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Ralph Waldo Emerson

137 quotes

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) was an American essayist, lecturer, and poet who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. His essays, including "Self-Reliance" and "Nature," champion individuality, freedom, and the inherent goodness of people and nature. He remains one of America's most influential thinkers.

“Fiction reveals truth that reality obscures.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Truth

All Quotes by Ralph Waldo Emerson

“A great man is always willing to be little.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Great

“Who hears me, who understands me, becomes mine, a possession for all time.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Time

“There is no chance and anarchy in the universe. All is system and gradation. Every god is there sitting in his sphere.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

God

“When nature has work to be done, she creates a genius to do it.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nature

“Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live as well as think.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Great

“Everything in Nature contains all the powers of Nature. Everything is made of one hidden stuff.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nature

“Great geniuses have the shortest biographies.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Great

“Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nature

“Trust men and they will be true to you treat them greatly and they will show themselves great.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Great

“Nothing external to you has any power over you.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Power

“Our best thoughts come from others.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Best

“Each age, it is found, must write its own books or rather, each generation for the next succeeding.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Age

“Society is always taken by surprise at any new example of common sense.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Society

“It is one of the beautiful compensations in this life that no one can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Life

“We do not yet possess ourselves, and we know at the same time that we are much more.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Time

“Before we acquire great power we must acquire wisdom to use it well.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Great

“Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Fear

“For every minute you remain angry, you give up sixty seconds of peace of mind.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Anger

“Earth laughs in flowers.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nature

“All mankind love a lover.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

Love