We grant no dukedoms to the few,
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
We hold like rights and shall; —
Equal on Sunday in the pew,
On Monday in the mall.
For what avail the plough or sail,
Or land or life, if freedom fail?
“Boston” (1873)
Written and read for the 100th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party.
We learn geology the morning after the earthquake.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Considerations by the Way,” The Conduct of Life (1860)
The opium of custom, whereof all drink and many go mad.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Education,” Lectures and Biographical Sketches (1883)
If you would lift me, you must be on higher ground.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Eloquence,” Atlantic Monthly (Sep 1858)
Eloquence is the power to translate a truth into language perfectly intelligible to the person to whom you speak.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Eloquence,” Letters and Social Aims (1876)
Nature, as we know her, is no saint.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Experience,” Essays: Second Series (1844)
Better be a nettle in the side of your friend than his echo.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Friendship,” Essays: First Series (1841)
A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere. Before him, I may think aloud.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Friendship,” Essays: First Series (1841)
Life is a perpetual instruction in cause and effect.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Natural Religion” (3 Feb. 1861)
Here is the secret: A man is a very small thing whilst he works by and for himself but an immense and omnipotent worker as soon as he puts himself right with the law of nature. … It is as when you come to a conflagration with your fire engine — no matter how good the machine, you will make but a feeble spray, whilst you draw from your own tub. But once you get your hose … dipped in the river, or in the harbor, and you can ump as long as the sea holds out.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Notebook WO Liberty” (1855)
We cannot overstate our debt to the Past, but the moment has the supreme claim.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Quotations and Originality,” Letters and Social Aims (1876)
Next to the originator of a good sentence is the first quoter of it.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Quotations and Originality,” Letters and Social Aims (1876)
You will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Self-Reliance,” Essays: First Series (1841)
In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Self-Reliance,” Essays: First Series (1841)
Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Self-Reliance,” Essays: First Series (1841)
Whoso would be a man, must be a nonconformist.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Self-Reliance,” Essays: First Series (1841)
Life is not so short but that there is always time enough for courtesy.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Social Aims,” Letters and Social Aims (1876)
In good conversation, parties don’t speak to the words, but to the meanings of each other.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Social Aims,” Letters and Social Aims (1876)
Don’t say things. What you are stands over you the while, and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Social Aims,” Letters and Social Aims (vol. 8 of The Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson) (1917)
Based on a Boston lecture (4 Dec 1864). http://www.bartleby.com/73/186.html
Excellence is lost sight of in the hunger for sudden performance and praise.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Success,” Society and Solitude (1870)
When Carlini was convulsing Naples with laughter, a patient wated on a physician in that city, to obtain some remedy for excessive melancholy, which was rapidly consuming his life. The physician endeavored to cheer his spirits, and advised him to go to the theater and see Carlini. He replied, “I am Carlini.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“The Comic,” closing words, Letters and Social Aims (1876)
Conservatism stands on man’s incontestable limitations; reform on his indisputable infinitiude.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“The Conservative” (lecture), Masonic Temple, Boston (9 Dec 1841)
Nature works in immense time and spends individuals and races prodigally to prepare new individuals and races.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“The Fortune of the Republic,” lecture, Old South Church, Boston (30 Mar 1878)
Divine Providence sends the chiefest benefits under the mask of calamities.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“The Fortune of the Republic,” lecture, Old South Church, Boston (9 Mar 1878)
In a virtuous community men of sense and principle will always be placed at the head of affairs. In a declining state of public morals men will be so blinded to their true interests as to put the incapable and unworthy at the helm. It is therefore vain to complain of the follies or crimes of a government. We must lay the hands on our own hearts and say, Here is the sin that makes the public sin.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“The Individual and the State,” sermon, Second Church of Boston (8 Apr 1830)
There is no unemployed force in Nature. All decomposition is recomposition.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“The Man of Letters,” Lectures and Biographical Sketches (1883)
Once we had wooden chalices and golden priests, now we have golden chalices and wooden priests.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“The Preacher,” Lectures and Biographical Sketches (1883)
I do not find that the age or country makes the least difference; no, nor the language the actor spoke, nor the religion which they professed, — whether Arab in the desert, or Frenchman in the Academy. I see that sensible men and conscientious men all over the world were of one religion of well-doing and daring.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“The Preacher,” lecture, Cambridge (5 May 1879)
Every observation of history inspires a confidence that we shall not go far wrong; that things will mend.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“The Young American” (lecture), Boston (7 Feb. 1844)
Every observation of history inspires a confidence that we shall not go far wrong; that things will mend.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“The Young American,” lecture, Mercantile Library Association, Boston (7 Feb 1844)
Every hero becomes a bore at last.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Uses of Great Men,” Representative Men (1850)
The shield against the stingings of conscience is the universal practice of our contemporaries. Again, it is very easy to be as wise and good as your companions.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Uses of Great Men,” Representative Men (1850)
Money often costs too much.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Wealth,” The Conduct of Life (1860)
Can anyone remember when times were not hard, and money was not scarce?
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Words and Days,” Society and Solitude (1870)
It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
(Attributed)
The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
(Attributed)
A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
(Attributed)
Nature is too thin a screen; the glory of the omnipresent God bursts through everywhere.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
(Attributed)
Let us be silent, that we may hear the whispers of the gods.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
(Attributed)
No member of a crew is praised for the rugged individuality of his rowing.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
(Attributed)
The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
(Attributed)
It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
(Attributed)
All great masters are chiefly distinguished by the power of adding a second, a third, and perhaps a fourth step in a continuous line. Many a man had taken the first step. With every additional step you enhance immensely the value of your first.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
(Attributed)
Finish every day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities crept in– forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it well and serenely, and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old mistakes and nonsense.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
(Attributed)
Don’t waste life in doubts and fears; spend yourself on the work before you, well assured that the right performance of this hour’s duties will be the best preparation for the hours and ages that will follow it.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
(Attributed)
When a resolute young fellow steps up to the great bully, the world, and takes him boldly by the beard, he is often surprised to find it comes off in his hand, and that it was only tied on to scare away the timid adventurers.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
(Attributed)
Your goodness must have some edge to it, — else it is none.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Essays: First Series, “Self Reliance” (1841)
Nothing astonishes men so much as common sense and plain dealing.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Essays: First Series, “Art” (1841)
Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Essays: First Series, “Art” (1841)
Friendship, like the immortality of the soul, is too good to be believed.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Essays: First Series, “Compensation” (1841)
A friend is a person with whom I may be sincere. Before him, I may think aloud.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Essays: First Series, “Friendship” (1841)
The only way to have a friend is to be one.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Essays: First Series, “Friendship” (1841)
It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person,
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Essays: First Series, “Heroism” (1841)
God offers to every mind its choice between truth and repose.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Essays: First Series, “Intellect” (1841)
Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly and they will show themselves great.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Essays: First Series, “Prudence” (1841)
Speak what you think to-day in words as hard as cannon-balls and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Essays: First Series, “Self-Reliance” (1841)
A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.
Essays: First Series, “Self-Reliance” (1841)
Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Essays: First Series, “Self-Reliance” (1841)
Cause and Effect, the chancellors of God.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Essays: First Series, “Self-Reliance” (1841)
The faith that stands on authority is not faith.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Essays: First Series, “The Over-Soul” (1841)
The reward of a thing well done is to have done it.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Essays: Second Series, New England Reformers, “New England Reformers” (1844)
or The Conduct of Life, "Fate" (1860)
Let us treat men and women well; treat them as if they were real; perhaps they are.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Essays: Second Series, “Experience” (1844)
We must trust the perfection of the creation so far, as to believe that whatever curiosity the order of things has awakened in our minds, the order of things can satisfy.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Essays: Second Series, “Nature” (1844)
We aim above the mark to hit the mark.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Essays: Second Series, “Nature” (1844)
Every actual State is corrupt. Good men must not obey the laws too well.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Essays: Second Series, “Politics” (1844)
The salvation of America and of the human race depends on the next Election, if we believe the newspapers.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (Oct 1848)
When a whole nation is roaring Patriotism at the top of its voice, I am fain to explore the cleanness of its hands and purity of its heart.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journals (1824)
Sometimes a scream is better than a thesis.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journals (1836)
Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. What if they are a little course, and you may get your coat soiled or torn? What if you do fail, and get fairly rolled in the dirt once or twice. Up again, you shall never be so afraid of a tumble.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journals (1842)
Culture is one thing — and varnish another.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journals (1868)
The human soul, the world, the universe are laboring on to their magnificent consummation. We are not fashioned
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journals (5 Dec. 1820)
It is by no means necessary that I should live, but it is by all means necessary that I should act rightly.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journals (May 1854)
You shall have joy, or you shall have power, said God; you shall not have both.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journals (Oct. 1842)
Sorrow makes us all children again, destroys all difference of intellect. The wisest knows nothing.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journals, Vol. 8 (30 Jan. 1842)
Eloquence is the power to translate a truth into language perfectly intelligible to the person to whom you speak.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Letters and Social Aims, “Eloquence” (1876)
Every artist was first an amateur.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Letters and Social Aims, “Progress of Culture” (1876)
Full text.
How cunningly nature hides every wrinkle of her inconceivable antiquity under roses and violets and morning dew!
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Letters and Social Aims, “Progress of Culture” (1876)
Next to the originator of a good sentence is the first quoter of it.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Letters and Social Aims, “Quotation & Originality” (1876)
By necessity, by proclivity and by delight, we all quote.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Letters and Social Aims, “Quotation and Originality” (1876)
Life is not so short but that there is always time enough for courtesy.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Letters and Social Aims, “Social Aims” (1876)
Good manners are made up of petty sacrifices.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Letters and Social Aims, “Social Aims” (1876)
What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Letters and Social Aims, “Social Aims” (lecture, Boston, 4 Dec. 1864) (1876)
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Keep cool: It will all be one a hundred years hence.
Representative Men, “Montaigne” (1850)
The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Society and Solitude, “Domestic Life” (1870)
Put the argument into a concrete shape, into an image — some hard phrase, round and solid as a ball, which they can see and handle and carry home with them — and the cause is half-won.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Society and Solitude, “Eloquence” (1870)
A man builds a fine house; and now he has a master, and a task for life; he is to furnish, watch, show it, and keep it in repair, the rest of his days.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Society and Solitude, “Works and Days” (1870)
Our chief want in life, is, someone who shall make us do what we can. This is the service of a friend. With him we are easily great.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
The Conduct of Life, “Considerations by the Way” (1860)
Whatever games are played with us, we must play no games with ourselves, but deal in our privacy with the last honesty and truth.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
The Conduct of Life, “Illusions” (1860)
In our flowing affairs a decision must be made — the best, if you can, but any is better than none. There are twenty ways of going to a point, and one is the shortest; but set out at once on one. A man who has that presence of mind which can bring to him the instant all he knows, is worth for action a dozen men who know as much but can only bring it to light slowly.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
The Conduct of Life, “Power” (1860)
Shallow men believe in luck, believe in circumstances — it was somebody’s name, or he happened to be there at the time, or it was so then, and another day would have been otherwise. Strong men believe in cause and effect.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
The Conduct of Life, “Worship” (1860)
People seem not to see that opinion of the world is also a confession of character.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
The Conduct of Life, “Worship” (1860)
Conformity is the ape of harmony.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (10 May 1840)
God will not have his work made manifest by cowards.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (13 Jan 1833)
He who has a thousand friends has not one friend to spare,
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
And he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere.
Journal (1855)
See Ali ibn Abi-Talib.
After you have pumped your brains for thoughts and verses, there is a better poetry hinted in whistling a tune on your walk.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (1859, no date)
We all know the rule of umbrellas — if you take your umbrella, it will will not rain; if you leave it, it will.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (1873)
Be not the slave of your own past.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (19 Jun 1838)
Rain, rain. The good rain, like a bad preacher, does not know when to leave off.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (23 Apr 1834)
What is the matter with the world that it is so out of joint? Simply that men do not rule themselves but let circumstances rule them.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (25 Jun 1828)
Happy the man who never puts on a face, but receives every visitor with that countenance he has on.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (28 Jul 1833)
Must we always talk for victory, and never once for truth, for comfort, and joy?
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (29 Feb 1856)
Speaking of Thoreau's style of conversational.
There never was a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him asleep.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (30 Sep 1837)
The Religion that is afraid of science dishonours God and commits suicide.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (4 Mar 1831)
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (8 Nov 1838)
I suppose you could never prove to the mind of the most ingenious mollusk that such a creature as a whale was possible.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (Apr-May 1848)
Courage charms us becaue it indicates that a man loves an idea better than all the things in the world, that he is thinking neither of his bed, nor his dinner, nor hismoney, but will venture all to put in act the invisible thought of his mind.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (Fall 1859)
Immortality. I notice that as soon as writers broach this question they begin to quote. I hate quotations. Tell me what you know.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (May 1849)
If I have lost confidence in myself, I have the Universe against me.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (Nov. 1843)
The hater of property and of government takes care to have his warranty deed recorded, and the book written against Fame and learning has the author’s name on the title page.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (Spring 1857)
See Cicero.
Our very defects are … shadows of our virtues.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal (undated, 1831)
It will not do to diminish personal responsibility: do not give money and teach the man to expect it. Do not give him a Bible, or a genius, to think for him.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Journal, undated (1846)
Explore, and explore. Be neither chided nor flattered out of your position of perpetual inquiry. Neither dogmatize, or accept another’s dogmatism.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
Speech, Dartmouth College (24 Jul 1838)
These times of ours are serious and full of calamity, but all times are essentially alike. As soon as there is life there is danger.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and poet
“Public and Private Education,” lecture, Parker Fraternity, Boston (27 Nov 1864)
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