Every one's true worship was that which he found in use in the place where he chanced to be. Michel de Montaigne More Quotes by Michel de Montaigne More Quotes From Michel de Montaigne A well-bred man is always sociable and complaisant. Michel de Montaigne wells manners men Fear sometimes adds wings to the heels, and sometimes nails them to the ground, and fetters them from moving. Michel de Montaigne fear wings moving There is not one of us that would not be worse than kings, if so continually corrupted as they are with a sort of vermin called flatterers. Michel de Montaigne vermin flattery kings There is nothing which so poisons princes as flattery, nor anything whereby wicked men more easily obtain credit and favor with them. Michel de Montaigne wicked poison men Can anything be imagined so ridiculous that this miserable and wretched creature, who is not so much as master of himself, but subject to the injuries of all things, should call himself master and emperor of the world, of which he has not power to know the least part, much less to command the whole? Michel de Montaigne ridiculous miserable world Truly man is a marvelously vain, diverse, and undulating object. It is hard to found any constant and uniform judgment on him. Michel de Montaigne uniforms diversity men We took advantage of [the Indians'] ignorance and inexperience to incline them the more easily toward treachery, lewdness, avarice, and every sort of inhumanity and cruelty, after the example and pattern of our ways. Michel de Montaigne inexperience ignorance america Whatever I may be, I want to be elsewhere than on paper. My art and my industry have been employed in making myself good for something; my studies, in teaching me to do, not to write. I have put all my efforts into forming my life. That is my trade and my work. Michel de Montaigne teaching education art In my youth I studied for ostentation; later, a little to gain wisdom; now, for recreation; never for gain. Michel de Montaigne self education littles 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 weakness soul perfect We wake sleeping, and sleep waking. I do not see so clearly in my sleep; but as to my being awake, I never found it clear enough and free from clouds. Michel de Montaigne waking sleep clouds The human face is a weak guarantee; yet it deserves some consideration. And if I had to whip the wicked, I would do so more severely to those who belied and betrayed the promises that nature had implanted on their brows; I would punish malice more harshly when it was hidden under a kindly appearance. Michel de Montaigne wicked deception promise ... whoever believes anything esteems that it is a work of charity to persuade another of it. Michel de Montaigne charity belief believe 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 suspense division errors It is for little souls, that truckle under the weight of affairs, not to know how clearly to disengage themselves, and not to know how to lay them aside and take them up again. Michel de Montaigne weight soul littles I honor most those to whom I show least honor; and where my soul moves with great alacrity, I forget the proper steps of ceremony. Michel de Montaigne soul self moving It is easier to sacrifice great than little things. Michel de Montaigne little-things sacrifice littles My opinion is that we must lend ourselves to others and give ourselves only to ourselves. If my will happened to be prone to mortgage and attach itself, I would not last: I am too tender, both by nature and by practice. Michel de Montaigne practice self giving To say less of yourself than is true is stupidity, not modesty. To pay yourself less than you are worth is cowardice and pusillanimity. Michel de Montaigne stupidity self pay I would rather be old for a shorter time than be old before my time. Michel de Montaigne lifetime self age
