1,152 Quotes by Michel de Montaigne

Water, earth, air, fire, and the other parts of this structure of mine are no more instruments of your life than instruments of your death. Why do you fear your last day? It contributes no more to your death than each of the others. The last step does not cause the fatigue, but reveals it. All days travel toward death, the last one reaches it.

Custom is a second nature, and no less powerful.

I have often seen people uncivil by too much civility, and tiresome in their courtesy.

A wellborn mind that is practiced in dealing with people makes itself thoroughly agreeable by itself. Art is nothing else but thelist and record of the productions of such minds.

The laws of conscience, which we pretend to be derived from nature, proceed from Custom.

Is it reasonable that even the arts should take advantage of and profit by our natural stupidity and feebleness of mind?

Intemperance is the plaque of sensuality, and temperance is not its bane but its seasoning.

In the examples that I here bring in of what I have [read], heard, done or said, I have refrained from daring to alter even the smallest and most indifferent circumstances. My conscience falsifies not an iota; for my knowledge I cannot answer.

Dreams are faithful interpreters of our inclinations; but there is art required to sort and understand them.