Who said “The ship of heaven guides itself and will not accept a wooden rudder.”?

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Ralph Waldo Emerson. A published source records them saying or writing it.

Source"The Sovereignty of Ethics", in The North America Review, no. 262 (May–June 1878) p. 407

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“The ship of heaven guides itself and will not accept a wooden rudder.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
Verified"The Sovereignty of Ethics", in The North America Review, no. 262 (May–June 1878) p. 407 · evidenceDependence
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: "The Sovereignty of Ethics", in The North America Review, no. 262 (May–June 1878) p. 407.

APA

Emerson, R. W. (n.d.). The ship of heaven guides itself and will not accept a wooden rudder. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/13216-the-ship-of-heaven-guides-itself-and-will/

MLA

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “The ship of heaven guides itself and will not accept a wooden rudder.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/13216-the-ship-of-heaven-guides-itself-and-will/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “The ship of heaven guides itself and will not accept a wooden rudder.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/13216-the-ship-of-heaven-guides-itself-and-will/.

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