"Speaking is half his that speaks, and half his that hears."
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Quote collection
Michel de Montaigne quotes (page 7 of 49)
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"I do not teach. I relate."
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"It takes strong ears indeed to hear ourselves judged frankly, and because there are few who can endure criticism without being stung by it, those who venture to criticize us perform a remarkable act of friendship. For it is a healthy love that will risk wounding or offending in order to profer a benefit."
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"No-one is exempt from speaking nonsense – the only misfortune is to do it solemnly."
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"The conduct of our lives is the true mirror of our doctrine."
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"A wise man never loses anything, if he has himself."
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"In nine lifetimes, you'll never know as much about your cat as your cat knows about you."
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"There is as much difference between us and ourselves as there is between us and others."
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"The births of all things are weak and tender and therefore we should have our eyes intent on beginnings."
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"We are neither obstinately nor wilfully to oppose evils, nor truckle under them for want of courage, but that we are naturally to give way to them, according to their condition and our own, we ought to grant free passage to diseases; and I find they stay less with me who let them alone. And I have lost those which are reputed the most tenacious and obstinate of their own defervescence, without any help or art, and contrary to their rules. Let us a little permit nature to take her own way; she better understands her own affairs than we."
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"What enriches language is its being handled and exploited by beautiful minds-not so much by making innovations as by expanding it through more vigorous and varied applications, by extending it and deploying it. It is not words that they contribute: what they do is enrich their words, deepen their meanings and tie down their usage; they teach it unaccustomed rhythms, prudently though and with ingenuity."
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"In his commerce with men I mean him to include- and that principally- those who live only in the memory of books. By means of history he will frequent those great souls of former years. If you want it to be so, history can be a waste of time; it can also be, if you want it to be so, a study bearing fruit beyond price."
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"To speak less of oneself than what one really is, is folly, not modesty; and to take that for current pay which is under a man's value, is pusillanimity and cowardice."
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"It is an absolute perfection... to get the very most out of one's individuality."
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"The truth of these days is not that which really is, but what every man persuades another man to believe."
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"Happiness involves working toward meaningful goals."
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"Life itself is neither a good nor an evil: life is where good or evil find a place, depending on how you make it for them."
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"Truly it is reasonable to make a great distinction between the faults that come from our weakness and those that come from our wickedness."
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"Every one rushes elsewhere and into the future, because no one wants to face one's own inner self."
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"The most evident token and apparent sign of true wisdom is a constant and unconstrained rejoicing."
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