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Michel de Montaigne Quotes - Page 6

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When all is summed up, a man never speaks of himself without loss; his accusations of himself are always believed; his praises never.

When all is summed up, a man never speaks of himself without loss; his accusations of himself are always believed; his praises never.

Michel de Montaigne
Loss, Men, Lost Friendship
Michel de Montaigne “Annotated Essays of Michel de Montaigne with English Grammar Exercises: by Michel de Montaigne (Author), Robert Powell (Editor)”, Powell Publications, LLC

In my opinion, the most fruitful and natural play of the mind is conversation. I find it sweeter than any other action in life; and if I were forced to choose, I think I would rather lose my sight than my hearing and voice. The study of books is a drowsy and feeble exercise which does not warm you up.

Michel de Montaigne
War, Book, Exercise
"The Autobiography of Michel de Montaigne".

No doctor takes pleasure in the health even of his friends.

Michel de Montaigne
Doctors, Pleasure
Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Complete Essays”, p.77, Stanford University Press

To compose our character is our duty, not to compose books, and to win, not battles and provinces, but order and tranquility in our conduct. Our great and glorious masterpiece is to live appropriately. All other things, ruling, hoarding, building, are only little appendages and props, at most.

Michel de Montaigne
Book, Character, Winning
Michel de Montaigne (1948). “Selections from the essays of Michel Eyquem de Montaigne”

We find our energies are actually cramped when we are overanxious to succeed.

Michel de Montaigne
Balance, Energy, Succeed

If falsehood, like truth, had but one face, we would be more on equal terms. For we would consider the contrary of what the liar said to be certain. But the opposite of truth has a hundred thousand faces and an infinite field.

Michel de Montaigne
Wisdom, Honesty, Liars

Whenever a new finding is reported to the world people say - It is probably not true. Later on, when the reliability of a new finding has been fully confirmed, people say - OK, it may be true but it has no real significance. At last, when even the significance of the finding is obvious to everybody, people say - Well, it might have some significance, but the idea is not new.

Michel de Montaigne
Real, Ideas, People

I consider myself an average man, except in the fact that I consider myself an average man.

Michel de Montaigne
Men, Average, Identity

The plague of man is the opinion of knowledge. That is why ignorance is so recommended by our religion as a quality suitable to belief and obedience.

Michel de Montaigne
Ignorance, Men, Quality
Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Complete Essays”, p.360, Stanford University Press

Silence and modesty are very valuable qualities in conversation.

Michel de Montaigne
Silence, Quality, Modesty

Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul.

Michel de Montaigne
Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Courage
Attributed to "Essais" by Michel de Montaigne, 1595.

The most fruitful and natural exercise for our minds is, in my opinion, conversation.

Michel de Montaigne
Exercise, Mind, Opinion

It is in the enjoyment and not in mere possession that makes for happiness.

Michel de Montaigne
Possession, Enjoyment, Mere

To begin depriving death of its greatest advantage over us, let us adopt a way clean contrary to that common one; let us deprive death of its strangeness, let us frequent it, let us get used to it; let us have nothing more often in mind than death... We do not know where death awaits us: so let us wait for it everywhere." "To practice death is to practice freedom. A man who has learned how to die has unlearned how to be a slave.

Michel de Montaigne
Men, Practice, Waiting
Michel de Montaigne (1991). “The essays of Michel de Montaigne”, Lane, Allen

I do not teach. I relate.

Michel de Montaigne
Education, Teaching, Teach

There is no wish more natural than the wish to know.

Michel de Montaigne
Wish, Natural, Knows
"Essais". Book by Michel de Montaigne, Book III, Ch. 13, 1595.

Of all human and ancient opinions concerning religion, that seems to me the most likely and most excusable, that acknowledged God as an incomprehensible power, the original and preserver of all things, all goodness, all perfection, receiving and taking in good part the honour and reverence that man paid him, under what method, name, or ceremonies soever.

Michel de Montaigne
Men, Names, Perfection
Michel de Montaigne (2015). “Montaigne's Essays: Top Essays”, p.536, 谷月社

God might grant us riches, honours, life, and even health, to our own hurt; for every thing that is pleasing to us is not always good for us. If he sends us death, or an increase of sickness, instead of a cure, Vvrga tua et baculus, tuus ipsa me consolata sunt. "Thy rod and thy staff have comforted me," he does it by the rule of his providence, which better and more certainly discerns what is proper for us than we can do; and we ought to take it in good part, as coming from a wise and most friendly hand.

Michel de Montaigne
Wise, Hurt, Hands
Michel de Montaigne (1849). “Works: Comprising His Essays, Letters, and Journey Through Germany and Italy; with Notes, Notices, Etc”, p.295

He who is not sure of his memory, should not undertake the trade of lying.

Michel de Montaigne
Honesty, Memories, Lying
Attributed to "Essais" by Michel de Montaigne, Book I, Ch. 9, 1595.

Our great and glorious masterpiece is to live appropriately.

Michel de Montaigne
Happiness, Masterpiece, Glorious
Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Complete Essays”, p.14, Stanford University Press

Every day I hear stupid people say things that are not stupid.

Michel de Montaigne
Stupid, People, Foolishness
Michel de Montaigne (1976). “The Complete Essays of Montaigne”

If I speak of myself in different ways, that is because I look at myself in different ways.

Michel de Montaigne
Reflection, Different, Looks
Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Complete Essays”, p.242, Stanford University Press

Experience has taught me this, that we undo ourselves by impatience. Misfortunes have their life and their limits, their sickness and their health.

Michel de Montaigne
Patience, Wisdom, Limits
Michel de Montaigne (1946). “The essays”

The most regular and most perfect soul in the world has but too much to do to keep itself upright from being overthrown by its own weakness.

Michel de Montaigne
Perfect, Soul, Weakness
Michel de Montaigne (2016). “Delphi Complete Works of Michel de Montaigne (Illustrated)”, p.580, Delphi Classics

Make your educational laws strict and your criminal ones can be gentle; but if you leave youth its liberty you will have to dig dungeons for ages.

Michel de Montaigne
Educational, Law, Discipline
Attributed to "Essais" by Michel de Montaigne, 1595.

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