Michel de Montaigne

“ What step ends the near and what step begins the remote What they ought to do when they come to be men What we have not seen, we are forced to receive from other hands What, shall so much knowledge be lost Whatever was not ordinary diet, was instead of a drug When I travel I have nothing to care for but myself When jealousy seizes these poor souls When their eyes give the lie to their tongue When time begins to wear things out of memory When we have got it, we want something else “When will this man be wise,” said he, “if he is yet learning?” ”

“ Merciful to the man, but not to his wickednessAristotle Methinks I am no more than half of myself Methinks I promise it, if I but say it Miracle: everything our reason cannot comprehend Miracles and strange events have concealed themselves from me Miracles appear to be so, according to our ignorance of nature Miserable kind of remedy, to owe one’s health to one’s disease! ”

“ Were more ambitious of a great reputation than of a good one What a man says should be what he thinks What are become of all our brave philosophical precepts? What can they not do, what do they fear to do (for beauty) What can they suffer who do not fear to die? ”

“ As if anything were so common as ignorance As if impatience were of itself a better remedy than patience As we were formerly by crimes, so we are now overburdened by law Ashamed to lay out as much thought and study upon it Assurance they give us of the certainty of their drugs At least, if they do no good, they will do no harm At the most, but patch you up, and prop you a little Attribute facility of belief to simplicity and ignorance Attribute to itself ”

“ Disgorge what we eat in the same condition it was swallowed Disguise, by their abridgments and at their own choice Dissentient and tumultuary drugs Diversity of medical arguments and opinions embraces all Diverting the opinions and conjectures of the people Do not much blame them for making their advantage of our folly Do not to pray that all things may go as we would have them Do not, nevertheless, always believe myself Do thine own work, and know thyself Doctors: more felicity and duration in their own lives? ”

“ An ignorance that knowledge creates and begets Ancient Romans kept their youth always standing at school And hate him so as you were one day to love him And we suffer the ills of a long peace Anger and hatred are beyond the duty of justice Any argument if it be carried on with method Any old government better than change and alteration Any one may deprive us of life ”

“ No alcohol the night on which a man intends to get children No beast in the world so much to be feared by man as man No danger with them, though they may do us no good No doing more difficult than that not doing, nor more active No effect of virtue, to have stronger arms and legs No evil is honourable ”

“ Enters lightly into a quarrel is apt to go as lightly out of it Entertain us with fables: astrologers and physicians Epicurus Establish this proposition by authority and huffing Evade this tormenting and unprofitable knowledge Even the very promises of physic are incredible in themselves Events are a very poor testimony of our worth and parts Every abridgment of a good book is a foolish abridgment Every day travels towards death ”