Michel Eyquem de Montaigne

Montaigne, Michel Eyquem de (1533–92), French writer, generally regarded as the originator of the personal essay. The first two books of his Essays (1580), written in an informal style, display insatiable intellectual curiosity tempered by skepticism. A third book of essays, which appeared in 1588, includes his last reflections. The essays deal with a range of subjects, most revolving around the nature of human life and the requirements of knowledge and happiness.