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. Essays, Lectures and Orations - Page 30by Ralph Waldo Emerson - 1848 - 364 pagesFull view - About this book
| Ralph Waldo [essays] Emerson - 1849 - 270 pages
...nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Out upon your guarded lips! Sew them up with packthread, do. Else, if you would...man, speak what you think to-day in words as hard as cannon balls, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every... | |
| 1849 - 448 pages
...nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Out upon your guarded lips ! Sew them up with packthread, do. Else, if you would...man, speak what you think to-day in words as hard as cannon balls, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every... | |
| Ralph Waldo Emerson - 1850 - 352 pages
...He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day. — ' Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.' — Is it so bad,... | |
| Ralph Waldo Emerson - 1850 - 354 pages
...He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow speak what tomorrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day. — ' Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.' — Is it so bad,... | |
| Ralph Waldo [essays] Emerson - 1853 - 214 pages
...nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in words as hard as cannon-balls, and to-morrow speak...though it contradict everything you said to-day. " Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood." Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was... | |
| Fredrika Bremer - 1854 - 676 pages
...statesmen, and philosophers, and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. Speik out what you think to-day in words as hard as cannon-balls,...to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day. Ah ! then, exclaim the aged ladies, you shall be sure to be misunderstood.... | |
| Oliver Prescott Hiller - 1857 - 388 pages
...understands himself fully and his views are clear. But Emerson says,—and he appears to act upon it—" Speak what you think to-day in words as hard as cannon-balls,...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... | |
| John Frederick Boyes - 1859 - 302 pages
...one : " A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." — " Speak what you think to say in words as hard as cannon-balls, and tomorrow speak...words again ; though it contradict everything you have said to day." (Essay on Self-Reliance.) Observe the " everything." Why, even if a man is obliged... | |
| Augusta Jane Evans - 1859 - 518 pages
...minds. With consistency, a great soul has simply nothing to do. Speak what you think now in hard words ; and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard...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... | |
| William Makepeace Thackeray - 1906 - 870 pages
...self-reproaches. ' With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow speak 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... | |
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