Ralph Waldo Emerson Quotes about Progress

Progress is the activity of today and the assurance of tomorrow

Progress is the activity of today and the assurance of tomorrow

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Motivational, Progress, Today

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1972). “Early Lectures: 1838-1842”, p.274, Harvard University Press

The State must follow, and not lead, the character and progress of the citizen.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Character, Progress, Citizens

Essays, Second Series "Politics" (1844)

Natural religion supplies still all the facts which are disguised under the dogma of popular creeds. The progress of religion is steadily to its identity with morals.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Religion, Progress, Identity

Ralph Waldo Emerson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson (Illustrated)”, p.2771, Delphi Classics

But we need not fear that we can lose any thing by the progress of the soul. The soul may be trusted to the end.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Soul, Progress, Needs

Ralph Waldo Emerson (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson (Illustrated)”, p.1335, Delphi Classics

The most active lives have so much routine as to preclude progress almost equally with the most inactive.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Progress, Routine, Evolution

Ralph Waldo Emerson, Alfred R. Ferguson (1965). “Journals and Miscellaneous Notebooks of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Volume V: 1835-1838”, p.274, Harvard University Press

An original sentence, a step forward, is worth more than all the censures.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Progress, Steps, Evolution

Ralph Waldo Emerson, Robert Ernest Spiller, Alfred Riggs Ferguson, Joseph Slater, Jean Ferguson Carr (1971). “The Collected Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson: English traits”, p.4, Harvard University Press

You have first an instinct, then an opinion, then a knowledge, as the plant has root, bud, and fruit.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Knowledge, Roots, Progress

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1983). “Essays and Lectures”, p.419, Library of America

No man ever came to an experience which was satiating, but his good is tidings of a better. Onward and onward!

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Men, Progress, Experience

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1981). “The Portable Emerson: New Edition”, p.213, Penguin

As men get on in life, they acquire a love for sincerity, and somewhat less solicitude to be lulled or amused. In the progress ofthe character, there is an increasing faith in the moral sentiment, and a decreasing faith in propositions.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Character, Men, Progress

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1872). “Representative men. English traits. Conduct of life”, p.436

The population of the world is a conditional population; these are not the best, but the best that could live in the existing state of soils, gases, animals, and morals: the best that could yet live; there shall be a better, please God.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Animal, Progress, Population

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1866). “The Complete Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson: Comprising His Essays, Lectures, Poems, and Orations”, p.297