Michel de Montaigne quotes - page 10

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. (Michel de Montaigne)
There is no more expensive thing than a free gift. View quote
Michel de Montaigne
The great and glorious masterpiece of man is to live with purpose. View quote
Michel de Montaigne
Stupidity and wisdom meet in the same centre of sentiment and resolution, in the suffering of human accidents. View quote
Michel de Montaigne
Why may not a goose say thus: "All the parts of the universe I have an interest in: the earth serves me to walk upon, the sun to light me; the stars have their influence upon me; I have such an advantage by the winds and such by the waters; there is nothing that yon heavenly roof looks upon so favourably as me. I am the darling of Nature! Is it not man that keeps and serves me?" View quote
Michel de Montaigne
I will follow the good side right to the fire, but not into it if I can help it. View quote
Michel de Montaigne
To an atheist all writings tend to atheism: he corrupts the most innocent matter with his own venom. View quote
Michel de Montaigne
There is nothing so easy, so sweet, and so favourable, as the divine law: it calls and invites us to her, guilty and abominable as we are; extends her arms and receives us into her bosom, foul and polluted as we at present are, and are for the future to be. But then, in return, we are to look upon her with a respectful eye; we are to receive this pardon with all gratitude and submission, and for that instant at least, wherein we address ourselves to her, to have the soul sensible of the ills we have committed, and at enmity with those passions that seduced us to offend her. View quote
Michel de Montaigne
It is more of a job to interpret the interpretations than to interpret the things, and there are more books about books than about any other subject: we do nothing but write glosses about each other. View quote
Michel de Montaigne
Like rowers, who advance backward. View quote
Michel de Montaigne
She [virtue] requires a rough and stormy passage; she will have either outward difficulties to wrestle with, 11 ... or internal difficulties. (Michel de Montaigne)
To which we may add this other Aristotelian consideration, that he who confers a benefit on any one loves him better than he is beloved by him again. View quote
Michel de Montaigne
Saturninus said, "Comrades, you have lost a good captain to make him an ill general." View quote
Michel de Montaigne
He who does not give himself leisure to be thirsty cannot take pleasure in drinking. View quote
Michel de Montaigne
Nature forms us for ourselves, not for others; to be, not to seem. View quote
Michel de Montaigne
I, who have so much and so universally adored this [greek], "excellent mediocrity," 32 of ancient times, and who have concluded the most moderate measure the most perfect, shall I pretend to an unreasonable and prodigious old age? View quote
Michel de Montaigne
What if he has borrowed the matter and spoiled the form, as it oft falls out? View quote
Michel de Montaigne
For my own part, I cannot without grief see so much as an innocent beast pursued and killed that has no defence, and from which we have received no offence at all. View quote
Michel de Montaigne
We were halves throughout, and to that degree that methinks by outliving him I defraud him of his part. View quote
Michel de Montaigne
There must then be something that is better, and that must be God. When you see a stately and stupendous edifice, though you do not know who is the owner of it, you would yet conclude it was not built for rats. And this divine structure, that we behold of the celestial palace, have we not reason to believe that it is the residence of some possessor, who is much greater than we? View quote
Michel de Montaigne
The mariner of old said to Neptune in a great tempest, "O God! thou mayest save me if thou wilt, and if thou wilt thou mayest destroy me; but whether or no, I will steer my rudder true." (Michel de Montaigne)
Plato says, "'T is to no purpose for a sober man to knock at the door of the Muses;" and Aristotle says "that no excellent soul is exempt from a mixture of folly." View quote
Michel de Montaigne
For my own part, I may desire in general to be other than I am; I may condemn and dislike my whole form, and beg of Almighty God for an entire reformation, and that He will please to pardon my natural infirmity: but I ought not to call this repentance, methinks, no more than the being dissatisfied that I am not an angel or Cato. My actions are regular, and conformable to what I am and to my condition; I can do no better; and repentance does not properly touch things that are not in our power; sorrow does.. I imagine an infinite number of natures more elevated and regular than mine; and yet I do not for all that improve my faculties, no more than my arm or will grow more strong and vigorous for conceiving those of another to be so. View quote
Michel de Montaigne
Virtue refuses facility for her companion ... the easy, gentle, and sloping path that guides the footsteps of a good natural disposition is not the path of true virtue. It demands a rough and thorny road. View quote
Michel de Montaigne
A true prayer and religious reconciling of ourselves to Almighty God cannot enter into an impure soul, subject at the very time to the dominion of Satan. He who calls God to his assistance whilst in a course of vice, does as if a cut-purse should call a magistrate to help him, or like those who introduce the name of God to the attestation of a lie. View quote
Michel de Montaigne