Of all our infirmities, the most savage is to despise our being.
Michel de Montaigne
Self-loathing, Human Nature, Existence, Philosophy, Critique
Michel de Montaigne’s Quotes On Topics
Liberal Arts | Personal Development | Prayer | Daily Life | Instinct | Reasoning | Diversity | Ridicule | Obstinacy | Presence | Incompatibility | Naturalness | Substance | Self-opinion | Determination | Ethnocentrism | Conscience | Inquiry | Self-harm | Appearance | More
More Michel de Montaigne Quotes
“Nothing else but an insatiate thirst of enjoying a greedily desired object.” Michel de Montaigne
Desire, Pleasure, Human Nature, Indulgence, Passion
Michel de Montaigne Desire, Pleasure, Human Nature, Indulgence, Passion“Nature has made us a present of a broad capacity for entertaining ourselves apart, and often calls us to do so, to teach us that we owe ourselves in part to society, but in the best part to ourselves.” Michel de Montaigne
Nature, Solitude, Society, Self-reliance, Human Nature
Michel de Montaigne Nature, Solitude, Society, Self-reliance, Human Nature“To compose our character is our duty, not to compose books, and to win, not battles and provinces, but order and tranquility in our conduct.” Michel de Montaigne
Character, Duty, Priorities, Self-improvement, Wisdom
Michel de Montaigne Character, Duty, Priorities, Self-improvement, Wisdom“A person is bound to lose when he talks about himself; if he belittles himself, he is believed; if he praises himself, he isn't believed.” Michel de Montaigne
Self-perception, Communication, Social Dynamics, Belief, Human Nature
Michel de Montaigne Self-perception, Communication, Social Dynamics, Belief, Human Nature“All the fame you should look for in life is to have lived it quietly.” Michel de Montaigne
Fame, Quiet Life, Simplicity, Contentment, Wisdom
Michel de Montaigne Fame, Quiet Life, Simplicity, Contentment, Wisdom“Love is like playing the piano. First you must learn to play by the rules, then you must forget the rules and play from your heart. If I were pressed to say why I loved him, I feel that my only reply could be: Because it was he, because it was I.” Michel de Montaigne
Love, Rules, Heart, Individuality, Relationships
Michel de Montaigne Love, Rules, Heart, Individuality, Relationships“Intelligence is required to be able to know that a man knows not.” Michel de Montaigne
Intelligence, Self-awareness, Knowledge, Wisdom, Human Nature
Michel de Montaigne Intelligence, Self-awareness, Knowledge, Wisdom, Human Nature“The most beautiful lives, to my mind, are those that conform to the common human pattern, with order, but without miracle and without eccentricity.” Michel de Montaigne
Life, Beauty, Conformity, Order, Human Nature
Michel de Montaigne Life, Beauty, Conformity, Order, Human Nature“We do not marry for ourselves, whatever we say; we marry just as much or more for our posterity, for our family. The practice and benefit of marriage concerns our race very far beyond us.” Michel de Montaigne
Marriage, Family, Posterity, Human Nature, Societal Impact
Michel de Montaigne Marriage, Family, Posterity, Human Nature, Societal Impact“I do not speak the minds of others except to speak my own mind better.” Michel de Montaigne
Self-expression, Communication, Individuality, Wisdom, Honesty
Michel de Montaigne Self-expression, Communication, Individuality, Wisdom, Honesty“My appetite comes to me while eating.” Michel de Montaigne
Appetite, Action, Human Nature, Experience, Desire
Michel de Montaigne Appetite, Action, Human Nature, Experience, Desire“Certainly, if he still has himself, a man of understanding has lost nothing.” Michel de Montaigne
Self-possession, Understanding, Wisdom, Loss, Human Nature
Michel de Montaigne Self-possession, Understanding, Wisdom, Loss, Human Nature“I seek in the reading of books, only to please myself, by an honest diversion.” Michel de Montaigne
Reading, Pleasure, Honesty, Leisure, Self-indulgence
Michel de Montaigne Reading, Pleasure, Honesty, Leisure, Self-indulgence“The least strained and most natural ways of the soul are the most beautiful; the best occupations are the least forced.” Michel de Montaigne
Naturalness, Beauty, Occupation, Authenticity, Human Nature
Michel de Montaigne Naturalness, Beauty, Occupation, Authenticity, Human Nature“Judgement holds in me a magisterial seat, at least it carefully tries to. It lets my feelings go their way, both hatred and friendship, even the friendship I bear myself, without being changed and corrupted by them.” Michel de Montaigne
Judgment, Emotions, Self-awareness, Objectivity, Human Nature
Michel de Montaigne Judgment, Emotions, Self-awareness, Objectivity, Human Nature“Stupidity and wisdom meet in the same centre of sentiment and resolution, in the suffering of human accidents.” Michel de Montaigne
Wisdom, Stupidity, Suffering, Human Condition, Paradox
Michel de Montaigne Wisdom, Stupidity, Suffering, Human Condition, Paradox“The man who thinks he knows does not yet know what knowing is.” Michel de Montaigne
Knowledge, Wisdom, Humility, Self-awareness, Philosophy
Michel de Montaigne Knowledge, Wisdom, Humility, Self-awareness, Philosophy“When all is summed up, a man never speaks of himself without loss; his accusations of himself are always believed; his praises never.” Michel de Montaigne
Self-perception, Reputation, Human Nature, Communication, Judgment
Michel de Montaigne Self-perception, Reputation, Human Nature, Communication, Judgment