Ralph Waldo Emerson Quotes About Design

• Always do what you are afraid to do.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Inspirational, Education, Peace

  'Essays' (1841) 'Heroism'

• The crime which bankrupts men and states is job-work-declining from your main design, to serve a turn here and there. Nothing is beneath you, if it is in the direction of your life, nothing is great or desirable if it is off from that. I think we are entitled here to draw a straight line and say that society can never prosper but must always be bankrupts, until every man does that which he was created to do.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Jobs, Men, Thinking

  Ralph Waldo Emerson (1872). “The Prose Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson: Representative men. English traits. Conduct of life”, p.375

• People wish to be settled; only as far as they are unsettled is there any hope for them.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Change, Hope, Self Esteem

  'Essays' (1841) 'Circles'

• It has been the office of art to educate the perception of beauty. We are immersed in beauty but our eyes have no clear vision.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Beauty, Art, Eye

  Ralph Waldo Emerson (1851). “Essays, lectures and orations”, p.158

• Power is what they want, not candy-power to execute their design, power to give legs and feet, form and actuality to their thought; which, to a clear-sighted man, appears the end for which the universe exists, and all its resources might be well applied.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Men, Feet, Giving

  Ralph Waldo Emerson (1872). “The Prose Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson: Representative men. English traits. Conduct of life”, p.365

• Men of sense esteem wealth to be the assimilation of nature to themselves, the converting of the sap and juices of the planet to the incarnation and nutriment of their design.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Life, Men, Design

  Ralph Waldo Emerson (1872). “The Prose Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson: Representative men. English traits. Conduct of life”, p.365

• But, if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars. The rays that come from these heavenly worlds, will separate between him and what he touches. One might think the atmosphere was made transparent with this design, to give man, in the heavenly bodies, the perpetual presence of the sublime... But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Stars, Night, Men

  Ralph Waldo Emerson (1983). “Essays and Lectures”, p.9, Library of America

• There is in nature a parallel unity which corresponds to the unity in the mind and makes it available. This methodizing mind meets no resistance in its attempts. The scattered blocks, with which it strives to form a symmetrical structure, fit. This design following after finds with joy that like design went before. Not only man puts things in a row, but things belong in a row.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Block, Men, Design

  Ralph Waldo Emerson (2005). “The Selected Lectures of Ralph Waldo Emerson”, p.21, University of Georgia Press

• The genius is a genius by the first look he casts on any object. Is his eye creative? Does he not rest in angles and colors, but beholds the design,--he will presently undervalue the actual object.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Eye, Color, Creative

  Ralph Waldo Emerson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson (Illustrated)”, p.1600, Delphi Classics

• Every true man is a cause, a country, and an age; requires infinite spaces and numbers and time fully to accomplish his design;--and posterity seem to follow his steps as a train of clients.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Success, Country, Men

  Ralph Waldo Emerson (1981). “The Portable Emerson: New Edition”, p.123, Penguin

• From Washington, proverbially "the city of distances," through all its cities, states, and territories, it is a country of beginnings, of projects, of designs, and expectations.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Country, Distance, Cities

• Teaching is the perpetual end and office of all things. Teaching, instruction is the main design that shines through the sky and earth.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Teaching, Sky, Office

• The constructive intellect [genius] produces thoughts, sentences, poems, plans, designs, systems. It is the generation of the mind, the marriage of thought with nature.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Marriage, Design, Mind

  Ralph Waldo Emerson (1851). “Essays, lectures and orations”, p.151

• The results of life are uncalculated and uncalculable. The years teach much which the days never know. The persons who compose our company, converse, and come and go, and design and execute many things, and somewhat comes of it all, but an unlooked for result. The individual is always mistaken. He designed many things, and drew in other persons as coadjutors, quarrelled with some or all, blundered much, and something is done; all are a little advanced, but the individual is always mistaken. It turns out somewhat new, and very unlike what he promised himself.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Years, Design, Experience

  Ralph Waldo Emerson (2006). “Ralph Waldo Emerson: Selected Essays, Lectures and Poems”, p.243, Bantam Classics

• The reason why any one refuses his assent to your opinion, or his aid to your benevolent design, is in you: he refuses to accept you as a bringer of truth, because, though you think you have it, he feels that you have it not. You have not given him the authentic sign.

  Ralph Waldo Emerson

  Truth, Thinking, Design

  Ralph Waldo Emerson (2000). “Selected Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson: (A Modern Library E-Book)”, p.515, Modern Library

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