Quotes by Michel Eyquem de Montaigne
The following are quotes from Michel Eyquem de Montaigne:
A wise man sees as much as he ought, not as much as he can.
Anyone who does not feel sufficiently strong in memory should not meddle with lying.
Children's playthings are not sports and should be deemed as their most serious actions.
Even on the most exalted throne in the world we are only sitting on our own bottom.
Friendship is the highest degree of perfection in society.
God gives us our relatives- thank God we can choose our friends.
He who fears he will suffer, already suffers because of his fear.
He who would teach men to die would at the same time teach them to live.
How many things which served us yesterday as articles of faith, are fables for us today.
I quote others only in order the better to express myself.
I speak the truth not so much as I would, but as much as I dare, and I dare a little more as I grow older.
If a man should importune me to give a reason why I loved him, I find it could no otherwise be expressed, than by making answer because it was he, because it was I.
It is a sign of contraction of the mind when it is content, or of weariness.
Man is quite insane. He wouldn't know how to create a maggot, and he creates Gods by the dozen.
Marriage is like a cage one sees the birds outside desperate to get in, and those inside equally desperate to get out.
No one is exempt from talking nonsense the mistake is to do it solemnly.
Once conform, once do what others do because they do it, and a kind of lethargy steals over all the finer senses of the soul.
Riches, like glory or heath, have no more beauty or pleasure than their possessor is pleased to lend them.
The finest lives, in my opinion, are those who rank in the common model, and with the human race, but without miracle, without extravagance.
The greatist thing in the world is for a man to know how to be himself.
The want of goods is easily repaired, but the poverty of the soul is irreparable.
There are some defeats more triumphant than victories.
There is no course of life so weak and sottish as that which is managed by order, method, and discipline.
There never were, in the world, two opinions alike, no more than two hairs, or two grains the most universal quality is diversity.
To philosophize is nothing else than to prepare oneself for death.
To philosophize is to doubt.
We are born to inquire into truth it belongs to a greater to possess it.
We can be knowledgable with other men's knowledge but we cannot be wise with other men's wisdom.
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