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The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations Preface

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domestic business is no less importunate for being less important.<br />

‘Essais’ (1580) bk. 1, ch. 39<br />

Il se faut rèserver une arriére boutique toute nôtre, toute franche, en laquelle nous ètablissons<br />

nôtre vraie libertè et principale retraite et solitude.<br />

A man should keep for himself a little back shop, all his own, quite unadulterated, in which he<br />

establishes his true freedom and chief place <strong>of</strong> seclusion and solitude.<br />

‘Essais’ (1580) bk. 1, ch. 39<br />

La plus grande chose du monde, c’est de savoir être á soi.<br />

<strong>The</strong> greatest thing in the world is to know how to be one’s own.<br />

‘Essais’ (1580) bk. 1, ch. 39<br />

La gloire et le repos sont choses qui ne peuvent loger en même gîte.<br />

Fame and tranquillity can never be bedfellows.<br />

‘Essais’ (1580) bk. 1, ch. 39<br />

Mon mètier et mon art c’est vivre.<br />

Living is my job and my art.<br />

‘Essais’ (1580) bk. 2, ch. 6<br />

La vertu refuse la facilitè pour compagne...Elle demande un chemin âpre et èpineux.<br />

Virtue shuns ease as a companion....It demands a rough and thorny path.<br />

‘Essais’ (1580) bk. 2, ch. 11<br />

Notre religion est faite pour extirper les vices; elle les couvre, les nourrit, les incite.<br />

Our religion is made so as to wipe out vices; it covers them up, nourishes them, incites them.<br />

‘Essais’ (1580) bk. 2, ch. 12<br />

Quand je me joue á ma chatte, qui sait si elle passe son temps de moi plus que je ne fais d’elle?<br />

When I play with my cat, who knows whether she isn’t amusing herself with me more than I<br />

am with her?<br />

‘Essais’ (1580) bk. 2, ch. 12<br />

‘Que sais-je?’<br />

What do I know?<br />

‘Essais’ (1580) bk. 2, ch. 12 (on discussing the position <strong>of</strong> the sceptic)<br />

L’homme est bien insensè. Il ne saurait forger un ciron, et forge des Dieux á douzaines.<br />

Man is quite insane. He wouldn’t know how to create a maggot, and he creates Gods by the<br />

dozen.<br />

‘Essais’ (1580) bk. 2, ch. 12<br />

Ceux qui ont appariè notre vie á un songe, ont eu de la raison, á l’aventure plus qu’ils ne<br />

pensaient...Nous veillons dormants, et veillants dormons.<br />

Those who have likened our life to a dream were more right, by chance, than they realised. We<br />

are awake while sleeping, and waking sleep.<br />

‘Essais’ (1580) bk. 2, ch. 12

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