There are some defeats more triumphant than victories.

—Michel de Montaigne

About Michel de Montaigne

Portrait of Michel de Montaigne

Michel Eyquem, Seigneur de Montaigne (28 February 1533 – 13 September 1592), commonly known as just Michel de Montaigne, was one of the most significant writers of the French Renaissance. He is known for popularising the essay as a literary genre. His work is noted for its merging of casual...

More quotations from Michel de Montaigne

Not being able to govern events, I govern myself.

—Michel de Montaigne

self events control

We take other men's knowledge and opinions upon trust; which is an idle and superficial learning. We must make them our own. We are just like a man who, needing fire, went to a neighbor's house to fetch it, and finding a very good one there, sat down to warm himself without remembering to carry any back home. What good does it do us to have our belly full of meat if it is not digested, if it is not transformed into us, if it does not nourish and support us?

—Michel de Montaigne

learning knowledge curiosity trust fire

I prefer the company of peasants because they have not been educated sufficiently to reason incorrectly.

—Michel de Montaigne

education poverty logic reason peasants

Let us permit nature to have her way. She understands her business better than we do.

—Michel de Montaigne

nature business

Lend yourself to others, but give yourself to yourself.

—Michel de Montaigne

More quotations tagged with “defeat”

Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is momentary.

—Mahatma Gandhi

Exile, for no other motive than ease, would be the last defeat, with no seed of future victory in it.

—Lois McMaster Bujold

Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure.

—George Edward Woodberry

The mountain remains unmoved at seeming defeat by the mist.

—Rabindranath Tagore

movement defeat mountains steadfastness

Intent is not a thought, or an object, or a wish. Intent is what can make a man succeed when his thoughts tell him that he is defeated. It operates in spite of the warrior's indulgence. Intent is what makes him invulnerable. Intent is what sends a shaman through a wall, through space, to infinity.

—Carlos Castaneda

thought infinity intent defeat wish indulgence invulnerability

History

11 Jul 2015 Added