Michel de Montaigne

Wit is a dangerous weapon, even to the possessor, if he knows not how to use it discreetly.

We are Christians by the same title as we are natives of Perigord or Germany.

The confidence in another man's virtue is no light evidence of a man's own, and God willingly favors such a confidence.

I set forth a humble and inglorious life; that does not matter. You can tie up all moral philosophy with a common and private life just as well as with a life of richer stuff. Each man bears the entire form of man's estate.

'Tis the sharpness of our mind that gives the edge to our pains and pleasures.

I care not so much what I am to others as what I am to myself. I will be rich by myself, and not by borrowing.

A wise man never loses anything, if he has himself.

A wise man sees as much as he ought, not as much as he can.

I have never seen a greater monster or miracle in the world than myself.

The ceaseless labour of your life is to build the house of death.

I know well what I am fleeing from but not what I am in search of.

There is a sort of gratification in doing good which makes us rejoice in ourselves.

Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know.

Virtue rejects facility to be her companion. She requires a craggy, rough and thorny way.

I write to keep from going mad from the contradictions I find among mankind - and to work some of those contradictions out for myself.

If a man should importune me to give a reason why I loved him, I find it could no otherwise be expressed, than by making answer: because it was he, because it was I.

He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.

We only labor to stuff the memory, and leave the conscience and the understanding unfurnished and void.

I do not speak the minds of others except to speak my own mind better.

Rejoice in the things that are present; all else is beyond thee.