"How painful to give a gift to..." - Quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson

“A sage is the instructor of a hundred ages.”

“Nature is upheld by antagonism.”

“The hearing ear is always found close to the speaking tongue; and no genius can long or often utter anything which is not invited and gladly entertained by men around him.”

“He presents me with what is always an acceptable gift who brings me news of a great thought before unknown. He enriches me without impoverishing himself.”

“He is a good man, who can receive a gift well. We are either glad or sorry at a gift, and both emotions are unbecoming.”

“A friend never defends a husband who gets his wife an electric skillet for her birthday.”

“And you receivers - and you are all receivers - assume no weight of gratitude, lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives. Rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings; For to be overmindful of your debt, is to doubt his generosity who has the free hearted earth for mother, and God for father.”

“Is not the action of nature like the stretching of a bow? The high, it pulls down; the low, it lifts up; It takes from what is in excess In order to make good of what is deficient. Who can take what they have in excess and offer it to others?”

“Even after all this time, the sun never says to the earth, 'You owe me.' Look what happens with a love like that. It lights the whole sky.”