michael, the words are those of Ralph Waldo Emerson ... i've also seen them attributed to holmes as well as to henry david thoreau. however, i'll be damned if i can recall the citation. all the best to you, ~ don z'boray > Michael Weinbach wrote: > > Dear Quote Ring Gurus, > > I have spent several hours without success trying to find the correct > source for this famous quote... > > "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matter compared > to what lies within us." > > I have seen this quote attributed frequently to both Ralph Waldo > Emerson and Oliver Wendell Holmes. Does anyone know who the original > source is for this great quote and in what context? > > Any help will be greatly appreciated! > > Thanks, > Mike Weinbach