--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Observe that noses were made to wear…" description: "\"Observe that noses were made to wear spectacles; and so we have spectacles. Legs were visibly instituted to be breeched, and we have breeches. Stones w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/voltaire-173_best-house_observe-that-noses-were-made-to-wear-spe_848539.png" --- # Observe that noses were made to wear spectacles; and so we… ![“Observe that noses were made to wear spectacles; and so we have spectacles. Legs were visibly instituted to be breeched, and we have breeches. Stones were formed to be quarried and to build castles; and My Lord has a very noble castle; the greatest Baron in the province should have the best house…” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/voltaire-173_best-house_observe-that-noses-were-made-to-wear-spe_848539.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/voltaire-173_best-house_observe-that-noses-were-made-to-wear-spe_848539.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/voltaire-173_best-house_observe-that-noses-were-made-to-wear-spe_848539.png) > “Observe that noses were made to wear spectacles; and so we have spectacles. Legs were visibly instituted to be breeched, and we have breeches. Stones were formed to be quarried and to build castles; and My Lord has a very noble castle; the greatest Baron in the province should have the best house; and as pigs were made to be eaten, we eat pork all year round; consequently, those who have asserted all is well talk nonsense; they ought to have said that all is for the best.” [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. The quote sat that many things exist for a purpose, and we often misuse or misinterpret those purposes, leading to flawed reasoning about what is "best". **In simple terms:** Things have intended uses; we misjudge them. Key Takeaway Question purpose before judging usefulness. Themes purpose misinterpretation reasoning philosophy Mood skeptical reflective Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - everyday decisions - policy making - ethical debates - environmental stewardship Key Concepts teleology human error social critique Questions to Reflect On - What purposes do we assign to objects or practices without evidence? - How can we avoid projecting our biases onto natural functions? A Different Perspective Assuming all things serve a single "best" purpose ignores complexity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best house](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-house/) [Breeches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breeches/) [Breeches Stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breeches-stones-722577/) [Castles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/castles/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [Instituted Breeched](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instituted-breeched-722576/) [Legs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legs/) [Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [Nonsense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonsense/) [Noses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noses/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Pigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pigs/) [Pork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pork/) [Provinces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/provinces/) [Rounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rounds/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Should have](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should-have/) [Spectacles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spectacles/) [Spectacles Legs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spectacles-legs-722578/) [Stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stones/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [“It is demonstrable," said he, "that things cannot be otherwise than as they are; for as all things have been created for some end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-demonstrable-said-he-that-things-cannot-be-otherwise-than-as/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“the nose has been formed to bear spectacles—thus we have spectacles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/the-nose-has-been-formed-to-bear-spectacles-thus-we-have-spectacles/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [The top 1 percent have the best houses, the best educations, the best doctors, and the best lifestyles, but there is one thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/the-top-1-percent-have-the-best-houses-the-best-educations-the-best/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [Growing up we never had the best house on the block, the best car, or the most money, but one thing I had no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/growing-up-we-never-had-the-best-house-on-the-block-the-best-car-or/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [The country cannot afford amateur hour in the White House.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-country-cannot-afford-amateur-hour-in-the-white-house/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [It's a basic truth of the human condition that everybody lies. 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Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [“As soon as our band opened the show everyone hit the dancefloor. Within 6 weeks of arrival we won Best House Band in Beijing!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-goldin/as-soon-as-our-band-opened-the-show-everyone-hit-the-dancefloor/) [Lisa Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-goldin/) > [I think I have the best house in the world. I thank God to have it. I thank God that I finished it. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-azria/i-think-i-have-the-best-house-in-the-world-i-thank-god-to-have-it-i/) [Max Azria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-azria/) > [What do you want?" Sophronia was moved to exasperation. "Me? Stockings and breeches to come back in fashion. I do miss seeing a man's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-carriger/what-do-you-want-sophronia-was-moved-to-exasperation-me-stockings-and/) [Gail Carriger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-carriger/) > [We know but a few men, a great many coats and breeches.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-know-but-a-few-men-a-great-many-coats-and-breeches/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“He had been trussed up like a chicken in his own breeches.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-mendelssohn/he-had-been-trussed-up-like-a-chicken-in-his-own-breeches/) [Ted Mendelssohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-mendelssohn/) ## 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 Best house quotes > [Once you can fake sincerity, you can fake anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-putney/once-you-can-fake-sincerity-you-can-fake-anything/) [Mary Jo Putney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-putney/) > [“As soon as our band opened the show everyone hit the dancefloor. Within 6 weeks of arrival we won Best House Band in Beijing!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-goldin/as-soon-as-our-band-opened-the-show-everyone-hit-the-dancefloor/) [Lisa Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-goldin/) > [Drive inexpensive cars, but own the best house you can afford.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/drive-inexpensive-cars-but-own-the-best-house-you-can-afford/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [The best verse hasn't been rhymed yet, The best house hasn't been planned, The highest peak hasn't been climbed yet, The mightiest rivers aren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berton-braley/the-best-verse-hasn-t-been-rhymed-yet-the-best-house-hasn-t-been/) [Berton Braley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berton-braley/) > [Like I always say, there's no 'I' in team. There is a 'me', though, if you jumble it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-shore/like-i-always-say-there-s-no-i-in-team-there-is-a-me-though-if-you/) [David Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-shore/) > [It's a basic truth of the human condition that everybody lies. The only variable is about what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/it-s-a-basic-truth-of-the-human-condition-that-everybody-lies-the/) [Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/) > [The country cannot afford amateur hour in the White House.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/the-country-cannot-afford-amateur-hour-in-the-white-house/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [Growing up we never had the best house on the block, the best car, or the most money, but one thing I had no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/growing-up-we-never-had-the-best-house-on-the-block-the-best-car-or/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [The top 1 percent have the best houses, the best educations, the best doctors, and the best lifestyles, but there is one thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/the-top-1-percent-have-the-best-houses-the-best-educations-the-best/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [I think I have the best house in the world. I thank God to have it. I thank God that I finished it. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-azria/i-think-i-have-the-best-house-in-the-world-i-thank-god-to-have-it-i/) [Max Azria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-azria/) [Browse all 11 Best house quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-house/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Observe that noses were made to wear spectacles; and so we have spectacles. Legs were visibly instituted to be breeched, and we have breeches. Stones were formed to be quarried and to build castles; and My Lord has a very noble castle; the greatest Baron in the province should have the best house; and as pigs were made to be eaten, we eat pork all year round; consequently, those who have asserted all is well talk nonsense; they ought to have said that all is for the best.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Voltaire" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/observe-that-noses-were-made-to-wear-spectacles-and-so-we-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best house" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/observe-that-noses-were-made-to-wear-spectacles-and-so-we-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/voltaire-173_best-house_observe-that-noses-were-made-to-wear-spe_848539.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/voltaire-173_best-house_observe-that-noses-were-made-to-wear-spe_848539.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58e/voltaire-173_best-house_observe-that-noses-were-made-to-wear-spe_848539.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Observe that noses were made to wear spectacles; and so we have spectacles. 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