Home › Authors › Michel de Montaigne
Michel de Montaigne Quotes
1533–1592 France
Michel de Montaigne (Michel Eyquem, lord of the manor of Montaigne, Dordogne) (28 February 1533 – 13 September 1592) was an influential French Renaissance writer, generally considered to be the inventor of the personal essay.
France Essayists Mayors Philosophers Also known as: Michel E. de Montaigne, Michel Eyquem, seigneur de Montaigne, Michel Montaigne, Montaigne, Montaigne, Michel de
Random Michel de Montaigne quote
278 quotes
Don't discuss yourself, for you are bound to lose; if you belittle yourself, you are believed; if you praise yourself, you are disbelieved.
Attributed
He who fears he shall suffer, already suffers what he fears.
Attributed
He who is not sure of his memory, should not undertake the trade of lying.
Attributed
Marriage is like a cage; one sees the birds outside desperate to get in, and those inside equally desperate to get out.
Attributed
No wind serves him who addresses his voyage to no certain port.
Attributed
Not being able to govern events, I govern myself.
Attributed
The most profound joy has more of gravity than of gaiety in it.
Attributed
There is little less trouble in governing a private family than a whole kingdom.
Attributed
We can be knowledgeable with other men's knowledge, but we cannot be wise with other men's wisdom.
Attributed
We only labor to stuff the memory, and leave the conscience and the understanding unfurnished and void.
Attributed
Who does not in some sort live to others, does not live much to himself.
Attributed
The ceaseless labour of your life is to build the house of death.
Attributed
There is a sort of gratification in doing good which makes us rejoice in ourselves.
Attributed
Nothing prints more lively in our minds than something we wish to forget.
Attributed
There is nothing more notable in Socrates than that he found time, when he was an old man, to learn music and dancing, and thought it time well spent.
Attributed
'Tis the sharpness of our mind that gives the edge to our pains and pleasures.
Attributed
I do myself a greater injury in lying than I do him of whom I tell a lie.
Attributed
I know well what I am fleeing from but not what I am in search of.
Attributed
I prefer the company of peasants because they have not been educated sufficiently to reason incorrectly.
Attributed
In plain truth, lying is an accursed vice. We are not men, nor have any other tie upon another, but by our word.
Attributed
Topics Michel de Montaigne is quoted on
Works