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Source identified
“Our chief want in life, is, somebody who shall make us do what we can.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Source
The Conduct of Life
Date
1860
Attribution
Source identified
Meaning

What does this quote mean?

Useful companionship can draw out capacities that remain dormant alone; encouragement matters most when it helps another person actually exercise what they can do.

Source context

Where does it come from?

The Conduct of Life; Emerson presents another person’s demanding encouragement as a form of service that calls forth unrealized ability.

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Attribution

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This wording is connected with the named source shown above. Translations and editions can vary, so consult the source note when exact wording matters.

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