Michel de Montaigne Quotes

• We only labor to stuff the memory, and leave the conscience and the understanding unfurnished and void.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Topics in Memory

• Wit is a dangerous weapon, even to the possessor, if he knows not how to use it discreetly.

  Michel de Montaigne

• When I play with my cat, who knows whether she is not amusing herself with me more than I with her.

  Michel de Montaigne

• We can be knowledgable with other men’s knowledge but we cannot be wise with other men’s wisdom.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Topics in Knowledge

• We are Christians by the same title as we are natives of Perigord or Germany.

  Michel de Montaigne

• Virtue rejects facility to be her companion. She requires a craggy, rough and thorny way.

  Michel de Montaigne

• Valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Topics in Soul

  Tags in Courage

• Unless a man feels he has a good enough memory, he should never venture to lie.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Topics in Memory

• ‘Tis the sharpness of our mind that gives the edge to our pains and pleasures.

  Michel de Montaigne

• There is perhaps no more obvious vanity than to write of it so vainly.

  Michel de Montaigne

• There is not much less vexation in the government of a private family than in the managing of an entire state.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Topics in Family

  Tags in Government

• There is no pleasure to me without communication: there is not so much as a sprightly thought comes into my mind that it does not grieve me to have produced alone, and that I have no one to tell it to.

  Michel de Montaigne

• There is no passion so contagious as that of fear.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Topics in Fear

• There is no desire more natural than the desire for knowledge.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Topics in Knowledge

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

  Michel de Montaigne

• There is little less trouble in governing a private family than a whole kingdom.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Topics in Family

• There is a sort of gratification in doing good which makes us rejoice in ourselves.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in Good

• There are some defeats more triumphant than victories.

  Michel de Montaigne

• The worst of my actions or conditions seem not so ugly unto me as I find it both ugly and base not to dare to avouch for them.

  Michel de Montaigne

• The world is but a perpetual see-saw.

  Michel de Montaigne

  Topics in Uncategorized

  Tags in World

Michel de Montaigne (133)

Birth:	28th February, 1533
Death:	13th September, 1592
Nationality:	French
Profession:	Philosopher, Writer

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Today's Anniversary - 28th December

Births

• 1896 - Roger Sessions
• 1932 - Roy Hattersley
• 1946 - Timothy Peter Johnson
• 1929 - Terry Sawchuk
• 1965 - Michael E. Mann

Deaths

• 1983 - Dennis Wilson
• 2004 - Susan Sontag
• 1963 - Paul Hindemith
• 1937 - Maurice Ravel
• 1950 - Max Beckmann