There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better for worse as his portion; that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till.

Summary

This quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson highlights the importance of self-reliance and the dangers of envy and imitation. It suggests that true education leads to the realization that comparing oneself to others or trying to be someone else is futile and self-destructive. Instead, one must accept and embrace their own unique qualities and circumstances, recognizing that success and fulfillment can only be attained through their own hard work and efforts in the specific opportunities and abilities that they possess. It emphasizes the idea that one must cultivate their own path and make the most of the resources available to them in order to achieve prosperity and well-being.