There is not much less vexation in the government of a private family than in the managing of an entire state.
Michel de Montaigne
Family, Governance, Responsibility, Comparison, Human Nature
Michel de Montaigne’s Quotes On Topics
Mood | Spirituality | Introspection | Art | Self-opinion | Action | Self-ownership | Obedience | Violence | Mortality | Human Rights | Self-revelation | Ingenuity | Contrast | Strength | Interpretation | Time Management | Life Journey | Silence | Boundaries | More
More Michel de Montaigne Quotes
“The worst of my actions or conditions seem not so ugly unto me as I find it both ugly and base not to dare to avouch for them.” Michel de Montaigne
Honesty, Self-reflection, Integrity, Moral Courage, Human Nature
Michel de Montaigne Honesty, Self-reflection, Integrity, Moral Courage, Human Nature“Pride dwells in the thought; the tongue can have but a very little share in it.” Michel de Montaigne
Pride, Thought, Speech, Human Nature, Psychology
Michel de Montaigne Pride, Thought, Speech, Human Nature, Psychology“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“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“There is no wish more natural than the wish to know.” Michel de Montaigne
Knowledge, Curiosity, Human Nature, Learning, Wisdom
Michel de Montaigne Knowledge, Curiosity, Human Nature, Learning, Wisdom“We can be knowledgeable with other men's knowledge but we cannot be wise with other men's wisdom.” Michel de Montaigne
Knowledge, Wisdom, Learning, Individuality, Personal Growth
Michel de Montaigne Knowledge, Wisdom, Learning, Individuality, Personal Growth“The most evident token and apparent sign of true wisdom is a constant and unconstrained rejoicing.” Michel de Montaigne
Wisdom, Joy, Happiness, Human Nature, Philosophy
Michel de Montaigne Wisdom, Joy, Happiness, Human Nature, Philosophy“No doctor takes pleasure in the health even of his friends.” Michel de Montaigne
Profession, Friendship, Human Nature, Irony, Health
Michel de Montaigne Profession, Friendship, Human Nature, Irony, Health“To speak less of oneself than what one really is, is folly, not modesty; and to take that for current pay which is under a man's value, is pusillanimity and cowardice.” Michel de Montaigne
Self-worth, Modesty, Honesty, Courage, Human Nature
Michel de Montaigne Self-worth, Modesty, Honesty, Courage, Human Nature“Wonder is the foundation of all philosophy, inquiry the progress, ignorance the end.” Michel de Montaigne
Philosophy, Wonder, Inquiry, Ignorance, Knowledge
Michel de Montaigne Philosophy, Wonder, Inquiry, Ignorance, Knowledge“In nine lifetimes, you'll never know as much about your cat as your cat knows about you.” Michel de Montaigne
Cats, Knowledge, Mystery, Human-animal Relationship, Perception
Michel de Montaigne Cats, Knowledge, Mystery, Human-animal Relationship, Perception“Our own peculiar human condition is that we are as fit to be laughed at as able to laugh.” Michel de Montaigne
Human Nature, Humor, Self-awareness, Irony, Perspective
Michel de Montaigne Human Nature, Humor, Self-awareness, Irony, Perspective“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“Peoples nurtured on freedom and self-government judge any other form of polity to be deformed and unnatural. Those who are used to monarchy do the same.” Michel de Montaigne
Governance, Perspective, Culture, Human Nature, Politics
Michel de Montaigne Governance, Perspective, Culture, Human Nature, Politics“Cowardice is the mother of cruelty.” Michel de Montaigne
Cowardice, Cruelty, Human Nature, Psychology, Morality
Michel de Montaigne Cowardice, Cruelty, Human Nature, Psychology, Morality“It is a thorny undertaking, and more so than it seems, to follow a movement so wandering as that of our mind, to penetrate the opaque depths of its innermost folds, to pick out and immobilize the innumerable flutterings that agitate it.” Michel de Montaigne
Mind, Introspection, Complexity, Self-awareness, Philosophy
Michel de Montaigne Mind, Introspection, Complexity, Self-awareness, Philosophy“Pleasure itself is painful at the bottom.” Michel de Montaigne
Pleasure, Pain, Duality, Human Experience, Philosophy
Michel de Montaigne Pleasure, Pain, Duality, Human Experience, Philosophy