Ralph Waldo Emerson’s diary, 1866

I thought, last night, as so often before, that when one has a task before him in which liter- ary work becomes business, — undertaken, that is, for money, — any…

Common sense ; — Lord Mansfield or any great lawyer an example of it, though they call it law. And Beau Brummel even surprised other fops by having this basis : as,…

Laws of the mind. I have first to keep the promise of the last lecture, by treating Common Sense, which, one would say, means the shortest line between two points,…

I often think of uses of an Academy, though they did not rapidly appear when Sumner pro- posed his bill ; and perhaps if it was national, and must meet in…

I went with Annie Keyes and Mr. Channing on Wednesday, 27th June, to Troy, N. H., thence to the Mountain House in wagon, and, with Edward and Tom Ward ' who had…

This morn came again the exhilarating news of the landing of the Atlantic telegraph cable at Heart's Content, Newfoundland, and we repeat the old wonder and delight…

My idea of a home is a house in which each member of the family can on the instant kindle a fire in his or her private room. Otherwise their society is compulsory…

Dreams. I have often experienced, and again last night, in my dreams, the surprise and curi- osity of a stranger or indifferent observer to the trait or the motive…

Success in your work, the finding a better method, the better understanding that insures the better performing, is hat and coat, is food and wine, is fire and horse…