“Society never advances. It recedes as fast on one side as it gains on the other. It undergoes continual changes; it is… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members. The virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
It is the fine souls who serve us, and not what is called fine society. Fine society is only a self-protection against… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
A man is a beggar who only lives to the useful, and, however he may serve as a pin or rivet in… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The longer we live the more we must endure the elementary existence of men and women; and every brave heart must treat… — 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
The plays of children are nonsense, but very educative nonsense. So it is with the largest and solemnest things, with commerce, government,… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Society is always taken by surprise at any new example of common sense. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Society is frivolous, and shreds its day into scraps, its conversation into ceremonies and escapes. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Society is a masked ball, where every one hides his real character, and reveals it by hiding. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Society always consists, in greatest part, of young and foolish persons. The old, who have seen through the hypocrisy of the courts… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
We live in a very low state of the world, and pay unwilling tribute to government founded on force. There is not,… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Human society is made up of partialities. Each citizen has an interest and a view of his own, which, if followed out… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Society never advances. It recedes as fast on one side as it gains on the other. Society acquires new arts, and loses… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Society will pardon much to genius and special gifts; but, being in its nature conventional, it loves what is conventional, or what… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Society always consists in the greatest part, of young and foolish persons. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
For, the advantages which fashion values, are plants which thrive in very confined localities, in a few streets, namely. Out of this… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The evolution of a highly destined society must be moral; it must run in the grooves of the celestial wheels. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
The wise and just man will always feel that he stands on his own feet; that he imparts strength to the state,… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
It is bad enough that our geniuses cannot do anything useful, but it is worse that no man is fit for society… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Society is an illusion to the young citizen. It lies before him in rigid repose, with certain names, men, and institutions, rootedlike… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
In this great society wide lying around us, a critical analysis would find very few spontaneous actions. It is almost all custom… — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
Besides the general infusion of wit to heighten civility, the direct splendor of intellectual power is ever welcome in fine society, as… — 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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 Image
“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 Image
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 Image
A child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews. — Ralph Waldo Emerson Copy Share Image
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 Image
