Other lands have their vitality in a few, a class, but we have it in the bulk of our people.
All faults may be forgiven of him who has perfect candor.
I celebrate myself, and sing myself.
A great city is that which has the greatest men and women.
The great city is that which has the greatest man or woman: if it be a few ragged huts, it is still the greatest city in the whole world.
Oh while I live, to be the ruler of life, not a slave, to meet life as a powerful conqueror, and nothing exterior to me will ever take command of me.
Let your soul stand cool and composed before a million universes.
In the confusion we stay with each other, happy to be together, speaking without uttering a single word.
The shallow consider liberty a release from all law, from every constraint. The wise man sees in it, on the contrary, the potent Law of Laws.
Speech is the twin of my vision, it is unequal to measure itself, it provokes me forever, it says sarcastically, Walt you contain enough, why don't you let it out then?
Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes.
We convince by our presence.
There is no week nor day nor hour when tyranny may not enter upon this country, if the people lose their roughness and spirit of defiance.
Be curious, not judgmental.
I accept reality and dare not question it.
To me, every hour of the day and night is an unspeakably perfect miracle.
I no doubt deserved my enemies, but I don't believe I deserved my friends.
The whole theory of the universe is directed unerringly to one single individual.
Re-examine all that you have been told... dismiss that which insults your soul.
The words of my book nothing, the drift of it everything.