In his previous essay, Montaigne attacked the pursuit of glory, and now he’s after vainglory, a pompous, conceited opinion of yourself. He jumps right into it: There is another kind of ‘glory’: the over-high opinion we conceive of our own worth. It is an imprudent affection by which we hold our own self dear, presenting…

I’m attached to this little tribute to my long-time boss, former Virginia Governor Doug Wilder. A few years after writing this, I finally did help him pitch his autobiography to publishers and shape it for the marketplace. Flawed as he is, I still have great affection for this 94 year-old lion. When I was still…

Si qua volet regnare diu, contemnat amantem. If any mistress wants to go on reigning over her lover, then let her scorn him. (Ovid) This essay brings up a lot of thoughts and feelings for me. For one, it’s fascinating to me that he wrote it before meeting Marie de Gournay, because their story aligns…

The best thing this essay has going for it is the title. It’s evocative and highly relatable. Who hasn’t struggled with a tangled mind when faced with difficult decisions or the complexities of life? The title promises insight, maybe even clarity—but Montaigne, true to form, delivers something far more elusive and, ultimately, profound. But most…

I’ve finally reached a point where I have to set a boundary with Montaigne. In this essay, he once again takes on the matter of suicide, and I’ve had enough. The way Montaigne addresses the subject lacks compassion. He views it purely through the privileged lens of people facing illness or who have lived long,…

I will start this somewhat lengthy take of an extremely long Montaigne essay by explaining who Raymond Sebond is. I’m going to steal this directly from the Wikipedia page: Raymond of Sabunde (born Ramon Sibiuda; also known as Sabiende, Sabond, Sabonde, Sebon, Sebond, Sebonde, or Sebeyde; c. 1385[1] – 29 April 1436) was a Catalan…