The most active lives have so much routine as to preclude progress almost equally with the most inactive. Ralph Waldo Emerson More Quotes by Ralph Waldo Emerson More Quotes From Ralph Waldo Emerson Wise men are not wise at all hours, and will speak five times from their taste or their humor, to once from their reason. Ralph Waldo Emerson taste wise men Eloquence is the power to translate a truth into language perfectly intelligible to the person to whom you speak. Ralph Waldo Emerson language writing inspirational Language is a city, to the building of which every human being brought a stone; yet he is no more to be credited with the grand result than the acaleph which adds a cell to the coral reef which is the basis of the continent. Ralph Waldo Emerson cells cities add We infer the spirit of the nation in great measure from the language, which is a sort of monument, to which each forcible individual in a course of many hundred years has contributed a stone. Ralph Waldo Emerson spirit stones years Preaching is the expression of moral sentiments applied to the duties of life. Ralph Waldo Emerson moral expression life Life too near paralyses art. Ralph Waldo Emerson paralysis life art Self-reliance is its aversion. It loves not realities and creators, but names and customs. Ralph Waldo Emerson self love reality The death of a dear friend, wife, brother, lover, which seemed nothing but privation, somewhat later assumes the aspect of a guide or genius; for it commonly operates revolutions in our way of life, terminates an epoch of infancy or of youth which was waiting to be closed, breaks up a wonted occupation, or a household, or style of living, and allows the formation of new ones more friendly to the growth of character. Ralph Waldo Emerson brother love character Up and away for life! be fleet!- Ralph Waldo Emerson stars kings lying If a man sits down to think, he is immediately asked if he has a headache. Ralph Waldo Emerson headache men thinking It is very hard to be simple enough to be good. Ralph Waldo Emerson simplicity simple wise The basis of good manners is self-reliance. Ralph Waldo Emerson good-man self manners Some natures are too good to be spoiled by praise. Ralph Waldo Emerson spoiled praise The intellectual man requires a fine bait; the sots are easily amused. But everybody is drugged with his own frenzy, and the pageant marches at all hours, with music and banner and badge. Ralph Waldo Emerson bait intellectual men Noblesse oblige; or, superior advantages bind you to larger generosity. Ralph Waldo Emerson superiors generosity advantage We rail at trade, but the historian of the world will see that it was the principle of liberty; that it settled America, and destroyed feudalism, and made peace and keeps peace; that it will abolish slavery. Ralph Waldo Emerson liberty peace america The history of persecution is a history of endeavors to cheat nature, to make water run up hill, to twist a rope of sand. Ralph Waldo Emerson nature running water More than the diamond Koh-i-noor, which glitters among their crown jewels, they prize the dull pebble which is wiser than a man, whose poles turn themselves to the poles of the world, and whose axis is parallel to the axis of the world. Now, their toys are steam and galvanism. Ralph Waldo Emerson wisdom men science The rich mind lies in the sun and sleeps, and is Nature. Ralph Waldo Emerson nature sleep lying There is no thought in any mind, but it quickly tends to convert itself into power. Ralph Waldo Emerson power mind thinking
