frlit1-1, Exercise 3: Checking a quotation

Model answer (an example):

Take the line often attributed to Voltaire about defending to the death someone's right to speak. Write down what you believe: the author, the date and the work. Then check each against a reliable source such as a scholarly edition or a reference book of quotations. You will find that it was written by a later biographer as a summary of his views, so the attribution needs correcting. The point is the habit of checking, not the particular quotation.

Any quotation is acceptable if the check is actually carried out.