Michael Eyquen de Montaigne

"Oh! what a vile and abject thing is man unless he can erect
himself above humanity." Here is a read more

"Oh! what a vile and abject thing is man unless he can erect
himself above humanity." Here is a bon mot and a useful desire,
but equally absurd. For to make the handful bigger than the
hand, the armful bigger then the arm, and to hope to stride
further than the stretch of our legs, is impossible and
monstrous. . . . He may lift himself if God lend him His hand of
special grace; he may lift himself . . . by means wholly
celestial. It is for our Christian religion, and not for his
Stoic virtue, to pretend to this divine and miraculous
metamorphosis.

To-night, at least, to-night be gay,
Whate'er to-morrow brings.

To-night, at least, to-night be gay,
Whate'er to-morrow brings.

Light may come where all looks darkest,
Hope hath life, when life seems o'er.

Light may come where all looks darkest,
Hope hath life, when life seems o'er.

How many things served us yesterday for articles of faith, which
to-day are fables to us!
[Fr., Combien read more

How many things served us yesterday for articles of faith, which
to-day are fables to us!
[Fr., Combien de choses nous servoient heir d'articles de foy,
qui nous sont fables aujourd'hui!]

Wouldst thou, or thou,
Forego what's now,
For all that hope may say?
No--joy's read more

Wouldst thou, or thou,
Forego what's now,
For all that hope may say?
No--joy's reply,
From every eye,
Is, "Live we while we may."