What Do I Know?

Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) was born on his family estate in Aquitaine, not far from Bordeaux. Raised speaking Greek and Latin, he studied law before embarking on a career of public service, first as a counselor of court in Périgueux and Bordeaux, then as a courtier to Charles IX. Following the death of his father, Montaigne retired from public life to the Tower of his château to read and write. He published the first two volumes of his landmark Essays in 1580, with a third following in 1588; the complete Essays appeared posthumously in 1595.

PART ONE
MONTAIGNE ON MONTAIGNE

    1      On Sorrow
    2      On how our Actions are to be judged by the Intention
    3      On Idling
    4      On Liars
    5      That we should not be considered happy until we are dead

PART TWO
ON THE PURSUIT OF REASON

    6      On Fear
    7      To tell true from false, it is folly to rely on our own capacities
    8      How we can cry and laugh at the same thing
    9      On Solitude
    10    On the Uncertainty of our Judgement
    11    On Drunkenness

PART THREE
ON GOVERNANCE AND GOVERNORS

    12    On Cannibals
    13    On the Inequality that exists between us
    14    On Sleep
    15    On our lease of life
    16    On Carriages