It is plain that there is no separate essence called courage, no cup or cell in the brain, no vessel in the heart containing drops or atoms that make or give this virtue; but it is the right or healthy state of every man, when he is free to do that which is constitutional to him to do.
Meek young men grow up in libraries.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that young men who are humble and eager to learn often find knowledge and personal growth in libraries.
Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote highlights the importance of humility and the pursuit of knowledge. It implies that young men who possess a meek disposition are more likely to immerse themselves in literature and education, fostering their growth and intellectual development. The library serves as a metaphorical sanctuary where wisdom is acquired, and it emphasizes that a modest approach to learning can lead to profound self-improvement and understanding.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a speech at a graduation ceremony to emphasize the value of continuous learning.
More from Ralph Waldo Emerson
All quotes βFew people have any next, they live from hand to mouth without a plan, and are always at the end of their line.
Men cease to interest us when we find their limitations
Tis the good reader that makes the good book; a good head cannot read amiss: in every book he finds passages which seem confidences or asides hidden from all else and unmistakeably meant for his ear.
The world belongs to the energetic.
Hast thou named all the birds without a gun?
Similar quotes
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Experience fails to teach where there is no desire to learn.