Quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1860

But the lightning which explodes and fashions planets, maker of planets and suns, is in him. On one side elemental order, sandstone and granite, rock-ledges, peat-bog, forest, sea and shore; and on the other part, thought, the spirit which composes and decomposes nature,

But the lightning which explodes and fashions planets, maker

Summary

This quote suggests that human beings possess within themselves the power of creation and destruction, similar to the mighty force of lightning that shapes planets and suns. It symbolizes the duality within humans - the elemental order of nature on one side, represented by solid elements like rock, peat, and forests, and on the other side, the abstract power of thought and the human spirit that can both create and dismantle the natural world. It highlights the interconnectedness of humans with the larger universe and emphasizes their potential to both shape and be shaped by nature.

Topics

Man Mankind

By Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1860

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