Ralph Waldo Emerson Quotes

Half a man’s wisdom goes with his courage.

A great part of courage is the courage of having done the thing before.

Next to the originator of a good sentence is the first quoter of it.

Conversation is an art in which a man has all mankind for his competitors, for it is that which all are practicing every day while they live.

A man of no conversation should smoke.

We do not live an equal life, but one of contrasts and patchwork; now a little joy, then a sorrow, now a sin, then a generous or brave action.

Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.

I wish to say what I think and feel today, with the proviso that tomorrow perhaps I shall contradict it all.

Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of every one of its members. Society is a joint-stock company, in which the members agree for the better securing of his bread to each shareholder, to surrender the liberty and culture of the eater. The virtue in most request is conformity. Self-reliance is its aversion. It […]

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. 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 now in hard words, and tomorrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard […]