Fie on the eloquence that leaves us craving itself, not things! Michel de Montaigne More Quotes by Michel de Montaigne More Quotes From Michel de Montaigne The least strained and most natural ways of the soul are the most beautiful; the best occupations are the least forced. Michel de Montaigne soulbeautifulhappiness Presumption is our natural and original malady. The most vulnerable and frail of all creatures is man, and at the same time the most arrogant. Michel de Montaigne arroganceselfmen It is far more probable that our senses should deceive us, than that an old woman should be carried up a chimney on a broom stick; and that it is far less astonishing that witnesses should lie, than that witches should perform the acts that were alleged. Michel de Montaigne atheismstickslying Every other knowledge is harmful to him who does not have knowledge of goodness. Michel de Montaigne goodnessdoe I consider myself an average man, except in the fact that I consider myself an average man. Michel de Montaigne identityaveragemen And if nobody reads me, shall I have wasted my time, when I have beguiled so many idle hours with such pleasant and profitable reflections? Michel de Montaigne readingreflectionbook It should be noted that children at play are not playing about; their games should be seen as their most serious-minded activity. Michel de Montaigne playing-gamesseriouschildren Courtesy is a science of the highest importance. It is...opening a door that we may derive instruction from the example of others, and at the same time enabling us to benefit them by our example, if there be anything in our character worthy of imitation. Michel de Montaigne exampledoorscharacter It is a dangerous and fateful presumption, besides the absurd temerity that it implies, to disdain what we do not comprehend. For after you have established, according to your fine undertstanding, the limits of truth and falsehood, and it turns out that you must necessarily believe things even stranger than those you deny, you are obliged from then on to abandon these limits. Michel de Montaigne strangerlimitsbelieve Other people do not see you at all, but guess at you by uncertain conjectures. Michel de Montaigne conjectureuncertainpeople As for our pupils talk, let his virtue and his sense of right and wrong shine through it and have no guide but reason. Make him understand that confessing an error which he discovers in his own argument even when he alone has noticed it is an act of justice and integrity, which are the main qualities he pursues; stubbornness and rancour are vulgar qualities, visible in common souls whereas to think again, to change one's mind and to give up a bad case on the heat of the argument are rare qualities showing strength and wisdom. Michel de Montaigne educationalgiving-upintegrity Every man bears the whole stamp of the human condition. Michel de Montaigne diversitybearsmen All other knowledge is hurtful to him who has not honesty and good-nature Michel de Montaigne good-naturehurtfulhonesty I enter into discussion and argument with great freedom and ease, inasmuch as opinion finds me in a bad soil to penetrate and take deep root in. No propositions astonish me, no belief offends me, whatever contrast it offers to my own. There is no fancy so frivolous and so extravagant that it does not seem to me quite suitable to the production of the human mind. Michel de Montaigne rootsmindease The strangest, most generous, and proudest of all virtues is true courage. Michel de Montaigne navyvirtuecourage There is nothing of evil in life for him who rightly comprehends that death is no evil; to know how to die delivers us from all subjection and constraint. Michel de Montaigne constraintsevildeath Who does not in some sort live to others, does not live much to himself. Michel de Montaigne doelying I study myself more than any other subject. That is my metaphysics, that is my physics. Michel de Montaigne metaphysicsphysicsstudy Our wisdom and deliberation for the most part follow the lead of chance. Michel de Montaigne deliberationchancewisdom Lying is a terrible vice, it testifies that one despises God, but fears men. Michel de Montaigne godmenlying
