The Conduct of Life

The Conduct of Life is a collection of essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson. In this volume, Emerson sets out to answer "the question of the times:" "How shall I live?". It is composed of nine essays, each preceded by a poem. These nine essays are largely based on lectures Emerson held throughout the country.

Contents:

Fate

Power

Wealth

Culture

Behavior

Worship

Considerations by the Way

Beauty

Illusions



Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote on a number of subjects, never espousing fixed philosophical tenets, but developing certain ideas such as individuality, freedom, the ability for mankind to realize almost anything, and the relationship between the soul and the surrounding world. He was seen as a champion of individualism and a prescient critic of the countervailing pressures of society, and he disseminated his thoughts through dozens of published essays and more than 1,500 public lectures across the United States.