By subscribing to Inspiring Quotes you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Through his poems, essays, and other works, Walt Whitman left us with many wise and memorable quotes. He also gave us fascinating insight into his own life — as a humanist and one of the most influential (and, in his day, controversial) poets in American literature. In his 1839 essay “Talk to an Art-Union,” Whitman put forth his ideas about the spirit of art, which he interpreted not just as painting or sculpture but as the highest ideal of beauty. Everyone, he believed, had within them the potential for reaching this ideal, be it through creativity or greatness. “I think of few heroic actions,” he wrote, “which cannot be traced to the artistic impulse.” He concluded his celebration of art by saying that, given the freedom it deserves, art must “sooner or later tower to its loftiest and most perfect proportions.”
17 Quotes To Help You Embrace Imperfection
12 Beautiful Thoughts From Environmentalist Aldo Leopold
Humor and Life Advice From the Mind of Mel Brooks
What It Means To Be a Leader, According to U.S. Presidents
These “Monty Python” Quotes Are the True “Holy Grail”
13 Romantic Quotes From Beloved Period Pieces
24 Quotes About the Power of Sticking Together
The Oldest Jokes in History
12 of the Funniest Quotes From Great Novels
20 Quotes for Coffee Lovers
Quotes for Anyone Who Isn't Where They Want To Be in Life