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Quote by Michel de Montaigne

“If I can, I shall keep my death from saying anything that my life has not already said.”

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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“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?”

Ifs Book Reading Hours Reflection Pleasant My Time Reading Books Idle Profitable Wasted My Time

Author:Michel de Montaigne

“I go out of my way, but rather by license than carelessness.... It is the inattentive reader who loses my subject, not I. Some word about it will always be found off in a corner, which will not fail to be sufficient, though it takes little room.”

Way Littles Reading Found Loses Rooms Failing Subjects Reader Corners My Way Sufficient License Carelessness Inattention

Book:Complete Essays

Source: Complete Essays

“I, who am king of the matter I treat, and who owe an accounting for it to no one, do not for all that believe myself in all I write. I often hazard sallies of my mind which I mistrust.”

Writing Mind Believe Self Matter Trust Kings Treats Accounting Hazards Of My Mind Mistrust Self Trust

Book:Complete Essays

Source: Complete Essays

“I do not correct my first imaginings by my second--well, yes, perhaps a word or so, but only to vary, not to delete. I want to represent the course of my humors and I want people to see each part at its birth.”

People Want Firsts Wells Courses Birth Authenticity Sincerity Vary

Book:Essays

Source: Essays

“The share we have in the knowledge of truth, such as it is, has not been acquired by our own powers. God has taught ushis wonderful secrets; our faith is not of our acquiring, it is purely the gift of another's bounty.”

God Secret Knowledge Wonderful Share Taught Bounty

Author:Michel de Montaigne

“Now there cannot be first principles for men, unless the Divinity has revealed them; all the rest--beginning, middle, and end--isnothing but dreams and smoke.”

Men Firsts Ends God Dream Principles Knowledge Middle Smoke Divinity Beginning Middle And End

Author:Michel de Montaigne

“This idea is more surely understood by interrogation; WHAT DO I KNOW? which I bear as my motto with the emblem of a pair of scales.”

Knows Ideas Knowledge Bears Understood Scales Pairs Motto My Motto Emblems Interrogation

Book:The Essays

Source: The Essays

“The worst condition of humans is when they lose knowledge and control of themselves.”

Humans Self Loses Knowledge Worst Conditions Behavior Self Knowledge

Author:Michel de Montaigne

“In the examples that I here bring in of what I have [read], heard, done or said, I have refrained from daring to alter even the smallest and most indifferent circumstances. My conscience falsifies not an iota; for my knowledge I cannot answer.”

Said Done Change Answers Knowledge Heard Example Circumstances Conscience Daring Smallest Indifferent

Book:The Essays

Source: The Essays

“Is it reasonable that even the arts should take advantage of and profit by our natural stupidity and feebleness of mind?”

Should Mind Art Natural Human Nature Advantage Profit Stupidity Reasonable

Author:Michel de Montaigne