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’s Quotes On Topics
Sin | Hypocrisy | Nationality | Wealth | Law | Body | Social Hierarchy | Depth | Society | Leisure | Revolution | Thinking | Instinct | Open-mindedness | Travel | War | Success | Age | Baseness | Self-opinion | More
More Michel de Montaigne Quotes
“Ceremony forbids us to express by words things that are lawful and natural, and we obey it; reason forbids us to do things unlawful and ill, and nobody obeys it.” Michel de Montaigne
Social Norms, Reason, Human Behavior, Morality, Societal Critique
Michel de Montaigne Social Norms, Reason, Human Behavior, Morality, Societal Critique“No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately.” Michel de Montaigne
Foolishness, Speech, Intention, Human Nature, Wisdom
Michel de Montaigne Foolishness, Speech, Intention, Human Nature, Wisdom“Friendship is the highest degree of perfection in society.” Michel de Montaigne
Friendship, Society, Perfection, Human Relationships, Social Bonds
Michel de Montaigne Friendship, Society, Perfection, Human Relationships, Social Bonds“If I speak of myself in different ways, that is because I look at myself in different ways.” Michel de Montaigne
Self-perception, Identity, Perspective, Introspection, Human Nature
Michel de Montaigne Self-perception, Identity, Perspective, Introspection, Human Nature“We are never present with, but always beyond ourselves; fear, desire, hope, still push us on toward the future.” Michel de Montaigne
Present Moment, Future, Human Nature, Emotions, Existential Reflection
Michel de Montaigne Present Moment, Future, Human Nature, Emotions, Existential Reflection“I do not portray the thing in itself. I portray the passage; not a passing from one age to another, or, as the people put it, from seven years to seven years, but from day to day, from minute to minute.” Michel de Montaigne
Change, Time, Perception, Human Nature, Philosophy
Michel de Montaigne Change, Time, Perception, Human Nature, Philosophy“Who so hath his mind on taking, hath it no more on what he taketh.” Michel de Montaigne
Greed, Mindfulness, Possession, Human Nature, Philosophy
Michel de Montaigne Greed, Mindfulness, Possession, Human Nature, Philosophy“Since philosophy is the art which teaches us how to live, and since children need to learn it as much as we do at other ages, why do we not instruct them in it?” Michel de Montaigne
Philosophy, Education, Children, Life Lessons, Wisdom
Michel de Montaigne Philosophy, Education, Children, Life Lessons, Wisdom“Ambition sufficiently plagues her proselytes, by keeping themselves always in show, like the statue of a public place.” Michel de Montaigne
Ambition, Public Image, Human Nature, Critique, Metaphor
Michel de Montaigne Ambition, Public Image, Human Nature, Critique, Metaphor“Speech belongs half to the speaker, half to the listener. The latter must prepare to receive it according to the motion it takes.” Michel de Montaigne
Communication, Understanding, Responsibility, Wisdom, Human Interaction
Michel de Montaigne Communication, Understanding, Responsibility, Wisdom, Human Interaction“Our religion is made to eradicate vices, instead it encourages them, covers them, and nurtures them.” Michel de Montaigne
Religion, Vice, Hypocrisy, Human Nature, Critique
Michel de Montaigne Religion, Vice, Hypocrisy, Human Nature, Critique“A man should ever be ready booted to take his journey.” Michel de Montaigne
Readiness, Journey, Life, Preparedness, Wisdom
Michel de Montaigne Readiness, Journey, Life, Preparedness, Wisdom“There is no passion so much transports the sincerity of judgment as doth anger.” Michel de Montaigne
Anger, Judgment, Passion, Emotion, Human Behavior
Michel de Montaigne Anger, Judgment, Passion, Emotion, Human Behavior“The clatter of arms drowns out the voice of law.” Michel de Montaigne
War, Law, Violence, Society, Critique
Michel de Montaigne War, Law, Violence, Society, Critique“I leaf through books, I do not study them. What I retain of them is something I no longer recognize as anyone else's.” Michel de Montaigne
Reading, Knowledge, Learning, Memory, Individuality
Michel de Montaigne Reading, Knowledge, Learning, Memory, Individuality“Life itself is neither a good nor an evil: life is where good or evil find a place, depending on how you make it for them.” Michel de Montaigne
Life, Morality, Choice, Responsibility, Philosophy
Michel de Montaigne Life, Morality, Choice, Responsibility, Philosophy“The premeditation of death is the premeditation of liberty; he who has learnt to die has forgot to serve.” Michel de Montaigne
Death, Liberty, Philosophy, Wisdom, Human Condition
Michel de Montaigne Death, Liberty, Philosophy, Wisdom, Human Condition“There is nothing of evil in life for him who rightly comprehends that death is no evil; to know how to die delivers us from all subjection and constraint.” Michel de Montaigne
Death, Fear, Freedom, Philosophy, Human Condition
Michel de Montaigne Death, Fear, Freedom, Philosophy, Human Condition