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The Essays of Montaigne [586]

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conformable to my sense: "By so much thou art a god, as thou confessest thee a man." 'Tis an absolute and, as it were, a divine perfection, for a man to know how loyally to enjoy his being. We seek other conditions, by reason we do not understand the use of our own; and go out of ourselves, because we know not how there to reside. 'Tis to much purpose to go upon stilts, for, when upon stilts, we must yet walk with our legs; and when seated upon the most elevated throne in the world, we are but seated upon our breech. The fairest lives, in my opinion, are those which regularly accommodate themselves to the common and human model without miracle, without extravagance. Old age stands a little in need of a more gentle treatment. Let us recommend that to God, the protector of health and wisdom, but let it be gay and sociable:

"Frui paratis et valido mihi

Latoe, dones, et precor, integra

Cum mente; nec turpem senectam

Degere, nec Cithara carentem."

["Grant it to me, Apollo, that I may enjoy my possessions in good

health; let me be sound in mind; let me not lead a dishonourable

old age, nor want the cittern."—Horace, Od., i. 31, 17.]

Or:

["Grant it to me, Apollo, that I may enjoy what I have in good

health; let me be sound in body and mind; let me live in honour when

old, nor let music be wanting."]

APOLOGY:


[In fact, the first edition of the Essays (Bordeaux, 1580) has very few quotations. These became more numerous in the edition of 1588; but the multitude of classical texts which at times encumber Montaigne's text, only dates from the posthumous edition of 1595] he had made these collections in the four last years of his life, as an amusement of his "idleness."—Le Clerc. They grow, however, more sparing in the Third Book.

PROJECT GUTENBERG EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS:

A child should not be brought up in his mother's lap

A gallant man does not give over his pursuit for being refused

A generous heart ought not to belie its own thoughts

A hundred more escape us than ever come to our knowledge

A lady could not boast of her chastity who was never tempted

A little cheese when a mind to make a feast

A little thing will turn and divert us

A man may always study, but he must not always go to school

A man may govern himself well who cannot govern others so

A man may play the fool in everything else, but not in poetry

A man must either imitate the vicious or hate them

A man must have courage to fear

A man never speaks of himself without loss

A man should abhor lawsuits as much as he may

A man should diffuse joy, but, as much as he can, smother grief

A man's accusations of himself are always believed

A parrot would say as much as that

A person's look is but a feeble warranty

A well-bred man is a compound man

A well-governed stomach is a great part of liberty

A word ill taken obliterates ten years' merit

Abhorrence of the patient are necessary circumstances

Abominate that incidental repentance which old age brings

Accept all things we are not able to refute

Accommodated my subject to my strength

Accursed be thou, as he that arms himself for fear of death

Accusing all others of ignorance and imposition

Acquiesce and submit to truth

Acquire by his writings an immortal life

Addict thyself to the study of letters

Addresses his voyage to no certain, port

Admiration is the foundation of all philosophy

Advantageous, too, a little to recede from one's right

Advise to choose weapons of the shortest sort

Affect words that are not of current use

Affection towards their husbands, (not) until they have lost them

Affirmation and obstinacy are express signs of want of wit

Affright people with the very mention of death

Against my trifles you could say no more than I myself have said

Age imprints more wrinkles in the mind than it does on the face

Agesilaus, what he thought most proper for boys to learn?

Agitated betwixt hope and fear

Agitation has usurped the place of reason

Alexander said, that the end of his labour was to labour

All actions equally become and equally honour a wise

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