As concerning marriage, besides that it is a covenant, the entrance into which only is free, but the continuance in it forced and compulsory, having another dependence than that of our own free will, and a bargain commonly contracted to other ends, there almost always happens a thousand intricacies in it to unravel, enough to break the thread and to divert the current of a lively affection: whereas friendship has no manner of business or traffic with aught but itself. Moreover, to say truth, the ordinary talent of women is not such as is sufficient to maintain the conference and communication required to the support of this sacred tie; nor do they appear to be endued with constancy of mind, to sustain the pinch of so hard and durable a knot. And doubtless, if without this, there could be such a free and voluntary familiarity contracted, where not only the souls might have this entire fruition, but the bodies also might share in the alliance, and a man be engaged throughout, the friendship would certainly be more full and perfect; but it is without example that this sex has ever yet arrived at such perfection; and, by the common consent of the ancient schools, it is wholly rejected from it. Michel De Montaigne
About This Quote

Aristotle said, “As concerning marriage, besides that it is a covenant, the entrance into which only is free, but the continuance in it forced and compulsory, having another dependence than that of our own free will, and a bargain commonly contracted to other ends, there almost always happens a thousand intricacies in it to unravel, enough to break the thread and to divert the current of a lively affection: whereas friendship has no manner of business or traffic with aught but itself. Moreover, to say truth, the ordinary talent of women is not such as is sufficient to maintain the conference and communication required to the support of this sacred tie; nor do they appear to be endued with constancy of mind, to sustain the pinch of so hard and durable a knot. And doubtless, if without this, there could be such a free and voluntary familiarity contracted, where not only the souls might have this entire fruition, but the bodies also might share in the alliance, and a man be engaged throughout, the friendship would certainly be more full and perfect; but it is without example that this sex has ever yet arrived at such perfection; and, by the common consent of the ancient schools, it is wholly rejected from it. "

Some Similar Quotes
  1. No black woman writer in this culture can write "too much". Indeed, no woman writer can write "too much"... No woman has ever written enough. - Bell Hooks
  2. When you reduce a woman to writing, she makes you think of a thousand other women - Gustave Flaubert
  3. I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman. - Virginia Woolf
  4. Being a woman is a terribly difficult trade since it consists principally of dealings with men. - Joseph Conrad
  5. There are no good girls gone wrong - just bad girls found out. - Mae West
More Quotes By Michel De Montaigne
  1. If you press me to say why I loved him, I can say no more than because he was he, and I was I.
  2. The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.
  3. I do not care so much what I am to others as I care what I am to myself.
  4. I quote others only in order the better to express myself.
  5. Man is certainly stark mad; he cannot make a worm, and yet he will be making gods by dozens.
Related Topics