Michel de Montaigne Quotes

• 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.

  90 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

  22 Copy quote

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

  Michel de Montaigne

  Fear, Happy Life, Men

  97 Copy quote

• There are some defeats more triumphant than victories.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Inspirational, Motivational, Success

  Michel de Montaigne, William Hazlitt (1845). “The Works of Michael de Montaigne: Comprising His Essays, Letters, Journey Through Germany and Italy. With Notes from All the Commentators, Biographical and Bibliographical Notices, &c. &c”, p.92

  31 Copy quote

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

  Michel de Montaigne

  Thinking, Not Afraid

  4 Copy quote

• 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

  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.

  33 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)

  42 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

  72 Copy quote

• We are more unhappy to see people ahead of us than happy to see people behind us.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Sad, People, Unhappy

  Michel de Montaigne (1976). “The Complete Essays of Montaigne”

  14 Copy quote

• Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of soul, impossible.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Attitude, Soul, Poverty

  13 Copy quote

• Rejoice in the things that are present; all else is beyond thee.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Live In The Moment, Past Present Future, Mindfulness

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

  22 Copy quote

• A man is not hurt so much by what happens, as by his opinion of what happens.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Gratitude, Hurt, Men

  4 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.

  45 Copy quote

• The only thing certain is nothing is certain.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Positive, Wise, Wisdom

  16 Copy quote

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

  Michel de Montaigne

  Free Gifts, Expensive

  29 Copy quote

• The man who thinks he knows does not yet know what knowing is

  Michel de Montaigne

  Men, Thinking, Knowing

  4 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

  60 Copy quote

• If there is such a thing as a good marriage, it is because it resembles friendship rather than love.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Love, Marriage, Ifs

  15 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

  20 Copy quote

• I neither complain of the past, nor do I fear the future.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Future, Past, Complaining

  Michel de Montaigne (1872). “All the Essays of Michael Seigneur de Montaigne”, p.678

  8 Copy quote

• Happiness involves working toward meaningful goals.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Happiness, Meaningful, Goal

  11 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.

  109 Copy quote

• It is not necessity but abundance which produces greed.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Greed, Abundance, Produce

  20 Copy quote

• Ignorance is the softest pillow on which a man can rest his head.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Ignorance, Men, Pillow

  10 Copy quote

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