Inspirational Quotations

Inspirational Quotes by Michel de Montaigne (French Essayist)

Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (1533–92) was a French essayist. Regarded as the creator and one of the great masters of the essay form, Montaigne wrote about important personalities and ideas of his age in his Skeptical Essais (1572–80, 1588; Essays, 1603.)

Born into a family of wealthy merchants near Bordeaux, Montaigne spoke no language but Latin until he was six. He studied law and served as a magistrate and mayor of Bordeaux, and engaged in diplomacy during the French religious civil wars.

In 1570, Montaigne renounced his civic responsibilities to devote himself to the administration of his estate and to write. He called his short works ‘essais,’ or ‘attempts’—they deal with an eclectic range of themes. Even though he never considered himself a philosopher, he is now seen as one of the most outstanding Sceptical thinkers of early modern Europe; his philosophical standpoint was broadly an argument for introspection.

Montaigne published three books of essays; a fourth appeared posthumously in 1595. His approachable style, intelligence, and subtle thought have made him one of the most widely admired writers of the Renaissance. His essays greatly influenced French and English literature.

More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Michel de Montaigne

Health is a precious thing, and the only one, in truth, meriting that a man should lay out not only his time, sweat, labor and goods, but also life itself to obtain it.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Health

In the education of children there is nothing like alluring the interest and affection, otherwise you only make so many asses laden with books.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Teaching, Teachers

Obstinacy and contention are common qualities, most appearing in, and best becoming, a mean and illiterate soul.
—Michel de Montaigne

It happens as one sees in cages: the birds who are outside despair of ever getting in, and those within are equally desirous of getting out.
—Michel de Montaigne

We are all of us richer than we think we are.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Blessings

From Obedience and submission comes all our virtues, and all sin is comes from self-opinion.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Virtues, Virtue

Wise people are foolish if they cannot adapt to foolish people.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Wisdom

He who should teach men to die, would, at the same time, teach them to live.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Death

Example is a bright looking-glass, universal and for all shapes to look into.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Example

It is not death that alarms me, but dying.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Death

Men throw themselves on foreign assistances to spare their own, which, after all, are the only certain and sufficient ones.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Being Ourselves, Self-reliance, Self-Discovery

Know thyself and do thine own work, says Plato; and each includes the other and covers the whole duty of man.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Duty

A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Marriage

One may disavow and disclaim vices that surprise us, and whereto our passions transport us; but those which by long habits are rooted in a strong and powerful will are not subject to contradiction. Repentance is but a denying of our will, and an opposition of our fantasies.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Repentance, Forgiveness

There is no greater enemy to those who would please than expectation.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Realistic Expectations

All other knowledge is hurtful to him who has not the science of honesty and good nature.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Honesty, Learning

What harm cause not those huge draughts or pictures which wanton youth with chalk or coals draw in each passage, wall or stairs of our great houses, whence a cruel contempt of our natural store is bred in them?
—Michel de Montaigne

If my mind could gain a firm footing, I would not make essays, I would make decisions; but it is always in apprenticeship and on trial.
—Michel de Montaigne

I do myself a greater injury in lying that I do him of whom I tell a lie.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Deception/Lying, Lying, Lies

I have only made a nosegay of culled flowers, and have brought nothing of my own but the thread that ties them together.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Quotations

Who feareth to suffer suffereth already, because he feareth.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Suffering

How many worthy men have we seen survive their own reputations!
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Reputation

Dreams are the true interpreters of our inclinations, but Art is required to sort and understand them.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Art

The soul that has no fixed goal loses itself; for as they say, to be everywhere is to be nowhere.
—Michel de Montaigne

Presumption is our natural and original malady. When I play with my cat, who knows if I am not a pastime to her more than she is to me.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Expectations, Animals

A man should ever be ready booted to take his journey.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Journeys, Travel, Tourism

I am further of opinion that it would be better for us to have (no laws) at all than to have them in so prodigious numbers as we have.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Justice

The public weal requires that men should betray, and lie, and massacre.
—Michel de Montaigne

I walk firmer and more secure up hill than down.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Difficulties, Adversity

I quote others only the better to express myself.
—Michel de Montaigne
Topics: Quotations

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