"Covetousness is both the beginning and the end of the devil's alphabet - the first vice in corrupt nature that moves, and the last which dies"
- Michel de Montaigne
About this Quote
This quote recommends that greed is the root and supreme failure of sin. It is the very first vice that damages a person's nature and the last one to be overcome. Covetousness, or the desire for material ownerships, can consume and manage individuals, leading them towards unethical habits and a life driven by selfishness. For that reason, this quote implies that overcoming the temptation of greed is essential for leading a virtuous life.
"Art is not merely an imitation of the reality of nature, but in truth a metaphysical supplement to the reality of nature, placed alongside thereof for its conquest"
"Habit is a second nature that destroys the first. But what is nature? Why is habit not natural? I am very much afraid that nature itself is only a first habit, just as habit is a second nature"