Ralph Waldo Emerson

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

His heart was as great as the world, but there was no room in it to hold the memory of a wrong.

As long as a man stands in his own way, everything seems to be in his way.

Men over forty are no judges of a book written in a new spirit.

A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his companions by every word. Every opinion reacts on him who utters it. It is a threadball thrown at a mark, but the other end remains on the thrower.

There is this benefit in brag, that the speaker is unconsciously expressing his own ideal. Humor him by all means; draw it all out, and hold him to it.

Though I can make my extravaganzas appear credible, I cannot make the truth appear so.

In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one class of citizens to give to another.

Every fact is related on one side to sensation, and, on the other, to morals. The game of thought is, on the appearance of one of these two sides, to find the other; given the upper, to find the under side.

True genius resides in the capacity for evaluation of uncertain, hazardous, and conflicting information.

Every one goes astray, but the least imprudent are they who repent the soonest.

It is nobler to be good, and it is nobler to teach others to be good – and less trouble!

We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.

Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued.

Sympathy is a supporting atmosphere, and in it we unfold easily and well.

Seize the day, put no trust in tomorrow. [Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero.Lat.]

Surely a long life must be somewhat tedious, since we are forced to call in so many trifling things to help rid us of our time, which will never return.

Disease generally begins that equality which death completes.

A friend is one to whom one may pour out the contents of one’s heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that gentle hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping, and with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away.

Not only must we be good, but we must also be good for something.

Suspicion is most often useless pain.