Quotes
Quotes - Montaigne
Don't discuss yourself, for you are bound to lose; if you belittle yourself, you are believed; if you praise yourself, you are disbelieved.
When I play with my cat, who knows whether I do not make her more sport than she makes me?
There is, nevertheless, a certain respect and a general duty of humanity that ties us, not only to beasts that have life and sense, but even to trees and plants.
Nothing fixes a thing so intensely in the memory as the wish to forget it.
Once you have decided to keep a certain pile, it is no longer yours; for you can't spend it.
He who establishes his argument by noise and command, shows that his reason is weak.
It (marriage) may be compared to a cage, the birds without try desperately to get in, and those within try desperately to get out.
It is not the want, but rather abundance that creates avarice.
The secret counsels of princes are a troublesome burden to such as have only to execute them. [Fr., C'est une importune garde, du secret des princes, a qui n'en que faire.]
I quote others in order to better express myself.
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.
There is no conversation more boring than the one where everybody agrees.
My appetite comes to me while eating.
He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.
Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know.
Like the watermen who advance forward while they look backward.
Persons of mean understandings, not so inquisitive, nor so well instructed, are made good Christians, and by reverence and obedience, implicity believe, and abide by their belief.
Whom conscience, ne'er asleep, Wounds with incessant strokes, not loud, but deep.
Courtesy is a science of the highest importance. It is ... opening a door that we may derive instruction from the example of others, and at the same time enabling us to benefit them by our example, if there be anything in our character worthy of imitation.
There are some defeats more triumphant than victories.
There are some defeats more triumphant than victories.
He who should teach men to die, would at the same time teach them to live.
Even on the highest throne in the world, we are still sitting on our ass.
You have your face bare; I am all face. [Fr., Vous avez bien la face desouverte; moi je suis tout face.]
How many things served us yesterday for articles of faith, which to-day are fables to us! [Fr., Combien de choses nous servoient heir d'articles de foy, qui nous sont fables aujourd'hui!]
