Michel de Montaigne Quotes

Difficulty is a coin which the learned conjure with so as not to reveal the vanity of their studies and which human stupidity is keen to accept in payment
Michel de Montaigne
I never rebel so much against France as not to regard Paris with a friendly eye; she has had my heart since my childhood.... I love her tenderly, even to her warts and her spots. I am French only by this great city: the glory of France, and one of the noblest ornaments of the world.
Michel de Montaigne
I quote others in order to better express my own self.
Michel de Montaigne
I walk firmer and more secure up hill than down.
Michel de Montaigne
My life has been full of terrible misfortunes most of which never happened.
Michel de Montaigne
The word is half his that speaks and half his that hears it.
Michel de Montaigne
A wise man sees as much as he ought not as much as he can.
Michel de Montaigne
When I religiously confess myself to myself I find that the best virtue I have has in it some tincture of vice.
Michel de Montaigne
I speak the truth not so much as I would but as much as I dare and I dare a little more as I grow older.
Michel de Montaigne
The Ancient Mariner said to Neptune during a great storm "O God you will save me if you wish but I am going to go on holding my tiller straight."
Michel de Montaigne
Not being able to govern events I govern myself.
Michel de Montaigne
Of all our infirmities the most savage is to despise our being.
Michel de Montaigne
I care not so much what I am to others as what I am to myself. I will be rich by myself and not by borrowing.
Michel de Montaigne
I have never seen a greater monster or miracle in the world than myself.
Michel de Montaigne
The greatest thing in the world is to know how to be one's own self
Michel de Montaigne
There are few men who dare to publish to the world the prayers they make to Almighty God.
Michel de Montaigne
He who fears he shall suffer already suffers what he fears.
Michel de Montaigne
Philosophy is doubt.
Michel de Montaigne
Diogenes was asked what wine he liked best and he answered "Somebody else's."
Michel de Montaigne
There is no course of life so weak and sottish as that which is managed by order method and discipline.
Michel de Montaigne
There never were two opinions alike in all the world no more than two hours or two grains: the most universal quality is diversity.
Michel de Montaigne
The value of life lies not in the length of days but in the use we make of them a man may live long yet live very little.
Michel de Montaigne
Desire and hope will push us on toward the future.
Michel de Montaigne
Fear desire hope still push us on toward the future.
Michel de Montaigne
The greatest thing in the world is to know how to be one's own self
Michel de Montaigne
The Ancient Mariner said to Neptune during a great storm "O God you will save me if you wish but I am going to go on holding my tiller straight."
Michel de Montaigne
There are few men who dare to publish to the world the prayers they make to Almighty God.
Michel de Montaigne
He who fears he shall suffer already suffers what he fears.
Michel de Montaigne
Philosophy is doubt.
Michel de Montaigne
Diogenes was asked what wine he liked best and he answered "Somebody else's."
Michel de Montaigne
There is no course of life so weak and sottish as that which is managed by order method and discipline.
Michel de Montaigne
There never were two opinions alike in all the world no more than two hours or two grains: the most universal quality is diversity.
Michel de Montaigne
The value of life lies not in the length of days but in the use we make of them a man may live long yet live very little.
Michel de Montaigne
Desire and hope will push us on toward the future.
Michel de Montaigne
Fear desire hope still push us on toward the future.
Michel de Montaigne
Fear desire hope still push us on toward the future.
Michel de Montaigne
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
The beauty of stature is the only beauty of men.
Michel de Montaigne
It is commonly seen by experience that excellent memories do often accompany weak judgements.
Michel de Montaigne
No doctor takes pleasure in the health even of his friends.
Michel de Montaigne
A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband.
Michel de Montaigne
The highest wisdom is continual cheerfulness such a state like the region above the moon is always clear and serene.
Michel de Montaigne
Whatever is enforced by command is more imputed to him who exacts than to him who performs.
Michel de Montaigne
Once conform once do what others do because they do it and a kind of lethargy steals over all the finer senses of the soul.
Michel de Montaigne
Oh what a valiant faculty is hope.
Michel de Montaigne
He who does not live in some degree for others hardly lives for himself.
Michel de Montaigne
There is no man so good who were he to submit all his thoughts and actions to the laws would not deserve hanging ten times in his life.
Michel de Montaigne
The soul that has no established aim loses itself.
Michel de Montaigne
The great and glorious masterpiece of man is how to live with a purpose.
Michel de Montaigne
No wind serves him who addresses his voyage to no certain port.
Michel de Montaigne
The great and glorious masterpiece of man is to know how to live to purpose.
Michel de Montaigne
If you press me to say why I loved him I can say no more than because he was he and I was I.
Michel de Montaigne
If you press me to say why I loved him I can say no more than it was because he was he and I was 1.
Michel de Montaigne
We are all of us richer than we think we are.
Michel de Montaigne
The thing I fear most is fear.
Michel de Montaigne
All the fame I look for in life is to have lived it quietly.
Michel de Montaigne
There are defeats more triumphant than victories.
Michel de Montaigne
Riches like glory or health have no more beauty or pleasure than their possessor is pleased to lend them.
Michel de Montaigne
We undo ourselves by impatience. Misfortunes have their life and their limits their sickness and their health.
Michel de Montaigne
One should be ever booted and spurred and ready to depart.
Michel de Montaigne