Chapter 10
Quick or Slow Speech
OF QUICK OR SLOW SPEECH “Onc ne furent a touts toutes graces donnees.” [“All graces were never yet given to any one man.”--A verse in one of La Brebis’ Sonnets.] So we see in the gift of eloquence, wherein some have such a facility and promptness, and that which we call a present wit so easy, that they are ever ready upon all occasions, and never to be surprised; and others more heavy and slow, never venture to utter anything but what they have long premeditated, and taken great care and pains to fit and prepare. Now, as we teach…
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Key Quotes & Analysis
"All graces were never yet given to any one man."
Context: Opening epigraph
No speaker has every gift.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne opens with a line that no man was ever given every grace at once. Some people think fast, others prepare deep, and both are real strengths. Stop treating your slower or quicker tongue as a moral failure; it is a design choice you can match to work.
"the slow speaker, methinks, should be more proper for the pulpit, and the other for the bar: and that because the employment of the first does naturally allow him all the leisure he can desire to prepare himself, and besides, his career is performed in an even and unintermitted line, without stop or interruption; whereas the pleader’s business and interest compels him to enter the lists upon all occasions, and the unexpected objections and replies of his adverse party jostle him out of his course, and put him, upon the instant, to pump for new and extempore answers and defences."
Context: Matching style to profession
Setting should fit tempo.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne thinks slow speakers suit the pulpit where sermons can be prepared, while quick speakers suit the bar where objections arrive without warning. Put people where their rhythm helps. If you need improvisation, do not hand the mic to someone who only thrives with a script.
"the fine speech he had prepared was of no use, and he was upon the instant to contrive another; which finding himself unable to do, Cardinal du Bellay was constrained to perform that office."
Context: Poyet fails before the Pope
Prepared brilliance collapses under topic shift.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne describes Poyet's fine prepared speech becoming useless when the Pope changed the required topic, leaving him unable to improvise on the spot. Expertise in one format is not expertise in every room. Before a high-stakes talk, ask what happens if the agenda pivots in the first minute.
"accident has more title to anything that comes from me than I; occasion, company, and even the very rising and falling of my own voice, extract more from my fancy than I can find, when I sound and employ it by myself."
Context: Closing self-description of how he thinks and speaks
Stimulus unlocks his better production.
In Today's Words:
Montaigne says accident and occasion have more claim on what comes from him than he does himself. Conversation and surprise draw out thoughts solitude cannot find on its own. If you only sound brilliant on paper, build in dialogue before you judge yourself a permanently poor speaker.
Thematic Threads
Authenticity
In This Chapter
Montaigne argues that forced eloquence blocks natural expression, while genuine interaction reveals our best thoughts
Development
Introduced here as core theme
In Your Life:
You might notice you give better advice to friends in casual conversations than in formal settings where you're trying to sound wise.
Class
In This Chapter
The pressure to perform for authority figures (like the Pope) can destroy even expert competence
Development
Builds on earlier explorations of social hierarchy
In Your Life:
You might find yourself tongue-tied around bosses or doctors but articulate with peers at your level.
Self-Knowledge
In This Chapter
Montaigne honestly examines his own communication patterns, noting when he succeeds and fails
Development
Continues his pattern of unflinching self-examination
In Your Life:
You might discover you think more clearly while walking or talking than sitting quietly trying to 'think hard.'
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
The expectation to be instantly eloquent in all situations ignores natural human variation in communication styles
Development
Expands on how social pressure distorts natural behavior
In Your Life:
You might feel pressure to be equally articulate in texts, emails, and face-to-face conversations when each requires different skills.
Human Relationships
In This Chapter
Our best insights often emerge through genuine interaction with others rather than solitary preparation
Development
Introduces the idea that thinking is collaborative
In Your Life:
You might find you solve problems better by talking them through with someone than by sitting alone trying to figure them out.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
This is not a test. Five prompts guide you through the chapter, from how it opens to how it closes, so you notice context and rhythm rather than facts to memorize. Sit with each question in your own words. When you see "One way to read it," treat it as a starting point, not the only answer.
- 1
What does Montaigne suggest about matching speaking styles to professions, using preachers and lawyers as examples?
analysis • surfaceOne way to read it
He argues slow, deliberate speakers suit the pulpit where they can prepare, while quick-witted speakers excel at the bar where they must respond to unexpected challenges and objections.
- 2
Why does the Monsieur Poyet story work so well to illustrate the dangers of over-preparation?
analysis • mediumOne way to read it
A renowned lawyer's spectacular failure when forced to abandon his prepared speech shows how even experts become helpless when pushed outside their natural communication comfort zone.
- 3
Where do you see Montaigne's water bottle metaphor playing out in modern presentations or conversations?
application • mediumOne way to read it
Job interviews where over-rehearsed candidates sound robotic, or TED talks that feel forced because the speaker tried too hard to control every word instead of speaking naturally.
- 4
How would you apply Montaigne's insight about being 'better at second-hand' to improve your own communication?
application • deepOne way to read it
Seek out conversations and collaborative settings rather than trying to generate ideas in isolation. Let others' questions and responses spark your best thinking, like Montaigne did.
- 5
What does Montaigne's confession about finding himself 'lost' when speaking reveal about the nature of authentic expression?
reflection • deepOne way to read it
True eloquence often emerges from vulnerability and spontaneity rather than control. Our most genuine insights may come when we're surprised by our own thoughts in the moment.
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Communication Patterns
Think of three recent conversations where you felt either really confident or completely tongue-tied. For each situation, write down what was happening around you, how much you had prepared, and whether you were trying to impress someone. Look for patterns in when you communicate naturally versus when you get stuck.
Consider:
- •Notice whether you perform better with preparation time or spontaneous responses
- •Pay attention to who was present - some people bring out your authentic voice, others make you perform
- •Consider whether the stakes felt high or low, and how that affected your communication
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you surprised yourself by saying exactly the right thing without planning it. What was different about that moment compared to times when you rehearsed but still felt awkward?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 11: When Fortune Tellers Fail
Montaigne turns from pace of speech to prognostications. He examines oracles, dreams, and astrologers, asking what our appetite for predicting the future reveals about fear, hope, and the credulity that survives every failed forecast.
