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Quote by Michel de Montaigne

“I seek in books only to give myself pleasure by honest amusement; or if I study, I seek only the learning that treats of the knowledge of myself and instructs me in how to die well and live well.”

Quote by Michel de Montaigne

Book:Complete Essays

Work

Complete Essays

This book is a compilation of essays that delve into a wide range of subjects, offering insights and perspectives on diverse topics. more

Author

Michel de Montaigne

Michel de Montaigne was a French Renaissance philosopher, essayist, and writer. He is considered one of the most significant figures in the history of the essay. Montaigne's work, particularly his book 'Essays', has been influential in the development of modern prose. more

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“I leaf through books, I do not study them. What I retain of them is something I no longer recognize as anyone else's.”

Book Learning Study Leafs

Book:Complete Essays

Source: Complete Essays

“My errors are by now natural and incorrigible; but the good that worthy men do the public by making themselves imitable, I shall perhaps do by making myself evitable.”

Men Natural Errors Worthy Imitation Incorrigible

Book:Essays

Source: Essays

“Marriage has, for its share, usefulness, justice, honour, and constancy; a stale but more durable pleasure. Love is grounded on pleasure alone, and it is indeed more gratifying to the senses, keener and more acute; a pleasure stirred and kept alive by difficulties. There must be a sting and a smart in it. It ceases to be love if it has no shafts and no fire.”

Ifs Love Justice Love Is Pleasure Marriage Fire Alive Share Smart Difficulty Senses Cease Honour Grounded Usefulness Stale Constancy Pleasure Love

Book:The Essays

Source: The Essays

“We imagine much more appropriately an artisan on his toilet seat or on his wife than a great president, venerable by his demeanorand his ability. It seems to us that they do not stoop from their lofty thrones even to live.”

Seems President Imagination Ability Wife Imagine Human Nature Appearance Seats Thrones Toilets Lofty Stoops Artisans Great Presidents Toilet Seat

Book:Complete Essays

Source: Complete Essays

“It is probable that the principal credit of miracles, visions, enchantments, and such extraordinary occurrences comes from the power of imagination, acting principally upon the minds of the common people, which are softer.”

People Mind Imagination Common Acting Vision Miracle Extraordinary Credit Principal Enchantment Power Of Imagination

Book:Complete Essays

Source: Complete Essays

“True freedom is to have power over oneself for everything.”

Self Freedom Power Oneself True Freedom

Author:Michel de Montaigne

“Let [children] be able to do all things, and love to do only the good.”

Children Able Freedom Education All Things And Love

Book:Complete Essays

Source: Complete Essays

“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.”

Way Interest Particular Judgment One Way Judgement Sincere Sincerity Self Interest

Book:The Essays

Source: The Essays

“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.”

Ifs Should Long Eye Voice Seeing Intention Harm Sincerity Survived Quarrels

Author:Michel de Montaigne

“Most of our occupations are low comedy.... We must play our part duly, but as the part of a borrowed character. Of the mask and appearance we must not make a real essence, nor of what is foreign what is our very own.”

Real Play Character Comedy Lows Essence Theater Appearance Mask Occupation Borrowed

Book:The Complete Works: Essays, Travel Journal, Letters

Source: The Complete Works: Essays, Travel Journal, Letters