Michel De Montaigne

For among other things he had been counseled to bring me to love knowledge and duty by my own choice, without forcing my will, and to educate my soul entirely through gentleness and freedom.

That is why Bias jested with those who were going through the perils of a great storm with him and calling on the gods for help: "Shut up," he said, "so that they do not realize that you are here with me.

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

The world is all a carcass and vanity, The shadow of a shadow, a play _x000D_ And in one word, just nothing.

It is commonly seene by experience, that excellent memories do rather accompany weake judgements.

Pride and curiosity are the two scourges of our souls. The latter prompts us to poke our noses into everything, and the former forbids us to leave anything unresolved and undecided.

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

Not because Socrates said so, but because it is in truth my own disposition — and perchance to some excess — I look upon all men as my compatriots, and embrace a Pole as a Frenchman, making less account of the national than of the universal and common bond.

Who ever saw a doctor use the prescription of his colleague without cutting out or adding something?

No-one is exempt from speaking nonsense – the only misfortune is to do it solemnly.

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

Greatness of soul consists not so much in soaring high and in pressing forward, as in knowing how to adapt and limit oneself.

What enriches language is its being handled and exploited by beautiful minds-not so much by making innovations as by expanding it through more vigorous and varied applications, by extending it and deploying it. It is not words that they contribute: what they do is enrich their words, deepen their meanings and tie down their usage; they teach it unaccustomed rhythms, prudently though and with ingenuity.

No two men ever judged alike of the same thing, and it is impossible to find two opinions exactly similar, not only in different men but in the same men at different times.

There is indeed a certain sense of gratification when we do a good deed that gives us inward satisfaction, and a generous pride that accompanies a good conscience…These testimonies of a good conscience are pleasant; and such a natural pleasure is very beneficial to us; it is the only payment that can never fail. “On Repentance

The bitterness of the potion, and the abhorrence of the patient are necessary circumstances to the operation. It must be something to trouble and disturb the stomach that must purge and cure it.

It is in vain that we get upon stilts, for once on them, it is still with our legs that we must walk. And on the highest throne in the world we are still sitting on our own ass.

I know well what I am fleeing from but not what I am in search of.

All general judgments are loose and imperfect

A man must not always tell all, for that be folly; but what a man says should be what he thinks.

It is an absolute and virtually divine perfection to know how to enjoy our being rightfully.