Only the Anabaptist endeavored to help, but a frightened sailor struck him a hard blow, and from the force of it the sailor himself fell overboard. No one commanded, none of the crew cooperated. At this point, the ship began to endure a frightening tempest as it sailed in sight of the Port of Lisbon.Ĭrew and passengers alike were terrified as the ship tossed helplessly in the turbulent waters. But Doctor Pangloss assured him that private misfortunes make up the general good the more misfortunes there were, the more all was well. En route, Pangloss expounded his philosophy to his benefactor, but the latter remained unconvinced of its validity: men were not born wolves, yet they had become wolves and sought to destroy each other. With Candide, the two made a trip to Lisbon. The optimistic philosopher became his bookkeeper. Pangloss was cured, suffering only the loss of one eye and one ear. And is it not marvelous how the disease has spread?Īgain the charitable Anabaptist came to the rescue.

But he is assured that all was logical and for the best: had not Columbus and his men sailed to the New World, Europe would not now enjoy chocolate or cochineal the reason had been sufficient. 'Wasn't the devil the root of this strange genealogy?' asked Candide. Pangloss then traced the infection back to companions of Columbus, who first brought it from the New World. But earlier Paquette had become infected with a social disease as a result of relations with a learned Franciscan. He learned that his mentor and Paquette, pretty attendant of the baroness, had become intimate. When he revived, he inquired of his mentor the cause and effect, the sufficient reason, which had reduced Pangloss to such a pitiable state. After having swooned and then revived, Candide might well have asked, 'Ah, best of worlds, where are you?' - especially when he learned that she had been repeatedly ravished and then disemboweled by Bulgarian soldiers, who had cut her to pieces, smashed the head of the baron, killed his son, and destroyed everything - more evidence of the heroics of warfare. Irony of ironies! The diseased, pathetic beggar turned out to be that confident exponent of optimism, the learned Doctor Pangloss, and he had a most dismal report of what had been happening in the best of all possible worlds.

Philosophical optimism in candide