Quote by Marie de Gournay: “Happy are those who love what they are, and not what they appear.”

This quote champions authenticity and self-acceptance, suggesting that true happiness comes from valuing one's inner self and true character rather than being preoccupied with external appearances or societal expectations. It encourages genuine self-regard over superficiality.

In her 'Apology for the Woman Writing,' Gournay defended intellectual pursuits and women's right to public expression, often emphasizing inner worth over superficial social standing. This quote reflects her humanist leanings towards authentic selfhood.

French writer and editor born in 1565, one of the earliest feminist thinkers of the European Renaissance. She was Montaigne's adopted daughter and literary executor, producing authoritative editions of his Essais. Her own treatises, including The Equality of Men and Women, argued for women's intellectual and spiritual equality on philosophical grounds.