Essays - First SeriesAmerican essayist, philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882) lead Transcendentalism in the early nineteenth century and greatly influenced the later New Thought movement. Summing up his work, Emerson said that his primary principle was "the infinitude of the private man", and advised to "make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you." His First Series collects together the following 12 essays: History, Self-Reliance, Compensation, Spiritual Laws, Love, Friendship, Prudence, Heroism, The Over-Soul, Circles, Intellect and Art. |
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Page 9
I have no expectation that any man will read history aright who thinks that what was done in a remote age, by men whose names have resounded far, has any deeper sense than what he is doing to-day. The world exists for the education of ...
I have no expectation that any man will read history aright who thinks that what was done in a remote age, by men whose names have resounded far, has any deeper sense than what he is doing to-day. The world exists for the education of ...
Page 15
Thus of the genius of one remarkable people we have a fourfold representation: and to the senses what more unlike than an ode of Pindar, a marble centaur, the peristyle of the Parthenon, and the last actions of Phocion?
Thus of the genius of one remarkable people we have a fourfold representation: and to the senses what more unlike than an ode of Pindar, a marble centaur, the peristyle of the Parthenon, and the last actions of Phocion?
Page 23
The Grecian state is the era of the bodily nature, the perfection of the senses,—of the spiritual nature unfolded in strict unity with the body. In it existed those human forms which supplied the sculptor with his models of Hercules, ...
The Grecian state is the era of the bodily nature, the perfection of the senses,—of the spiritual nature unfolded in strict unity with the body. In it existed those human forms which supplied the sculptor with his models of Hercules, ...
Page 24
The costly charm of the ancient tragedy, and indeed of all the old literature, is that the persons speak simply,— speak as persons who have great good sense without knowing it, before yet the reflective habit has become the predominant ...
The costly charm of the ancient tragedy, and indeed of all the old literature, is that the persons speak simply,— speak as persons who have great good sense without knowing it, before yet the reflective habit has become the predominant ...
Page 31
Facts encumber them, tyrannize over them, and make the men of routine, the men of sense, in whom a literal obedience to facts has extinguished every spark of that light by which man is truly man. But if the man is true to his better ...
Facts encumber them, tyrannize over them, and make the men of routine, the men of sense, in whom a literal obedience to facts has extinguished every spark of that light by which man is truly man. But if the man is true to his better ...
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Contents
4 | |
39 | |
Compensation | 80 |
Spiritual Laws | 112 |
Love | 145 |
Friendship | 164 |
Prudence | 188 |
Heroism | 207 |
The OverSoul | 226 |
Circles | 254 |
Intellect | 274 |
Art | 295 |
Endnotes | 313 |
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Common terms and phrases
action affection already appear beauty become behold believe better body cause character child circumstance comes common conversation deep divine draw earth eternal existence experience expression face fact fall fear feel force friendship genius give hand hear heart highest hope hour human imagination individual intellect leave less light live look lose man's manner mean meet mind moral nature never object once organs painted particular pass past perfect persons poet present prudence reason relations religion secret seek seems seen sense side society soul speak spirit stand sweet teach thee things thou thought true truth universal virtue whilst whole wisdom wise write young