Michael Eyquen de Montaigne

The secret counsels of princes are a troublesome burden to such
as have only to execute them.
[Fr., read more

The secret counsels of princes are a troublesome burden to such
as have only to execute them.
[Fr., C'est une importune garde, du secret des princes, a qui
n'en que faire.]

To-night, at least, to-night be gay,
Whate'er to-morrow brings.

To-night, at least, to-night be gay,
Whate'er to-morrow brings.

Persons of mean understandings, not so inquisitive, nor so well
instructed, are made good Christians, and by reverence and read more

Persons of mean understandings, not so inquisitive, nor so well
instructed, are made good Christians, and by reverence and
obedience, implicity believe, and abide by their belief.

To each foot its own shoe.
[Fr., A chaque pied son soulier.]

To each foot its own shoe.
[Fr., A chaque pied son soulier.]

"Oh! what a vile and abject thing is man unless he can erect
himself above humanity." Here is a read more

"Oh! what a vile and abject thing is man unless he can erect
himself above humanity." Here is a bon mot and a useful desire,
but equally absurd. For to make the handful bigger than the
hand, the armful bigger then the arm, and to hope to stride
further than the stretch of our legs, is impossible and
monstrous. . . . He may lift himself if God lend him His hand of
special grace; he may lift himself . . . by means wholly
celestial. It is for our Christian religion, and not for his
Stoic virtue, to pretend to this divine and miraculous
metamorphosis.