misattributed

Quotation record · reviewed 2026-08-09

“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

Circulates under Voltaire

Editorial status

misattributed

The sentence is a later summary of Voltaire's position, not a sentence written by Voltaire. The attribution should point to Tallentyre and explain the relationship to Voltaire's views.

Source-backed author: S. G. Tallentyre

The sentence is Tallentyre's summary of Voltaire's attitude, published in The Friends of Voltaire (1907).

Earliest traceable appearance in this record: 1907, S. G. Tallentyre, The Friends of Voltaire.

Use the record carefully

A locator is an invitation to check.

This page is a public editorial record, not a blanket rights grant and not an independent edition-by-edition audit. Wording can differ by translation and edition. If you reuse the line, inspect the cited work yourself and credit the edition that supports your wording.

See more Voltaire records ↗

Check another quotation ↗