In truth, it is not want, but rather abundance, that breeds avarice.
[De vray, ce n’est pas la disette, c’est plustost l’abondance qui produict l’avarice.]
Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) French essayist
Essays, Book 1, ch. 14 “The Taste of Good and Bad Things Depends Mostly on the Opinion We Have of Them [Que le goust des biens et des maux despend en bonne partie de l’opinion que nous en avons]” (1572) (1.14) (1595) [tr. Frame (1943)]
(Source)
Though this chapter was written around 1572 for the 1580 edition, this text was added for the 1588 edition. The chapter as a whole was numbered ch. 14 in the 1580 and 1588 editions, moved to ch. 40 for the 1595 ed. Most modern translations use the original numbering.
(Source (French)). Alternate translations:
Verily, it is not want, but rather plenty that causeth avarice.
[tr. Florio (1603), ch. 40]
In plain truth, it is not Want, but rather Abundance, that Creates Avarice.
[tr. Cotton (1686), ch. 40]
In truth, it is not want, but rather abundance, that creates avarice.
[tr. Cotton/Hazlitt (1877), ch. 40]
In truth, it is not want, but rather abundance, which gives birth to avarice.
[tr. Ives (1925)]
And truly it is not want that produces avarice but plenty.
[tr. Screech (1987)]
Truly, abundance rather than want causes stinginess.
[tr. HyperEssays (2023)]
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Our frustration is greater when we have much and want more than when we have nothing and want some. We are less dissatisfied when we lack many things than when we seem to lack but one thing.
Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American writer, philosopher, longshoreman
True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements, Part 2, ch. 4, § 23 (1951)
(Source)
