The Essays of Montaigne: Book I, Chapters 1–12

What it's about

The opening essays of Book I: on sorrow, idleness, liars, quick and slow speech, prognostications and constancy, among others. Montaigne begins with short pieces built from examples and quotations, already turning them toward himself. Cotton's 1685 translation, edited by W. C. Hazlitt.

Who it's for

- Readers who want to meet Montaigne one essay at a time - Anyone interested in how the personal essay began - Readers who enjoy candid, wandering thought on how to live

What’s inside

1. 1

   THAT MEN BY VARIOUS WAYS ARRIVE AT THE SAME END.

   8 min
2. 2

   OF SORROW

   6 min
3. 3

   THAT OUR AFFECTIONS CARRY THEMSELVES BEYOND US.

   14 min
4. 4

   THAT THE SOUL EXPENDS ITS PASSIONS UPON FALSE OBJECTS, WHERE THE TRUE ARE WANTING

   4 min
5. 5

   WHETHER THE GOVERNOR OF A PLACE BESIEGED OUGHT HIMSELF TO GO OUT TO PARLEY

   5 min
6. 6

   THAT THE HOUR OF PARLEY DANGEROUS

   4 min
7. 7

   THAT THE INTENTION IS JUDGE OF OUR ACTIONS

   3 min
8. 8

   OF IDLENESS

   2 min
9. 9

   OF LIARS

   11 min
10. 10

    OF QUICK OR SLOW SPEECH

    4 min
11. 11

    OF PROGNOSTICATIONS

    7 min
12. 12

    OF CONSTANCY

    5 min

What readers say

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Summary

The Wisdom of InsecurityAlan WattsSummary12 min