Book II, Ch. 10. Of Books
Essais (1595), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)
Quotes from book
Essays
The Essays of Michel de Montaigne are contained in three books and 107 chapters of varying length. They were originally written in Middle French and were originally published in the Kingdom of France. Montaigne's stated design in writing, publishing and revising the Essays over the period from approximately 1570 to 1592 was to record "some traits of my character and of my humours." The Essays were first published in 1580 and cover a wide range of topics.
“I have seen no more evident monstrosity and miracle in the world than myself.”
Book III, Ch. 11
Essais (1595), Book III
“Every man has within himself the entire human condition”
Book III, Ch. 2
Essais (1595), Book III
Variant: Every man bears the whole stamp of the human condition.
Book iii. Chap 2. Of Repentance
Essais (1595), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)
“A man must be a little mad if he does not want to be even more stupid.”
Book III, Ch. 9
Essais (1595), Book III
“Que sçais-je?" (What do I know?)”
The notion of skepticism is most clearly understood by asking this question.
Book II, Ch. 12
Essais (1595), Book II
Variant: What know I? (or What do I know?)
Book II, Ch. 12
Essais (1595), Book II
“There is as much difference between us and ourselves as between us and others.”
Book II (1580), Ch. 1
Essais (1595), Book II
“My art and profession is to live.”
Book II, Ch. 6
Essais (1595), Book II
Variant: My trade and my art is living.
“Lend yourself to others, but give yourself to yourself.”
Source: Essais (1595), Book III, Chapter X. Of Managing the Will. End of First Paragraph.
Book II, Ch. 12. Apology for Raimond Sebond
Essais (1595), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)
“I will follow the good side right to the fire, but not into it if I can help it.”
Book III (1595), Ch. 1
Essais (1595), Book III
“Man in sooth is a marvellous, vain, fickle, and unstable subject.”
Book I, Ch. 1. That Men by various Ways arrive at the same End
Essais (1595), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)
Book III, Ch. 8. Of the Art of Conversation
Essais (1595), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)
“We seek and offer ourselves to be gulled.”
Book III, Ch. 11. Of Cripples
Essais (1595), Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. (1919)
“Live as long as you please, you will strike nothing off the time you will have to spend dead.”
Book I, Ch. 20
Essais (1595), Book I
