Ralph Waldo Emerson

Books are the best of things if well used; if abused, among the worst. They are good for nothing but to inspire. I had better never see a book than be warped by its attraction clean out of my own orbit, and made a satellite instead of a system.

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.

A great man is always willing to be little.

Every man is a consumer and ought to be a producer.

We know better than we do. We do not yet possess ourselves…

Welcome evermore to gods and men is the self-helping man. For him all doors are flung wide: him all tongues greet, all honors crown, all eyes follow with desire. Our love goes out to him and embraces him, because he did not need it. We solicitously and apologetically caress and celebrate him, because he held on his way and scorned our disapprobation. The gods loved him because men hated him.

One thing only I know, and that is that I know nothing.

Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told: “I’m with you kid. Let’s go.”

The use of traveling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are.

Pleasure that is obtained by unreasonable and unsuitable cost, must always end in pain.

What you seek in vain for, half your life, one day you come full upon, all the family at dinner. You seek it like a dream, and as soon as you find it, you become its prey.

We judge of man’s wisdom by his hope.

The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

Patience makes lighter What sorrow may not heal.

Undeservedly you will atone for the sins of your fathers.

Let us not look east and west for materials of conversation, but rest in presence and unity. A just feeling will fast enough supply fuel for discourse, if speaking be more grateful than silence. When people come to see us, we foolishly prattle, lest we be inhospitable. But things said for conversation are chalk eggs. Don’t say things. What you are stands over you the while, and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary. A lady of my acquaintance said, I don’t care so much for what they say as I do for what makes them say it.

Life is a progress, and not a station.

Englishmen hate Liberty and Equality too much to understand them. But every Englishman loves a pedigree.

Passion is the mob of the man, that commits a riot upon his reason.

One of the most attractive things about the flowers is their beautiful reserve.

We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.