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Quotes by Michel de Montaigne

French essayist (1533 - 1592)

Nothing fixes a thing so intensely in the memory as the wish to forget it.

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.

When I am attacked by gloomy thoughts, nothing helps me so much as running to my books. They quickly absorb me and banish the clouds from my mind.

There are some defeats more triumphant than victories.

Man is certainly stark mad. He cannot make a worm, and yet he will be making gods by dozens.

I prefer the company of peasants because they have not been educated sufficiently to reason incorrectly.

There is as much difference between us and ourselves as there is between us and others.

He who is not very strong in memory should not meddle with lying.

No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately.

The most profound joy has more of gravity than of gaiety in it.

Don't discuss yourself, for you are bound to lose; if you belittle yourself, you are believed; if you praise yourself, you are disbelieved.

So it is with minds. Unless you keep them busy with some definite subject that will bridle and control them, they throw themselves in disorder hither and yon in the vague field of imagination... And there is no mad or idle fancy that they do not bring forth in the agitation.

Fashion is the science of appearances, and it inspires one with the desire to seem rather than to be.

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

He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.

I believe it to be true that dreams are the true interpreters of our inclinations; but there is art required to sort and understand them.

The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.

I care not so much what I am to others as what I am to myself.

Even on the highest throne in the world, we are still sitting on our ass.

I will follow the right side even to the fire, but excluding the fire if I can.

Wise men have more to learn of fools than fools of wise men.

The art of dining well is no slight art, the pleasure not a slight pleasure.

A man of understanding has lost nothing, if he has himself.

Not being able to govern events, I govern myself.

Even on the most exalted throne in the world we are only sitting on our own bottom.

Each man calls barbarism what is not his own practice for indeed it seems we have no other test of truth and reason that the example and pattern of the opinions and customs of the country we live in.

Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.

To philosophize is to doubt.

Since we cannot match it let us take our revenge by abusing it.

Ambition is not a vice of little people.

He who establishes his argument by noise and command, shows that his reason is weak.

He who has not a good memory should never take upon himself the trade of lying.

Malice sucks up the greater part of her own venom, and poisons herself.

It is easier to write an indifferent poem than to understand a good one.

I quote others only in order the better to express myself.

Man is certainly stark mad; he cannot make a flea, yet he makes gods by the dozens.

When all is summed up, a man never speaks of himself without loss; his accusations of himself are always believed; his praises never.

In the education of children there is nothing like alluring the interest and affection, otherwise you only make so many asses laden with books.

It is good to rub and polish our brain against that of others