--- title: "3 Epic Quotes By Ralph Waldo Emerson" description: "3 Epic quotes by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Plus more from Ralph Waldo Emerson and more Epic sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/026/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_being-honest_work-and-thou-canst-escape-the-reward-wh_755780.png" --- > [Work and thou canst escape the reward; whether the work be fine or course, planting corn or writing epics, so only it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/work-and-thou-canst-escape-the-reward-whether-the-work-be-fine-or/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/026/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_being-honest_work-and-thou-canst-escape-the-reward-wh_755780.png) > [Do not fear to put novels into the hands of young people as an occasional holiday experiment, but above all, good poetry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/do-not-fear-to-put-novels-into-the-hands-of-young-people-as-an/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/339/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_all-kinds_do-not-fear-to-put-novels-into-the-hands_988889.jpg) > [Milton says, that the lyric poet may drink wine and live generously, but the epic poet, he who shall sing of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/milton-says-that-the-lyric-poet-may-drink-wine-and-live-generously/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2b/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_bowls_milton-says-that-the-lyric-poet-may-drin_2452516.png) ## Other authors on Epic - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b011/author-howard-g-hendricks-42414.jpg) Howard G. Hendricks 30 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epic/howard-g-hendricks/) - [C.L. Wilson 14 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epic/c-l-wilson/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b011/author-hunter-s-thompson-42712.jpg) Hunter S. Thompson 13 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epic/hunter-s-thompson/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b015/author-lascelles-abercrombie-58725.jpg) Lascelles Abercrombie 12 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epic/lascelles-abercrombie/) - [Karen Azinger 12 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epic/karen-azinger/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b023/author-tim-sweeney-90956.jpg) Tim Sweeney 10 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epic/tim-sweeney/) - [Barry Kirwan 10 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epic/barry-kirwan/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b010/author-gwyneth-paltrow-39818.jpg) Gwyneth Paltrow 7 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epic/gwyneth-paltrow/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b006/author-caroline-alexander-21297.jpg) Caroline Alexander 6 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epic/caroline-alexander/) ## 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/epic/ralph-waldo-emerson/#itemlist", "name": "3 Epic Quotes By Ralph Waldo Emerson", "numberOfItems": 3, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Work and thou canst escape the reward; whether the work be fine or course, planting corn or writing epics, so only it be honest work, done to thine own approbation, it shall earn a reward to the senses as well as to the thought.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ralph Waldo Emerson" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/work-and-thou-canst-escape-the-reward-whether-the-work-be-fine-or/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/026/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_being-honest_work-and-thou-canst-escape-the-reward-wh_755780.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/026/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_being-honest_work-and-thou-canst-escape-the-reward-wh_755780.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/026/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_being-honest_work-and-thou-canst-escape-the-reward-wh_755780.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Work and thou canst escape the reward; whether the work be fine or course, planting corn or writing epics…” — Ralph Waldo Emerson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Do not fear to put novels into the hands of young people as an occasional holiday experiment, but above all, good poetry in all kinds,--epic, tragedy, lyric. 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