Ralph Waldo Emerson

Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.

There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right.

Nature and books belong to the eyes that see them.

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day. — `Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.’ — Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.

We find delight in the beauty and happiness of children that makes the heart too big for the body.

Beauty without expression is boring.

Cure the disease and kill the patient.

Once made equal to man, woman becomes his superior.

Socialists think profits are a vice; I consider losses the real vice.

Anger is short madness

Solitude is dangerous to reason, without being favorable to virtue. Remember that the solitary mortal is certainly luxurious, probably superstitious, and possibly mad.

It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part.

When you’ve told someone that you’ve left them a legacy the only decent thing to do is to die at once.

I answer the heroic question Death where is thy sting? It is here in my heart and mind and memories

As peace is the end of war, so to be idle is the ultimate purpose of the busy.

The stupidity of men always invites the insolence of power.

I like to be beholden to the great metropolitan English speech, the sea which receives tributaries from every region under heaven.

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.

It is a happy talent to know how to play.

Reminiscences make one feel so deliciously aged and sad.

He that will not apply new remedies, must expect new evils: for Time is the greatest innovator: and if Time, of course, alter things to the worse, and wisdom and counsel shall not alter them to the better, what shall be the end?.