---
title: "Il en est des livres comme du feu de nos foyers; on va prendre ce feu… — Voltaire Quote #7 | QuotesBy.net"
description: "Il en est des livres comme du feu de nos foyers; on va prendre ce feu chez son voisin, on l'allume chez soi, on le communique a d'autres, et il appar… — a quote by Voltaire."
image: "https://quotesby.net/wp-content/themes/quotesby-editorial/assets/og-default.png"
---

> # Il en est des livres comme du feu de nos foyers; on va prendre ce feu chez son voisin, on l'allume chez soi, on le communique a d'autres, et il appartient a tous.

[Voltaire](https://quotesby.net/Voltaire)\#7

[Knowledge](https://quotesby.net/Voltaire/knowledge/)[Books](https://quotesby.net/topics/books/)[Community](https://quotesby.net/topics/community/)[Education](https://quotesby.net/topics/education/)[Sharing](https://quotesby.net/topics/sharing/)

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## About this quote

What does it mean?Books are like fire: shared and passed between people without losing value.In plain termsSharing knowledge and books helps everyone without reducing the source.What can you take from it?Knowledge grows when shared.

### Where it applies

- classroom settings
- library work
- open source projects

### Putting it to work

- teaching
- publishing
- community building

### Questions to consider

- What do you share to help others?
- How does sharing benefit the giver?

### Another view

Digital rights management restricts sharing in practice.

## More from Voltaire

1. > Ainsi presque tout est imitation. L'idee des Lettres persanes est prise de celle de l'Espion turc. Le Boiardo a imite le Pulci, l'Arioste a imite le Boiardo. L…

[Permalink to quote \#6](https://quotesby.net/Voltaire/6/ "Permalink to quote 6")
2. > Ou est l'amitie est la patrie.

[Permalink to quote \#8](https://quotesby.net/Voltaire/8/ "Permalink to quote 8")
3. > Les anciens Romains elevaient des prodiges d'architecture pour faire combattre des betes.

[Permalink to quote \#5](https://quotesby.net/Voltaire/5/ "Permalink to quote 5")

## Related quotes

1. > Do not be guilty of possessing a library of learned books while lacking learning yourself.

[Desiderius Erasmus](https://quotesby.net/Desiderius-Erasmus)[Desiderius Erasmus quote \#5](https://quotesby.net/Desiderius-Erasmus/5/ "Permalink to quote 5")
2. > Libraries are the one American institution you shouldn't rip off.

[Barbara Kingsolver](https://quotesby.net/Barbara-Kingsolver)[Barbara Kingsolver quote \#15](https://quotesby.net/Barbara-Kingsolver/15/ "Permalink to quote 15")
3. > I intend no Monopoly, but a Community in Learning; I study not for my own sake only, but for theirs that study not for themselves.

[Sir Thomas Browne](https://quotesby.net/Sir-Thomas-Browne)[Sir Thomas Browne quote \#19](https://quotesby.net/Sir-Thomas-Browne/19/ "Permalink to quote 19")

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