Quote

The human face is a weak guarantee yet it deserves some consideration. And if I had to whip the wicked, I would do so more severely to those who belied and betrayed the promises that nature had implanted on their brows I would punish malice more harshly when it was hidden under a kindly appearance.

Michel de Montaigne

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

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
Weak
Deception
Brows
Promise
Promises
Kindly
Face
Guarantees
Whips
Faces
Consideration
Punish
Nature
Wicked
Malice
Harshly
Human
Hidden
Betrayed
Implanted
Humans
Appearance
Guarantee
Severely
Would
Deserve
Deserves
Whip

More quotes by Michel de Montaigne

Image
He that first likened glory to a shadow did better than he was aware of. They are both of them things excellently vain. Glory also, like a shadow, goes sometimes before the body, and sometimes in length infinitely exceeds it.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
We trouble our life by thoughts about death, and our death by thoughts about life.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
Satiety comes of too frequent repetition and he who will not give himself leisure to be thirsty can never find the true pleasure of drinking
Michel de Montaigne
Image
O human creature,you are the investigator without knowledge, the magistrate without jurisdiction, and all in all, the fool of the farce.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
It costs an unreasonable woman no more to pass over one reason than another they cherish themselves most where they are most wrong.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
The study of books is a drowsy and feeble exercise which does not warm you up.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
When I play with my cat, who knows whether she is not amusing herself with me more than I with her.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
I am further of opinion that it would be better for us to have [no laws] at all than to have them in so prodigious numbers as we have.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
Meditation is a rich and powerful method of study for anyone who knows how to examine his mind.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
In order always to learn something from others (which is the finest school there can be), I observe in my travels this practice: I always steer those with whom I talk back to the things they know best.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
For me, who only desire to become wise, not more learned or eloquent, these logical or Aristotelian dispositions of parts are of no use.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
Knowledge is an excellent drug but no drug has virtue enough to preserve itself from corruption and decay, if the vessel be tainted and impure wherein it is put to keep.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
In true friendship, in which I am expert, I give myself to my friend more than I draw him to me. I not only like doing him good better than having him do me good, but also would rather have him do good to himself than to me he does me most good when he does himself good.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
It is a human tendency to measure truth and error by our capacity.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
Confidence in the goodness of another is good proof of one's own goodness.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
I look upon the too good opinion that man has of himself, as the nursing mother of all false opinions, both public and private.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
Cowardice is the mother of cruelty.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
Repentance is no other than a recanting of the will, and opposition to our fancies, which lead us which way they please.
Michel de Montaigne
Image
The public weal requires that men should betray, and lie, and massacre.
Michel de Montaigne