I love those historians that are either very simple or most excellent. Such as are between both (which is the most common fashion), it is they that spoil all; they will needs chew our meat for us and take upon them a law to judge, and by consequence to square and incline the story according to their fantasy.

Summary

This quote, spoken by Michel de Montaigne, highlights his preference for historians who are either incredibly straightforward or exceptionally skilled in their craft. Montaigne criticizes those historians who fall in between, suggesting that they often manipulate the truth and impose their own biases onto historical accounts. He asserts that these historians try to interpret and shape events according to their personal whims and inevitably distort the actual story. Montaigne's words emphasize the need for historians to maintain objectivity and integrity in their work, avoiding any inclination to alter or influence the historical narrative.

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