Introduction

Michel de Montaigne is discussed in a section of the Introduction to this anthology, and little need be added here.

He was born in 1533, in a family mansion near Bordeaux, France. His father had him educated at home, where he spoke only Latin until he was six, learning French thereafter. His family was noble and well connected. For thirteen years, from 1557 on, Montaigne served in the local parliament. He married in 1565 and a few years later, on the death of his father, became the owner of an ample estate. With leisure at his command, Montaigne left politics and devoted himself to writing, completing the first edition of his Essais for publication in 1580. After extensive travels he returned to become the mayor of Bordeaux, in reluctant but dutiful obedience to the king. Although Montaigne spent four years in office, he continued to work on his book, adding new essays and revising – without omitting what was already written – the earlier ones. An enlarged edition was published in 1588, but Montaigne continued revising until his death, in 1592. In good editions of Montaigne's works, the writings from the different periods are marked accordingly, with “A” indicating the earliest material, “B” the additions made in the 1588 version, and “C” the insertions made during Montaigne's last years.

The Essais are anything but systematic philosophy, and moral concerns are not their sole focus.