Michael Eyquen de Montaigne

What's done can't be undone.
[Fr., Ce qui est faicr ne se peult desfaire.]

What's done can't be undone.
[Fr., Ce qui est faicr ne se peult desfaire.]

The bees pillage the flowers here and there but they make honey
of them which is all their own; read more

The bees pillage the flowers here and there but they make honey
of them which is all their own; it is no longer thyme or
marjolaine: so the pieces borrowed from others he will transform
and mix up into a work all his own.
[Fr., Les abeilles pillotent deca dela les fleurs; mais elles en
font aprez le miel, qui est tout leur; ce n'est plus thym, ny
marjolaine: ainsi les pieces empruntees d'aultruy, il les
transformera et confondra pour en faire un ouvrage tout sien.]

Like the watermen who advance forward while they look backward.

Like the watermen who advance forward while they look backward.

The secret counsels of princes are a troublesome burden to such
as have only to execute them.
[Fr., read more

The secret counsels of princes are a troublesome burden to such
as have only to execute them.
[Fr., C'est une importune garde, du secret des princes, a qui
n'en que faire.]

Blest tears of soul-felt penitence!
In whose benign, redeeming flow
Is felt the first, the only sense
read more

Blest tears of soul-felt penitence!
In whose benign, redeeming flow
Is felt the first, the only sense
Of guiltless joy that guilt can know.