Ralph Waldo Emerson: 12 quotes on his birthday

Ralph Waldo Emerson led the American transcendentalist movement of the mid-1800s. A prominent lecturer, poet, and essayist, Emerson's ideas about nature, freedom, and individuality greatly influenced the thought of his contemporaries – including Walt Whitman, John Muir, and Henry David Thoreau – as well as following generations. To celebrate the life of this great American thinker, here are 12 quotes.

- Ben Frederick, Contributor