Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803 – April 27, 1882) was an American writer and poet who gave 1,500 public lectures across the United States. He led the way towards mainstream interest in mysticism. A telling statement that summarizes his view: "Philosophically considered, the universe is composed of Nature and the Soul." When asked to sum up his work, he said his central doctrine was "the infinitude of the private man." He was mentor and friend to Henry David Thoreau.
"The nearer one can approach his Innermost, the greater is the expression of his teachings for man. Emerson and Carlyle, whom we again mention, for they were of the few who worked from the inner planes, often brought their torch of divinity within other minds." - M, The Dayspring of Youth
