Ralph Waldo Emerson

Earth laughs in flowers.

What is the imagination? Only an arm or weapon of the interior energy; only the precursor of the reason.

A man makes inferiors his superiors by heat; self-control is the rule.

Shallow people believe in luck and in circumstances; Strong people believe in cause and effect.

The first thing a great person does, is make us realize the insignificance of circumstance.

The glory of friendship is not in the outstretched hand, nor the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is in the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when he discovers that someone else believes in him and is willing to trust him.

To let friendship die away by negligence and silence is certainly not wise. It is voluntarily to throw away one of the greatest comforts of the weary pilgrimage.

A bizarre sensation pervades a relationship of pretense. No truth seems true. A simple morning’s greeting and response appear loaded with innuendo and fraught with implications. Each nicety becomes more sterile and each withdrawal more permanent.

There is no odor so bad as that which arises from goodness tainted.

The measure of a great leader, is their success in bringing everyone around to their opinion twenty years later.

And certainly, the mistakes that we male and female mortals make when we have our own way might fairly raise some wonder that we are so fond of it.

A little philosophy inclineth man’s mind to atheism, but depth in philosophy bringeth men’s minds about to religion.

In the end, people will judge you anyway, so don’t live our life impressing other – live your life impressing yourself.

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

He who has never hoped can never despair.

All philosophies, if you ride them home, are nonsense, but some are greater nonsense than others.

Nothing can bring you peace but yourself; nothing, but the triumph of principles.

No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown.

When desire, having rejected reason and overpowered judgment which leads to right, is set in the direction of the pleasure which beauty can inspire, and when again under the influence of its kindred desires it is moved with violent motion towards the beauty of corporeal forms, it acquires a surname from this very violent motion, and is called love.

The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.

Excess in Apparel is another costly Folly. The very Trimming of the vain World would cloath all the naked one.