Q0328
“There is nothing so beautiful and legitimate as to play the man…” — Michel de Montaigne (Essays III.13)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Essays III.13. Theme: humanity.
English
There is nothing so beautiful and legitimate as to play the man well and properly.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Essays III.13 and files it under Renaissance Humanism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Michel de Montaigne
Michel de Montaigne (1533–1592) invented the modern essay as a form of self-study, combining classical learning with skeptical inquiry into custom and certainty.
How to read this passage
Philosophers ask what makes humans distinctive, what we owe one another as humans, and how “humanity” can include or exclude. This passage enters that discussion through humanity, order.
Concepts in this quote
- Humanity
- Humanity names both the species and the moral quality of being humane—bridging anthropology and ethics.
- Order
- Order names cosmos, ritual, law, and the patterned stability that makes shared life possible—or oppressive.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Michel de Montaigne. (n.d.). There is nothing so beautiful and legitimate as to play the man well and properly. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0328
MLA: Michel de Montaigne. “There is nothing so beautiful and legitimate as….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0328.
Chicago: Michel de Montaigne. “There is nothing so beautiful and legitimate as….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0328.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “There is nothing so beautiful and legitimate as…”?
The passage is attributed to Michel de Montaigne, Essays III.13. The archive attributes this English wording to Essays III.13 and files it under Renaissance Humanism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Michel de Montaigne mean by humanity?
Philosophers ask what makes humans distinctive, what we owe one another as humans, and how “humanity” can include or exclude. This passage enters that discussion through humanity, order.