We do not count a man's years until he has nothing else to count. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Every man's task [his 'great dream' and impassioned life-goal] is his life preserver. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Self reliance, the height and perfection of man, is reliance on God. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
None believeth in the soul of man, but only in some man or person old and departed. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
I think no virtue goes with size;The reason of all cowardiceIs, that men are overgrown,And, to be valiant, must come downTo the… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
We fancy men are individuals; so are pumpkins; but every pumpkin in the field goes through every point of pumpkin history. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
A man's personal defects will commonly have with the rest of the world precisely that importance which they have to himself. If… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The world of men show like a comedy without laughter: populations, interests, government, history; 't is all toy figures in a toyhouse. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The mass of men worry themselves into nameless graves while here and there a great unselfish soul forgets himself into immortality. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The office of the scholar is to cheer, to raise, and to guide men by showing them facts amidst appearances. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
No matter how much faculty of idle seeing a man has, the step from knowing to doing is rarely taken. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Far off, men swell, bully, and threaten; bring them hand to hand, and they are feeble folk. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
As long as civilization is essentially one of property, of fences, of exclusiveness, it will be mocked by delusions. Our riches will… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
What is man born for but to be a Reformer, a Remaker of what man has made? A renouncer of lies; a… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
But I cannot recite, even thus rudely, laws of the intellect, without remembering that lofty and sequestered class of men who have… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
If government knew how, I should like to see it check, not multiply, the population. When it reaches its true law of… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
In private places, among sordid objects, an act of truth or heroism seems at once to draw to itself the sky as… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
It is the duty of men to judge men only by their actions. Our faculties furnish us with no means of arriving… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The best political economy is the care and culture of men; for, in these crises, all are ruined except such as are… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
How many attractions for us have our passing fellows in the streets, both male and female, which our ethics forbid us to… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The stars awaken a certain reverence, because though always present, they are inaccessible; but all natural objects make a kindred impression, when… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The trail of the serpent reaches into all the lucrative professions and practices of man. Each has its own wrongs. Each finds… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Exaggeration is in the course of things. Nature sends no creature, no man into the world, without adding a small excess of… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
If there be any man who thinks the ruin of a race of men a small matter, compared with the last decoration… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Nature is no sentimentalist, - does not cosset or pamper us. We must see that the world is rough and surly, and… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
At times the whole world seems to be in conspiracy to importune you with emphatic trifles. Friend, client, child, sickness, fear, want,… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Physical force has no value, where there is nothing else. Snow in snow-banks, fire in volcanoes and solfataras is cheap. The luxury… — 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