- As they approach the coast of France, Candide asks Martin about his travels.
- Martin expounds rather humorously on the different places of the world: France is full of fools and lovesick madmen, and Venice is no good unless you’re from Venice.
- He also declares that the world was created "to make us mad." (Mad meaning crazy, not angry.)
- He makes a fantastic argument that men have always been evil and horrible to one another.
- Candide’s tries rather poorly to negate this argument with free will.