Inspirational Quotations

Inspirational Quotes by Montesquieu (French Political Philosopher)

Montesquieu (1689–1755,) fully Charles-Louis de Secondat, Baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu, was a French philosopher and jurist. The first of the great French men of letters connected with the Enlightenment, his major work, The Spirit of Laws, was a leading contribution to political theory.

Born at the Château de la Brede, near Bordeaux, Montesquieu became the counselor of the Parlement of Bordeaux 1714 and its president 1716. He performed the duties of his office faithfully until his poor eyesight hindered him. He first gained renown with the publication of his Lettres Persanes (1721; Persian Letters,) a satire of French society from the viewpoint of two Persian travelers visiting Paris.

Montesquieu’s standing rests chiefly on L’Esprit des lois (1748; The Spirit of Laws, 1750,) a comparative study of political systems in which he championed the separation of judicial, legislative, and executive powers as being most conducive to individual liberty, holding up the English state as a model. He contended that an individual’s liberty needed protection from the arm of power, checking that by another power. Where judicial, executive, and legislative powers were concentrated in the hands of one figure, there could be no individual liberty. His political philosophies were highly influential in Europe in the late 18th century, as they were in the drafting of the American Constitution.

Montesquieu’s other works include Lysimaque (1748) and Arsace et Isménie (1930; (The True History of) Arsace and Isménie,) a romance, and an essay on taste (“Gout”) in the Encyclopédie (1751–80.) A member of the Académie Française from 1728, he died completely blind.

More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Montesquieu

The success of most things depends upon knowing how long it will take to succeed.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Success

The severity of the laws prevents their execution.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Law, Lawyers

We should never create by law what can be accomplished by morality.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Law

I have never known any distress that an hour’s reading did not relieve.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Reading

Let pleasure be ever so innocent the excess is always criminal.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Excess

We should weep for men at their birth, not at their death.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Dying, Death

Friendship is an arrangement by which we undertake to exchange small favors for big ones.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Friends and Friendship

What orators lack in depth, they make up to you in length.
—Montesquieu

I have ever held it a maxim, never to do through another what it was possible for me to do myself.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Self-reliance

We receive three educations, one from our parents, one from our schoolmasters, and one from the world. The third contradicts all that the first two teach us.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Experience

In the state of nature…all men are born equal, but they cannot continue in this equality. Society makes them lose it, and they recover it only by the protection of the law.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Equality

Man is a social animal, formed to please and enjoy in society.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Society

The morality of the gospel is the noblest gift ever bestowed by God on man.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Morality

Each citizen contributes to the revenues of the State a portion of his property in order that his tenure of the rest may be secure.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Taxes

Success in the majority of circumstances depends on knowing how long it takes to succeed.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Perseverance, Time Management, Resolve, Success, Endurance, Time

Nature is just toward men. It recompenses them for their sufferings; it renders them laborious, because to the greatest toils it attaches the greatest rewards.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Labor

The spirit of politeness is a desire to bring about by our words and manners, that others may be pleased with us and with themselves.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Politeness

This is how I define talent; it is a gift that God has given us in secret, which we reveal without knowing it.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Talent

There are bad examples that are worse than crimes; and more states have perished from the violation of morality than from the violation of law.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Example

Some men will believe nothing but what they can comprehend; and there are but few things that such are able to comprehend.
—Montesquieu

Mediocrity is a hand-rail.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Confidence

The love of reading enables a man to exchange the wearisome hours of life, which come to everyone, for hours of delight.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Reading

The sacred books of the ancient Persians say: If you would be holy instruct your children, because all the good acts they perform will be imputed to you.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Parents

As virtue is necessary in a republic, and honor in a monarchy, fear is what is required in a despotism.—As for virtue, it is not at all necessary, and honor would be dangerous there.
—Montesquieu

When the savages wish to have fruit they cut down the tree and gather it.—That is exactly a despotic government.
—Montesquieu

Knowledge humanizes mankind, and reason inclines to mildness, but prejudices eradicate every tender disposition.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Prejudice

A nation may lose its liberties in a day, and not miss them in a century.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Freedom, Liberty, Nation

Slavery is contrary to the fundamental law of all societies.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Slavery

I have always observed that to succeed in the world one should appear like a fool but be wise.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Simplicity, Success

If one only wished to be happy, this could be easily accomplished; but we wish to be happier than other people, and this is always difficult, for we believe others to be happier than they are.
—Montesquieu
Topics: Opportunities, Happiness, Comparisons, Reality

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