MONTAIGNE

Am sure my followers weary of hearing about my study of Montaigne's essays, but, for me, it's a big deal that needs to be written about.....cuz, this is the story of my life.  Day by day.  

Sad part is there's no children or grandchildren who will want to read about my life.  Actually, don't know anyone who would undertake to read all the books that are already in print with my name as the author.  My mind fears the thought of them being auctioned off of a hay rack for a few cents.  But, that's life, we have very little control over anything, really.  What happens after me is really not a personal worry, nor should it be.   

Anyone who hears a voice urging them to write down life events, or even the day-to-day hum-drum, blogging is the easiest way.  Every year I alert a company in NY to publish one edition of that year's postings.  Tis that simple.  Price is very reasonable, plus they toss out discounts every once in awhile.  

Back to the essays.......finished reading book #1 and have pages upon pages of handwritten quotations that I intend to type up into my Blogger format for publication.  Did that after finishing the two large volumes of Thoreau's journals.  In that instance, I merely separated the philosophical stuff from the botanical and kept the philosophical.  

The words of Montaigne have stretched my mind and planted fresh paths of thinking.  Unbelievable how a few words can jolt the brain and instantly one can understand why some thing is the way it is, or why some one is the way he/she is.  

So, who was this guy Montaigne?  Born in France in 1533, died in 1592.  By today's standards, 59 is quite young for a life's end.  His essays formed a new literary form.  He chose to write about himself as a way to write about man and the human condition at that particular time in history.  His grandfather and father established the family in the administrative nobility of France.

He was home tutored, exclusive use of Latin, which was the international language of educated people.  He learned French when he was six.  Montaigne continued his education first at the College of  Guyenne and eventually at the University of Toulouse, where he studied law. 

Following the death of an intensely close friend, is when he began his writing, to fill the empty void left by the irreplaceable friend.

Michel Montaigne statue
at the Louvre

He later married, not for love as much as duty.  Had six daughters, five of whom died in infancy.  One daughter survived him.  One finds it challenging to imagine these famous philosophers as real people, but they were.  They were born with curious minds about this unexplainable adventure called life.  Am personally grateful for what they left behind for we, of another time, who were born with curious minds.  

Doing a study like this is made easier with the use of the internet language translators.  Whether Latin or French, it's simple to translate these ancient words into English.  Ahhhhh, the luxury of today.

So, it's on to book #2.  Both books together total 1,529 pages plus a handbook.