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Michel de Montaigne Quotes - Page 34

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Glory consists of two parts: the one in setting too great a value upon ourselves, and the other in setting too little a value upon others.

Glory consists of two parts: the one in setting too great a value upon ourselves, and the other in setting too little a value upon others.

Michel de Montaigne
Two, Littles, Glory
Michel de Montaigne (2015). “Montaigne's Essays: Top Essays”, p.668, 谷月社

The most beautiful lives, to my mind, are those that conform to the common human pattern, with order, but without miracle and without eccentricity.

Michel de Montaigne
Beautiful, Order, Miracle
Michel de Montaigne (1973). “Selections from the Essays”, Harlan Davidson

I am one of those who hold that poetry is never so blithe as in a wanton and irregular subject.

Michel de Montaigne
Poetry, Blithe, Subjects
Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Complete Essays”, p.145, Stanford University Press

Rash and incessant scolding runs into custom and renders itself despised.

Michel de Montaigne
Running, Scolding, Incessant
Michel de Montaigne, Charles Cotton, William Carew Hazlitt (2012). “Michel de Montaigne: Selected Essays”, p.157, Courier Corporation

I find no quality so easy for a man to counterfeit as devotion, though his life and manner are not conformable to it; the essence of it is abstruse and occult, but the appearances easy and showy.

Michel de Montaigne
Men, Essence, Quality
Michel de Montaigne (1849). “Works: Comprising His Essays, Letters, and Journey Through Germany and Italy; with Notes, Notices, Etc”, p.401

We imagine much more appropriately an artisan on his toilet seat or on his wife than a great president, venerable by his demeanorand his ability. It seems to us that they do not stoop from their lofty thrones even to live.

Michel de Montaigne
Imagination, Wife, President
Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Complete Essays”, p.615, Stanford University Press

And not to serve for a table-talk.

Michel de Montaigne
Tables
Michel de Montaigne (1866). “Essays [tr. by Cotton”, p.19

[I]n my country, when they would say a man has no sense, they say, such an one has no memory; and when I complain of the defect of mine, they do not believe me, and reprove me, as though I accused myself for a fool: not discerning the difference betwixt memory and understanding, which is to make matters still worse for me. But they do me wrong; for experience, rather, daily shows us, on the contrary, that a strong memory is commonly coupled with infirm judgment.

Michel de Montaigne
Country, Strong, Memories
Michel de Montaigne (2016). “Delphi Complete Works of Michel de Montaigne (Illustrated)”, p.239, Delphi Classics

I see several animals that live so entire and perfect a life, some without sight, others without hearing: who knows whether to us also one, two, or three, or many other senses, may not be wanting?

Michel de Montaigne
Animal, Sight, Two
Michel de Montaigne, Antoine JAY (1842). “The Complete Works of Michael de Montaigne; Comprising; the Essays, Translated by Cotton; the Letters; the Journey Into Germany and Italy, Now First Translated; a Life by the Editor; Notes: ... Critical Opinions; ... the Éloges of MM. Jay and Villemain; a”, p.275

Nature has with a Motherly Tenderness observed this, that the Action she has enjoyned us for our Necessity should be also pleasant to us, and invites us to them, not only by Reason, but also by Appetite: and ’tis Injustice to infringe her Laws.

Michel de Montaigne
Nature, Law, Action
Michel de Montaigne (1947). “Essays of Michel de Montaigne”

Ceremony forbids us to express by words things that are lawful and natural, and we obey it; reason forbids us to do things unlawful and ill, and nobody obeys it.

Michel de Montaigne
Reason, Natural, Unlawful
Michel de Montaigne (2015). “Montaigne's Essays: Top Essays”, p.666, 谷月社

As by some might be saide of me: that here I have but gathered a nosegay of strange floures, and have put nothing of mine unto it, but the thred to binde them. Certes, I have given unto publike opinion, that these borrowed ornaments accompany me; but I meane not they should cover or hide me.

Michel de Montaigne
Ornaments, Might, Opinion
Michel de Montaigne (1928). “The Essayes of Michel, Lord of Montaigne”

Necessity is a violent school-mistress.

Michel de Montaigne
School, Mistress, Violent
Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Complete Essays”, p.206, Stanford University Press

Experience teaches that a strong memory is generally joined to a weak judgment.

Michel de Montaigne
Strong, Memories, Judgment

Is there a polity better ordered, the offices better distributed, and more inviolably observed and maintained, than that of bees?

Michel de Montaigne
Office, Bees, Insects
Michel de Montaigne (2015). “Montaigne's Essays: Top Essays”, p.477, 谷月社

We are more solicitous that men speak of us, than how they speak.

Michel de Montaigne
Men, Speak, Fame
Michel de Montaigne (2013). “Michel de Montaigne: Selected Essays”, p.112, Courier Corporation

There is nothing so noble and so right as to play our human life well and fitly, nor anything so difficult to learn as how to livethis life well and according to Nature.

Michel de Montaigne
Play, Noble, Human Nature

How many quarrels, and how important, has the doubt as to the meaning of this syllable "Hoc" produced for the world!

Michel de Montaigne
Doubt, Important, World

We are nearer neighbors to ourselves than the whiteness of snow or the weight of stones are to us: if man does not know himself, how should he know his functions and powers?

Michel de Montaigne
Men, Snow, Doe
Michel de Montaigne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, William Carew Hazlitt (1910). “Essays of Montaigne, tr. by C. Cotton; rev. by W. C. Hazlett [!”

Whoever will imagine a perpetual confession of ignorance, a judgment without leaning or inclination, on any occasion whatever, hasa conception of Pyrrhonism.

Michel de Montaigne
Ignorance, Judgment, Imagine
Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Complete Essays”, p.374, Stanford University Press

The common notions that we find in credit around us and infused into our souls by our fathers' seed, these seem to be the universal and natural ones. Whence it comes to pass that what is off the hinges of custom, people believe to be off the hinges of reason.

Michel de Montaigne
Father, Believe, People
Michel de Montaigne (1979). “Essays”

In truth, the care and expense of our fathers aims only at furnishing our heads with knowledge; of judgement and virtue, little news.

Michel de Montaigne
Father, Judgement, News
Michel de Montaigne (1965). “Complete Essays”, p.100, Stanford University Press

Nothing else but an insatiate thirst of enjoying a greedily desired object.

Michel de Montaigne
Love, Enjoy, Thirst

God defend me from being an honest man according to the description which every day I see made by each man to his own glorification

Michel de Montaigne
Honesty, Men, Made

But as Nature is the best guide, teaching must be the development of natural inclinations, for which purpose the teacher must watch his pupil and listen to him, not continually bawl words into his ears as if pouring water into a funnel. Good teaching will come from a mind well made rather than well filled.

Michel de Montaigne
Teacher, Teaching, Water

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