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De la vanité
"La corruption du siècle se fait par la contribution particulière de chacun de nous : les uns y confèrent la trahison, les autres l'injustice, l'irréligion, la tyrannie, l'avarice, la cruauté, selon qu'ils sont plus puissants ; les plus faibles y apportent la sottise, la vanité, l'oisiveté, desquels je suis. Il semble que ce soit la saison des choses vaines quand les dommageables nous pressent. En un temps où le méchamment faire est si commun, de ne faire qu'inutilement il est comme louable." Avec une grande liberté d'écriture, Montaigne nous offre quelques pages pleines de malice et de sagesse pour nous aider à conduire notre vie.
- GenresPhilosophy
128 pages, Pocket Book
First published January 15, 1992
1 person is currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Michel de Montaigne
1,566 books1,554 followersMichel Eyquem de Montaigne (1532-1592) was one of the most influential writers of the French Renaissance. Montaigne is known for popularizing the essay as a literary genre. He became famous for his effortless ability to merge serious intellectual speculation with casual anecdotes and autobiography—and his massive volume Essais (translated literally as "Attempts") contains, to this day, some of the most widely influential essays ever written. Montaigne had a direct influence on writers the world over, from William Shakespeare to René Descartes, from Ralph Waldo Emerson to Stephan Zweig, from Friedrich Nietzsche to Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He was a conservative and earnest Catholic but, as a result of his anti-dogmatic cast of mind, he is considered the father, alongside his contemporary and intimate friend Étienne de La Boétie, of the "anti-conformist" tradition in French literature.
In his own time, Montaigne was admired more as a statesman then as an author. The tendency in his essays to digress into anecdotes and personal ruminations was seen as detrimental to proper style rather than as an innovation, and his declaration that, "I am myself the matter of my book", was viewed by his contemporaries as self-indulgent. In time, however, Montaigne would be recognized as embodying, perhaps better than any other author of his time, the spirit of freely entertaining doubt which began to emerge at that time. He is most famously known for his skeptical remark, "Que sais-je?" ("What do I know?").
Remarkably modern even to readers today, Montaigne's attempt to examine the world through the lens of the only thing he can depend on implicitly—his own judgment—makes him more accessible to modern readers than any other author of the Renaissance. Much of modern literary nonfiction has found inspiration in Montaigne, and writers of all kinds continue to read him for his masterful balance of intellectual knowledge and personal storytelling.
In his own time, Montaigne was admired more as a statesman then as an author. The tendency in his essays to digress into anecdotes and personal ruminations was seen as detrimental to proper style rather than as an innovation, and his declaration that, "I am myself the matter of my book", was viewed by his contemporaries as self-indulgent. In time, however, Montaigne would be recognized as embodying, perhaps better than any other author of his time, the spirit of freely entertaining doubt which began to emerge at that time. He is most famously known for his skeptical remark, "Que sais-je?" ("What do I know?").
Remarkably modern even to readers today, Montaigne's attempt to examine the world through the lens of the only thing he can depend on implicitly—his own judgment—makes him more accessible to modern readers than any other author of the Renaissance. Much of modern literary nonfiction has found inspiration in Montaigne, and writers of all kinds continue to read him for his masterful balance of intellectual knowledge and personal storytelling.
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June 15, 2025
On Vanity aka De la Vanite by Michel de Montaigne, his essays have been included on The 100 Greatest Books of All Time, I have a few notes on some of these brilliant thoughts at https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... and other reviews
10 out of 10
The essays of Michel de Montaigne are so wonderful helpful, substantive, meaningful that my plan is to continue reading them for the foreseeable future, in small installments, a few pages this morning, some more on Monday, next week, so tat the pleasure lasts and the wisdom has time to sink in, Insha’Allah, with patience
One major advantage is that they make us think, as opposed to some other oeuvres that fail to stimulate the under signed -one recent example is The Transit of Venus https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... one of the important works…
Actually, one of the 1,000 Novels Everyone Must Read, but which failed to keep me on track, never mind to think seriously, now, Montaigne is another story altogether, earlier I was thinking that there are some paradoxes though, and his quoting of Seneca, other luminaries from ancient days could puzzle a modern reader
Take Vanity, there could be a fine line between being pompous, arrogant and vain, and too modest, indeed, I am struggling with some of those concepts and the encouragement one gets from one side to be happy with what you have, and the urge to seek for more from another book, or source of Sagesse, allegedly
The epitome of vanity is Orange Jesus, betting houses have him with two chances in one of winning next week’s election, which may be the Armageddon, though let us not be realistic, let us settle for just being Panglossian https://realini.blogspot.com/2014/12/... stating that it will all be fine
We have the definition of paradigm in a superb Booker Prize Winner, in which the protagonist, Vernon God Little, is an adolescent and he has to hear this: imagine you enter a room, and a stranger has his finger up your grannie’s ass, what do you think, and the answer is I want to kill the bastard, but then there is a twist
You see that this unknown man overcame his nausea to save your dear relative, what about now, well, he is my hero and then this is a paradigm shift for you https://realini.blogspot.com/2014/12/... the fantastic work, especially in the first part, was written by DBC Pierre and it is a favorite of mine
Then we have the precepts of stoicism and what modern self-help books teach us, also psychology, the positive kind in particular, what do we do, do we show pride, have hope, or just stay modest, humble, and accept whatever the fate offers, ‘wish for what you already have is essential for Stoics and Buddhists alike
The answer is in Aristotle https://realini.blogspot.com/2014/07/... on The Golden Mean, virtue is in the middle, on either side we have vice, say munificence – it is not giving away all you have, so that family and all are left paupers, neither being a miser, like me, would be the answer
Now, I was reading earlier from Karen Armstrong, the ultimate expert on religion, and she was explain how yoga would be approached, it is not the physical feast – by the way, look at what I can do here http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... and tell me if you have any idea
Maybe we can make a million bucks with this, and we find a way to share, if you are an agent, know somebody, have the plan for what can be done, it is an invention of mine, at least third of it, the lotus and the head posture are from Yoga, but then I added my own contribution, so what about selling an ad, or more…
I eat this, drink that other, use a service and then boom, I am able to do magic, which is the exercise at the link, however, I have tried to get a reaction and had zero, so why am I wasting my time here, well, because at this very moment, they may know about the future at the company, which is in dire straits now
My senior partner, who has 70% to my 14%, is meeting a fellow who handles investments, maybe intermediary for buying, and we will see, the products we import from Germany are not selling well (or at all) any more, so there needs to be a way out, or else, no more writing for you, but just some work at the mall
And in the meantime, I am trying to sell that invention, without any effect – 50 Cent was at the sauna downtown, all dressed, shoes in his feet, and I was thinking I should do this think at the link, so that the singer would see me and maybe take me on his team, and pay good dollars for it, except my buddy stopped me
Anyway, one week later, there is Christ Hemsworth, at the same gym, in the center, coincidence, and then there is only this place with facilities, and I do my trick, gig, next to the treadmill, he sees it, but no invitation, like ‘I know somebody man, and I will tell him about you, you will be on stage, or something’ nothing of the kind
It looks like I did not concentrate much on Vanity, just because I am vain, and concerned with the menacing situation, gas expensive, German things unaffordable and what will we do, some answer maybe in store just about now, at 2pm, today, but I will return to Montaigne, the plan is to read and comment on him, for months to come
Now for my standard closing of the note with a question, and invitation – maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the befits from it, other than the exercise per se
There is also the small matter of working for AT&T – this huge company asked me to be its Representative for Romania and Bulgaria, on the Calling Card side, which meant sailing into the Black Sea wo meet the US Navy ships, travelling to Sofia, a lot of activity, using my mother’s two bedrooms flat as office and warehouse, all for the grand total of $250, raised after a lot of persuasion to the staggering $400…with retirement ahead, there are no benefits, nothing…it is a longer story, but if you can help get the mastodont to pay some dues, or have an idea how it can happen, let me know
As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...
Some favorite quotes from To The Hermitage and other works
‘Fiction is infinitely preferable to real life...As long as you avoid the books of Kafka or Beckett, the everlasting plot of fiction has fewer futile experiences than the careless plot of reality...Fiction's people are fuller, deeper, cleverer, more moving than those in real life…Its actions are more intricate, illuminating, noble, profound…There are many more dramas, climaxes, romantic fulfillment, twists, turns, gratified resolutions…Unlike reality, all of this you can experience without leaving the house or even getting out of bed…What's more, books are a form of intelligent human greatness, as stories are a higher order of sense…As random life is to destiny, so stories are to great authors, who provided us with some of the highest pleasures and the most wonderful mystifications we can find…Few stories are greater than Anna Karenina, that wise epic by an often foolish author…’
‚Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus’
“From Monty Python - The Meaning of Life...Well, it's nothing very special...Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.”
10 out of 10
The essays of Michel de Montaigne are so wonderful helpful, substantive, meaningful that my plan is to continue reading them for the foreseeable future, in small installments, a few pages this morning, some more on Monday, next week, so tat the pleasure lasts and the wisdom has time to sink in, Insha’Allah, with patience
One major advantage is that they make us think, as opposed to some other oeuvres that fail to stimulate the under signed -one recent example is The Transit of Venus https://realinibarzoi.blogspot.com/20... one of the important works…
Actually, one of the 1,000 Novels Everyone Must Read, but which failed to keep me on track, never mind to think seriously, now, Montaigne is another story altogether, earlier I was thinking that there are some paradoxes though, and his quoting of Seneca, other luminaries from ancient days could puzzle a modern reader
Take Vanity, there could be a fine line between being pompous, arrogant and vain, and too modest, indeed, I am struggling with some of those concepts and the encouragement one gets from one side to be happy with what you have, and the urge to seek for more from another book, or source of Sagesse, allegedly
The epitome of vanity is Orange Jesus, betting houses have him with two chances in one of winning next week’s election, which may be the Armageddon, though let us not be realistic, let us settle for just being Panglossian https://realini.blogspot.com/2014/12/... stating that it will all be fine
We have the definition of paradigm in a superb Booker Prize Winner, in which the protagonist, Vernon God Little, is an adolescent and he has to hear this: imagine you enter a room, and a stranger has his finger up your grannie’s ass, what do you think, and the answer is I want to kill the bastard, but then there is a twist
You see that this unknown man overcame his nausea to save your dear relative, what about now, well, he is my hero and then this is a paradigm shift for you https://realini.blogspot.com/2014/12/... the fantastic work, especially in the first part, was written by DBC Pierre and it is a favorite of mine
Then we have the precepts of stoicism and what modern self-help books teach us, also psychology, the positive kind in particular, what do we do, do we show pride, have hope, or just stay modest, humble, and accept whatever the fate offers, ‘wish for what you already have is essential for Stoics and Buddhists alike
The answer is in Aristotle https://realini.blogspot.com/2014/07/... on The Golden Mean, virtue is in the middle, on either side we have vice, say munificence – it is not giving away all you have, so that family and all are left paupers, neither being a miser, like me, would be the answer
Now, I was reading earlier from Karen Armstrong, the ultimate expert on religion, and she was explain how yoga would be approached, it is not the physical feast – by the way, look at what I can do here http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... and tell me if you have any idea
Maybe we can make a million bucks with this, and we find a way to share, if you are an agent, know somebody, have the plan for what can be done, it is an invention of mine, at least third of it, the lotus and the head posture are from Yoga, but then I added my own contribution, so what about selling an ad, or more…
I eat this, drink that other, use a service and then boom, I am able to do magic, which is the exercise at the link, however, I have tried to get a reaction and had zero, so why am I wasting my time here, well, because at this very moment, they may know about the future at the company, which is in dire straits now
My senior partner, who has 70% to my 14%, is meeting a fellow who handles investments, maybe intermediary for buying, and we will see, the products we import from Germany are not selling well (or at all) any more, so there needs to be a way out, or else, no more writing for you, but just some work at the mall
And in the meantime, I am trying to sell that invention, without any effect – 50 Cent was at the sauna downtown, all dressed, shoes in his feet, and I was thinking I should do this think at the link, so that the singer would see me and maybe take me on his team, and pay good dollars for it, except my buddy stopped me
Anyway, one week later, there is Christ Hemsworth, at the same gym, in the center, coincidence, and then there is only this place with facilities, and I do my trick, gig, next to the treadmill, he sees it, but no invitation, like ‘I know somebody man, and I will tell him about you, you will be on stage, or something’ nothing of the kind
It looks like I did not concentrate much on Vanity, just because I am vain, and concerned with the menacing situation, gas expensive, German things unaffordable and what will we do, some answer maybe in store just about now, at 2pm, today, but I will return to Montaigne, the plan is to read and comment on him, for months to come
Now for my standard closing of the note with a question, and invitation – maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the befits from it, other than the exercise per se
There is also the small matter of working for AT&T – this huge company asked me to be its Representative for Romania and Bulgaria, on the Calling Card side, which meant sailing into the Black Sea wo meet the US Navy ships, travelling to Sofia, a lot of activity, using my mother’s two bedrooms flat as office and warehouse, all for the grand total of $250, raised after a lot of persuasion to the staggering $400…with retirement ahead, there are no benefits, nothing…it is a longer story, but if you can help get the mastodont to pay some dues, or have an idea how it can happen, let me know
As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...
Some favorite quotes from To The Hermitage and other works
‘Fiction is infinitely preferable to real life...As long as you avoid the books of Kafka or Beckett, the everlasting plot of fiction has fewer futile experiences than the careless plot of reality...Fiction's people are fuller, deeper, cleverer, more moving than those in real life…Its actions are more intricate, illuminating, noble, profound…There are many more dramas, climaxes, romantic fulfillment, twists, turns, gratified resolutions…Unlike reality, all of this you can experience without leaving the house or even getting out of bed…What's more, books are a form of intelligent human greatness, as stories are a higher order of sense…As random life is to destiny, so stories are to great authors, who provided us with some of the highest pleasures and the most wonderful mystifications we can find…Few stories are greater than Anna Karenina, that wise epic by an often foolish author…’
‚Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus’
“From Monty Python - The Meaning of Life...Well, it's nothing very special...Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.”
April 30, 2007
DE LA VANIDAD
En cuanto a mí, tengo esta otra costumbre peor: si tengo un escarpín torcido, lo dejo más torcido aún, y mi camisa y mi capa con él; desdeño enmendarme a medias. Cuando estoy de
mal talante, me encarnizo en el mal; me abandono por desesperación y me dejo ir hacia el abismo; echo, como se dice, el mango tras el hacha; me obstino en empeorar y ya no me considero digno de mi cuidado: o todo bien o
todo mal. Va en mi favor el hecho de que a la desolación de este Estado se une la desolación de mi edad: soporto de mejor gana que se recarguen así mis males, y no que mis bienes vengan a turbarse. Las palabras que expreso en la desgracia
son palabras de despecho; mi coraje se eriza en lugar de aplastarse. Y, al revés que los demás, me encuentro más devoto en la buena que en la mala fortuna, siguiendo el precepto de Jenofonte, aunque no su razón; y alzo más gustoso los tiernos
ojos al cielo para agradecerle que para pedirle. Me esmero más en aumentar la salud cuando ella me sonríe, que en recuperarla cuando la he perdido. (Montaigne)
En cuanto a mí, tengo esta otra costumbre peor: si tengo un escarpín torcido, lo dejo más torcido aún, y mi camisa y mi capa con él; desdeño enmendarme a medias. Cuando estoy de
mal talante, me encarnizo en el mal; me abandono por desesperación y me dejo ir hacia el abismo; echo, como se dice, el mango tras el hacha; me obstino en empeorar y ya no me considero digno de mi cuidado: o todo bien o
todo mal. Va en mi favor el hecho de que a la desolación de este Estado se une la desolación de mi edad: soporto de mejor gana que se recarguen así mis males, y no que mis bienes vengan a turbarse. Las palabras que expreso en la desgracia
son palabras de despecho; mi coraje se eriza en lugar de aplastarse. Y, al revés que los demás, me encuentro más devoto en la buena que en la mala fortuna, siguiendo el precepto de Jenofonte, aunque no su razón; y alzo más gustoso los tiernos
ojos al cielo para agradecerle que para pedirle. Me esmero más en aumentar la salud cuando ella me sonríe, que en recuperarla cuando la he perdido. (Montaigne)
June 8, 2016
"A Verdadeira Amizade
Na verdadeira amizade, em que sou experimentado, dou-me mais ao meu amigo que o puxo para mim. Não só prefiro fazer-lhe bem a que ele mo faça mas ainda que ele o faça a si próprio a que mo faça; faz-me ele, então, o maior bem possível quando a si o faz. E se a sua ausência lhe for quer prazenteira quer útil, torna-se-me ela bem mais agradável que a sua presença; e de resto não é propriamente ausência se há meios de comunicarmos um com o outro. Tirei outrora partido e proveito do nosso afastamento. Em nos separando, melhor e mais amplamente entrávamos em posse da vida: ele vivia, fruía e via para mim, e eu para ele, mais plenamente que se ele estivesse presente. Uma parte de cada um de nós permanecia desocupada quando estávamos juntos: fundíamo-nos num só. A separação espacial tornava mais rica a união das nossas vontades. A insaciável fome da presença física denuncia uma certa fraqueza na fruição mútua das almas".
Na verdadeira amizade, em que sou experimentado, dou-me mais ao meu amigo que o puxo para mim. Não só prefiro fazer-lhe bem a que ele mo faça mas ainda que ele o faça a si próprio a que mo faça; faz-me ele, então, o maior bem possível quando a si o faz. E se a sua ausência lhe for quer prazenteira quer útil, torna-se-me ela bem mais agradável que a sua presença; e de resto não é propriamente ausência se há meios de comunicarmos um com o outro. Tirei outrora partido e proveito do nosso afastamento. Em nos separando, melhor e mais amplamente entrávamos em posse da vida: ele vivia, fruía e via para mim, e eu para ele, mais plenamente que se ele estivesse presente. Uma parte de cada um de nós permanecia desocupada quando estávamos juntos: fundíamo-nos num só. A separação espacial tornava mais rica a união das nossas vontades. A insaciável fome da presença física denuncia uma certa fraqueza na fruição mútua das almas".
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