Song of the soul

Author: Montaigne
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2004-10-01
Features: Renowned as a "treasure trove of thought," the humanist thinker Montaigne, whose essays touch upon major life topics such as education, death, truth, friendship, and love, continues to engage with these issues that remain relevant today. Michel de Montaigne was the most important humanist thinker and essayist after the French Renaissance in the 16th century. His essays were primarily philosophical. These essays pioneered the genre of essayistic literature, rich in knowledge and thought, and are called "the art of living," earning the reputation of a "treasure trove of thought." They hold a pivotal position in French literary history. The Essays of Montaigne, alongside Essays by Bacon and Pascal's Pensées, are hailed as the three great classics of European modern philosophical essays. Montaigne was born on February 28, 1533, in Montaigne Castle in Dordogne and died on September 13, 1592, in Bordeaux. He studied at a minor seminary, mastering Latin and Greek, and later pursued law. From 1554 to 1569, he served as a counselor in the court for 15 years. After resigning, he devoted himself to reading and traveling, jotting down many reflections on his readings and travels. The Essays were first published in two volumes in 1580, followed by a third volume in 1588. A revised definitive edition was published in 1595. Two hundred years after his death, his diary manuscripts from his travels in Italy were discovered and published under the title Travel Journal. The Essays fully express Montaigne's skeptical philosophy, introducing the famous quote, "What do I know?" and believing that "only doubt can judge and determine," thereby refuting the superstitions, prejudices, and sorcery of the time. Montaigne's philosophical essays have influenced many later thinkers, such as Diderot and Nietzsche. His relativism, skepticism, and self-exploration also influenced famous thinkers like Descartes, Pascal, and Rousseau. Montaigne's essays cover major life topics such as education, death, truth, friendship, and love, with education holding a significant place. The issues he concerned himself with remain relevant today, making it easy to view him as a modern figure with whom we can engage in deep discussions. His extensive references to ancient texts make his writing vivid and engaging. His style is described as "like mercury flowing freely, ever-changing and diverse, rejecting the ornate and elaborate writing style popular at the time, opting instead for a straightforward, single-threaded lament and outline to express his thoughts on his individual self, human ways of life, and the real world, gradually drawing readers into a tranquil and clear pond." Diderot once remarked on Montaigne: "He speaks like a philosopher, but converses like a friend." Flaubert once wrote to a friend who was feeling down: "You ask what I read. Read Montaigne—he will calm you." Indeed, in this materialistic and spiritually lacking era, reading Montaigne's essays may help those who seek spiritual independence find their own spiritual home. This book includes essays such as Independent Thought, The Second Kind of Conversation, A Free Mind, Suppressed Fervor, Diminished Honor, Arranged Fate, The Limits of Truth and Lies, and A Decent Death.