Who said “All the great speakers were bad speaker at first.”?

Verified

Ralph Waldo Emerson. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceThe Conduct of Life (1860)

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For academic work, cite the original where you can: The Conduct of Life (1860).

APA

Emerson, R. W. (n.d.). All the great speakers were bad speaker at first. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/25660-all-the-great-speakers-were-bad-speaker-at/

MLA

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “All the great speakers were bad speaker at first.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/25660-all-the-great-speakers-were-bad-speaker-at/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “All the great speakers were bad speaker at first.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/25660-all-the-great-speakers-were-bad-speaker-at/.

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