I am driven to express my faith by a series of skepticisms.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Journal (1845)
Quotations by:
Emerson, Ralph Waldo
Value of the Skeptic is the resistance to premature conclusions.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Journal (1845)
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, lecturer, poet
Journal (1846, undated)
People here expect a revolution. There will be no revolution, none that deserves to be called so. There may be a scramble for money. But as the people we see want the things we now have and not better things, it is very certain that they will, under whatever change of forms, keep the old system. When I see changed men, I shall look for a changed world.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Journal (1848-04)
Written in London.
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, lecturer, poet
Journal (1848-04/05)
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, lecturer, poet
Journal (1848-10)
The salvation of America and of the human race depends on the next election, if we believe the newspapers. But so it was last year, and so it was the year before, and our fathers believed the same thing forty years ago.
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, lecturer, poet
Journal (1849-05)
Nor can a man dupe others long, who has not duped himself first.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Journal (1852)
(Source)
Often rendered: "A man cannot dupe others long, who has not duped himself first."
I am here to represent humanity: it is by no means necessary that I should live, but it is by all means necessary that I should act rightly.
Incorporated into “Essential Principles of Religion,” Lecture, Congregational Society, Boston (16 Mar 1862).
The art of conversation, or the qualification for a good companion, is a certain self-control, which now holds the subject, now lets it go, with a respect for the emergencies of the moment.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Journal (1854)
(Source)
Reprinted in Journals of Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1820–1872, Vol. 3 (1912).
A Scholar is a man with this inconvenience, that when you ask him his opinion on any matter, he must go home and look up his manuscripts to know.
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, lecturer, poet
Journal (1855)
"Notebook WO Liberty"
Abuse is a proof that you are felt. If they praise you, you will work no revolution.
I took such pains not to keep my money in the house, but to put it out of the reach of burglars by buying stock, and had no guess that I was putting it into the hands of these very burglars now grown wiser and standing dressed as Railway Directors.
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, lecturer, poet
Journal (1859, Fall)
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, lecturer, poet
Journal (1859, no date)
Let the reader find that he cannot afford to omit any line of your writing because you have omitted every word that he can spare.
When believers and unbelievers live in the same manner — I distrust the religion.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Journal (1864)
I suppose every old scholar has had the experience of reading something in a book which was significant to him, but which he could never find again. Sure he is that he read it there, but no one else ever read it, nor can he find it again, though he buy the book and ransack every page.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Journal (1867-07-02, after)
Culture is one thing — and varnish another.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Journal (1868)
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, lecturer, poet
Journal (1873)
He has not learned the lesson of life who does not every day surmount a fear.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Lecture (1859-11-13), “Courage,” Mr Parker’s Society, Music Hall, Boston
(Source)
Collected in Society and Solitude, ch. 10 (1870).
Ideas must work through the brains and the arms of good and brave men, or they are no better than dreams.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Lecture (1862-01-31), “American Civilization,” Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C.
(Source)
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, lecturer, poet
Lecture (1867), “Eloquence,” Chicago
(Source)
Collected in Letters and Social Aims (1876).
It is never too late to do right.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Letter to Elizabeth Tucker (1832-02-01)
The best of all ways to make one’s reading valuable is to write about it, and so I hope my Cousin Elizabeth has a blank book where she keeps some record of her thoughts.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Letter to Elizabeth Tucker (1832-02-01)
Finish every day and be done with it. For manners and for wise living it is a vice to remember. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities no doubt 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 cumbered with your old nonsense.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Letter to one of his daughters
(Source)
A man plunges into politics to make his fortune, and only cares that the world should last his days.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Letter to Thomas Carlyle (1835)
My son, a perfect little boy of five years and three months, had ended his earthly life. You can never sympathize with me; you can never know how much of me such a young child can take away. A few weeks ago I accounted myself a very rich man, and now the poorest of all.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Letter to Thomas Carlyle (1842-02-28)
(Source)
Serve self you serve society.
Serve society serve yourself.Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Notebook F, #1, p. 28 (1836-1840)
(Source)
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, lecturer, poet
Speech, Dartmouth College (1838-07-24)