Who said “Give me health and a day, and I will make the pomp of emperors ridiculous.”?

Verified

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

SourceNature (1836)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Nature (1836).

APA

Emerson, R. W. (n.d.). Give me health and a day, and I will make the pomp of emperors ridiculous. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/21228-give-me-health-and-a-day-and-i/

MLA

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Give me health and a day, and I will make the pomp of emperors ridiculous.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/21228-give-me-health-and-a-day-and-i/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Give me health and a day, and I will make the pomp of emperors ridiculous.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/21228-give-me-health-and-a-day-and-i/.