Facts about Michel de Montaigne's Essays

1. 05

   In their final form, Michel de Montaigne's Essays expanded across three books, with the third book added in the 1588 edition published in Paris.

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2. 04

   A censored edition of Michel de Montaigne's Essays was placed on the Catholic Church's Index of Forbidden Books in 1676, decades after his death.

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3. 03

   Montaigne's Essays were written in a self-referential style, with himself as the primary subject, famously declaring that he was the matter of his own book.

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4. 02

   The Essays draw heavily on classical authors, with Montaigne quoting Seneca, Plutarch, and Virgil throughout his reflections on human nature.

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5. 01

   Published in 1580, Michel de Montaigne's Essays popularized the personal essay as a literary form and introduced the French word 'essai' meaning attempt.

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