Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 – 1882)
American philosopher, essayist, and poet.
Solvency is maintained by means of a national debt, on the principle, "If you will not lend me the money, how can I pay you?"
Our age is retrospective. It builds the sepulchres of the fathers. It writes biographies, histories, and criticism. The foregoing generation beheld God and nature face to face; we, through their eyes. Why should not we also enjoy an original relation to the universe. Why should not we have a poetry and philosophy of insight and not of tradition, and a religion by revelation to us, and not the history of theirs?
All that Shakespeare says of the king, yonder slip of a boy that reads in the corner feels to be true of himself.
Of course, he who has put forth his total strength in fit actions, has the richest return of wisdom.
It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, — "Always do what you are afraid to do."
The stars awaken a certain reverence, because though always present, they are inaccessible; but all natural objects make a kindred impression, when the mind is open to their influence. Nature never wears a mean appearance. Neither does the wisest man extort her secret, and lose his curiosity by finding out all her perfection. Nature never became a toy to a wise spirit. The flowers, the animals, the mountains, reflected the wisdom of his best hour, as much as they had delighted the simplicity of his childhood.
Your genuine action will explain itself, and will explain your other genuine actions. Your conformity explains nothing. Act singly, and what you have already done singly will justify you now. Greatness appeals to the future. If I can be firm enough to-day to do right, and scorn eyes, I must have done so much right before as to defend me now. Be it how it will, do right now. Always scorn appearances, and you always may. The force of character is cumulative.
Nothing can be preserved that is not good.
He thought it happier to be dead,
To die for Beauty, than live for bread.
Every violation of truth is not only a sort of suicide in the liar, but is a stab at the health of human society.
United States! the ages plead, —
Present and Past in under-song, —
Go put your creed into your deed,
Nor speak with double tongue.
Every man I meet is in some way my superior; and in that I can learn of him.
To live without duties is obscene.
Every artist was first an amateur.
In the highest civilization, the book is still the highest delight. He who has once known its satisfactions is provided with a resource against calamity.
The best university that can be recommended to a man of ideas is the gauntlet of the mobs.
The real and lasting victories are those of peace, and not of war.
Wilt thou seal up the avenues of ill?
Pay every debt as if God wrote the bill.
Olympian bards who sung
Divine Ideas below,
Which always find us young,
And always keep us so.