?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogwo-david-emenike/what-would-have-been-the-fate-of-sages-if-there-were-no-fools/) [Ogwo David Emenike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogwo-david-emenike/) > [“Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverbs-16-22-bible-kjv/understanding-is-a-wellspring-of-life-unto-him-that-hath-it-but-the/) [Proverbs 16:22 Bible KJV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/proverbs-16-22-bible-kjv/) > [“stultorum infnitus est numerus (the number of fools is infinite)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ecclesiastes/stultorum-infnitus-est-numerus-the-number-of-fools-is-infinite/) [Ecclesiastes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ecclesiastes/) > [Fools learn from experience. I prefer to learn from the experience of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/fools-learn-from-experience-i-prefer-to-learn-from-the-experience-of/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [The wise are wise only because they love. The fool are fools only because they think they can understand love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-wise-are-wise-only-because-they-love-the-fool-are-fools-only/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“The magi, as you know, were wise men — wonderfully wise men — who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-magi-as-you-know-were-wise-men-wonderfully-wise-men-who-brought/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“that's what i mean about cats. they're always trying to make fools of us humans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilian-jackson-braun/that-s-what-i-mean-about-cats-they-re-always-trying-to-make-fools-of/) [Lilian Jackson Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lilian-jackson-braun/) > [“I wish one half the world were not fools, and the other half idiots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fanny-fern/i-wish-one-half-the-world-were-not-fools-and-the-other-half-idiots/) [Fanny Fern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fanny-fern/) > [“What name do you use then, for two people who help each other?” “Why are they helping each other?” “Simply to be kind, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-manning/what-name-do-you-use-then-for-two-people-who-help-each-other-why-are/) [Michael G. Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-manning/) > [“The world is not fair, and often fools, cowards, liars and the selfish hide in high places. (p 57)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-world-is-not-fair-and-often-fools-cowards-liars-and-the-selfish/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [Today is April Fools Day. Believe nothing, and trust no one...So it's like any other day. Right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/today-is-april-fools-day-believe-nothing-and-trust-no-one-so-it-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 1,204 Fools quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I have been in several provinces of that kingdom. 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