Montaigne's Essays

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Table of Contents

 * Florio's Preface
 * To the curteous Reader
 * Dedicatory Poems
 * The Author to the Reader

The First Booke

 * Chapter I. By divers Meanes men come unto a like End
 * Chapter II. Of Sadnesse or Sorrowe
 * Chapter III. Our Affections are transported beyond our selves
 * Chapter IV. How the Soule dischargeth her Passions upon false objects, when the true faile it
 * Chapter V. Whether the Captaine of a Place Besieged ought to sallie forth to Parlie
 * Chapter VI. That the Houre of Parlies is dangerous
 * Chapter VII. That our Intention judgeth our Actions
 * Chapter VIII. Of Idlenesse
 * Chapter IX. Of Lyers
 * Chapter X. Of Readie or Slow Speech
 * Chapter XI. Of Prognostications
 * Chapter XII. Of Constancie
 * Chapter XIII. Of Ceremonies in the enterview of Kings
 * Chapter XIV. Men are punished by too-much opiniating themselves in a place without reason
 * Chapter XV. Of the punishment of Cowardise
 * Chapter XVI. A tricke of certaine Ambassadors
 * Chapter XVII. Of Feare
 * Chapter XVIII. That we should not judge of our Happinesse untill after our Death
 * Chapter XIX. That to Philosophise is to learn how to die
 * Chapter XX. On the force of Imagination
 * Chapter XXI. The profit of one man is the dammage of another
 * Chapter XXII. Of customs, and how a received law should not easily be changed
 * Chapter XXIII. Divers events from one selfsame counsell
 * Chapter XXIV. Of Pedantisme
 * Chapter XXV. Of the Institution and Education of Children; to the Ladie Diana of Foix
 * Chapter XXVI. It is follie to referre Truth or Falsehood to our sufficiencie
 * Chapter XXVII. Of Friendship
 * Chapter XXVIII. Nine and twentie Sonnets of Steven de la Boetie, to the Lady of Grammont
 * Chapter XXIX. Of Moderation
 * Chapter XXX. Of the Caniballes
 * Chapter XXXI. That a Man ought soberly to meddle with judging of Divine Lawes
 * Chapter XXXII. To avoid Voluptuousnesse in regard of Life
 * Chapter XXXIII. That Fortune is oftentimes met withall in pursuit of Reason
 * Chapter XXXIV. Of a Defect in our Policies
 * Chapter XXXV. Of the Use of Apparell
 * Chapter XXXVI. Of Cato the younger
 * Chapter XXXVII. How we weepe and laugh at one selfe-same thing
 * Chapter XXXVIII. Of Solitarinesse
 * Chapter XXXIX. A consideration upon Cicero
 * Chapter XL. That the taste of Goods or Evils doth greatly depend on the opinion we have of them
 * Chapter XLI. That a Man should not communicate his Glorie
 * Chapter XLII. Of the Inequalitie that is betweene us
 * Chapter XLIII. Of Sumptuarie Lawes, or Lawes for moderating of Expenses
 * Chapter XLIV. Of Sleeping
 * Chapter XLV. Of the Battell of Dreux
 * Chapter XLVI. Of Names
 * Chapter XLVII. Of the uncertaintie of our Judgement
 * Chapter XLVIII. Of Steeds, called in French Destriers
 * Chapter XLIX. Of ancient Customes
 * Chapter L. Of Democritus and Heraclitus
 * Chapter LI. Of the Vanitie of Words
 * Chapter LII. Of the Parcimonie of our Forefathers
 * Chapter LIII. Of a saying of Cæsar
 * Chapter LIV. Of vaine Subtlities, or subtill Devices
 * Chapter LV. Of Smels and Odors
 * Chapter LVI. Of Praiers and Orisons
 * Chapter LVII. Of Age

The Second Booke

 * Florio's Preface
 * Chapter I. Of the inconstancie of our Actions
 * Chapter II. Of Drunkennesse
 * Chapter III. A Custome of the Ile of Cea
 * Chapter IV. To-morrow is a New Day
 * Chapter V. Of Conscience
 * Chapter VI. Of Exercise or Practice
 * Chapter VII. Of the Recompenses or Rewards of Honour
 * Chapter VIII. Of the Affections of Fathers to their Children: To the Lady of Estissac
 * Chapter IX. Of the Parthians Armes
 * Chapter X. Of Bookes
 * Chapter XI. Of Crueltie
 * Chapter XII. An Apologie of Raymond Sebond
 * Chapter XIII. Of Judging of others' Death
 * Chapter XIV. How that our Spirit hindereth itself
 * Chapter XV. That our Desires are encreased by Difficultie
 * Chapter XVI. Of Glory
 * Chapter XVII. Of Presumption
 * Chapter XVIII. Of giving the Lie
 * Chapter XIX. Of the Liberty of Conscience
 * Chapter XX. We taste nothing purely
 * Chapter XXI. Against Idlenesse, or doing Nothing
 * Chapter XXII. Of Running Posts, or Couriers
 * Chapter XXIII. Of Bad Meanes emploied to a Good End
 * Chapter XXIV. Of the Roman Greatnesse
 * Chapter XXV. How a Man should not Counterfeit to be Sicke
 * Chapter XXVI. Of Thumbs
 * Chapter XXVII. Cowardize the Mother of Cruelty
 * Chapter XXVIII. All Things have their Season
 * Chapter XXIX. Of Vertue
 * Chapter XXX. Of a Monstrous Child
 * Chapter XXXI. Of Anger and Choler
 * Chapter XXXII. A Defence of Seneca and Plutarke
 * Chapter XXXIII. The Historie of Spurina
 * Chapter XXXIV. Observations concerning the meanes to warre after the maner of Julius Cæsar
 * Chapter XXXV. Of Three Good Women
 * Chapter XXXVI. Of the Worthiest and Most Excellent Men
 * Chapter XXXVII. Of the Resemblance betweene Children and Fathers

The Third Booke
}} Essais
 * Florio's Preface
 * Chapter I. Of Profit and Honesty
 * Chapter II. Of Repenting
 * Chapter III. Of Three Commerces or Societies
 * Chapter IV. Of Diverting and Diversions
 * Chapter V. Upon some Verses of Virgil
 * Chapter VI. Of Coaches
 * Chapter VII. Of the Incommoditie of Greatnesse
 * Chapter VIII. Of the Art of Conferring
 * Chapter IX. Of Vanitie
 * Chapter X. How one ought to governe his Will
 * Chapter XI. Of the Lame or Crippel
 * Chapter XII. Of Phisiognomy
 * Chapter XIII. Of Experience