A poem, a sentence, causes us to see ourselves. I be, and I see my being, at the same time. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Eloquence is the power to translate a truth into language perfectly intelligible to the person to whom you speak. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
he who should inspire and lead his race must be defended from travelling with the souls of other men, from living, breathing,… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
He that writes to himself writes to an eternal public. That statement only is fit to be made public, which you have… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
So in writing, there is always a right word, and every other than that is wrong. There is no beauty in words… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Expediency of literature, reason of literature, lawfulness of writing down a thought, is questioned; much is to say on both sides,and, while… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The maker of a sentence launches out into the infinite and builds a road into Chaos and old Night, and is followed… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
A song is no song unless the circumstance is free and fine. If a singer sing from a sense of duty or… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Great geniuses have the shortest biographies. Their cousins can tell you nothing about them. They lived in their writings, and sotheir house… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Happy is he who looks only into his work to know if it will succeed, never into the times or the public… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
In the learned journal, in the influential newspaper, I discern no form; only some irresponsible shadow; oftener some monied corporation, or some… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society. I am not solitary whilst… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
We postpone our literary work until we have more ripeness and skill to write, and we one day discover that our literary… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Talent alone cannot make a writer. There must be a man behind the book; a personality which, by birth and quality, is… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
If you would learn to write, it is in the street you must learn it. Both for the vehicle and for the… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
We are as much informed of a writer's genius by what he selects as by what he originates. We read the quotation… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Best masters for the young writer and speaker are the fault- finding brothers and sisters at home who will not spare him,… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
There is some reason to believe that when a man does not write his poetry it escapes by other vents through him,… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
It is sublime to think and say of another, I need never meet, or speak, or write to him: we need not… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
If a man can write a better book, preach a better sermon, or make a better mousetrap than his neighbor, though he… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Money, which represents the prose of life, and which is hardly spoken of in parlors without an apology, is, in its effects… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
There is no luck in literary reputation. They who make up the final verdict upon every book are not the partial and… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
It is long ere we discover how rich we are. Our history, we are sure, is quite tame: we have nothing to… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The Gods we worship write their names on our faces; be sure of that. And a man will worship something ... That… — 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