Essays of Michel De Montaigne

Translated by Charles Cotton

Edited by William Carew Hazlitt

1877

CONTENTS

PREFACE

THE LETTERS OF MONTAIGNE

I. — To Monsieur de MONTAIGNE

II. — To Monseigneur, Monseigneur de MONTAIGNE.

III. — To Monsieur, Monsieur de LANSAC,

IV. — To Monsieur, Monsieur de MESMES, Lord of Roissy and Malassize, Privy

V. — To Monsieur, Monsieur de L’HOSPITAL, Chancellor of France

VI. — To Monsieur, Monsieur de Folx, Privy Councillor, to the Signory of Venice.

VII. — To Mademoiselle de MONTAIGNE, my Wife.

VIII. — To Monsieur DUPUY,

IX. — To the Jurats of Bordeaux.

X. — To the same.

XI. — To the same.

XII. —

XIII. — To Mademoiselle PAULMIER.

XIV. — To the KING, HENRY IV.

XV. — To the same.

XVI. — To the Governor of Guienne.

BOOK THE FIRST —

CHAPTER I — THAT MEN BY VARIOUS WAYS ARRIVE AT THE SAME END.

CHAPTER II — OF SORROW

CHAPTER III — THAT OUR AFFECTIONS CARRY THEMSELVES BEYOND US

CHAPTER IV — THAT THE SOUL EXPENDS ITS PASSIONS UPON FALSE OBJECTS

CHAPTER V — WHETHER THE GOVERNOR HIMSELF GO OUT TO PARLEY

CHAPTER VI — THAT THE HOUR OF PARLEY DANGEROUS

CHAPTER VII — THAT THE INTENTION IS JUDGE OF OUR ACTIONS

CHAPTER VIII — OF IDLENESS

CHAPTER IX — OF LIARS

CHAPTER X — OF QUICK OR SLOW SPEECH

CHAPTER XI — OF PROGNOSTICATIONS

CHAPTER XII — OF CONSTANCY

CHAPTER XIII — THE CEREMONY OF THE INTERVIEW OF PRINCES

CHAPTER XIV — THAT MEN ARE JUSTLY PUNISHED FOR BEING OBSTINATE

CHAPTER XV — OF THE PUNISHMENT OF COWARDICE

CHAPTER XVI — A PROCEEDING OF SOME AMBASSADORS

CHAPTER XVII — OF FEAR

CHAPTER XVIII — NOT TO JUDGE OF OUR HAPPINESS TILL AFTER DEATH.

CHAPTER XIX — THAT TO STUDY PHILOSOPY IS TO LEARN TO DIE

CHAPTER XX — OF THE FORCE OF IMAGINATION

CHAPTER XXI — THAT THE PROFIT OF ONE MAN IS THE DAMAGE OF ANOTHER

CHAPTER XXII — OF CUSTOM; WE SHOULD NOT EASILY CHANGE A LAW RECEIVED

CHAPTER XXIII — VARIOUS EVENTS FROM THE SAME COUNSEL

CHAPTER XXIV — OF PEDANTRY

CHAPTER XXV — OF THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN

CHAPTER XXVI — FOLLY TO MEASURE TRUTH AND ERROR BY OUR OWN CAPACITY

CHAPTER XXVII — OF FRIENDSHIP

CHAPTER XXVIII — NINE AND TWENTY SONNETS OF ESTIENNE DE LA BOITIE

CHAPTER XXIX — OF MODERATION

CHAPTER XXX — OF CANNIBALS

CHAPTER XXXI — THAT A MAN IS SOBERLY TO JUDGE OF THE DIVINE ORDINANCES

CHAPTER XXXII — WE ARE TO AVOID PLEASURES, EVEN AT THE EXPENSE OF LIFE

CHAPTER XXXIII — FORTUNE IS OFTEN OBSERVED TO ACT BY THE RULE OF REASON

CHAPTER XXXIV — OF ONE DEFECT IN OUR GOVERNMENT

CHAPTER XXXV — OF THE CUSTOM OF WEARING CLOTHES

CHAPTER XXXVI — OF CATO THE YOUNGER

CHAPTER XXXVII — THAT WE LAUGH AND CRY FOR THE SAME THING

CHAPTER XXXVIII — OF SOLITUDE

CHAPTER XXXIX — A CONSIDERATION UPON CICERO

CHAPTER XL — RELISH FOR GOOD AND EVIL DEPENDS UPON OUR OPINION

CHAPTER XLI — NOT TO COMMUNICATE A MAN’S HONOUR

CHAPTER XLII — OF THE INEQUALITY AMOUNGST US.

CHAPTER XLIII — OF SUMPTUARY LAWS

CHAPTER XLIV — OF SLEEP

CHAPTER XLV — OF THE BATTLE OF DREUX

CHAPTER XLVI — OF NAMES

CHAPTER XLVII — OF THE UNCERTAINTY OF OUR JUDGMENT

CHAPTER XLVIII — OF WAR HORSES, OR DESTRIERS

CHAPTER XLIX — OF ANCIENT CUSTOMS

CHAPTER L — OF DEMOCRITUS AND HERACLITUS

CHAPTER LI — OF THE VANITY OF WORDS

CHAPTER LII — OF THE PARSIMONY OF THE ANCIENTS

CHAPTER LIII — OF A SAYING OF CAESAR

CHAPTER LIV — OF VAIN SUBTLETIES

CHAPTER LV — OF SMELLS

CHAPTER LVI — OF PRAYERS

CHAPTER LVII — OF AGE

BOOK THE SECOND —

CHAPTER I — OF THE INCONSTANCY OF OUR ACTIONS

CHAPTER II — OF DRUNKENNESS

CHAPTER III — A CUSTOM OF THE ISLE OF CEA

CHAPTER IV — TO-MORROW’S A NEW DAY

CHAPTER V — OF CONSCIENCE

CHAPTER VI — USE MAKES PERFECT

CHAPTER VII — OF RECOMPENSES OF HONOUR

CHAPTER VIII — OF THE AFFECTION OF FATHERS TO THEIR CHILDREN

CHAPTER IX — OF THE ARMS OF THE PARTHIANS

CHAPTER X — OF BOOKS

CHAPTER XI — OF CRUELTY

CHAPTER XII — APOLOGY FOR RAIMOND SEBOND

CHAPTER XIII — OF JUDGING OF THE DEATH OF ANOTHER

CHAPTER XIV — THAT OUR MIND HINDERS ITSELF

CHAPTER XV — THAT OUR DESIRES ARE AUGMENTED BY DIFFICULTY

CHAPTER XVI — OF GLORY

CHAPTER XVII — OF PRESUMPTION

CHAPTER XVIII — OF GIVING THE LIE

CHAPTER XIX — OF LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE

CHAPTER XX — THAT WE TASTE NOTHING PURE

CHAPTER XXI — AGAINST IDLENESS

CHAPTER XXII — OF POSTING

CHAPTER XXIII — OF ILL MEANS EMPLOYED TO A GOOD END

CHAPTER XXIV — OF THE ROMAN GRANDEUR

CHAPTER XXV — NOT TO COUNTERFEIT BEING SICK

CHAPTER XXVI — OF THUMBS

CHAPTER XXVII — COWARDICE THE MOTHER OF CRUELTY

CHAPTER XXVIII — ALL THINGS HAVE THEIR SEASON

CHAPTER XXIX — OF VIRTUE

CHAPTER XXX — OF A MONSTROUS CHILD

CHAPTER XXXI — OF ANGER

CHAPTER XXXII — DEFENCE OF SENECA AND PLUTARCH

CHAPTER XXXIII — THE STORY OF SPURINA

CHAPTER XXXIV — OBSERVATION ON A WAR ACCORDING TO JULIUS CAESAR

CHAPTER XXXV — OF THREE GOOD WOMEN

CHAPTER XXXVI — OF THE MOST EXCELLENT MEN

CHAPTER XXXVII — OF THE RESEMBLANCE OF CHILDREN TO THEIR FATHERS

BOOK THE THIRD —

CHAPTER I — OF PROFIT AND HONESTY

CHAPTER II — OF REPENTANCE

CHAPTER III — OF THREE COMMERCES

CHAPTER IV — OF DIVERSION

CHAPTER V — UPON SOME VERSES OF VIRGIL

CHAPTER VI — OF COACHES

CHAPTER VII — OF THE INCONVENIENCE OF GREATNESS

CHAPTER VIII — OF THE ART OF CONFERENCE

CHAPTER IX — OF VANITY

CHAPTER X — OF MANAGING THE WILL

CHAPTER XI — OF CRIPPLES

CHAPTER XII — OF PHYSIOGNOMY

CHAPTER XIII — OF EXPERIENCE

APOLOGY

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