--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No matter that we may mount on stilts, we…" description: "\"“No matter that we may mount on stilts, we still must walk on our own legs. And on the highest throne in the world, we still sit only on our own bottom..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/michel-de-montaigne-142_stilts_no-matter-that-we-may-mount-on-stilts-we_320591.jpg" --- # No matter that we may mount on stilts, we still must walk… ![“No matter that we may mount on stilts, we still must walk on our own legs. And on the highest throne in the world, we still sit only on our own bottom.” quote by Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/michel-de-montaigne-142_stilts_no-matter-that-we-may-mount-on-stilts-we_320591.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/michel-de-montaigne-142_stilts_no-matter-that-we-may-mount-on-stilts-we_320591.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/036/michel-de-montaigne-142_stilts_no-matter-that-we-may-mount-on-stilts-we_320591.jpg) > ““No matter that we may mount on stilts, we still must walk on our own legs. And on the highest throne in the world, we still sit only on our own bottom.”” [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even the highest power cannot replace personal responsibility and self‑reliance. **In simple terms:** We must rely on ourselves despite status. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑reliance. Themes responsibility humility authority Mood reflective philosophical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership - personal decision - everyday life Key Concepts philosophy self‑reliance Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance authority with personal agency? - When have you relied on yourself over others? A Different Perspective Power can create dependency, undermining autonomy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Highest Throne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/highest-throne-3021862/) [Legs Highest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legs-highest-3021860/) [Mount Stilts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mount-stilts-3021859/) [Stilts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stilts/) [Stilts Walk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stilts-walk-3021861/) ## Related quotes > [On the highest throne in the world, we still sit only on our own bottom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/on-the-highest-throne-in-the-world-we-still-sit-only-on-our-own-bottom/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [“If you walk on stilts, you're still walking on your feet. If you sit on the highest throne in the world, you're still sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/if-you-walk-on-stilts-you-re-still-walking-on-your-feet-if-you-sit-on/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [It is in vain that we get upon stilts, for once on them, it is still with our legs that we must walk. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/it-is-in-vain-that-we-get-upon-stilts-for-once-on-them-it-is-still/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [“It is an absolute perfection and virtually divine to know how to enjoy our being rightfully. We seek other conditions because we do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/it-is-an-absolute-perfection-and-virtually-divine-to-know-how-to/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [I have a very close friend who is a brilliant clown, and I always wanted to do a show with him. So I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-tudyk/i-have-a-very-close-friend-who-is-a-brilliant-clown-and-i-always/) [Alan Tudyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-tudyk/) > [Processions that lack high stilts have nothing that catches the eye. What if my great-granddad had a pair that were twenty foot high, And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/processions-that-lack-high-stilts-have-nothing-that-catches-the-eye/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Any one may mouth out a passage with a theatrical cadence, or get upon stilts to tell his thoughts; but to write or speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/any-one-may-mouth-out-a-passage-with-a-theatrical-cadence-or-get-upon/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Ladies like improv stilts, and I think men like improv giant cocks. But one of the great things about improv is that you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/ladies-like-improv-stilts-and-i-think-men-like-improv-giant-cocks-but/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Natural rights is simple nonsense: natural and imprescriptible rights, rhetorical nonsense—nonsense upon stilts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-bentham/natural-rights-is-simple-nonsense-natural-and-imprescriptible-rights/) [Jeremy Bentham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-bentham/) > [“Martin was a thoroughly amiable man, a man of wide reading, but when he came to write he mounted upon a pair of stilts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/martin-was-a-thoroughly-amiable-man-a-man-of-wide-reading-but-when-he/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [Ambition is but avarice on stilts, and masked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/ambition-is-but-avarice-on-stilts-and-masked/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [Judge not man by his outward manifestation of faith; for some there are who tremblingly reach out shaking hands to the guidance of faith;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/judge-not-man-by-his-outward-manifestation-of-faith-for-some-there/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Instead of burning a guy at the stake, what about burning him at the STILTS It probably lasts longer, plus it moves around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/instead-of-burning-a-guy-at-the-stake-what-about-burning-him-at-the/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Those who have made unhappy marriages walk on stilts, while the happy ones are on a level with the crowd. No one sees 'em!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-mary-teresa-craigie/those-who-have-made-unhappy-marriages-walk-on-stilts-while-the-happy/) [Pearl Mary Teresa Craigie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-mary-teresa-craigie/) > [“stilts, the ground floors given over to parking. It’s a good idea in this car-maddened city,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/stilts-the-ground-floors-given-over-to-parking-it-s-a-good-idea-in/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) ## More by Michel de Montaigne > [No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/no-man-is-exempt-from-saying-silly-things-the-mischief-is-to-say-them/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The laws keep up their credit, not by being just, but because they are laws; 'tis the mystic foundation of their authority; they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-laws-keep-up-their-credit-not-by-being-just-but-because-they-are/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Every one rushes elsewhere and into the future, because no one wants to face one's own inner self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/every-one-rushes-elsewhere-and-into-the-future-because-no-one-wants/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Beauty is the true prerogative of women, and so peculiarly their own, that our sex, though naturally requiring another sort of feature, is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/beauty-is-the-true-prerogative-of-women-and-so-peculiarly-their-own/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The height and value of true virtue consists in the facility, utility, and pleasure of its exercise; so far from difficulty, that boys, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-height-and-value-of-true-virtue-consists-in-the-facility-utility/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Fie on the eloquence that leaves us craving itself, not things!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/fie-on-the-eloquence-that-leaves-us-craving-itself-not-things/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The plainest sign of wisdom is a continual cheerfulness: her state is like that of things in the regions above the moon, always clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-plainest-sign-of-wisdom-is-a-continual-cheerfulness-her-state-is/) [Michel De Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The corruption of the age is made up by the particular contribution of every individual man; some contribute treachery, others injustice, atheism, tyranny, avarice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/the-corruption-of-the-age-is-made-up-by-the-particular-contribution/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [If people must be talking about me, I would have it to be truthfully and justly. I would willingly return from the next world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/if-people-must-be-talking-about-me-i-would-have-it-to-be-truthfully/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Most pleasures embrace us but to strangle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/most-pleasures-embrace-us-but-to-strangle/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [In true friendship, in which I am expert, I give myself to my friend more than I draw him to me. I not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/in-true-friendship-in-which-i-am-expert-i-give-myself-to-my-friend/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [There are as many and innumerable degrees of wit, as there are cubits between this and heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/there-are-as-many-and-innumerable-degrees-of-wit-as-there-are-cubits/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [A man has need of tough ears to hear himself fairly judged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/a-man-has-need-of-tough-ears-to-hear-himself-fairly-judged/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Lucius Arruntius killed himself, he said, to escape both the future and the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/lucius-arruntius-killed-himself-he-said-to-escape-both-the-future-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [I have a vocabulary all my own. I pass the time when itis wet and disagreeable. Whenit is fine I do not wish to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/i-have-a-vocabulary-all-my-own-i-pass-the-time-when-itis-wet-and/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) [Explore all 1,131 Michel de Montaigne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) ## More Stilts quotes > [“stilts, the ground floors given over to parking. It’s a good idea in this car-maddened city,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/stilts-the-ground-floors-given-over-to-parking-it-s-a-good-idea-in/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [Those who have made unhappy marriages walk on stilts, while the happy ones are on a level with the crowd. No one sees 'em!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-mary-teresa-craigie/those-who-have-made-unhappy-marriages-walk-on-stilts-while-the-happy/) [Pearl Mary Teresa Craigie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-mary-teresa-craigie/) > [Instead of burning a guy at the stake, what about burning him at the STILTS It probably lasts longer, plus it moves around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/instead-of-burning-a-guy-at-the-stake-what-about-burning-him-at-the/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [Judge not man by his outward manifestation of faith; for some there are who tremblingly reach out shaking hands to the guidance of faith;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/judge-not-man-by-his-outward-manifestation-of-faith-for-some-there/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [Ambition is but avarice on stilts, and masked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/ambition-is-but-avarice-on-stilts-and-masked/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [“Martin was a thoroughly amiable man, a man of wide reading, but when he came to write he mounted upon a pair of stilts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/martin-was-a-thoroughly-amiable-man-a-man-of-wide-reading-but-when-he/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [Natural rights is simple nonsense: natural and imprescriptible rights, rhetorical nonsense—nonsense upon stilts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-bentham/natural-rights-is-simple-nonsense-natural-and-imprescriptible-rights/) [Jeremy Bentham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-bentham/) > [Ladies like improv stilts, and I think men like improv giant cocks. But one of the great things about improv is that you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-poehler/ladies-like-improv-stilts-and-i-think-men-like-improv-giant-cocks-but/) [Amy Poehler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-poehler/) > [Any one may mouth out a passage with a theatrical cadence, or get upon stilts to tell his thoughts; but to write or speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/any-one-may-mouth-out-a-passage-with-a-theatrical-cadence-or-get-upon/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Processions that lack high stilts have nothing that catches the eye. What if my great-granddad had a pair that were twenty foot high, And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/processions-that-lack-high-stilts-have-nothing-that-catches-the-eye/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [I have a very close friend who is a brilliant clown, and I always wanted to do a show with him. So I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-tudyk/i-have-a-very-close-friend-who-is-a-brilliant-clown-and-i-always/) [Alan Tudyk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-tudyk/) > [My favorite place that I've been to that most people haven't been to is the Golden Triangle in the northeast of Thailand, which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-frommer/my-favorite-place-that-i-ve-been-to-that-most-people-haven-t-been-to/) [Arthur Frommer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-frommer/) > [I do not think very highly of Madame D'Arblay's books. The style is so strutting. She does so stalk about on Dr. Johnson's old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-russell-mitford/i-do-not-think-very-highly-of-madame-d-arblay-s-books-the-style-is-so/) [Mary Russell Mitford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-russell-mitford/) > [“It is an absolute perfection and virtually divine to know how to enjoy our being rightfully. We seek other conditions because we do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/it-is-an-absolute-perfection-and-virtually-divine-to-know-how-to/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [Cassidy's heart tried to leap out through his taught skin and hop into his wet hands. But outwardly it was all very calm, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-parker-jr/cassidy-s-heart-tried-to-leap-out-through-his-taught-skin-and-hop/) [John L. Parker Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-parker-jr/) [Browse all 34 Stilts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stilts/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“No matter that we may mount on stilts, we still must walk on our own legs. 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