Ralph Waldo Emerson

Talent alone cannot make a writer. There must be a man behind the book; a personality which, by birth and quality, is pledged to the doctrines there set forth, and which exists to see and state things so, and not otherwise.

Every natural fact is a symbol of some spiritual fact.

The greatest man in history was the poorest.

That which we call character is a reserved force which acts directly by presence, and without means. It is conceived of as a certain undemonstrable force, a familiar or genius, by whose impulses the man is guided, but whose counsels he cannot impart.

Society is a hospital of incurables.

People only see what they are prepared to see.

There is in the act of preparing, the moment you start caring.

Some thoughts always find us young, and keep us so. Such a thought is the love of the universal and eternal beauty.

Almost all absurdity of conduct arises from the imitation of those who we cannot resemble.

Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all.

Every old poem is sacred.

It is necessary to hope… for hope itself is happiness.

A broad margin of leisure is as beautiful in a man’s life as in a book. Haste makes waste, no less in life than in housekeeping. Keep the time, observe the hours of the universe, not of the cars.

It is wonderful to think how men of very large estates not only spend their yearly income, but are often actually in want of money. It is clear, they have not value for what they spend.

The never-ending task of self improvement.

The government who robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.

You can tell a lot about a person by listening to the way they talk about someone they once loved.

My prison shall be my grave before I will budge a jot; for I owe my conscience to no mortal man.

Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.

See one promontory, one mountain, one sea, one river and see all.

Since you get more joy out of giving joy to others, you should put a good deal of thought into the happiness that you are able to give.