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Meaning
This reads as a claim that reading is not passive reception but an act of making meaning. It can be taken to mean that a good reader brings imagination, judgment, and selection to the page, and it lands when a text opens up only after effort, curiosity, and a willingness to interpret.
When It Was Said
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Who It Was Said To
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Historical Context
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Source
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Original Language & Translation
Originally said in English.
Did They Really Say It?
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About Ralph Waldo Emerson
American essayist and poet of the 19th century, Emerson is best known for his transcendentalist philosophy and influential lectures on self-reliance and individualism. His works, including "Self-Reliance" and "Nature," championed intuition, personal experience, and the inherent goodness of humanity.
More from Ralph Waldo Emerson (526 quotes) →More quotes by Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divin…”Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “The desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means of freedom and benefit.”Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “The value of a principle is the number of things it will explain.”Ralph Waldo Emerson
Explore Reading
- “I read a lot of literary theory when I was in graduate school, especially about novels, and the best book I e…”Lev Grossman
- “Try to be pleasant to one another, get plenty of fresh air, read a good book now and then, depose your govern…”Jasper Fforde
- “I'm still a bit of a reading glutton, I think, because I browse, read a bit of the back copy, flip through th…”Jesmyn Ward
Writing: more sayings
- “In the '70s, the newspaper guild managed to get people paid what they were worth, but the reporters suddenly…”Pete Hamill
- “I just thought, ‘Wait a minute, if I’m going to start writing again, I have to go to the quiet place.' And th…”Joss Whedon
- “The teacher took two long strides and stood beside Parker’s desk. Before the boy could speak, Mr. Earl threw…”James Van Pelt
READ THE SOURCE
Books by Ralph Waldo Emerson
Essays: First Series
Includes Self-Reliance.