Michel de Montaigne I’m fond of quoting the French humanist Michel de Montaigne. He died on the 13th September 1592, but his observations are as relevant today as when they were written. At forty-two Montaigne had a medal struck with the words, Que sais-je?, meaning What do I know?. Hes best remembered today for his essays, where he examined what he did or didnt know, accepting that we cant know everything, while questioning everything.