Montaigne

The first thing I noticed while reading "On Some Lines by Virgil" was the length of the sentences. Montaigne creates lengthy sentences using parataxis. I felt like I was reading a lot of run ons, but the thoughts were not all coherent - this made reading this interesting, and somewhat challenging. It is also interesting how he organizes his sentences, or shall I say, his words, considering they are all in one sentence.

Pleasure is a quality of very little ambition: it thinks itself rich enough of itself without any addition of repute; and is best pleased where most retired.A young man should be whipped who pretends to a taste in wine and sauces; there was nothing which, at that age, I less valued or knew; now I begin to learn; I am very much ashamed on`t; but what should I do?

The amount of punctuation he uses in his sentences creates an interesting form of writing. You say he was "perhaps, the ultimate rule-breaker" and I would have to agree. From the beginning of his essay the reader notices his sentences and writing style, and notices how it is different from most other writers.

I don't think there is much structure with it. I think if you could describe this structure it would be a free style way of writing. The words he chooses to use are sophisticated and they don't seem to match up with the sentence structure.

BUT...with all this, I think the unusual writing style makes for an interesting and unique essay.