I am reading Montaigne's Essays at the moment, and was struck by the timelessness of certain sentiments. The consolation of philosophy, the desire to remove oneself from lazy acceptance of popular thought into the realm of truth ("a fair, lush plateau from which one may gaze unhindered on all below"--On the Education of Children). Moreover, certain truths are both timeless and timely. In his essay On Presumption, Montaigne quotes the late Chancellor Olivier as saying, "The French are like monkeys which clamber up a tree and there show their arse." Given their recent monarchical behavior in politics, the truth of this sixteenth century statement is more evident than ever.