Better a well-made head than a well-filled one.

What it means

Montaigne wanted a tutor who valued judgment over stored facts. Knowing how to think beats knowing a lot. Train your judgment, not just your memory.

The source

"Better a well-made head than a well-filled one." Montaigne said it in Essays 1.26 (Of the Education of Children). Translated from the original French by Spartan Surfers.

"plustost la teste bien faicte, que bien pleine"

Original French, Essays 1.26 (Of the Education of Children). Text read at gutenberg.org.

Who said it

Montaigne (1533–1592). French magistrate who retired to his tower library and invented the essay. His motto was a question: What do I know?

Questions

What does "Better a well-made head than a well-filled one." mean?

Montaigne wanted a tutor who valued judgment over stored facts. Knowing how to think beats knowing a lot. Train your judgment, not just your memory.

Who said "Better a well-made head than a well-filled one."?

Montaigne (1533–1592). Source: Essays 1.26 (Of the Education of Children).

What is the original French?

plustost la teste bien faicte, que bien pleine. Translated from the original French by Spartan Surfers.

Is "Better a well-made head than a well-filled one." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

"Better a well-made head than a well-filled one." (Montaigne, Essays 1.26 (Of the Education of Children), translated by Spartan Surfers). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/better-a-well-made-head-than-a-well