Gene McawardWestern Studies Ralph Waldo Emerson 5/24/04 Quotes: 1. ‘Cities and coaches shall never impose on me again; for, behold every solitary dream of mine is rushing to fulfillment. That fancy I had, and hesitated to utter because you would laugh. ‘-Ralph Waldo Emerson 2. ‘What! will you give up the immense advantages reaped from the division of labor, and set every man to make his own shoes, bureau, knife, wagon, sails, and needle? This would be to put men back into barbarism by their own act.’ I see no instant prospect of a virtuous revolution; yet I confess, I should not be pained at a change which threatened a loss of some of the luxuries or conveniences of society, if it proceeded from a preference of the agricultural life out of the belief, that our primary duties as men could be better discharged in that calling.’ -Ralph Waldo Emerson 3. ‘To the prosecution of his love; to the helping of his friend, to the worship of his God, to the enlargement of his knowledge, to the serving of his country, to the indulgence of his sentiment, and he is now what is called a rich man.’ -Ralph Waldo Emerson 4.
‘The power, which is at once spring and regulator in all efforts of reform, is the conviction that there is an infinite worthiness in man which will appear at the call of worth, and that all particular reforms are the removing of some impediment.’ -Ralph Waldo Emerson.
