You shall have joy, or you shall have power, said God; you shall not have both.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Journal (1842-10)
Nature is too thin a screen, — the glory of the One breaks in everywhere.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
“Religion,” The Present Age Lecture 7, Boston (1840-01-29)
(Source)
Lecture series initially presented 4 Dec 1839 - 12 Feb 1840. This particular phrase can be found in Emerson's writing going back to 1837. It also was reused in his Cambridge lecture, "The Preacher" (5 May 1879), in a somewhat different context.
The phrase is also rendered "Nature is too thin a screen; the glory of the omnipresent God bursts through everywhere."
A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,
Adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
“Self-Reliance,” Essays: First Series (1841)
A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
(Spurious)
Frequently ascribed to him, especially in recent decades, but not found in his works.
More discussion about this quotation:
It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, “Always do what you are afraid to do.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
“Heroism,” Essays: First Series (1841)
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 coarse, 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.
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, lecturer, poet
“Art,” Essays: First Series (1841)
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, lecturer, poet
“Considerations by the Way,” The Conduct of Life, ch. 7 (1860)
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 with his friendship.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
(Attributed)
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, lecturer, poet
“Works and Days,” Society and Solitude, ch. 7 (1870)
(Source)
It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.
Let us treat men and women well; treat them as if they were real; perhaps they are.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
“Experience,” Essays: Second Series (1844)
With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. 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, lecturer, poet
“Self-Reliance,” Essays: First Series (1841)
Nothing astonishes men so much as common sense and plain dealing.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
“Art,” Essays: First Series (1841)
The reward of a thing well done, is to have done it.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
“New England Reformers,” lecture, Boston (1844-03-03), Essays: Second Series (1844)
(Source)
Reprinted in Essays: Second Series (1844).
I stir in it for the sad reason that no other mortal will move, and if I do not, why, it is left undone. The amount of it, be sure, is merely a Scream; but sometimes a scream is better than a thesis.
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Journal (1838)
Referring to his attempts to stop the US Government's forced expulsion of the Cherokee from their land.
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
I could never think well of a man’s intellectual or moral character, if he was habitually unfaithful to his appointments.
Nathaniel Emmons (1745-1840) American Calvinist preacher
(Attributed)
Traditionally, most of Australia’s imports come from overseas.
Keppel "Kep" Enderbery (1926-2015) Australian politician and jurist
(Attributed)
The rate at which a person can mature is directly proportional to the embarrassment he can tolerate.
Douglas Engelbart (1925-2013) American computer scientist, pioneer
(Attributed)
http://www.bootstrap.org/chronicle/press/tiaobrian/part1.htm
No, folks don’t like the truth. … It’s easier lyin’. Stops us havin’ to fess up to trouble when it comes along. To do right insteada wrong. … But I hate a lie, Cass. My own most of all. They keep us crawlin’ in the dust when we could an’ should be climbin’ for the stars.
Garth Ennis (b. 1970) Irish writer
Preacher, #31, “Underworld”
What is the first business of one who studies philosophy? To part with self-conceit. For it is impossible for any one to begin to learn what he thinks that he already knows.
Epictetus (c.55-c.135) Greek (Phrygian) Stoic philosopher
The Discourses, ch. 17, “How To Apply General Principles to Particular Cases” (c. AD 101-108)
Alt. trans.: "It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows." [tr. Long (1890)]
In my sex fantasy, nobody ever loves me for my mind.
Nora Ephron (1941-2012) American screenwriter, author, journalist, director
(Attributed)
First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.
Epictetus (c.55-c.135) Greek (Phrygian) Stoic philosopher
The Discourses, ch. 23, “Concerning Such as Read and Dispute Ostentatiously” (c. AD 101-108)
Men are disturbed, not by things, but by the principles and notions which they form concerning things.
Epictetus (c.55-c.135) Greek (Phrygian) Stoic philosopher
The Enchiridion (c. 135)
Alt. trans.: "We suffer not from the events in our lives, but from our judgment about them."
The impious one is not the one who takes away the gods of the masses, but rather the one who imposes the ideas of the masses on the gods.
Epicurus (341-270 BC) Greek philosopher
Letter to Menoeceus
Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.
Epicurus (341-270 BC) Greek philosopher
The Vatican Sayings
Your anxiety is directly proportional to your forgetfulness of nature, for you bring on yourself unlimited fears and desires.
Epicurus (341-270 BC) Greek philosopher
Fragment
It is not so much our friends’ help that helps us as the confidence of their help.
Epicurus (341-270 BC) Greek philosopher
The Vatican Sayings
Alt. trans.: "It is not so much our friends' help that helps us as the confident knowledge that they will help us."
For me, writing is foremost a mode of thinking and, when it works well, an act of discovery.
Joseph Epstein (b. 1937) American writer
The Bedford Reader, “Postscript on Process” (ed. Kennedy and Kennedy, 2d ed.) (1985)
When I get a little money, I buy books; and if any is left, I buy food and clothes.
Desiderius Erasmus (1465-1536) Dutch humanist philosopher and scholar
(Attributed)
Money is what people without talent use to keep score.
(Other Authors and Sources)
Jeremy C. Epworth
It is part of the highest civility if, while never erring yourself, you ignore the errors of others.
Desiderius Erasmus (1465-1536) Dutch humanist philosopher and scholar
(Attributed)
It is the chiefest point of happiness that a man is willing to be what he is.
Desiderius Erasmus (1465-1536) Dutch humanist philosopher and scholar
(Attributed)
Whatever the form, whether prose or verse, or whatever the theme, write, write, and again write.
Desiderius Erasmus (1465-1536) Dutch humanist philosopher and scholar
De Ratione Studii (1511)
You and I want our lives to matter. We want our lives to make a real difference — to be of genuine consequence in the world. We know that there is no satisfaction in merely going through the motions, even if those motions make us successful, or even if we have arranged to make those motions pleasant. We want to know we have made some impact on the world. In fact, you and I want to contribute to the quality of life. We want to make the world work.
Werner Erhard (b. 1935) American self-improvement teacher [b. John (Jack) Paul Rosenberg]
(Attributed)
Prevention is better than cure.
Desiderius Erasmus (1465-1536) Dutch humanist philosopher and scholar
(Attributed)
There are none so blind as those who think they can see.
Graham Ericsson (b. 1947) American writer, aphorist
(Attributed)
Aesthetics are not morality. Don’t confuse Taste for Truth, Icky for Evil, or Preference for Perfection.
Graham Ericsson (b. 1947) American writer, aphorist
My So-Called Deep Thoughts (2002)
Poverty, when voluntary, is quite probably a virtue. But few can blame those subjected to it involuntarily for wishing to be done with it.
Graham Ericsson (b. 1947) American writer, aphorist
Heaven and Earth (2002)
To say, “You’re angry over such a little thing,” is like saying, “The fire started with just a little match.” It may well be true, but it does nothing to alleviate the present situation.
Graham Ericsson (b. 1947) American writer, aphorist
Fragments Few and Free (1999)
Just because the other person is obviously, blindingly wrong, doesn’t mean we can be sloppy in our arguments against him. All we do in that case is strengthen his position and weaken our own.
Graham Ericsson (b. 1947) American writer, aphorist
“Right and Rigor” (2001)
There is no good cause for religious persecution. No convert is true who comes to the faith through pain and fear. All persecution does is plant seeds of doubt amongst the hearts of the faithful as to the truth of their cause.
Graham Ericsson (b. 1947) American writer, aphorist
Heaven and Earth (2002)
We don’t have any enemies. Just friends we wish wouldn’t call so often.
Graham Ericsson (b. 1947) American writer, aphorist
Fragments Few and Free (1999)
History is unchanging truths veiled in ever-changing circumstances.
Graham Ericsson (b. 1947) American writer, aphorist
(Attributed)
Do what you need to do.
Graham Ericsson (b. 1947) American writer, aphorist
(Attributed)
The road to hell is paved with religious conservatives? Nah, probably not. I’ve no doubt, though, that there are a few being used to fill in the potholes.
Graham Ericsson (b. 1947) American writer, aphorist
(Attributed)
Anger is a corpse in the closet: the longer locked up, the greater the stink when brought out.
Graham Ericsson (b. 1947) American writer, aphorist
Fragments Few and Free (1999)
I don’t use drugs; my dreams are frightening enough.
M. C. Escher (1898-1972) Dutch artist [Maurits Cornelius Escher]
(Attributed)
He who has learned to disagree without being disagreeable has discovered the most valuable secret of a diplomat.
Robert Estabrook (1918-2011) American journalist, editor, foreign correspondent
(Attributed)
I think it’s always a lot easier to come to firm decisions when we are ignorant. Once we start to learn something, things tend to become much more complicated and truth becomes much more difficult to come by.
Ralph Estling (1930-2007) British essayist and skeptic
(Attributed)
I care for riches, to make gifts
To friends, or lead a sick man back to health
With ease and plenty. Else small aid is wealth
For daily gladness; once a man be done
With hunger, rich and poor are all as one.Euripides (485?-406? BC) Greek tragic dramatist
Electra (413 BC)
Waste not fresh tears over old griefs.
Euripides (485?-406? BC) Greek tragic dramatist
Alexander [Ἀλέξανδρος], Frag. 44 (TGF) [Chorus?] (415 BC) [tr. Morgan]
(Source)
Slight not what’s near through aiming at what’s far.
Euripides (485?-406? BC) Greek tragic dramatist
Rhesus, 482
A man’s most valuable trait is a judicious sense of what not to believe.
Euripides (485?-406? BC) Greek tragic dramatist
Helen (412 BC)