Ralph Waldo Emerson

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

O friend, never strike sail to a fear! Come into port greatly, or sail with God the seas.

Belief consists in accepting the affirmations of the soul; unbelief, in denying them.

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.

Half a man’s wisdom goes with his courage.

Oh man! There is no planet sun or star could hold you, if you but knew what you are.

A woman is a woman, but a good cigar is a smoke.

Would not love see returning penitence afar off, and fall on its neck and kiss it?

Visit the Navy-Yard, and behold a marine, such a man as an American government can make, or such as it can make a man with its black arts – a mere shadow and reminiscence of humanity, a man laid out alive and standing, and already, as one may say, buried under arms with funeral accompaniments.

We are symbols, and inhabit symbols.

It is, indeed, at home that every man must be known by those who would make a just estimate either of his virtue or felicity; for smiles and embroidery are alike occasional, and the mind is often dressed for show in painted honor, and fictitious benevolence.

Courage is the greatest of all virtues, because if you haven’t courage, you may not have an opportunity to use any of the others.

Rebellions of the belly are the worst.

Much reading is an oppression of the mind, and extinguishes the natural candle, which is the reason of so many senseless scholars in the world.

This is a fault common to all singers, that among their friends they will never sing when they are asked; unasked, they will never desist.

It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.

As to the rout that is made about people who are ruined by extravagance, it is no matter to the nation that some individuals suffer. When so much general productive exertion is the consequence of luxury, the nation does not care though there are debtors; nay, they would not care though their creditors were there too.

The only secrets are the secrets that keep themselves.

Read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted… but to weigh and consider.

Fortune makes a fool of those she favors too much.

We aim above the mark to hit the mark.