The statement, which has become one of the symbols of the struggle for freedom of speech, is often attributed to the French philosopher Voltaire. We checked whether it really belongs to him.

Due to this phrase, many famous people have repeatedly made a reference to Voltaire, including a TV presenter Vladimir Pozner, film director Andrey Konchalovsky, State Duma deputy Franz Klintsevich, writers Zakhar Prilepin, Victor Suvorov, Orthodox Metropolitan of France Immanuel, freelance adviser to the President of Ukraine Oleg Medvedev, Governor of Florida Charlie Krist, president of the Czech Republic Milos Zeman And many others. Sometimes in Russian the statement has the form of "I do not agree with any word that you say, but ready to die for your right to say this."

For the first time, this quote is found in print not in French, but in English. In 1906, the biographical book “Friends of Voltaire” was published, the author of which under the pseudonym S.G. Tallentyre was the English writer Evelyn Beatrice Hall. One of the episodes of the book describes the reaction of Voltaire to the public burning of labor “On the mind” of another famous French philosopher Helvetius. This work of 1758, convicted by Pope Clement XIII, the Parisian parliament and the theological faculty of the Sorbonne, according to the Hall, did not like Voltaire himself. However, he, learning about the radical decision of the authorities of those in power, exclaimed: "What a fuss about the omelet!" Next are the following words:

"" I do not approve of what you say, but I will defend your right to say this " - that was his attitude now."

As you can see, the phrase that has become winged in the future describes Voltaire's attitude to the situation, but the philosopher is not a direct speech. At least it is not presented as direct speech. The ambiguity could cause quotes in which this phrase is enclosed. In addition, in 1919, another book Hall was published - Voltaire in his letters, where the phrase was again given outside of direct speech and was baptized by the “Voltaire principle”.

Two of the above publications contributed to the fact that the phrase parted first according to English -speaking sources, and then began to penetrate abroad. It got to the point that in 1939 Hall made an attempt to dispel the error in her letter published four years later in the magazine Modern Language Notes:

“The phrase“ I do not completely approve of what you say, but I will defend your right to say this ”, which can be found in my book“ Voltaire in my letters ”, this is my own expression that should not have been in quotation marks. Please accept my apologies for unconsciously forced you to think that I quote Voltaire’s statement (or anyone else except myself). ”

In another message quoted by the Saturday Review newspaper, Hall claimed that the paraphrase of Voltaire aphorism “Think and allow others to think too” from “Essays on tolerance”. Note that the latter resembles the phrase we are considering very distant.

But it was too late. Voltaire’s “Quote” has already lived its life, and, moreover, later it found the “source” in the form of Voltaire’s letter of February 6, 1770 to Abbotus Le Rish. However, the next consideration showed that nothing similar in letter No, and the statement is simply the result of the error. However, all these revelations do not interfere with many famous people and today to attribute the phrase to Voltaire, the author of which is the writer Evelyn Beatrice Hall.