Who said “Great geniuses have the shortest biographies.”?

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

SourceRepresentative Men (1850)

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APA

Emerson, R. W. (n.d.). Great geniuses have the shortest biographies. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/8294-great-geniuses-have-the-shortest-biographies/

MLA

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Great geniuses have the shortest biographies.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/8294-great-geniuses-have-the-shortest-biographies/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Great geniuses have the shortest biographies.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/8294-great-geniuses-have-the-shortest-biographies/.

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