Constantin François de Chassebœuf, comte de Volney

Constantin François de Chassebœuf, comte de Volney (3 February 1757 – 25 April 1820) was a French philosopher, abolitionist, writer, orientalist, and politician who was made Commander of the Legion of honour in 1804, Count of the empire in 1808, and a Peer of France by Louis XVIII. He was at first surnamed Boisgirais after his father's estate, but afterwards assumed the name of Volney (which he had created as a contraction of Voltaire and Ferney).

Quotes

 * From this we conclude, that, to live in harmony and peace...we must trace a line of distinction between those (assertions) that are capable of verification, and those that are not; (we must) separate by an inviolable barrier the world of fantastical beings from the world of realities...[10]
 * See Chapter 24 of the Jefferson-Barlow translation of Ruins of Empires.