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 Convert life into truth. Ralph Waldo Emerson truth action life By necessity, by proclivity, and by delight, we all quote. In fact, it is as difficult to appropriate the thoughts of others as it is to invent. Ralph Waldo Emerson invention delight facts The simplest words,--we do not know what they mean except when we love and aspire. Ralph Waldo Emerson simplicity understanding mean Doubt not, O poet, but persist. Say 'It is in me, and shall out.' Stand there, balked and dumb, stuttering and stammering, hissed and hooted, stand and strive, until at last rage draw out of thee that dream-power which every night shows thee is thine own; a power transcending all limit and privacy, and by virtue of which a man is the conductor of the whole river of electricity. Ralph Waldo Emerson dream men night Nature is a language and every new fact one learns is a new word; but it is not a language taken to pieces and dead in the dictionary, but the language put together into a most significant and universal sense. I wish to learn this language - not that I may know a new grammar, but that I may read the great book which is written in that tongue. Ralph Waldo Emerson nature taken book The man (or woman) who can make hard things easy is the educator. Ralph Waldo Emerson powerful teaching teacher And truly it demands something godlike in him who cast off the common motives of humanity and ventured to trust himself for a taskmaster. Ralph Waldo Emerson individuality humanity courage That which dominates our imagination and our thoughts will determine our life and character. Ralph Waldo Emerson coaching imagination character A man is what he thinks about all day long. Ralph Waldo Emerson positive inspirational life The ornaments of our homes are the friends that visit it Ralph Waldo Emerson ornaments home The real and lasting victories are those of peace, and not of war. Ralph Waldo Emerson real war peace I have heard that whoever loves is in no condition old. I have heard that whenever the name of man is spoken, the doctrine of immortality is announced; it cleaves to his constitution. The mode of it baffles our wit, and no whisper comes to us from the other side. But the inference from the working of intellect, hiving knowledge, hiving skill,--at the end of life just ready to be born,--affirms the inspirations of affection and of the moral sentiment. Ralph Waldo Emerson inspiration love-is men Life consists in what a man is thinking of all day. Ralph Waldo Emerson inspirational men life Poverty consist in feeling poor. Ralph Waldo Emerson poverty poor feelings The Soul rules over matter. Matter may pass away like a mote in the sunbeam, may be absorbed into the immensity of God, as a mistis absorbed into the heat of the Sun--but the soul is the kingdom of God, the abode of love, of truth, of virtue. Ralph Waldo Emerson heat-of-the-sun soul passing-away Life is not so short but that there is always time enough for courtesy. Ralph Waldo Emerson kindness time life Reality is a sliding door. Ralph Waldo Emerson sliding-doors doors reality Whenever you are sincerely pleased you are nourished. Ralph Waldo Emerson sincerely pleasure peace Friendship should be surrounded with ceremonies and respects, and not crushed into corners. Ralph Waldo Emerson ceremony should friendship Art is a jealous mistress; and if a man have a genius for painting, poetry, music, architecture or philosophy, he makes a bad husband and an ill provider. Ralph Waldo Emerson music husband art