xxiii, 883 pages ; 24 cm

Presents the complete essays of the 16th century French aristocrat and Renaissance scholar, the first and most influential example of deliberately personal observation, covering a vast array of topics and merging intellectual speculation with casual anecdote and autobiography

Includes bibliographical references (pages xvi-xviii) and index

To the reader (1580) -- By diverse means we arrive at the same end (1578-80) -- Of sadness (1572-74) -- Our feelings reach out beyond us (1572-74) -- How the soul discharges its passions on false objects when the true are wanting (1572-74) -- Whether the governor of a besieged place should go out to parley (1572-74) -- Parley time is dangerous (1572-74) -- That intention is judge of our actions (1572-74) -- Of idleness (1572-74) -- Of liars (1572-74) -- Of prompt or slow speech (1572-74) -- Of prognostications (1572-74) -- Of constancy (1572-74) -- Ceremony of interviews between kings (1572-74) -- Of the affection of fathers for their children (1578-80) -- Of arms of the Parthians (1578-80)

Of books (1578-80) -- Of cruelty (1578-80) -- Apology for Raymond Sebond (1575-76, 1578-80) : Sebond and his book -- First objection to Sebond : defense -- First objection to Sebond : conclusion -- Second objection to Sebond : the objectors -- Second objection to Sebond : defense -- Counterattack : the vanity of man and of man's knowledge without God -- Man is no better than the animals -- Man's knowledge cannot make him happy -- Man's knowledge cannot make him good -- Man has no knowledge -- Warning to the princess -- Man can have no knowledge -- The Senses are inadequate -- Changing man cannot know changing things -- Changing man cannot know unchanging God -- Conclusion : man is nothing without God

Of judging of the death of others (1572-80) -- How our mind hinders itself (1575-76) -- That our desire is increased by difficulty (1575-76) -- Of glory (1578-80) -- Of presumption (1578-80) -- Of giving the lie (1578-80) -- Of freedom of conscience (1578-80) -- We taste nothing pure (1578-80) -- Against do-nothingness (1578-80) -- Of riding post (1578-80) -- Of evil means employed to a good end (1578-80) -- Of the greatness of Rome (1578-80) -- Not to counterfeit being sick (1578-80) -- Of thumbs (1578-80) -- Cowardice, mother of cruelty (1578-80) -- All things have their season (1578-80) -- Of virtue (1578-80) -- Of a monstrous child (1578-80) -- Of anger (1578-80)

Defense of Seneca and Plutarch (1578-80) -- The Story of Spurina (1578-80) -- Observations on Julius Caesar's methods of making war (1578- 80) -- Of three good women (1578-80) -- Of the most outstanding men (1578- 80) -- Of the resemblance of children to fathers (1579-80)

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