“I quote others only in order the better to express myself.”
(Michel de Montaigne)
Montaigne makes it clear that he does not turn to quotations as a shield or as a way to borrow the weight of another’s authority.
Rather, the reflections of great minds become tools through which he can more fully express his own emotions and convictions.
In this light, quoting transforms into an act of self-expression rather than imitation.
It shows how deeply intertwined his personal identity is with the broader human conversation — he selects and adapts the thoughts of others to give fuller voice to his own.
I have often written about this approach: even when the seed of an idea is planted by a word or a thought shared by another, I NEVER anchor my writing to any personal reference or to any specific individual.
My aim is to express the depths of my inner being and to interlace it with the living culture of the world around me.
If ever you sense a personal reflection in my words, it is only because your spirit is resonating with mine.