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

Michel de Montaigne

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Michel de Montaigne
Age: 59 †
Born: 1533
Born: February 28
Died: 1592
Died: September 13
Autobiographer
Essayist
French Moralist
Jurist
Philosopher
Poet Lawyer
Politician
Translator
Writer
Michel Eyquem de Montaigne
Miquèu Eiquèm de Montanha
Miqueu Eiquem de Montanha
Natural
Art
Take
Feebleness
Even
Stupidity
Mind
Reasonable
Arts
Profit
Advantage

More quotes by Michel de Montaigne

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Men are most apt to believe what they least understand.
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I am disgusted with innovation, in whatever guise, and with reason, for I have seen very harmful effects of it.
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If I speak of myself in different ways, that is because I look at myself in different ways.
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Other people do not see you at all, but guess at you by uncertain conjectures.
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What fear has once made me will, I am bound still to will when without fear.
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One may be humble out of pride.
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There is nothing on which men are commonly more intent than on making a way for their opinions.
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Every one is well or ill at ease, according as he finds himself! not he whom the world believes, but he who believes himself to be so, is content and in him alone belief gives itself being and reality
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Order a purge for your brain, it will there be much better employed than upon your stomach.
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I am afraid that our eyes are bigger than our stomachs, and that we have more curiosity than understanding. We grasp at everything, but catch nothing except wind.
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Whoever will imagine a perpetual confession of ignorance, a judgment without leaning or inclination, on any occasion whatever, hasa conception of Pyrrhonism.
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We only labor to stuff the memory, and leave the conscience and the understanding unfurnished and void.
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Courtesy is a science of the highest importance. It is...opening a door that we may derive instruction from the example of others, and at the same time enabling us to benefit them by our example, if there be anything in our character worthy of imitation.
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Philosophical discussions habitually make men happy and joyful not frowning and sad.
Michel de Montaigne
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The only good histories are those written by those who had command in the events they describe.
Michel de Montaigne
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Age imprints more wrinkles a in the mind, than it does in the face, and souls are never, or very rarely seen, that in growing old do not smell sour and musty. Man moves all together, both towards his perfection and decay.
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It is far more probable that our senses should deceive us, than that an old woman should be carried up a chimney on a broom stick and that it is far less astonishing that witnesses should lie, than that witches should perform the acts that were alleged.
Michel de Montaigne
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We are all of us richer than we think we are.
Michel de Montaigne
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A man should ever, as much as in him lieth, be ready booted to take his journey, and above all things look he have then nothing to do but with himself.
Michel de Montaigne
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Friendship is the highest degree of perfection in society.
Michel de Montaigne