Quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson

A man's power to connect his thought with its proper symbol, and so to utter it, depends on the simplicity of his character, that is, upon his love of truth, and his desire to communicate it without loss.

Everything teaches transition, transference, metamorphosis: therein is human power, in transference, not in creation; & therein is human destiny, not in longevity but in removal. We dive & reappear in new places.

All men plume themselves on the improvement of society, and no man improves.

Go forth into the busy world and love it. Interest yourself in its life, mingle kindly with its joys and sorrows.

The sinew and heart of man seem to be drawn out, and we are become timorous desponding whimperers. We are afraid of truth, afraid of fortune, afraid of death, and afraid of each other.

The essence of greatness is the perception that virtue is enough.

Crossing a bare common, in snow puddles, at twilight, under a clouded sky, without having in my thoughts any occurrence of special good fortune, I have enjoyed a perfect exhilaration. I am glad to the brink of fear.

It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, Always do what you are afraid to do.

Music takes us out of the actual and whispers to us dim secrets that startles out wonder as to who we are, and for what, whence, and whereto.

Society is a masked ball, where every one hides his real character, and reveals it by hiding

Nothing is so strong as gentleness nothing so gentle as real strength

The poet knows that he speaks adequately, then, only when he speaks somewhat wildly.

A sect or party is an elegant incognito devised to save a man from the vexation of thinking.

Self-trust is the first secret of success.

People seem not to see that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character.

The years teach us much, which the days never knew.

God offers to every mind a choice between repose and truth. take which you please--you can never have both. [Essay on Intellect]

Believe in yourself our strength grows out of our weakness

A man's growth is seen in the successive choirs of his friends.

The people are to be taken in very small doses.

Every hero becomes a bore at last.

The music that can deepest reach and cure all ill is cordial speech.

The civilized man has built a coach, but has lost the use of his feet.

Cut these words and they would bleed; they are vascular and alive.