Voltaire

“ I have fought as successfully as any one of them all, said Zadig, tho’ another appears clad in my Armour; but in the mean Time, before I can possibly prove my Assertion, I insist upon being admitted into Court, in order to give my Solutions to such Ænigmas as shall be propos’d. ”

“ Then holding the Point of his Sword to the opening of his Cuirass, Submit to be stripp’d of your borrow’d Plumes, or you are a dead Man this Moment. Itobad, always surpriz’d, that any Disappointment should attend a Man of such exalted Merit as himself, very tamely permitted Zadig to disrobe him by Degrees of his pompous Helmet, his superb Cuirass, his rich Bracelets, his brilliant Cuisses, or Armour for his Thighs, and other Martial Accoutrements. When Zadig had equipp’d himself Cap-a-pee, in his now recover’d Armour, he flew to Astarte, and threw himself prostrate at her Feet. ”

“ All Men neglect it in the Passage; and all regret the Loss of it when ’tis past. Nothing can possibly be done without it; it buries in Oblivion whatever is unworthy of being transmitted down to Posterity ”