Ralph Waldo Emerson’s diary, 1856

I fancied in this fierce cold weather — mer- cury varying from 20° to 30° below zero for the last week — that Illinois lands would be at a discount, and the agent,…

Truth. It is not wise to talk, as men do, of reason as the gift of God bestowed, etc., or, of reasoning from nature up to nature's God, etc. The intellectual power…

The audience that assembled to hear my lectures in these six weeks was called " the effete of Boston."

I am impressed at the indignation meeting last night, as ever, on like occasions, with the sweet nitrous oxide gas which the speakers seem to breathe. Once they…