Transcendentalist philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote often about the primacy of the natural world, self-reliance, and healthy living. This quote comes from his 1841 essay “Heroism,” which explores the carefree nature of sport and the important role it plays in health, both physically and mentally. Emerson believed that playfulness was a crucial characteristic of great and “heroic” people. As he wrote, “The great will not condescend to take any thing seriously; all must be as gay as the song of a canary.”