A man must thank his defects, and stand in some terror of his talents. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The happiest man is he who learns from nature the lesson of worship — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Men of character are the conscience of the society to which they belong. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The corruption of man is followed by the corruption of language. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Democracy is morose, and runs to anarchy, but in the state, and in the schools, it is indispensable to resist the consolidation… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The life of man is the true romance, which when it is valiantly conduced, will yield the imagination a higher joy than… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
We judge of a man's wisdom by his hope, knowing that the inexhaustibleness of nature is an immortal youth. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
A garden is like those pernicious machineries which catch a man's coat-skirt or his hand, and draw in his arm, his leg… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
But genius looks forward: the eyes of men are set in his forehead, not in his hindhead: man hopes: genius creates. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
A great man will find a great subject, or which is the same thing, make any subject great. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
In certain men digestion and sex absorb the vital force, and the stronger these are, the individual is so much weaker. The… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
To the poet, to the philosopher, to the saint, all things are friendly and sacred, all events profitable, all days holy, all… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Meek young men grow up in libraries, believing it their duty to accept the views which Cicero, which Locke, which Bacon, have… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
A right rule for a club would be, Admit no man whose presence excludes any one topic. It requires people who are… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
When good is near you, when you have life in yourself, it is not by any known or accustomed way; you shall… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
There are twenty ways of going to a point, and one is the shortest; but set out at once on one. A… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
A man must thank his defects, and stand in some terror of his talents. A transcendent talent draws so largely on his… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
It is commonly observed that a sudden wealth, like a prize drawn in a lottery or a large bequest to a poor… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
What we commonly call man, the eating, drinking, planting, counting man, does not, as we know him, represent himself, but misrepresents himself.… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Our people are slow to learn the wisdom of sending character instead of talent to Congress. Again and again they have sent… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The mob is man voluntarily descending to the nature of the beast. Its fit hour of activity is night. Its actions are… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Men are born to write. The gardener saves every slip, and seed, and peach-stone: his vocation is to be a planter of… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
There is no country in which so absolute a homage is paid to wealth. In America there is a touch of shame… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
We do not yet trust the unknown powers of thought. Whence came all these tools, inventions, book laws, parties, kingdoms? Out of… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Behold the Sea, The opaline, the plentiful and strong, Yet beautiful as is the rose in June, Fresh as the trickling rainbow… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Behind every individual closes organization; before him opens liberty,--the Better, the Best. The first and worse races are dead.The second and imperfect… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Skepticism is unbelief in cause and effect. A man does not see, that, as he eats, so he thinks: as he deals,… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The poet alone knows astronomy, chemistry, vegetation, and animation, for he does not stop at these facts, but employs them as signs.… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
“There is then creative reading as well as creative writing. When the mind is braced by labor and invention, the page of whatever book… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
Another success is the post-office, with its educating energy augmented by cheapness and guarded by a certain religious sentimentin mankind; so that the power… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
A child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
Coal lay in ledges under the ground since the Flood, until a laborer with pick and windlass brings it to the surface. We may… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
In a library we are surrounded by many hundreds of dear friends, but they are imprisoned by an enchanter in these paper and leathern… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share
