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Michel de Montaigne Quotes - Page 20

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We are born to inquire after truth; it belongs to a greater power to possess it. It is not, as Democritus said, hid in the bottom of the deeps, but rather elevated to an infinite height in the divine knowledge.

We are born to inquire after truth; it belongs to a greater power to possess it. It is not, as Democritus said, hid in the bottom of the deeps, but rather elevated to an infinite height in the divine knowledge.

Michel de Montaigne
Height, Infinite, Divine
Michel de Montaigne (2015). “Montaigne's Essays: Top Essays”, p.952, 谷月社

My business is only to keep myself in motion, whilst motion pleases me; I only walk for the walk's sake.

Michel de Montaigne
Please Me, Sake, Walks
Michel de Montaigne (1877). “Essays”, p.257

I am further of opinion that it would be better for us to have [no laws] at all than to have them in so prodigious numbers as we have.

Michel de Montaigne
Law, Numbers, Justice
Michel de Montaigne, Bayle St. John (1866). “Essays [tr. by Cotton”, p.400

Men are nothing until they are excited.

Michel de Montaigne
Men, Excited

There never were, in the world, two opinions alike, no more than two hairs, or two grains; the most universal quality is diversity.

Michel de Montaigne
Two, Hair, Justice
Michel de Montaigne (2015). “Essays of Montaigne”, p.922, Xist Publishing

We are Christians by the same title as we are natives of Perigord or Germany.

Michel de Montaigne
Christian, Titles, Germany

God sends the cold according to the coat.

Michel de Montaigne
God, Coats, Cold

It is a dangerous and fateful presumption, besides the absurd temerity that it implies, to disdain what we do not comprehend. For after you have established, according to your fine undertstanding, the limits of truth and falsehood, and it turns out that you must necessarily believe things even stranger than those you deny, you are obliged from then on to abandon these limits.

Michel de Montaigne
Believe, Limits, Stranger
Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Complete Essays”, p.134, Stanford University Press

Death, they say, acquits us of all obligations.

Michel de Montaigne
Death, Dying, Obligation
Attributed to "Essais" by Michel de Montaigne, Book I, Ch. 7, 1595.

There are few things on which we can pass a sincere judgement, because there are few things in which we have not, in one way or another, a particular interest.

Michel de Montaigne
Judgement, Way, Judgment
Michel de Montaigne (1946). “The essays”

Children's games are hardly games. Children are never more serious than when they play.

Michel de Montaigne
Inspirational, Children, Kids

Is it not enough to make me come back to life out of spite, to have someone who spat in my face while I existed come and rub my feet when I am beginning to exist no longer?

Michel de Montaigne
Feet, Hypocrisy, Faces
Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Complete Essays”, p.563, Stanford University Press

I do not believe, from what I have been told about this people, that there is anything barbarous or savage about them, except that we all call barbarous anything that is contrary to our own habits.

Michel de Montaigne
Believe, People, Tolerance
Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Essays”

No man dies before his hour. The time you leave behind was no more yours, than that which was before your birth, and concerneth you no more.

Michel de Montaigne
Death, Men, Birth
Michel de Montaigne (2014). “Shakespeare's Montaigne: The Florio Translation of the Essays, A Selection”, p.31, New York Review of Books

If I am to serve as an instrument of deceit, at least let it be with a clear conscience. I do not want to be considered either so affectionate or so loyal a servant as to be found fit to betray anyone.

Michel de Montaigne
Deceit, Loyal, Want
Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Complete Essays”, p.603, Stanford University Press

There is a certain consideration, and a general duty of humanity, that binds us not only to the animals, which have life and feeling, but even to the trees and plants. We owe justice to people, and kindness and benevolence to all other creatures who may be susceptible of it. There is some intercourse between them and us, and some mutual obligation.

Michel de Montaigne
Nature, Kindness, Animal

We have no participation in Being, because all human nature is ever midway between being born and dying, giving off only a vague image and shadow of itself, and a weak and uncertain opinion. And if you chance to fix your thoughts on trying to grasp its essence, it would be neither more nor less than if your tried to clutch water.

Michel de Montaigne
Thinking, Thoughtful, Essence
Michel de Montaigne (1946). “The essays”

I don't break the law* made for crooks, when I take away my own property - thus I am not obliged to conform to the law made for murderers when I deprive myself of my own life.

Michel de Montaigne
Suicide, Law, Crooks

Hath God obliged himself not to exceed the bounds of our knowledge?

Michel de Montaigne
Obliged, Exceed, Bounds
Michel de Montaigne (1964). “Selected essays of Montaigne: in the translation of John Florio”

The continuous work of our life is to build death.

Michel de Montaigne
Life Is, Our Lives

He loves little who loves by rule.

Michel de Montaigne
Life, Littles

Experience stands on its own dunghill in medicine, and reason yields it place. Medicine has always professed experience to be the touchstone of its operations.

Michel de Montaigne
Yield, Medicine, Reason

Seeing that the Senses cannot decide our dispute, being themselves full of uncertainty, we must have recourse to Reason; there is no reason but must be built upon another reason: so here we are retreating backwards to infinity.

Michel de Montaigne
Philosophy, Medicine, Psychology
Michel de Montaigne (1946). “The essays”

We owe subjection and obedience to all our kings, whether good or bad, alike, for that has respect unto their office; but as to esteem and affection, these are only due to their virtue.

Michel de Montaigne
Kings, Office, Affection
Michel de Montaigne (2016). “Delphi Complete Works of Michel de Montaigne (Illustrated)”, p.220, Delphi Classics

It is a disaster that wisdom forbids you to be satisfied with yourself and always sends you away dissatisfied and fearful, whereas stubbornness and foolhardiness fill their hosts with joy and assurance.

Michel de Montaigne
Joy, Host, Stubbornness
Michel de Montaigne (1995). “Four Essays”, Penguin Group USA

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