Ralph Waldo Emerson

The torments of martyrdom are probably most keenly felt by the bystanders.

The secret in education lies in respecting the student.

If man has good corn, or wood, or boards, or pigs to sell, or can make better chairs or knives, crucibles, or church organs, than anybody else, you will find a broad, hard-beaten road to his house, though it be in the woods.

Death comes to all, but great achievements build a monument which shall endure until the sun grows cold.

No one has a prosperity so high and firm that two or three words can’t dishearten it.

If I cannot brag of knowing something, then I brag of not knowing it; at any rate, brag.

Most people want to avoid pain, and discipline is usually painful.

Nothing astonishes people so much as common sense and plain dealing.

Being is the great explainer.

You always do what you want to do. This is true with every act. You may say that you had to do something, or that you were forced to, but actually, whatever you do, you do by choice. Only you have the power to choose for yourself.

Power doesn’t corrupt people; people corrupt power.

Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.

I’m just preparing my impromptu remarks.

The traveler that resolutely follows a rough and winding path will sooner reach the end of his journey than he that is always changing his direction, and wastes the hour of daylight in looking for smoother ground and shorter passages.

There is only one good – knowledge; and only one evil – ignorance.

A myriad of men are born; they labor and sweat and struggle; …they squabble and scold and fight; they scramble for little mean advantages over each other; age creeps upon them; infirmities follow; …those they love are taken from them, and the joy of life is turned to aching grief. It comes at last-the only unpoisoned gift earth ever had for them-and they vanish from a world where they were of no consequence, …a world which will lament them a day and forget them forever.

Friendship increases in visiting friends, but in visiting them seldom.

The function of vice is to keep virtue within reasonable bounds.

What, sir, would the people of the earth be without woman? They would be scarce, sir, almighty scarce.

I would not talk so much about myself if there were anybody else whom I knew as well.

France has neither winter nor summer nor morals. Apart from these drawbacks it is a fine country.