The voices / 170 fragments

Michel de Montaigne

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Name supplied in the contributor-provided quotation collection. Basic attribution label; identity, lifetime and quotation authenticity have not been independently verified.

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Archive entries

01Undated

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 / quote

02Undated

The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

03Undated

I do not care so much what I am to others as I care what I am to myself.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

04Undated

The greater part of the world's troubles are due to questions of grammar.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

05Undated

Learned we may be with another man's learning: we can only be wise with wisdom of our own.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

06Undated

L'utilité du vivre n'est pas en l'espace: elle est en l'usage.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

07Undated

Heureuse la mort qui oste le loisir aux apprests de tel equipage.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

08Undated

D'autant que nous avons cher, estre, et estre consiste en mouvement et action.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

09Undated

L'honneste est stable et permanent.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

10Undated

J'accuse toute violence en l'education d'une ame tendre, qu'on dresse pour l'honneur, et la liberté.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

11Undated

Je hay entre autres vices, cruellement la cruauté, et par nature et par jugement, comme l'extreme de tous les vices.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

12Undated

Il n'est rien qui tente mes larmes que les larmes.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

13Undated

Les naturels sanguinaires à l'endroit des bestes, tesmoignent une propension naturelle à la cruauté.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

14Undated

Nature a, (ce crains-je) elle mesme attaché à l'homme quelque instinct à l'inhumanité

Michel de Montaigne / quote

15Undated

Why do people respect the package rather than the man?

Michel de Montaigne / quote

16Undated

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 / quote

17Undated

There were many terrible things in my life and most of them never happened.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

18Undated

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 / quote

19Undated

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 / quote

20Undated

Stupidity and wisdom meet in the same centre of sentiment and resolution, in the suffering of human accidents.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

21Undated

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 / quote

22Undated

We need but little learning to live happily.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

23Undated

Confidence in others' honesty is no light testimony of one's own integrity.

Michel de Montaigne / quote

24Undated

All is a-swarm with commentaries: of authors there is a dearth.

Michel de Montaigne / quote