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Quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Do not you see that every misfortune is misconduct; that every honour is desert; that every effort is an insolence of your own?...You carry your fortune in your own hand.”

Quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Author

Ralph Waldo Emerson

American essayist, poet, and philosopher. Born on May 25, 1803, and died on April 27, 1882. Known for his transcendentalist philosophy, his works have had a profound impact on literature and the intellectual world. more

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“Man is timid and apologetic; he is no longer upright; he dares not say "I think," "I am," but quotes some saint or sage.”

Thinking Men Pride Saint Dare Sage Apologetic

Book:Emerson's Essays: Top Essays

Source: Emerson's Essays: Top Essays

“Pride ruined the angels, Their shame them restores; And the joy that is sweetest Lurks in stings of remorse.”

Joy Pride Angel Shame Ruined Remorse Sweetest

Book:Selected Writings

Source: Selected Writings

“Pride can go without domestics, without fine clothes, can live in a house with two rooms, can eat potato, purslain, beans, lyed corn, can work on the soil, can travel afoot, can talk with poor men, or sit silent well contented with fine saloons. But vanity costs money, labor, horses, men, women, health and peace, and is still nothing at last; a long way leading nowhere.--Only one drawback; proud people are intolerably selfish, and the vain are gentle and giving.”

Source: Nature - Conduct of Life

“He is a good man, who can receive a gift well. We are either glad or sorry at a gift, and both emotions are unbecoming.”

Men Wells Emotion Sorry Glad Good Man Unbecoming

Book:The Prose Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson

Source: The Prose Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson

“I feel the same truth how often in my trivial conversation with my neighbours, that somewhat higher in each of us overlooks this by-play, and Jove nods to Jove from behind each of us.”

Feels Play Behinds Higher Conversation Neighbour

Book:Essays and Lectures

Source: Essays and Lectures

“Sanity consists in not being subdued by your means. Fancy prices are paid for position, and for the culture of talent, but to thegrand interests, superficial success is of no account.”

Mean Success Culture Interest Talent Position Accounts Paid Fancy Sanity Superficial

Book:The Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson: Comprising His Essays, Lectures, Poems, and Orations

Source: The Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson: Comprising His Essays, Lectures, Poems, and Orations

“Success goes thus invariably with a certain plus or positive power: an ounce of power must balance an ounce of weight.”

Success Certain Power Balance Weight Plus

Book:Power, Wealth, Illusions

Source: Power, Wealth, Illusions

“The energetic action of the times develops individualism, and the religious appear isolated. I esteem this a step in the right direction. Heaven deals with us on no representative system. Souls are not saved in bundles.”

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Book:Representative men. English traits. Conduct of life

Source: Representative men. English traits. Conduct of life

“The idealism of Berkeley is only a crude statement of the idealism of Jesus, and that again is a crude statement of the fact thatall nature is the rapid efflux of goodness executing and organizing itself.”

Facts Jesus Christ Goodness Jesus Christ Statements Idealism Rapids Crude Executing Berkeley

Book:Nature and Other Essays

Source: Nature and Other Essays

“But the mark of American merit in painting, in sculpture, in poetry, in fiction, in eloquence, seems to be a certain grace withoutgrandeur, and itself not new but derivative; a vase of fair outline, but empty,--which whoso sees, may fill with what wit and character is in him, but which does not, like the charged cloud, overflow with terrible beauty, and emit lightnings on all beholders.”

Source: Essays and Lectures