The characteristic of genuine heroism is its persistency. All men have wandering impulses, fits and starts of generosity. But when you have resolved to be great, abide by yourself, and do not weakly try to reconcile yourself with the world. The heroic cannot be the common, nor the common the heroic.

The characteristics of a hero

Ralph Waldo Emerson

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1102 The reward of a thing well done is to have done it.
1150 A man builds a fine house; and now he has a master, and a task for life; he is to furnish, watch, show it, and keep it in repair, the rest of his days.
1135 As soon as there is life there is danger.
1105 A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.
1140 It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.

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