The American Scholar

"Each philosopher, each bard, each actor, has only done for me, as by a delegate, what one day I can do for myself."

In this quote from The American Scholar, Ralph Waldo Emerson describes that the only means of truth are found within oneself. According to Transcendentalism, truth is found not in observation, but in individual self-discovery. When seeking one's path in life, one must look not to others, but to the inner truths within oneself. The "philosopher", "bard", and "actor" represent individuals who have sought salvation not within the church, but within their own minds and souls. Emerson believes that like these individuals, we must also seek truth within ourselves, rather than merely observing others. We should look not to others' perceptions of truth, but to our own selves; this, according to Emerson, is the only way to truth.