Abstract: This article reads an instance of the word dessein at the heart of the Essais (that in II.8, « De l’affection des peres aux enfans ») in light of the metaphorical, semantic and visual force of lines and linearity in the thought of Montaigne. It argues that configuring the Essais « design » as non-teleological, straying, « extravagant » illuminates our reading of the text, and helps us to construct an alternative to intentionalist readings set on finding a ‘guiding thread’ in the text.
