Journals: Ralph Waldo Emerson, Journals: May 1849: This is a remark Emerson wrote referring to the unreliability of second hand testimony and worse upon the subject of immortality. It is often taken out of proper context, and has even begun appearing on the internet as “I hate quotations. Tell me what you know” or sometimes just “I hate quotations”.

Complete Quote: Immortality. I notice that as soon as writers broach this question they begin to quote. I hate quotation. Tell me what you know.