Heroism works in contradiction to the voice of mankind and in contradiction, for a time, to the voice of the great and… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Europe has always owed to oriental genius its divine impulses. What these holy bards said, all sane men found agreeable and true. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
A part of fate is the freedom of man. Forever wells up the impulse of choosing and acting in his soul. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Wild liberty breeds iron conscience; natures with great impulses have great resources, and return from far. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
It is easy to see that what is best written or done by genius in the world, was no man's work but… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
All men, in the abstract, are just and good; what hinders them, in the particular, is, the momentary predominance of the finite… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
With each divine impulse the mind rends the thin rinds of the visible and finite, and comes out into eternity, and inspires… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
That which we call character is a reserved force which acts directly by presence, and without means. It is conceived of as… — 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
The characteristic of genuine heroism is its persistency. All men have wandering impulses, fits and starts of generosity. But when you have… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
So in accepting the leading of the sentiments, it is not what we believe concerning the immortality of the soul, or the… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
“I remember an answer which when quite young I was prompted to make to a valued adviser who was wont to importune… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The astronomers said, 'Give us matter and a little motion and we will construct the universe. It is not enough that we… — 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
