Michel de Montaigne Quotes

• The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Respect, Self Esteem, Being Alone

  Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Complete Essays”, p.178, Stanford University Press

  100 Copy quote

• A man who fears suffering is already suffering from what he fears.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Fear, Happy Life, Men

  107 Copy quote

• I quote others only in order the better to express myself.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Communication, Order, Language

  Michel de Montaigne (1856). “The Works of Michael de Montaigne: Comprising His Essays, Letters, and Journey Through Germany and Italy”, p.86

  28 Copy quote

• The truth of these days is not that which really is, but what every man persuades another man to believe.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Truth, Believe, Men

  Michel de Montaigne (2015). “Montaigne's Essays: Top Essays”, p.701, 谷月社

  17 Copy quote

• My life has been full of terrible misfortunes most of which never happened.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Inspirational, Funny, Life

  Attributed to "Essais" by Michel de Montaigne, 1595.

  96 Copy quote

• He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Anger, Noise, Arguing

  Attributed to "Essais" by Michel de Montaigne, 1595.

  40 Copy quote

• The only thing certain is nothing is certain.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Positive, Wise, Wisdom

  18 Copy quote

• There is no more expensive thing than a free gift.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Free Gifts, Expensive

  32 Copy quote

• The most certain sign of wisdom is cheerfulness.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Happiness, Cheerful, Certain

  Michel de Montaigne, Bayle St. John (1866). “Essays [tr. by Cotton”, p.235

  76 Copy quote

• On the highest throne in the world, we still sit only on our own bottom.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Inspiration, Kids, Humility

  Essais bk. 3, ch. 13 (1580)

  44 Copy quote

• Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Political, Religion, Atheism

  Michel de Montaigne (2013). “Michel de Montaigne: Selected Essays”, p.35, Courier Corporation

  31 Copy quote

• Not being able to govern events, I govern myself.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Life, Integrity, Law Of Attraction

  Michel de Montaigne (2015). “Montaigne's Essays: Top Essays”, p.679, 谷月社

  33 Copy quote

• The lack of wealth is easily repaired but the poverty of the soul is irreplaceable.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Inspirational, Character, Soul

  23 Copy quote

• Don't be afraid to say what you are not afraid to think

  Michel de Montaigne

  Thinking, Not Afraid

  8 Copy quote

• Wine is the benevolent god, who gives back gaiety to men and restores youth to the old.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Wine, Men, Giving

  4 Copy quote

• The pleasantest things in the world are pleasant thoughts, and the great art of life is to have as many of them as possible.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Happiness, Art, Inspirational Life

  23 Copy quote

• Man is quite insane. He wouldn?t know how to create a maggot, and he creates Gods by the dozen.

  Michel de Montaigne

  God, Crazy, Men

  'Essais' (1580) bk. 2, ch. 12

  65 Copy quote

• Only the fools are certain and assured.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Wisdom, Fool, Certain

  Michel de Montaigne (1958). “Complete Essays”, p.111, Stanford University Press

  21 Copy quote

• There is no conversation more boring than the one where everybody agrees.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Wisdom, Agreement, Political

  Attributed to "Essais" by Michel de Montaigne, 1595.

  80 Copy quote

• I prefer the company of peasants because they have not been educated sufficiently to reason incorrectly.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Education, Teaching, Learning

  Attributed to "Essais" by Michel de Montaigne, 1595.

  56 Copy quote

• We commend a horse for his strength, and sureness of foot, and not for his rich caparisons; a greyhound for his share of heels, not for his fine collar; a hawk for her wing, not for her jesses and bells. Why, in like manner, do we not value a man for what is properly his own? He has a great train, a beautiful palace, so much credit, so many thousand pounds a year, and all these are about him, but not in him.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Beautiful, Appreciation, Horse

  6 Copy quote

• The value of life lies not in the length of days, but in the use we make of them... Whether you find satisfaction in life depends not on your tale of years, but on your will.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Lying, Satisfaction In Life, Years

  Attributed to "Essais" by Michel de Montaigne, Book I, Ch. 20, 1595.

  110 Copy quote

• Life itself is neither a good nor an evil: life is where good or evil find a place, depending on how you make it for them.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Evil, Words Of Wisdom, Ethics

  Michel de Montaigne (1991). “The essays of Michel de Montaigne”, Lane, Allen

  13 Copy quote

• If others examined themselves attentively, as I do, they would find themselves, as I do, full of inanity and nonsense. Get rid of it I cannot without getting rid of myself.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Nonsense, Ifs

  Michel de Montaigne (2003). “The Complete Works: Essays, Travel Journal, Letters”, Everyman's Library

  6 Copy quote

• We can be knowledgeable with other men's knowledge, but we cannot be wise with other men's wisdom.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Wise, Wisdom, Smart

  Attributed to "Essais" by Michel de Montaigne, Book I, Ch. 25, 1595.

  51 Copy quote

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