A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now... Essays, First Series - Page 52by Ralph Waldo Emerson - 1879 - 290 pagesFull view - About this book
| Anna Cabot Lowell - 1856 - 330 pages
...into the thousand-eyed present, and live ever in a new day. . . . With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Emerson. Fear never but you shall be consistent in whatever variety of actions, so they be each honest... | |
| Ralph Waldo Emerson - 1852 - 352 pages
...minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a .great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself...with his shadow on the wall.^ Speak what you think r> now in hard words, and to-morrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict... | |
| Oliver Prescott Hiller - 1857 - 388 pages
...says,—and he appears to act upon it—" Speak what you think to-day in words as hard as cannon-balls, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard...again, though it contradict everything you said to-day. With consistency a great soul has nothing to do." Now, what folly and nonsense is this! What right... | |
| 1858 - 424 pages
...judgment into the thousand-eyed present, and live ever in a new day. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. — Emerson. THE MUSIC OF TILE CHURCH. IT is well known that the Home Journal admits no controversy.... | |
| Augusta Jane Evans - 1859 - 518 pages
...consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. With consistency, a great soul has simply nothing to do. Speak what you think now in hard words ; and to-morrow...again, though it contradict everything you said to-day. Why should you keep your head over your shoulder ? Why drag about this corpse of your memory, lest... | |
| John Frederick Boyes - 1859 - 284 pages
...the hobgoblin of little minds." — " Speak what you think to say in words as hard as cannon-balls, and tomorrow speak what to-morrow thinks, in hard words again ; though it contradict everything you have said to day." (Essay on Self-Rel/ance.) Observe the " everything." Why, even if a man is obliged... | |
| William Makepeace Thackeray - 1906 - 870 pages
...retrospections and useless self-reproaches. ' With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow...what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradicts everything you said to-day.' His aim and his work were before and not behind him. He saw... | |
| Thomas Spencer Baynes - 1861 - 534 pages
...divines. With consistency, a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself about his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in...to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day. — Ah, " so you will be sure to be misunderstood." — Is it so bad then... | |
| Philip Gilbert Hamerton - 1862 - 524 pages
...minds, adored by little statesmen, and philosophers, and divines. With consistency, a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself...his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now, in words hard as cannon-balls; and to-morrow, speak what to-morrow thinks, in hard words again, though... | |
| Caroline Frances Cornwallis - 1864 - 516 pages
...true nor beautiful; as, for instance, " Speak what you think to-day in words as hard as cannon-balls, and tomorrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words...again, though it contradict everything you said today." Though I would not follow consistency against conviction, yet I think he would be a disagreeable and... | |
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