Ralph Waldo Emerson Quotes about Hope

The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.

The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.

Inspirational, Positive, Hope

Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thomas Carlyle (1841). “Essays”, p.4

There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better, for worse, as his portion; that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till. The power which resides in him is new in nature, and none but he knows what that is which he can do, nor does he know until he has tried.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Education, Suicide, Hope

"Essays: First Series, Self-Reliance". Book by Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1841.

We must be very suspicious of the deceptions of the element of time. It takes a good deal of time to eat or to sleep, or to earn ahundred dollars, and a very little time to entertain a hope and an insight which becomes the light of our life.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hope, Time, Sleep

Ralph Waldo Emerson (2009). “The Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson”, p.326, Modern Library

A beautiful woman is a practical poet, taming her savage mate, planting tenderness, hope and eloquence in all whom she approaches.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Beautiful, Hope, Women

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1875). “Culture, Behavior, Beauty”, p.97

I hate this shallow Americanism which hopes to get rich by credit, to get knowledge by raps on midnight tables, to learn the economy of the mind by phrenology, or skill without study, or mastery without apprenticeship.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hope, Hate, Rap

Ralph Waldo Emerson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson (Illustrated)”, p.2514, Delphi Classics

Men grind and grind in the mill of a truism, and nothing comes out but what was put in. But the moment they desert the tradition for a spontaneous thought, then poetry, wit, hope, virtue, learning, anecdote, and all flock to their aid.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hope, Learning, Men

Ralph Waldo Emerson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson (Illustrated)”, p.1136, Delphi Classics

We judge of man's wisdom by his hope.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Motivational, Hope, Men

Ralph Waldo Emerson (2008). “The Spiritual Emerson: Essential Works by Ralph Waldo Emerson”, p.44, Penguin

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'

The Americans have many virtues, but they have not Faith and Hope. I know no two words whose meaning is more lost sight of.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Faith, Hope, Sight

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1866). “The Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson: Comprising His Essays, Lectures, Poems, and Orations”, p.245

We judge of a man's wisdom by his hope, knowing that the inexhaustibleness of nature is an immortal youth.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hope, Wisdom, Men

Ralph Waldo Emerson (2008). “The Spiritual Emerson: Essential Works by Ralph Waldo Emerson”, p.44, Penguin

A divine person is the prophecy of the mind; a friend is the hope of the heart.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Friendship, Hope, Heart

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1983). “Essays and Lectures”, p.507, Library of America

Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Inspirational, Leadership, Hope

Even in the mud and scum of things, something always, always sings.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hope, Courage, Scum

To help the young soul, to add energy, inspire hope, and blow the coals into a useful flame; to redeem defeat by new thought and firm action, this, though not easy, is the work of divine men.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hope, Blow, Men

The reason of idleness and of crime is the deferring of our hopes.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hope, Reason, Crime

Ralph Waldo Emerson (2015). “Ralph Waldo Emerson: Essays: First and Second Series”, p.13, Library of America

A feeble man can see the farms that are fenced and tilled, the houses that are built. The strong man sees the possible houses and farms. His eye makes estates as fast as the sun breeds clouds.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hope, Strong, Eye

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1872). “The Prose Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson: Representative men. English traits. Conduct of life”, p.346