Michael Eyquen de Montaigne ( 10 of 25 )
How many worthy men have we seen survive their own reputations!
How many worthy men have we seen survive their own reputations!
No one is exempt from taking nonsense; the misfortune is to do it
solemnly.
No one is exempt from taking nonsense; the misfortune is to do it
solemnly.
"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.
How many things served us yesterday for articles of faith, which
to-day are fables to us!
[Fr., Combien read more
How many things served us yesterday for articles of faith, which
to-day are fables to us!
[Fr., Combien de choses nous servoient heir d'articles de foy,
qui nous sont fables aujourd'hui!]
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.]
My appetite comes to me while eating.
My appetite comes to me while eating.
Arts and sciences are not cast in a mould, but are found and
perfected by degrees, by often handling read more
Arts and sciences are not cast in a mould, but are found and
perfected by degrees, by often handling and polishing, as bears
leisurely lick their clubs into shape.
The bees pillage the flowers here and there but they make honey
of them which is all their own; read more
The bees pillage the flowers here and there but they make honey
of them which is all their own; it is no longer thyme or
marjolaine: so the pieces borrowed from others he will transform
and mix up into a work all his own.
[Fr., Les abeilles pillotent deca dela les fleurs; mais elles en
font aprez le miel, qui est tout leur; ce n'est plus thym, ny
marjolaine: ainsi les pieces empruntees d'aultruy, il les
transformera et confondra pour en faire un ouvrage tout sien.]
You have your face bare; I am all face.
[Fr., Vous avez bien la face desouverte; moi je suis read more
You have your face bare; I am all face.
[Fr., Vous avez bien la face desouverte; moi je suis tout face.]
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.
