Lend yourself to others, but give yourself to yourself. Michel de Montaigne More Quotes by Michel de Montaigne More Quotes From Michel de Montaigne A man must keep a little back shop where he can be himself without reserve. In solitude alone can he know true freedom. Michel de Montaigne freedomsolitudemen He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak. Michel de Montaigne angernoisearguing There is, nevertheless, a certain respect and a general duty of humanity that ties us, not only to beasts that have life and sense, but even to trees and plants. Michel de Montaigne respecttiestree Only the fools are certain and assured. Michel de Montaigne foolcertainwisdom There is nothing more notable in Socrates than that he found time, when he was an old man, to learn music and dancing, and thought it time well spent. Michel de Montaigne musicdanceinspirational When I play with my cat, who knows whether she is not amusing herself with me more than I with her. Michel de Montaigne cathumorfunny Learned we may be with another man's learning: we can only be wise with wisdom of our own. Michel de Montaigne wiseinspirationallife What enriches language is its being handled and exploited by beautiful minds-not so much by making innovations as by expanding it through more vigorous and varied applications, by extending it and deploying it. It is not words that they contribute: what they do is enrich their words, deepen their meanings and tie down their usage; they teach it unaccustomed rhythms, prudently though and with ingenuity. Michel de Montaigne tiesbeautifulbook We do not know where death awaits us: so let us wait for it everywhere. To practice death is to practice freedom. A man who has learned how to die has unlearned how to be a slave. Michel de Montaigne practicewaitingmen Experience has taught me this, that we undo ourselves by impatience. Misfortunes have their life and their limits, their sickness and their health. Michel de Montaigne limitswisdompatience I would like to suggest that our minds are swamped by too much study and by too much matter just as plants are swamped by too much water or lamps by too much oil; that our minds, held fast and encumbered by so many diverse preoccupations, may well lose the means of struggling free, remaining bowed and bent under the load; except that it is quite otherwise: the more our souls are filled, the more they expand; examples drawn from far-off times show, on the contrary, that great soldiers ad statesmen were also great scholars. Michel de Montaigne educationalstrugglemean Not being able to govern events, I govern myself, and apply myself to them if they will not apply themselves to me. Michel de Montaigne abletemptationexpectations One should always have one's boots on and be ready to leave. Michel de Montaigne bootsshoulddeath Every one rushes elsewhere and into the future, because no one wants to face one's own inner self. Michel de Montaigne selffaceswant Those who have compared our life to a dream were right... we were sleeping wake, and waking sleep. Michel de Montaigne dreamsleeplife It needs good management to enjoy life. I enjoy it twice as much as others, for the measure of enjoyment depends on the greater or less attention that we give to it...The shorter my possession of life the deeper and fuller I must make it. Michel de Montaigne enjoy-lifehappinessgiving We find our energies are actually cramped when we are overanxious to succeed. Michel de Montaigne succeedbalanceenergy A wise man never loses anything, if he has himself. Michel de Montaigne being-yourselfwisemen Water, earth, air, fire, and the other parts of this structure of mine are no more instruments of your life than instruments of your death. Why do you fear your last day? It contributes no more to your death than each of the others. The last step does not cause the fatigue, but reveals it. All days travel toward death, the last one reaches it. Michel de Montaigne firefeardeath I have never seen a greater monster or miracle in the world than myself. Michel de Montaigne miraclemonstersworld
