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Essays

Michel de Montaigne

Charles Cotton (1685)

A collection of personal essays by Michel de Montaigne, first published in French in 1580 and expanded until his death in 1592. Montaigne invented the essay as a literary form — the word itself means "attempts" or "tries" — as a way to test his own thinking on everything from cruelty and education to friendship and the fear of death. The work is widely regarded as the birth of modern introspective prose.

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Contents

1. Book the First
   1. Chapter I
   2. Chapter II
   3. Chapter III
   4. Chapter IV
   5. Chapter V
   6. Chapter VI
   7. Chapter VII
   8. Chapter VIII
   9. Chapter IX
   10. Chapter X
   11. Chapter XI
   12. Chapter XII
   13. Chapter XIII
   14. Chapter XIV
   15. Chapter XV
   16. Chapter XVI
   17. Chapter XVII
   18. Chapter XVIII
   19. Chapter XIX
   20. Chapter XX
   21. Chapter XXI
   22. Chapter XXII
   23. Chapter XXIII
   24. Chapter XXIV
   25. Chapter XXV
   26. Chapter XXVI
   27. Chapter XXVII
   28. Chapter XXVIII
   29. Chapter XXIX
   30. Chapter XXX
   31. Chapter XXXI
   32. Chapter XXXII
   33. Chapter XXXIII
   34. Chapter XXXIV
   35. Chapter XXXV
   36. Chapter XXXVI
   37. Chapter XXXVII
   38. Chapter XXXVIII
   39. Chapter XXXIX
   40. Chapter XL
   41. Chapter XLI
   42. Chapter XLII
   43. Chapter XLIII
   44. Chapter XLIV
   45. Chapter XLV
   46. Chapter XLVI
   47. Chapter XLVII
   48. Chapter XLVIII
   49. Chapter XLIX
   50. Chapter L
   51. Chapter LI
   52. Chapter LII
   53. Chapter LIII
   54. Chapter LIV
   55. Chapter LV
   56. Chapter LVI
   57. Chapter LVII
2. Book the Second
   1. Chapter I
   2. Chapter II
   3. Chapter III
   4. Chapter IV
   5. Chapter V
   6. Chapter VI
   7. Chapter VII
   8. Chapter VIII
   9. Chapter IX
   10. Chapter X
   11. Chapter XI
   12. Chapter XII
   13. Chapter XIII
   14. Chapter XIV
   15. Chapter XV
   16. Chapter XVI
   17. Chapter XVII
   18. Chapter XVIII
   19. Chapter XIX
   20. Chapter XX
   21. Chapter XXI
   22. Chapter XXII
   23. Chapter XXIII
   24. Chapter XXIV
   25. Chapter XXV
   26. Chapter XXVI
   27. Chapter XXVII
   28. Chapter XXVIII
   29. Chapter XXIX
   30. Chapter XXX
   31. Chapter XXXI
   32. Chapter XXXII
   33. Chapter XXXIII
   34. Chapter XXXIV
   35. Chapter XXXV
   36. Chapter XXXVI
   37. Chapter XXXVII
3. Book the Third
   1. Chapter I
   2. Chapter II
   3. Chapter III
   4. Chapter IV
   5. Chapter V
   6. Chapter VI
   7. Chapter VII
   8. Chapter VIII
   9. Chapter IX
   10. Chapter X
   11. Chapter XI
   12. Chapter XII
   13. Chapter XIII