Michel de Montaigne Quotes - Page 3

As concerning marriage, besides that it is a covenant, the entrance into which only is free, but the continuance in it forced and compulsory, having another dependence than that of our own free will, and a bargain commonly contracted to other ends, there almost always happens a thousand intricacies in it to unravel, enough to break the thread and to divert the current of a lively affection: whereas friendship has no manner of business or traffic with aught but itself. Moreover, to say truth, the ordinary talent of women is not such as is sufficient to maintain the conference and communication required to the support of this sacred tie; nor do they appear to be endued with constancy of mind, to sustain the pinch of so hard and durable a knot. And doubtless, if without this, there could be such a free and voluntary familiarity contracted, where not only the souls might have this entire fruition, but the bodies also might share in the alliance, and a man be engaged throughout, the friendship would certainly be more full and perfect; but it is without example that this sex has ever yet arrived at such perfection; and, by the common consent of the ancient schools, it is wholly rejected from it.
Michel de Montaigne
We should tend our freedom wisely.
Michel de Montaigne
I know not what quintessence of all this mixture, which, seizing my whole will, carried it to plunge and lose itself in his, and that having seized his whole will, brought it back with equal concurrence and appetite to plunge and lose itself in mine.
Michel de Montaigne
If there is such a thing as a good marriage, it is because it resembles friendship rather than love.
Michel de Montaigne
We have nothing to fear but fear itself
Michel de Montaigne
The thing I fear most is fear.
Michel de Montaigne
He who fears he shall suffer, already suffers what he fears.
Michel de Montaigne
I enjoy books as misers enjoy treasures, because I know I can enjoy them whenever I please.
Michel de Montaigne
When I am attacked by gloomy thoughts, nothing helps me so much as running to my books. They quickly absorb me and banish the clouds from my mind.
Michel de Montaigne
The advantage of living is not measured by length, but by use; some men have lived long, and lived little; attend to it while you are in it. It lies in your will, not in the number of years, for you to have lived enough.
Michel de Montaigne
[Marriage] happens as with cages: the birds without despair to get in, and those within despair of getting out.
Michel de Montaigne
Demetrius the grammarian finding in the temple of Delphos a knot of philosophers set chatting together, said to them, “Either I am much deceived,or by your cheerful and pleasant countenances, you are engaged in no very deep discourse.” To which one of them, Heracleon the Megarean, replied: “ ’Tis for such as are puzzled about inquiring whether the future tense of the verb Ballo be spelt with adouble L, or that hunt after the derivation of the comparatives Cheirou and Beltiou, and the superlatives Cheiriotou and Beliotou, to knit their brows whilst discoursing of their science; but as to philosophical discourses, they always divert and cheer up those that entertain them, and never deject them or make them sad.
Michel de Montaigne
Did I know myself less, I might perhaps venture to handle something or other to the bottom, and to be deceived in my own inability; but sprinkling here one word and there another, patterns cut from severalpieces and scattered without design and without engaging myself too far, I am not responsible for them, or obliged to keep close to my subject, without varying at my own liberty and pleasure, and giving up myself to doubt and uncertainty, and to myown governing method, ignorance.
Michel de Montaigne
...were these Essays of mine considerable enough to deserve a critical judgment, it might then, I think, fallout that they would not much take with common and vulgar capacities, nor be very acceptable to the singular and excellent sort of men; the first would not understand them enough, and the last too much; and so they may hover in the middle region.
Michel de Montaigne
Every other knowledge is harmful to him who does not have knowledge of goodness.
Michel de Montaigne
We must not attach knowledge to the mind, we have to incorporate it there.
Michel de Montaigne
Judgement can do without knowledge: but not knowledge without judgement.
Michel de Montaigne
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.
Michel de Montaigne
All is a-swarm with commentaries: of authors there is a dearth.
Michel de Montaigne
Confidence in others' honesty is no light testimony of one's own integrity.
Michel de Montaigne
We need but little learning to live happily.
Michel de Montaigne
There is indeed a certain sense of gratification when we do a good deed that gives us inward satisfaction, and a generous pride that accompanies a good conscience…These testimonies of a good conscience are pleasant; and such a natural pleasure is very beneficial to us; it is the only payment that can never fail. “On Repentance
Michel de Montaigne
Stupidity and wisdom meet in the same centre of sentiment and resolution, in the suffering of human accidents.
Michel de Montaigne
I listen with attention to the judgment of all men;but so far as I can remember,I have followed none but my own.
Michel de Montaigne
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
There were many terrible things in my life and most of them never happened.
Michel de Montaigne
Though the ancient poet in Plutarch tells us we must not trouble the gods with our affairs because they take no heed of our angers and disputes, we can never enough decry the disorderly sallies of our minds.
Michel de Montaigne
Why do people respect the package rather than the man?
Michel de Montaigne
L'utilité du vivre n'est pas en l'espace: elle est en l'usage.
Michel de Montaigne
Heureuse la mort qui oste le loisir aux apprests de tel equipage.
Michel de Montaigne
D'autant que nous avons cher, estre, et estre consiste en mouvement et action.
Michel de Montaigne
L'honneste est stable et permanent.
Michel de Montaigne
J'accuse toute violence en l'education d'une ame tendre, qu'on dresse pour l'honneur, et la liberté.
Michel de Montaigne
Je hay entre autres vices, cruellement la cruauté, et par nature et par jugement, comme l'extreme de tous les vices.
Michel de Montaigne
Il n'est rien qui tente mes larmes que les larmes.
Michel de Montaigne
Les naturels sanguinaires à l'endroit des bestes, tesmoignent une propension naturelle à la cruauté.
Michel de Montaigne
Nature a, (ce crains-je) elle mesme attaché à l'homme quelque instinct à l'inhumanité
Michel de Montaigne
Learned we may be with another man's learning: we can only be wise with wisdom of our own.
Michel de Montaigne
The greater part of the world's troubles are due to questions of grammar.
Michel de Montaigne
Man is certainly stark mad; he cannot make a worm, and yet he will be making gods by dozens.
Michel de Montaigne
I quote others only in order the better to express myself.
Michel de Montaigne
I do not care so much what I am to others as I care what I am to myself.
Michel de Montaigne
The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.
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