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Ralph Waldo Emerson Quotes about Memories

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For each thorn, there's a rosebud... For each twilight - a dawn... For each trial - the strength to carry on, For each storm cloud - a rainbow... For each shadow - the sun... For each parting - sweet memories when

For each thorn, there's a rosebud... For each twilight - a dawn... For each trial - the strength to carry on, For each storm cloud - a rainbow... For each shadow - the sun... For each parting - sweet memories when sorrow is done.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Sweet, Memories, Twilight

For all our penny-wisdom, for all our soul-destroying slavery to habit, it is not to be doubted that all men have sublime thoughts; that all men value the few real hours of life; they love to be heard; they love to be caught up into the vision of principles. We mark with light in the memory the few interviews we have had, in the dreary years of routine and of sin, with souls that made our souls wiser; that spoke what we thought; that told us what we knew; that gave us leave to be what we only were.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memories, Real, Character
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1983). “Essays and Lectures”, p.89, Library of America

We mark with light in the memory the few interviews we have had with souls that made our souls wiser, that spoke what we thought, that told us what we knew, that gave us leave to be what we inly are.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memories, Light, Soul
Ralph Waldo Emerson (2012). “Self-Reliance and Other Essays”, p.115, Courier Corporation

Life has no memory. That which proceeds in succession might be remembered, but that which is coexistent, or ejaculated from a deeper cause, as yet far from being conscious, knows not its own tendency.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memories, Might, Causes
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1981). “The Portable Emerson: New Edition”, p.211, Penguin

It seems to be a rule of wisdom never to rely on memory alone.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memories, Rely, Seems
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1981). “The Portable Emerson: New Edition”, p.122, Penguin

Behind us, as we go, all things assume pleasing forms, as clouds do far off. Not only things familiar and stale, but even the tragic and terrible, are comely, as they take their place in the pictures of memory.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memories, Clouds, Assuming
Ralph Waldo Emerson (2012). “The Selected Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson”, p.48, Graphic Arts Books

It seems to be a rule of wisdom never to rely on your memory alone, scarcely even in acts of pure memory, but to bring the past for judgment into the thousand-eyed present, and live ever in a new day.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memories, Past, New Day
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1981). “The Portable Emerson: New Edition”, p.122, Penguin

Some men at the approach of a dispute neigh like horses. Unless there be an argument, they think nothing is doing. Some talkers excel in the precision with which they formulate their thoughts, so that you get from them somewhat to remember; others lay criticism asleep by a charm. Especially women use words that are not words,--as steps in a dance are not steps,--but reproduce the genius of that they speak of; as the sound of some bells makes us think of the bell merely, whilst the church chimes in the distance bring the church and its serious memories before us.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Horse, Memories, Distance

A man is the prisoner of his power. A topical memory makes him an almanac; a talent for debate, disputant; skill to get money makes him a miser, that is, a beggar. Culture reduces these inflammations by invoking the aid of other powers against the dominant talent, and by appealing to the rank of powers. It watches success.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memories, Power, Men
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1866). “The Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson: Comprising His Essays, Lectures, Poems, and Orations”, p.363

All goes to show that the soul in man is not an organ, but animates and exercises all the organs; is not a function, like the power of memory, of calculation, of comparison, but uses these as hands and feet; is not a faculty, but a light, is not the intellect or the will, but the master of the intellect and the will; is the background of our being, in which they lie,--an immensity not possessed and that cannot be possessed.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memories, Lying, Exercise
Ralph Waldo Emerson (2010). “Self-Reliance, the Over-Soul, and Other Essays”, p.57, Coyote Canyon Press

If your friend has displeased you, you shall not sit down to consider it, for he has already lost all memory of the passage, and has doubled his power to serve you, and, ere you can rise up again, will burden you with blessings.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Friendship, Memories, Blessing
Ralph Waldo Emerson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson (Illustrated)”, p.1456, Delphi Classics

In excited conversation we have glimpses of the universe, hints of power native to the soul, far-darting lights and shadows of an Andes landscape, such as we can hardly attain in lone meditation. Here are oracles sometimes profusely given, to which the memory goes back in barren hours.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memories, Light, Meditation
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Barbara L. Packer, Joseph Slater, Douglas Emory Wilson (2003). “The Conduct of Life”, p.144, Harvard University Press

It sometimes occurs that memory has a personality of its own and volunteers or refuses its information at its will, not at mine.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memories, Volunteer, Personality
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1992). “The Topical Notebooks of Ralph Waldo Emerson”, p.336, University of Missouri Press

The senses collect the surface facts of matter... It was sensation; when memory came, it was experience; when mind acted, it was knowledge; when mind acted on it as knowledge, it was thought.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memories, Mind, Matter
Ralph Waldo Emerson (2010). “Collected Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Volume VIII: Letters and Social Aims”, p.12, Harvard University Press

The borrowing is often honest enough, and comes of magnanimity and stoutness. A great man quotes bravely and will not draw on his invention when his memory serves him with a word as good.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memories, Men, Honest
Ralph Waldo Emerson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson (Illustrated)”, p.2610, Delphi Classics

With most men, scarce a link of memory holds yesterday and to-day together.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memories, Men, Yesterday
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1870). “The Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson”, p.273, Рипол Классик

Night-dreams trace on Memory's wall Shadows of the thoughts of day, And thy fortunes, as they fall, The bias of the will betray.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Dream, Wall, Memories
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Susan Sutton Smith, Ralph H. Orth (1990). “The Topical Notebooks of Ralph Waldo Emerson”, p.68, University of Missouri Press

It is, in both cases, that a spiritual life has been imparted to nature; that the solid seeming block of matter has been pervadedand dissolved by a thought; that this feeble human being has penetrated the vast masses of nature with an informing soul, and recognised itself in their harmony, that is, seized their law. In physics, when this is attained, the memory disburthens itself of its cumbrous catalogues of particulars, and carries centuries of observation in a single formula.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Spiritual, Memories, Block
Ralph Waldo Emerson, Robert Ernest Spiller, Alfred Riggs Ferguson, Joseph Slater, Jean Ferguson Carr (1971). “The Collected Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson: Nature, addresses, and lectures”, p.34, Harvard University Press

The secret of success in society is a certain heartiness and sympathy. A man who is not happy in company, cannot find any word in his memory that will fit the occasion; all his information is a little impertinent. A man who is happy there, finds in every turn of the conversation occasions for the introduction of what he has to say. The favorites of society are able men, and of more spirit than wit, who have no uncomfortable egotism, but who exactly fill the hour and the company, contended and contenting.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Success, Memories, Men

Every act of the man inscribes itself in the memories of his fellows, and in his own manners and face. The air is full of sounds;the sky, of tokens; the ground is all memoranda and signatures; and every object covered over with hints, which speak to the intelligent.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memories, Intelligent, Men
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1850). “Representative Men: Seven Lectures”, p.191

And dazzling memory revive.Refresh the faded tints, Recut the aged prints, And write my old adventures, with the pen Which, on the first day, drew Upon the tablets blue The dancing Pleiads, and the eternal men.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memories, Writing, Adventure
Ralph Waldo Emerson (2012). “The Selected Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson”, p.315, Graphic Arts Books

His heart was as great as the world, but there was no room in it to hold the memory of a wrong.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Forgiveness, Memories, Heart
Letters and Social Aims "Greatness" (1876)

By the rude bridge that arched the flood, Their flag to April's breeze unfurled, Here once the embattled farmers stood, And fired the shot heard round the world. The foe long since in silence slept; Alike the conqueror silent sleeps; And Time the ruined bridge has swept Down the dark stream which seaward creeps. On this green bank, by this soft stream, We set to-day a votive stone; That memory may their deed redeem, When, like our sires, our sons are gone.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memories, Spring, Sleep
"Concord Hymn" l. 1 (1837)

Conservatism makes no poetry, breathes no prayer, has no invention; it is all memory. Reform has no gratitude, no prudence, no husbandry.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Gratitude, Prayer, Memories
Ralph Waldo Emerson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson (Illustrated)”, p.1191, Delphi Classics

In every man's memory, with the hours when life culminated are usually associated certain books which met his views.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memories, Book, Men
Ralph Waldo Emerson (2010). “Collected Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Volume VIII: Letters and Social Aims”, p.93, Harvard University Press

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