Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ralph Waldo Emerson - Page Text Content

FC: The Conduct of Life - Culture By: Randy S. Williams, Sr.

1: Nature has secured individualism, by giving the private person a high conceit of his weight in the system. The pest of society is egotists

2: For performance, Nature has no mercy, and sacrifices the performer to get it done.

3: Our efficiency depends so much on our concentration, the Nature usually in the instances where a marked man is sent into the world, overleads him with bias, sacrificing his symmetry to his working power

4: This individuality is not only not inconsistent with cuture, but is the basis of it.

5: But after a man has discovered that there are limits to the interest which his private history has for mankind, he still converses with his family.

6: Culture redresses his balance, puts him among his equals and superiors

7: We must leave our pets at home, when we go into the street, and meet men on broad grounds of good meaning and good sense.

8: 'Tis a cruel price we pay for certain fancy goods called fine arts and philosphy.

9: A boy is the most vicious of all wild beasts.

10: Let us make our education brave and preventive.

11: But it is conceded that much of our training fails of effect; that all success is hazardous and rare; that a large part of our cost and pains is thrown away.

12: You send your child to the schoolmaster, but 'tis the schoolboys who educate him.

13: Of course, for some men, travel may be useful. Naturalists, discoverers, and sailors are born.

14: He does not make a speech; he takes a low business-tone, avoids all brag, is nobody, dresses plainly, promises not at all, performs much, speaks in monosyllables, hugs his fact.

15: 'Tis odd that our peple should have--not water on the brain--but a little gas there.

16: A man in pursuit of greatness feels no little wants.

17: I must have children, I must have events, I must have a social state and history, or my thinking and speaking want body or basis.

18: When our higher faculties are in activity, we are domesticated, and awkwardness and discomfort give place to natural and agreeable movements.

19: He who aims high, must dread an easy home and popular manners.

20: Let me say here, that culture cannot begin too early.

21: All pictures in this mixbook were taken by me or my wife (Christina M. Williams).