"What most persons consider as virtue, after the age of 40 is simply a loss of energy"

Voltaire’s observation suggests a provocative interpretation of morality and human behavior as people grow older. The statement proposes that actions commonly esteemed as “virtue” may shift in origin as individuals age. While youth might manifest moral conduct through vibrant passion or ethical zeal, in later decades, the same restraint or perceived righteousness could arise not from purity of intent but diminishing vitality. The capacity for indulging vices may wane, leaving in its wake an appearance of greater virtue.

This perspective both critiques and satirizes society's tendency to idealize the self-control of older individuals. Voltaire hints that restraining oneself from indulgence, excess, or impulsive acts, traits usually admired as marks of wisdom, might stem less from conscious self-mastery and more from the natural weakening of physical desire. For example, an aging man may abstain from the excesses of youth not because of increased moral fortitude, but simply because he no longer possesses the energy or inclination.

Voltaire challenges the sincerity and authenticity behind moral behavior. He emphasizes the human inclination to attribute lofty motives to what might be circumstantial limitations. This lens is deeply cynical but also tinged with humor, as is characteristic of Voltaire, pointing out the self-deceptive nature of human beings and society at large. The notion that virtue could, in some cases, be passivity imposed by biology rather than a result of spiritual development undercuts conventional moral pride.

Through this reflection, Voltaire raises questions about the true nature of virtue and the factors contributing to it. Is virtue an inherent characteristic, a conscious choice, or sometimes merely the consequence of a diminished capacity to act otherwise? The implication unsettles the comfort of equating good behavior with intrinsic goodness, inviting readers to scrutinize the roots of their own virtues and question the authenticity of the ones they observe in others.