--- title: "6 Chosen Quotes By Ralph Waldo Emerson" description: "6 Chosen quotes by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Plus more from Ralph Waldo Emerson and more Chosen sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5b/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_art_our-housekeeping-is-mendicant-our-arts-o_145063.png" --- > [Our housekeeping is mendicant, our arts, our occupations, our marriages, our religion we have not chosen but society has chosen for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/our-housekeeping-is-mendicant-our-arts-our-occupations-our-marriages/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5b/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_art_our-housekeeping-is-mendicant-our-arts-o_145063.png) > [But when you have chosen your part, abide by it, and do not weakly try to reconcile yourself with the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/but-when-you-have-chosen-your-part-abide-by-it-and-do-not-weakly-try/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_chosen_but-when-you-have-chosen-your-part-abide_241153.png) > [I believe that our own experience instructs us that the secret of Education lies in respecting the pupil. It is not for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-believe-that-our-own-experience-instructs-us-that-the-secret-of/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7f7/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_analogies_i-believe-that-our-own-experience-instru_415098.jpg) > [Consider what you have in the smallest chosen library. A company of the wisest and wittiest men that could be picked out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consider-what-you-have-in-the-smallest-chosen-library-a-company-of/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/248/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_book_consider-what-you-have-in-the-smallest-c_1990584.png) > [The secret of education lies in respecting the pupil. It is not for you to choose what he shall know, what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-secret-of-education-lies-in-respecting-the-pupil-it-is-not-for/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f55/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_chosen_the-secret-of-education-lies-in-respecti_2565433.png) > [Consider what you have in the smallest well-chosen library-a company of the wisest and wittiest men which can be plucked out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consider-what-you-have-in-the-smallest-well-chosen-library-a-company/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b4d/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_age_consider-what-you-have-in-the-smallest-w_2719551.jpg) ## Other authors on Chosen ## More by Ralph Waldo Emerson > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If we will not interfere with our thought, but will act entirely, or see how the thing stands in God, we know the particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-we-will-not-interfere-with-our-thought-but-will-act-entirely-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Consideration is the soil in which wisdom may be expected to grow, and strength be given to every up-springing plant of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/consideration-is-the-soil-in-which-wisdom-may-be-expected-to-grow-and/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“There is then creative reading as well as creative writing. When the mind is braced by labor and invention, the page of whatever book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/there-is-then-creative-reading-as-well-as-creative-writing-when-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The order of things consents to virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-order-of-things-consents-to-virtue/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Life only avails, not the having lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/life-only-avails-not-the-having-lived/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/another-success-is-the-post-office-with-its-educating-energy/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [A child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-child-reminds-us-that-playtime-is-an-essential-part-of-our-daily/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Coal lay in ledges under the ground since the Flood, until a laborer with pick and windlass brings it to the surface. We may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/coal-lay-in-ledges-under-the-ground-since-the-flood-until-a-laborer/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [I am; therefore, I had nothing better to do than to think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-am-therefore-i-had-nothing-better-to-do-than-to-think/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [In a library we are surrounded by many hundreds of dear friends, but they are imprisoned by an enchanter in these paper and leathern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/in-a-library-we-are-surrounded-by-many-hundreds-of-dear-friends-but/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The compensations of calamity are made apparent to the understanding also, after long intervals of time. A fever, a mutilation, a cruel disappointment, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-compensations-of-calamity-are-made-apparent-to-the-understanding/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chosen/ralph-waldo-emerson/#itemlist", "name": "6 Chosen Quotes By Ralph Waldo Emerson", "numberOfItems": 6, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our housekeeping is mendicant, our arts, our occupations, our marriages, our religion we have not chosen but society has chosen for us.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ralph Waldo Emerson" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/our-housekeeping-is-mendicant-our-arts-our-occupations-our-marriages/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5b/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_art_our-housekeeping-is-mendicant-our-arts-o_145063.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5b/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_art_our-housekeeping-is-mendicant-our-arts-o_145063.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5b/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_art_our-housekeeping-is-mendicant-our-arts-o_145063.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our housekeeping is mendicant, our arts, our occupations, our marriages, our religion we have not chosen but…” — Ralph Waldo Emerson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But when you have chosen your part, abide by it, and do not weakly try to reconcile yourself with the world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ralph Waldo Emerson" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/but-when-you-have-chosen-your-part-abide-by-it-and-do-not-weakly-try/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_chosen_but-when-you-have-chosen-your-part-abide_241153.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_chosen_but-when-you-have-chosen-your-part-abide_241153.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fd/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_chosen_but-when-you-have-chosen-your-part-abide_241153.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But when you have chosen your part, abide by it, and do not weakly try to reconcile yourself with the world.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I believe that our own experience instructs us that the secret of Education lies in respecting the pupil. 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