Michel de Montaigne
The continuous work of our life is to build death.Collection: Life Is
He who remembers the evils he has undergone, and those that have threatened him, and the slight causes that have changed him from one state to another, prepares himself in that way for future changes and for recognizing his condition. The life of Caesar has no more to show us than our own; an emperor's or an ordinary man's, it is still a life subject to all human accidents.Collection: Men
Hath God obliged himself not to exceed the bounds of our knowledge?Collection: Obliged
All other knowledge is hurtful to him who has not honesty and good-natureCollection: Honesty
If I am to serve as an instrument of deceit, at least let it be with a clear conscience. I do not want to be considered either so affectionate or so loyal a servant as to be found fit to betray anyone.Collection: Deceit
We owe subjection and obedience to all our kings, whether good or bad, alike, for that has respect unto their office; but as to esteem and affection, these are only due to their virtue.Collection: Kings
I don't break the law* made for crooks, when I take away my own property - thus I am not obliged to conform to the law made for murderers when I deprive myself of my own life.Collection: Suicide
Make use of life while you have it. Whether you have lived enough depends upon yourself, not on the number of your years.Collection: Life
Since I would rather make of him an able man than a learned man, I would also urge that care be taken to choose a guide with a well-made rather than a well-filled head.Collection: Taken
Seeing that the Senses cannot decide our dispute, being themselves full of uncertainty, we must have recourse to Reason; there is no reason but must be built upon another reason: so here we are retreating backwards to infinity.Collection: Philosophy
There are few things on which we can pass a sincere judgement, because there are few things in which we have not, in one way or another, a particular interest.Collection: Judgement
There is a certain consideration, and a general duty of humanity, that binds us not only to the animals, which have life and feeling, but even to the trees and plants. We owe justice to people, and kindness and benevolence to all other creatures who may be susceptible of it. There is some intercourse between them and us, and some mutual obligation.Collection: Nature
It would be better to have no laws at all, than to have too many.Collection: Inspirational
He loves little who loves by rule.Collection: Life
Experience stands on its own dunghill in medicine, and reason yields it place. Medicine has always professed experience to be the touchstone of its operations.Collection: Yield
I quote others in order to better express myself.Collection: Order
There is nothing on which men are commonly more intent than on making a way for their opinions.Collection: Men
It is easier to sacrifice great than little things.Collection: Sacrifice
It is a rare life that remains orderly even in private.Collection: Orderliness
When I am attached by gloomy thoughts, nothing helps me so much as running to my books. They quickly absorb me and banish the clouds from my mind.Collection: Depression
The shortest way to arrive at glory would be to do that for conscience which we do for glory.Collection: Would Be
Not being able to govern events, I govern myself, and apply myself to them if they will not apply themselves to me.Collection: Expectations
Every other knowledge is harmful to him who does not have knowledge of goodness.Collection: Doe
I speak the truth, not my fill of it, but as much as I dare speak; and I dare to do so a little more as I grow old.Collection: Life
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.Collection: Respect
A strong imagination begetteth opportunity.Collection: Inspirational
As far as fidelity is concerned, there is no animal in the world as treacherous as man.Collection: Animal
It costs an unreasonable woman no more to pass over one reason than another; they cherish themselves most where they are most wrong.Collection: Women
Philosophical discussions habitually make men happy and joyful not frowning and sad.Collection: Philosophical
I had rather complain of ill-fortune than be ashamed of victory.Collection: Victory
It is only certain that there is nothing certain, and that nothing is more miserable or more proud than man.Collection: Science
Eloquence is an engine invented to manage and wield at will the fierce democracy, and, like medicine to the sick, is only employed in the paroxysms of a disordered state.Collection: Medicine
If health and a fair day smile upon me, I am a very good fellow; if a corn trouble my toe, I am sullen, out of humor, and inaccessible.Collection: Corn
No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately.Collection: Silly
A hair shirt does not always render those chaste who wear it.Collection: Fashion
I love a friendship that flatters itself in the sharpness and vigor of its communications.Collection: Friendship
Who is only good that others may know it, and that he may be the better esteemed when 'tis known, who will do well but upon condition that his virtue may be known to men, is one from whom much service is not to be expected.Collection: Men
He who falls obstinate in his courage, if he falls he fights from his knees.Collection: Fall
A young man ought to cross his own rules, to awake his vigor, and to keep it from growing faint and rusty. And there is no course of life so weak and sottish as that which is carried on by rule and discipline.Collection: Men
I see men ordinarily more eager to discover a reason for things than to find out whether the things are so.Collection: Knowledge
I have here only made a nosegay of culled flowers, and have brought nothing of my own but the thread that tied them together.Collection: Philosophy
In my opinion it is the happy living, and not, as Antisthenes said, the happy lying, in which human happiness consists.Collection: Happiness
Knowledge is an excellent drug; but no drug has virtue enough to preserve itself from corruption and decay, if the vessel be tainted and impure wherein it is put to keep.Collection: Knowledge
A lady could not boast of her chastity who was never tempted.Collection: Chastity
The great and glorious masterpiece of humanity is to know how to live with a purpose.Collection: Inspirational
Lying is a disgraceful vice, and one that Plutarch paints in most disgraceful colors, when he says that it is "affording testimony that one first despises God, and then fears men." It is not possible more happily to describe its horrible, disgusting, and abandoned nature; for can we imagine anything more vile than to be cowards with regard to men, and brave with regard to God.Collection: Lying
I conceive that pleasures are to be avoided if greater pains be the consequence, and pains to be coveted that will terminate in greater pleasures.Collection: Pain
Taking it all in all, I find it is more trouble to watch after money than to get it.Collection: Money
There is no so wretched and coarse a soul wherein some particular faculty is not seen to shine.Collection: Shining