Michel de Montaigne Quotes

We are very concerned with being good people according to God's law; we would not know how to be so according to ourselves.

The curiosity to know things has been given to men as a punishment

Our desire despises and abandons what we have in order to chase after what we do not have.

Life is not in itself neither good nor bad, but the place of good or bad, depending on whether man practices one or the other.

The one who, while angry, imposes a punishment, does not correct, but seeks revenge.

Nobody fares badly for a long time without being at fault themselves.

My life has been full of terrible misfortunes, most of which never happened.

I reject all violence in the education of a tender soul being trained for honor and freedom.

No man is so good that, when exposed to the actions of the law, he would not be condemned to the gallows at least ten times.

When they contradict me, they awaken my attention, not my anger; I offer myself to those who contradict me, for they instruct me. The cause of truth should be the common cause of both.

The most fruitful and natural exercise of our spirit, in my opinion, is conversation. I find its practice sweeter than any other activity in our life.

Who knows oneself, also knows others, because every man carries the entire form of the human condition.