My Blog

Category: Montaigne

  • To grow and to languish

    “It is possible that in those who employ their time well, knowledge and experience grow with living; but vivacity, quickness, firmness, and other qualities much more our own, more important and essential, wither and languish.” I.57 (p. 289)

  • A true prayer

    “A true prayer and religious reconciliation of ourselves to God cannot occur in an impure soul, subject even then to the domination of Satan.” I.56 (p.285)

  • Abundance

    “There is nothing so hampering, so cloying, as abundance.” I.42 (p. 235)

  • Fit to command

    “Moreover, Cyrus used to say that no man is fit to command who is not better than those he commands.” I.42 (p. 234)

  • Wisdom

    “The surest sign of wisdom is constant cheerfulness.” I.26 “Of the education of children” (p. 144)

  • Seek not the world

    “Seek no longer that the world should speak of you, but how you should speak to yourself.” I.39 “Of solitude” (p. 221)

  • The universe suffers by our annihilation

    “It seems that the universe somehow suffers by our annihilation and that is has compassion for our state.”   II. 13 “Of judging the death of others” (p. 556)

  • Virtue presupposes difficulty

    “For it seems that the name of virtue presupposes difficulty and contrast, and that it cannot be exercised without opposition.” II.11 “Of cruelty” (p. 372)

  • Enough other foundations

    “But I think that the practice I see is bad, of trying to strengthen and support our religion by the good fortune and prosperity of our enterprises. Our belief has enough other foundations; it does not need events to authorize it.” I.32 “We should meddle soberly with judging divine ordinances” (p. 194)

  • On being

    “For being is something we hold dear, and being consists in movement and action. Wherefore each man in some sort exists in his work.” II.8 “Of the affection of fathers for their children” (p. 339)