109
Montaigne experienced the results
of mindless mob violence during the
French Wars of Religion (1562–98),
including the atrocities of the St.
Bartholomew Day Massacre of 1572.See also: Aristotle 56–63 ■ Niccolò Machiavelli 102–07 ■
Friedrich Nietzsche 214–21
RENAISSANCE AND THE AGE OF REASON
says of those who present glory as a
desirable goal that they “only have
their arms and legs out of the
crowd; their souls, their wills, are
more engaged with it than ever.”
Montaigne is not concerned
with whether or not we achieve
glory. His point is that we should
shake off the desire for glory in the
eyes of other people—that we
should not always think of other
people’s approval and admiration
as being valuable. He goes on to
recommend that instead of looking
for the approbation of those around
us, we should imagine that some
truly great and noble being is
constantly with us, able to observe
our most private thoughts, a being
in whose presence even the mad
would hide their failings. By doing
this, we will learn to think clearly
and objectively and behave in a
more thoughtful and rational
manner. Montaigne claims that
caring too much about the opinion
of those around us will corrupt us,
either because we end up imitating
those who are evil, or become so
consumed by hatred for them that
we lose our reason.Glory’s pitfalls
Montaigne returns to his attack
on the pursuit of glory in his later
writings, pointing out that the
acquisition of glory is often so
much a matter of mere chance
that it makes little sense to hold it
in such reverence. “Many times I’ve
seen [fortune] stepping out ahead
of merit, and often a long way
ahead,” he writes. He also points
out that encouraging statesmen
and political leaders to value glory
above all things, as Machiavelli
does, merely teaches them never
to attempt any endeavor unless
an approving audience is on hand,
ready and eager to bear witness to
the remarkable nature of their
powers and achievements. ■Contagion is very
dangerous in crowds. You
must either imitate the
vicious or hate them.
Michel de MontaigneMichel de Montaigne
Michel Eyquem de Montaigne
was born and brought up in
his wealthy family’s chateau
near Bordeaux. However, he
was sent to live with a poor
peasant family until the age
of three, so that he would be
familiar with the life led by
the ordinary workers. He
received all his education at
home, and was allowed to
speak only Latin until the age
of six. French was effectively
his second language.
From 1557, Montaigne
spent 13 years as a member
of his local parliament, but
resigned in 1571, on inheriting
the family estates.
Montaigne published his
first volume of Essays in 1580,
going on to write two more
volumes before his death in- In 1580, he also set out
on an extensive tour of Europe,
partly to seek a cure for kidney
stones. He returned to politics
in 1581, when he was elected
Mayor of Bordeaux, an office
he held until 1585.
Key works1569 In Defence of
Raymond Sebond
1580–1581 Travel Journal
1580, 1588, 1595 Essays
(3 volumes)