--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A great man scarcely knows how he dines…" description: "\"A great man scarcely knows how he dines, how he dresses; but without railing or precision, his living is natural and poetic.\" — Ralph Waldo Emerson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_dine_a-great-man-scarcely-knows-how-he-dines_2990367.png" --- # A great man scarcely knows how he dines, how he dresses… ![“A great man scarcely knows how he dines, how he dresses; but without railing or precision, his living is natural and poetic.” quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_dine_a-great-man-scarcely-knows-how-he-dines_2990367.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_dine_a-great-man-scarcely-knows-how-he-dines_2990367.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_dine_a-great-man-scarcely-knows-how-he-dines_2990367.png) > “A great man scarcely knows how he dines, how he dresses; but without railing or precision, his living is natural and poetic.” [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. Suggests that a great man's simple, unpretentious lifestyle is naturally poetic, without needing meticulous self‑control. **In simple terms:** Great men live naturally poetic lives without over‑planning. Key Takeaway Embrace simplicity for a poetic existence. Themes simplicity naturalness poetry Mood philosophical inspirational Type reflective creative When to use this quote - daily life - personal style - creative work Key Concepts authentic living effortless elegance Questions to Reflect On - How can you make everyday actions poetic? - What does “natural” mean to you? A Different Perspective Simplicity may be mistaken for lack of ambition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Poetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetic/) [Precision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precision/) ## Related quotes > [“...a man could scarcely make his writing a reason for living unless he believed in the validity of that writing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bowles/a-man-could-scarcely-make-his-writing-a-reason-for-living-unless-he/) [Paul Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bowles/) > [Never stir up litigation. 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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 Dine quotes > [Many people are quick to say that we are not recognized by Muslims in the East . And I start with the Honorable Elijah…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/many-people-are-quick-to-say-that-we-are-not-recognized-by-muslims-in/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [She went from opera, park, assembly, play, To morning walks, and prayers three hours a day. To part her time 'twixt reading and bohea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/she-went-from-opera-park-assembly-play-to-morning-walks-and-prayers/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [I believe what makes cooking in Las Vegas different from cooking in most other cities are the guests that dine with you in Las…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mina/i-believe-what-makes-cooking-in-las-vegas-different-from-cooking-in/) [Michael Mina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mina/) > [And Noah he often said to his wife when he sat down to dine, "I don't care where the water goes if it doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/and-noah-he-often-said-to-his-wife-when-he-sat-down-to-dine-i-don-t/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [I love 'Come Dine With Me.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-simmonds/i-love-come-dine-with-me/) [Ellie Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-simmonds/) > [Back to my childhood where those monsters reside. They snack on innocence and dine on self esteem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-buffett/back-to-my-childhood-where-those-monsters-reside-they-snack-on/) [Jimmy Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-buffett/) > [The cabbage surpasses all other vegetables. If, at a banquet, you wish to dine a lot and enjoy your dinner, then eat as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cato-the-younger/the-cabbage-surpasses-all-other-vegetables-if-at-a-banquet-you-wish/) [Cato the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cato-the-younger/) > [Wine give strenght to weary men. and And wine can of their wits the wise beguile. Make the sage frolic, and the serious smile.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/wine-give-strenght-to-weary-men-and-and-wine-can-of-their-wits-the/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [In spite of my conviction that a group of deliberately assembled relatives can be one of the dullest, if not most dangerous, gatherings in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-k-fisher/in-spite-of-my-conviction-that-a-group-of-deliberately-assembled/) [M. F. K. Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-k-fisher/) > [To rise at six, to dine at ten, To sup at six, to sleep at ten, Makes a man live for ten times ten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/to-rise-at-six-to-dine-at-ten-to-sup-at-six-to-sleep-at-ten-makes-a/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Dine we must and we may as well dine elegantly as well as wholesomely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabella-beeton/dine-we-must-and-we-may-as-well-dine-elegantly-as-well-as-wholesomely/) [Isabella Beeton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabella-beeton/) > [Eat her til she cry, call that whine and dine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/eat-her-til-she-cry-call-that-whine-and-dine/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [We will breakfast together here and dine together in hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-s-ewell/we-will-breakfast-together-here-and-dine-together-in-hell/) Richard S. Ewell > [The hungry judges soon the sentence sign, and wretches hang that jurymen may dine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/the-hungry-judges-soon-the-sentence-sign-and-wretches-hang-that/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [But one day we shall be rich, and the next poor. One day we shall dine in a palace and the next we'll sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-mansfield/but-one-day-we-shall-be-rich-and-the-next-poor-one-day-we-shall-dine/) [Katherine Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-mansfield/) Browse all 121 Dine quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A great man scarcely knows how he dines, how he dresses; but without railing or precision, his living is natural and poetic.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ralph Waldo Emerson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-great-man-scarcely-knows-how-he-dines-how-he-dresses-but-without/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dine" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-great-man-scarcely-knows-how-he-dines-how-he-dresses-but-without/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_dine_a-great-man-scarcely-knows-how-he-dines_2990367.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_dine_a-great-man-scarcely-knows-how-he-dines_2990367.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/45d/ralph-waldo-emerson-6_dine_a-great-man-scarcely-knows-how-he-dines_2990367.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A great man scarcely knows how he dines, how he dresses; but without railing or precision, his living is…” — 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 great man scarcely knows how...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-great-man-scarcely-knows-how-he-dines-how-he-dresses-but-without/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-great-man-scarcely-knows-how-he-dines-how-he-dresses-but-without/#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 } } ] } ```