It is not without good reason, that he who has not a good memory should never take upon him the trade of lying. Michel de Montaigne More Quotes by Michel de Montaigne More Quotes From Michel de Montaigne A man may be humble through vainglory. Michel de Montaigne humble may men Malice sucks up the greatest part of its own venom, and poisons itself. Michel de Montaigne venom malice poison He who remembers the evils he has undergone, and those that have threatened him, and the slight causes that have changed him from one state to another, prepares himself in that way for future changes and for recognizing his condition. The life of Caesar has no more to show us than our own; an emperor's or an ordinary man's, it is still a life subject to all human accidents. Michel de Montaigne evil ordinary men Some impose upon the world that they believe that which they do not; others, more in number, make themselves believe that they believe, not being able to penetrate into what it is to believe. Michel de Montaigne numbers believe world And to bring in a new word by the head and shoulders, they leave out the old one. Michel de Montaigne new-words shoulders A little folly is desirable in him that will not be guilty of stupidity. Michel de Montaigne guilty stupidity littles I have ever loved to repose myself, whether sitting or lying, with my heels as high or higher than my head. Michel de Montaigne higher sitting lying Our thoughts are always elsewhere; we are stayed and supported by the hope for a better life, or by the hope that our children will turn out well, or that our name will be famous in the future, or that we shall escape the evils of this life, or that vengeance threatens those who are the cause of our death. Michel de Montaigne hope children thinking Fie on the eloquence that leaves us craving itself, not things! Michel de Montaigne asceticism craving wisdom There are few things on which we can pass a sincere judgement, because there are few things in which we have not, in one way or another, a particular interest. Michel de Montaigne judgment judgement way If my intentions were not to be read in my eyes and voice, I should not have survived so long without quarrels and without harm, seeing the indiscreet freedom with which I say, right or wrong, whatever comes into my head. Michel de Montaigne voice eye long I say that male and female are cast in the same mold; except for education and habits, the difference is not great. Michel de Montaigne differences education men What a wonderful thing it is that drop of seed, from which we are produced, bears in itself the impressions, not only of the bodily shape, but of the thoughts and inclinations of our fathers! Michel de Montaigne inheritance father children What a wonderful thing it is that drop of seed, from which we are produced, bears in itself the impressions, not only of the bodily shape, but of the thoughts and inclinations of our fathers! Michel de Montaigne inheritance father children Aesop, that great man, saw his master making water as he walked. "What!" he said, "Must we void ourselves as we run?" Use our timeas best we may, yet a great part of it will still be idly and ill spent. Michel de Montaigne time running men I have a vocabulary all my own. I "pass the time" when it is wet and disagreeable. When it is fine I do not wish to pass it; I ruminate it and hold on to it. We should hasten over the bad, and settle upon the good. Michel de Montaigne vocabulary self time I see this evident, that we willingly accord to piety only the services that flatter our passions. Michel de Montaigne accord flattery passion Man will rise, if God by exception lends him a hand; he will rise by abandoning and renouncing his own means, and letting himselfbe raised and uplifted by purely celestial means. Michel de Montaigne god men mean Memory is a wonderfully useful tool, and without it judgement does its work with difficulty; it is entirely lacking in me.... Now,the more I distrust my memory, the more confused it becomes. It serves me better by chance encounter; I have to solicit it nonchalantly. For if I press it, it is stunned; and once it has begun to totter, the more I probe it, the more it gets mixed up and embarrassed. It serves me at its own time, not at mine. Michel de Montaigne confused self memories I am much afraid that we shall have very greatly hastened the decline and ruin of the New World by our contagion, and that we willhave sold it our opinions and our arts very dear. Michel de Montaigne civilization america art
