Quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson

Prayer that craves a particular commodity—anything less than all good, is vicious. Prayer is the contemplation of the facts of life from the highest point of view. It is the soliloquy of a beholding and jubilant soul. It is the spirit of God pronouncing his works good. But prayer as a means to effect a private end is theft and meanness. It supposes dualism and not unity in nature and consciousness. As soon as the man is at one with God, he will not beg.

Do your work, and I shall know you. Do your work, and you shall reinforce yourself.

Astronomy to the selfish becomes astrology.

A man's power to connect his thought with its proper symbol, and so to utter it, depends on the simplicity of his character, that is, upon his love of truth, and his desire to communicate it without loss.

Everything teaches transition, transference, metamorphosis: therein is human power, in transference, not in creation; & therein is human destiny, not in longevity but in removal. We dive & reappear in new places.

All men plume themselves on the improvement of society, and no man improves.

Go forth into the busy world and love it. Interest yourself in its life, mingle kindly with its joys and sorrows.

The essence of greatness is the perception that virtue is enough.

It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, Always do what you are afraid to do.

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

Nothing is so strong as gentleness nothing so gentle as real strength

People seem not to see that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character.