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Michel de Montaigne Quotes - Page 3

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Men are most apt to believe what they least understand.

Men are most apt to believe what they least understand.

Michel de Montaigne
Believe, Men, Libertarian Party
Michel de Montaigne, William Hazlitt, Orlando Williams Wight (1866). “Works of Michael de Montaigne: Comprising his essays, journey into Italy, and letters”, p.357

Take care that old age does not wrinkle your spirit even more than your face.

Michel de Montaigne
Wrinkles, Age, Doe

Virtue rejects facility to be her companion. She requires a craggy, rough and thorny way.

Michel de Montaigne
Way, Virtue, Companion

Is it not better to remain in suspense than to entangle yourself in the many errors that the human fancy has produced? Is it not better to suspend your convictions than to get mixed up in these seditious and quarrelsome divisions?

Michel de Montaigne
Errors, Suspense, Division
Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Complete Essays”, p.373, Stanford University Press

We need to interpret interpretations more than to interpret things.

Michel de Montaigne
Needs, Interpretation

Marriage is like a cage; one sees the birds outside desperate to get in, and those inside equally desperate to get out.

Michel de Montaigne
Marriage, Wedding, Bird
Attributed to "Essais" by Michel de Montaigne, Book III, Ch. 5, 1595.

A man is not hurt so much by what happens, as by his opinion of what happens.

Michel de Montaigne
Gratitude, Hurt, Men

It takes strong ears indeed to hear ourselves judged frankly, and because there are few who can endure criticism without being stung by it, those who venture to criticize us perform a remarkable act of friendship. For it is a healthy love that will risk wounding or offending in order to profer a benefit.

Michel de Montaigne
Love, Strong, Honesty

Men are tormented by the opinions they have of things, and not the things themselves.

Michel de Montaigne
Men, Opinion

Wine is the benevolent god, who gives back gaiety to men and restores youth to the old.

Michel de Montaigne
Wine, Men, Giving

Fame and tranquility can never be bedfellows.

Michel de Montaigne
Quiet, Tranquility, Fame
'Essais' (1580) bk. 1, ch. 39

There is nothing more notable in Socrates than that he found time, when he was an old man, to learn music and dancing, and thought it time well spent.

Michel de Montaigne
Inspirational, Music, Dance
Attributed to "Essais" by Michel de Montaigne, Book III, Ch. 13, 1595.

The good opinion of the vulgar is injurious.

Michel de Montaigne
Opinion, Popularity, Vulgar
Michel de Montaigne (1877). “Selected Essays”, p.67, Courier Corporation

He who does not live in some degree for others, hardly lives for himself.

Michel de Montaigne
Degrees, Doe
Michel de Montaigne (1946). “The essays”

A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband.

Michel de Montaigne
Anniversary, Marriage, Wedding
Attributed to "Essais" by Michel de Montaigne, Book I, Ch. 20, 1595.

Sometimes it is a good choice not to choose at all.

Michel de Montaigne
Choices, Sometimes, Good Choices
Michel de Montaigne (1603). “Essayes”

Ignorance is the softest pillow on which a man can rest his head.

Michel de Montaigne
Ignorance, Men, Pillow

When I play with my cat, who knows whether she is not amusing herself with me more than I with her.

Michel de Montaigne
Funny, Humor, Cat
Essais bk. 2, ch. 12 (1580)

When we have got it, we want something else.

Michel de Montaigne
Want Something, Want, Satisfaction
Michel de Montaigne (2015). “The Essays of Montaigne”, p.480, BookRix

A man must learn to endure patiently what he cannot avoid conveniently.

Michel de Montaigne
Inspirational, Men, Endure

We are more unhappy to see people ahead of us than happy to see people behind us.

Michel de Montaigne
Sad, People, Unhappy
Michel de Montaigne (1976). “The Complete Essays of Montaigne”

When I quote others I do so in order to express my own ideas more clearly.

Michel de Montaigne
Inspirational, Golf, Order
Michel de Montaigne (1946). “The essays”

No-one is exempt from speaking nonsense – the only misfortune is to do it solemnly.

Michel de Montaigne
Nonsense, Misfortunes

Love is like playing the piano. First you must learn to play by the rules, then you must forget the rules and play from your heart. If I were pressed to say why I loved him, I feel that my only reply could be: Because it was he, because it was I.

Michel de Montaigne
Heart, Love Is, Piano

If you don't know how to die, don't worry; Nature will tell you what to do on the spot, fully and adequately. She will do this job perfectly for you; don't bother your head about it.

Michel de Montaigne
Funny, Death, Jobs
Essays Bk III, Ch. 12 'Of Physiognomy'

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