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Michel de Montaigne Quotes - Page 16

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Only he can judge of matters great and high whose soul is likewise.

Only he can judge of matters great and high whose soul is likewise.

Michel de Montaigne
Judging, Soul, Matter

To say less of yourself than is true is stupidity, not modesty. To pay yourself less than you are worth is cowardice and pusillanimity.

Michel de Montaigne
Self, Stupidity, Pay
Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Complete Essays”, p.274, Stanford University Press

The recognition of virtue is not less valuable from the lips of the man who hates it, since truth forces him to acknowledge it; and though he may be unwilling to take it into his inmost soul, he at least decks himself out in its trappings.

Michel de Montaigne
Hate, Men, Soul

Obstinacy and contention are common qualities, most appearing in, and best becoming, a mean and illiterate soul.

Michel de Montaigne
Mean, Soul, Quality
Michel de Montaigne, George Savile Marquis of Halifax (1743). “Montaigne's Essays in Three Books: With Notes and Quotations. And an Account of the Author's Life. With a Short Character of the Author and Translator”, p.168

If love and ambition should be in equal balance, and come to jostle with equal force, I make no doubt but that the last would win the prize.

Michel de Montaigne
Ambition, Winning, Doubt
Michel de Montaigne, William Hazlitt (1860). “The Works of Michael de Montaigne: Comprising His Essays, Letters, and Journey Through Germany and Italy”, p.365

I do not know whether I would not like much better to have produced one perfectly formed child by intercourse with the muses than by intercourse with my wife.

Michel de Montaigne
Children, Wife, Muse
Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Complete Essays”, p.293, Stanford University Press

Our religion is made to eradicate vices, instead it encourages them, covers them, and nurtures them.

Michel de Montaigne
Political, Vices, Made

Thus we should beware of clinging to vulgar opinions, and judge things by reason's way, not by popular say.

Michel de Montaigne
Judging, Way, Opinion
Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Complete Essays”, p.150, Stanford University Press

No man is so exquisitely honest or upright in living, but that ten times in his life he might not lawfully be hanged.

Michel de Montaigne
Truth, Honesty, Men
Michel de Montaigne (1915). “The essays of Michael, lord of Montaigne”

Any person of honor chooses rather to lose his honor than to lose his conscience.

Michel de Montaigne
Honor, Persons, Loses
Michel de Montaigne (1979). “Essays”

Man is certainly crazy. He could not make a mite, and he makes gods by the dozen.

Michel de Montaigne
God, Crazy, Men
"Essais" by Michel de Montaigne, Book II, Ch. 12, 1595.

Writing does not cause misery. It is born of misery.

Michel de Montaigne
Writing, Doe, Causes
Attributed to "Essais" by Michel de Montaigne, 1595.

Meditation is a rich and powerful method of study for anyone who knows how to examine his mind.

Michel de Montaigne
Powerful, Meditation, Mind
Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Essays”

And truly Philosophy is but sophisticated poetry. Whence do those ancient writers derive all their authority but from the poets?

Michel de Montaigne
Philosophy, Philosophical, Poetry
Michel de Montaigne (1946). “The essays”

The way of the world is to make laws, but follow custom.

Michel de Montaigne
Law, Political, World
Attributed to "Essais" by Michel de Montaigne, 1595.

Virtue shuns ease as a companion. It demands a rough and thorny path.

Michel de Montaigne
Ease, Demand, Path
'Essais' (1580) bk. 2, ch. 11

A man never speaks of himself without losing something. What he says in his disfavor is always beleived, but when he commends himself, he arouses mistrust.

Michel de Montaigne
Men, Losing, Speak

I write to keep from going mad from the contradictions I find among mankind - and to work some of those contradictions out for myself.

Michel de Montaigne
Writing, Mad, Never Quit

I never met a man who thought his thinking was faulty.

Michel de Montaigne
Thinking, Men, Mets

..a man may live long, yet live very little. Satisfaction in life depends not on the number of your years, but on your will.

Michel de Montaigne
Men, Satisfaction In Life, Years

There is a sort of gratification in doing good which makes us rejoice in ourselves.

Michel de Montaigne
Doing Good, Rejoice, Gratification
Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Complete Essays”, p.612, Stanford University Press

The study of books is a drowsy and feeble exercise which does not warm you up.

Michel de Montaigne
Book, Exercise, Doe
Michel de Montaigne, Marvin Lowenthal (1999). “The Autobiography of Michel de Montaigne: Comprising the Life of the Wisest Man of His Times : His Childhood, Youth, and Prime : His Adventures in Love and Marriage, at Court, and in Office, War, Revolution, and Plague : His Travels at Home and Abroad : His Habits, Tastes, Whims, and Opinions”, p.165, David R. Godine Publisher

No noble thing can be done without risks.

Michel de Montaigne
Risk, Noble, Done
Michel de Montaigne (1946). “The essays”

It was truly very good reason that we should be beholden to God only, and to the favour of his grace, for the truth of so noble a belief, since from his sole bounty we receive the fruit of immortality, which consists in the enjoyment of eternal beatitude.... The more we give and confess to owe and render to God, we do it with the greater Christianity.

Michel de Montaigne
Giving, Grace, Fruit
Michel de Montaigne “Annotated Essays of Michel de Montaigne with English Grammar Exercises: by Michel de Montaigne (Author), Robert Powell (Editor)”, Powell Publications, LLC

There is nothing which so poisons princes as flattery, nor anything whereby wicked men more easily obtain credit and favor with them.

Michel de Montaigne
Men, Wicked, Poison
Michel de Montaigne (2013). “Michel de Montaigne: Selected Essays”, p.106, Courier Corporation

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