Michel de Montaigne

“ Lord, if thou be a fierce God, that lovest to feed on flesh and bloud, here are five slaves, eat them, and we will bring thee more: if thou be a gently mild God, here is incense and feathers; but if thou be a man, take these birds and fruits, that here we present and offer unto thee. ”

“ Fortunes unhappie ill, We amplifie by skill. Humane wisdome doth foolishly seeke to be ingenious in exercising her selfe to abate the number and diminish the pleasure of sensualities that pertaine to us: as it doth favorably and industriously in employing her devises, to paint and set a luster on evils, before our eies, and therewith to recreate our sense. Had I beene chiefe of a faction, I would have followed a more naturall course, which to say true, is both commodious and sacred, and should peradventure have made my selfe strong enough to limite the same. ”

“ To conclude, there is no voluptuousuesse so just, wherein excesse and intemperance is not reproachfull unto us. But to speake in good sooth, is not a man a miserable creature? He is scarce come to his owne strength by his naturall condition, to taste one only compleate, entire and pure pleasure, but he laboreth by discourse to cut it off: he is not wretched enough, except by art and study he augment his miserie. ”

“ For these wretched sacrifiable people, old men, women and children, some daies before, goe themselves begging their almes, for the offering of their sacrifice, and all of full glee, singing, and dancing with the rest, they present themselves to the slaughter. ”

“ Those who say, 'There is never excesse in vertue, because it is no longer vertue if any excesse be in it,' doe but jest at words.
Insani sapiens nomen ferat, æquus iniqui, Vltra quam satis est, virtutem si petat ipsam. -- Hor. i. Epi. vi. 15. A wise man mad, just unjust, may I name, More than is meet, een vertue if he claime. Philosophy is a subtile consideration. A man may love vertue too much, and excessively demeane himselfe in a good action. Gods holy worde doth apply it selfe to this byase: Be not wiser than you should, and be soberly wise. ”

“ Marriage is a religious and devout bond: and that is the reason the pleasure a man hath of it should be a moderate, staied and serious pleasure, and mixed with severitie, it ought to bee a voluptuousnesse somewhat circumspect and conscientious. ”

“ And that taken with moderation, it is pleasant and commodious, but in the end it makes a man wilde and vicious, disdainfull of religion and of common lawes: an enemie of civill conversation; a foe to humane sensualitie and worldly pleasures: incapable of all politike administration; and unfit to assist others or to helpe himselfe: apt to be without revenge buffeted, and baffled. He saith true: for in her excesse, she enthralleth our naturall liberties, and by an importunate wile, diverts us from the faire and plaine path, which nature traceth out for us. ”

“ As if our sense of feeling were infected, wee corrupt by our touching, things that in themselves are faire and good. We may so seize on vertue, that if we embrace it with an over greedy and violent desire, it may become vitious. ”

“ The Kings of Persia, called for their wives when they went to any solemne feast, but when much drinking and wine began to beat them in good earnest, they sent them to their chambers, seeing they could no longer refrain, but must needs yeeld to sensualitie lest they should be partakers of their immoderate lust, and in their stead sent for other women, whom this duty of respect might not concern. All pleasures and gratifications are not well placed in all sorts of people. ”

“ And because it is the chiefest of generation, there are that make a question, whether it be lawfull to require them of copulation, as well when we have no hope of children, as when they are over-aged, or big with childe. ”

“ Those shamelesse endearings, which the first heat suggests unto us in that sportfull delight, are not only undecently, but hurtfully employed towards our wives. Let them at least learne impudence from another hand. They are ever broad-waking when we need them. ”

“ It is women who communicate their parts as much as a man list to wantonize with them: but to phisicke them bashfulnesse forbids them. I will then in their behalfe teach husbands this, if there be any too much flesht upon them: which is, that the verie pleasures they have by the familiaritie of their wives, except moderately, used, they are reproved: and not only is that, but in any other unlawfull subjects, a man may trespasse in licentiousnesse, and offend in excesse. ”

“ Even in our fathers age; Amurath at the taking of Isthmus, sacrificed six hundred young Greecians to his fathers soule; to the end their bloud might serve as a propitiation to expiate the sinnes of the deceased. ”

“ All their idolles are sprinkled with humane bloud, not without divers examples of horrible crueltie. Some are burnt alive, and half roasted drawne from the fire, that so they may pull out their hearts and entrails; othersome, yea women, are fleade quicke, and with their yet-bleeaing skins, they invest and cover others. ”

“ And I neathe r love to perswade or follow so savage and so deare a vertue. The Archer that overshoots his marke, doth no otherwise than he that shooteth short. Mine eics trouble me as much in climbing up toward a great light, as to goe downe into the darke. ”