When explaining that Candide's mother didn't marry his father because the latter could "only prove seventy-one quarterings," Voltaire is

"Candide" is a book that was written by Voltaire and in this book, Voltaire is satirizing society’s emphasis on lineage when he explained about Candide's mother not marrying his father because his father could "only prove seventy-one quarterings" and this refers to his family tree.