Ralph Waldo Emerson

Gross and obscure natures, however decorated, seem impure shambles; but character gives splendor to youth, and awe to wrinkled skin and gray hairs.

Meek young men grow up in libraries, believing it their duty to accept the views which Cicero, which Locke, which Bacon, have given, forgetful that Cicero, Locke, and Bacon were only young men in libraries, when they wrote these books. Hence, instead of Man Thinking, we have the book-worm.

We are reformers in the spring and summer, but in autumn we stand by the old. Reformers in the morning, and conservers at night.

It is always so pleasant to be generous, though very vexatious to pay debts.

Society is a masked ball, where every one hides his real character, and reveals it by hiding.

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

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.

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

It always seems impossible until it is done.

Fear always springs from ignorance.

A man sits as many risks as he runs.

Man is the only animal of which I am thoroughly and cravenly afraid of.

The luster of diamonds is invigorated by the interposition of darker bodies; the lights of a picture are created by the shades; the highest pleasure which nature has indulged to sensitive perception is that of rest after fatigue.

Always acknowledge a fault. This will throw those in authority off their guard and give you an opportunity to commit more.

It’s not burn baby burn, but learn, baby, learn, so that you can earn, baby, earn.

I hate women because they always know where things are.

In the long run you hit only what you aim at. Therefore, though you should fail immediately, you had better aim at something high.

Should you find yourself in a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is likely to be more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks.

Life is not long, and too much of it must not pass in idle deliberation how it shall be spent.

To arrive at a just estimate of a renowned man’s character one must judge it by the standards of his time, not ours.

I finished my first book seventy-six years ago. I offered it to every publisher on the English-speaking earth I had ever heard of. Their refusals were unanimous: and it did not get into print until, fifty years later; publishers would publish anything that had my name on it.