Quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson

The cardinal virtue of a teacher (is) to protect the pupil from his own influence

Difference of opinion is the one crime which kings never forgive

In the matter of religion, people eagerly fasten their eyes on the difference between their own creed and yours; whilst the charm of the study is in finding the agreements and identities in all the religions of humanity

Ideas must work through the brains and arms of good and brave men, or they are no better than dreams

The disease with which the human mind now labors is want of faith

Common sense is as rare as genius, - is the basis of genius

The best part of health is fine disposition

Health is the first muse, and sleep is the condition to produce it

Health is the condition of wisdom, and the sign is cheerfulness, -- an open and noble temper.

Many time the reading of a book has made the future of a man.

Music takes us out of the actual and whispers to us dim secrets that startle our wonder as to who we are, and for what, whence, and whereto.

The quality of the imagination is to flow and not to freeze.

A man's growth is seen in the successive choirs of his friends.

All history becomes subjective; in other words there is properly no history, only biography.

The basis of good manners is self-reliance.

Thoughts come into our minds by avenues which we never left open, and thoughts go out of our minds through avenues which we never voluntarily opened.

One of the most wonderful things in nature is a glance of the eye; it transcends speech; it is the bodily symbol of identity.

It is impossible for a man to be cheated by anyone but himself.

No orator can top the one who can give good nicknames.

Sanity is very rare: every man almost, and every woman, has a dash of madness.

Every great achievement is the victory of a flaming heart.

Accept your genius and say what you think.

Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel. It is to bring another out of his bad sense into your good sense.

The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.