--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A garden is like those pernicious…" description: "\"A garden is like those pernicious machineries which catch a man's coat-skirt or his hand, and draw in his arm, his leg , and his whole body to irresist..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_arms_a-garden-is-like-those-pernicious-machin_1090607.png" --- # A garden is like those pernicious machineries which catch… ![“A garden is like those pernicious machineries which catch a man's coat-skirt or his hand, and draw in his arm, his leg , and his whole body to irresistible destruction.” quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_arms_a-garden-is-like-those-pernicious-machin_1090607.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_arms_a-garden-is-like-those-pernicious-machin_1090607.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_arms_a-garden-is-like-those-pernicious-machin_1090607.png) > “A garden is like those pernicious machineries which catch a man's coat-skirt or his hand, and draw in his arm, his leg , and his whole body to irresistible destruction.” [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mechanical traps can ensnare us, pulling us into destructive patterns that consume our whole being. **In simple terms:** Mechanical traps lead to total destruction. Key Takeaway Avoid entanglement in harmful systems. Themes danger mechanical destruction self‑control Mood cautionary thought‑provoking Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - addiction - toxic relationships - overwork - consumerism Key Concepts philosophy psychology metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What “machines” trap you? - How can you break free from them? A Different Perspective Even metaphorical traps can be subtle and hard to notice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Coats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coats/) [Destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction/) [Draws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draws/) [Essentials](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essentials/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden/) [Garden Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden-like-981049/) [Gardening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gardening/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Irresistible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irresistible/) [Irresistible Destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irresistible-destruction-2816927/) [Legs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/legs/) [Like Pernicious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-pernicious-2816929/) [Machinery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machinery/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Pernicious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pernicious/) [Pernicious Machineries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pernicious-machineries-2816928/) [Skirts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skirts/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) ## Related quotes > [Masses are rude, lame, unmade, pernicious in their demands and influence, and need not to be flattered, but to be schooled. I wish not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/masses-are-rude-lame-unmade-pernicious-in-their-demands-and-influence/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Won't you come into the garden? I would like my roses to see you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/won-t-you-come-into-the-garden-i-would-like-my-roses-to-see-you/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [“Got to rush through the garden like every other task we have. If we are trying to add joy to our lives, reliance on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/got-to-rush-through-the-garden-like-every-other-task-we-have-if-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've always felt that having a garden is like having a good and loyal friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-z-guest/i-ve-always-felt-that-having-a-garden-is-like-having-a-good-and-loyal/) [C. Z. Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-z-guest/) > [Making a garden is somehow like conducting a symphony - different plants come forward at different times and you need to think very carefully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-murdoch/making-a-garden-is-somehow-like-conducting-a-symphony-different/) [Elisabeth Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-murdoch/) > [My garden, like my life, seems to me every year to want correction and require alternation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/my-garden-like-my-life-seems-to-me-every-year-to-want-correction-and/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Well we have a tiny garden, it's like a postage stamp, so generally we try to get out to the parks in London as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-garraway/well-we-have-a-tiny-garden-it-s-like-a-postage-stamp-so-generally-we/) [Kate Garraway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-garraway/) > [It is utterly forbidden to be half-hearted about gardening. You have got to love your garden whether you like it or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-sellar/it-is-utterly-forbidden-to-be-half-hearted-about-gardening-you-have/) [W. C. Sellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-sellar/) > [“Working in garden is like digging knowledge from the earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karthikeyan-v/working-in-garden-is-like-digging-knowledge-from-the-earth/) [Karthikeyan V](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karthikeyan-v/) > [“A garden is like the self. It has so many layers and winding paths, real or imagined, that it can never be known, completely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-raver/a-garden-is-like-the-self-it-has-so-many-layers-and-winding-paths/) [Anne Raver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-raver/) > [Gardeners (or just plain simple writers who write about the garden) always have something they like intensely and in particular, right at the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/gardeners-or-just-plain-simple-writers-who-write-about-the-garden/) [Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/) > [“I love my garden, and I love working in it. To potter with green growing things, watching each day to see the dear, new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-maud-montgomery/i-love-my-garden-and-i-love-working-in-it-to-potter-with-green/) [Lucy Maud Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-maud-montgomery/) > [Gardening is really an extended form of reading, of history and philosophy. The garden itself has become like writing a book. I walk around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/gardening-is-really-an-extended-form-of-reading-of-history-and/) [Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/) > [I love cutting flowers and working in the garden. I like doing dishes. I can become obsessive about mundane things like cleaning out my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-love-cutting-flowers-and-working-in-the-garden-i-like-doing-dishes/) [Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/) > [But a most pernicious error widely prevails that Scripture has only so much weight as is conceded to it by the consent of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/but-a-most-pernicious-error-widely-prevails-that-scripture-has-only/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) ## 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. 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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/) [Explore all 4,802 Ralph Waldo Emerson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More Arms quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) [Brian Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-reade/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [He caught her, she fell, he caught her in his arms, he held her tightly unconscious of what he was doing. He held her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/he-caught-her-she-fell-he-caught-her-in-his-arms-he-held-her-tightly/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Are we fighting?" I asked Morelli. "No. Were discussing." "Are you sure?" "Am I yelling?" Morelli asked. "Is my face purple? Are the cords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/are-we-fighting-i-asked-morelli-no-were-discussing-are-you-sure-am-i/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Comerado, this is no book,Who touches this, touches a man,(Is it night? Are we here alone?)It is I you hold, and who holds you,I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/comerado-this-is-no-book-who-touches-this-touches-a-man-is-it-night/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [Even the stove and the refrigerator looked human, I mean good human - they seemed to have arms and voices and they said, hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/even-the-stove-and-the-refrigerator-looked-human-i-mean-good-human/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I separated the joints, the arm joints, the leg joints, and had to do two boilings. I think I used four boxes of Soilex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-dahmer/i-separated-the-joints-the-arm-joints-the-leg-joints-and-had-to-do/) [Jeffrey Dahmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-dahmer/) > [More courage is required to forgive than is required to take up arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ramos-horta/more-courage-is-required-to-forgive-than-is-required-to-take-up-arms/) [Jose Ramos-Horta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ramos-horta/) > [It's been a long time since I asked anything of heaven, and my arms still haven't come down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/it-s-been-a-long-time-since-i-asked-anything-of-heaven-and-my-arms/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [With those who are willing to join, let us cooperate to reduce the burden of arms, to strengthen the structure of peace, to lift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/with-those-who-are-willing-to-join-let-us-cooperate-to-reduce-the/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [How shall freedom be defended? By arms when it is attacked by arms, by truth when it is attacked by lies, by faith when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-macleish/how-shall-freedom-be-defended-by-arms-when-it-is-attacked-by-arms-by/) [Archibald MacLeish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-macleish/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Another step had her backed up against the wall, and he braced his arms on both sides of her. "I'm beginning to look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-lindsey/another-step-had-her-backed-up-against-the-wall-and-he-braced-his/) [Johanna Lindsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-lindsey/) [Browse all 4,470 Arms quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arms/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A garden is like those pernicious machineries which catch a man's coat-skirt or his hand, and draw in his arm, his leg , and his whole body to irresistible destruction.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ralph Waldo Emerson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-garden-is-like-those-pernicious-machineries-which-catch-a-man-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arms" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-garden-is-like-those-pernicious-machineries-which-catch-a-man-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_arms_a-garden-is-like-those-pernicious-machin_1090607.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_arms_a-garden-is-like-those-pernicious-machin_1090607.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bdb/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_arms_a-garden-is-like-those-pernicious-machin_1090607.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A garden is like those pernicious machineries which catch a man's coat-skirt or his hand, and draw in his…” — Ralph Waldo Emerson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ralph Waldo Emerson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A garden is like those pernicious...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-garden-is-like-those-pernicious-machineries-which-catch-a-man-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-garden-is-like-those-pernicious-machineries-which-catch-a-man-s/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```