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Henry David Thoreau Quotes - Page 108

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Nothing is so much to be feared as fear. Atheism may comparatively be popular with God himself.

Nothing is so much to be feared as fear. Atheism may comparatively be popular with God himself.

Henry David Thoreau
Atheism, May
Henry David Thoreau (2006). “Thoreau and the Art of Life: Precepts and Principles”, p.62, Heron Dance Press

This bird sees the white man come and the Indian withdraw, but it withdraws not. Its untamed voice is still heard above the tinkling of the forge... It remains to remind us of aboriginal nature.

Henry David Thoreau
Men, White Man, Voice
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Quotable Thoreau: An A to Z Glossary of Inspiring Quotations from Henry David Thoreau”, p.26, BookBaby

We are apt to imagine that this hubbub of Philosophy, Literature, and Religion, which is heard in pulpits, lyceums, and parlors, vibrates through the universe, and is as catholic a sound as the creaking of the earth's axle. But if a man sleeps soundly, he will forget it all between sunset and dawn.

Henry David Thoreau
Philosophy, Sunset, Sleep
Henry David Thoreau (1973). “Winter: From the Journal of Henry David Thoreau”

Men spend the best parts of their lives earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of it.

Henry David Thoreau
Men, Order, Independence

They who assert the purest right, and consequently are most dangerous to a corrupt State, commonly have not spent much time accumulating property. The rich man is always sold to the institution which makes him rich. Absolutely speaking, the more money, the less virtue; for money comes between a man and his objects, and obtains them for him; and it was certainly no great virtue to obtain it.

Henry David Thoreau
Men, Independence, Rich

Who knows what beautiful and winged life, whose egg has been buried for ages under many concretic layers of woodenness in the dead dry life of society...may unexpectedly come forth...to enjoy its perfect summer life at last!...Such is the character of that morrow which mere lapse of time can never make to dawn...Only that day dawns to which we are awake. There is more day to dawn. The sun is but a morning star.

Henry David Thoreau
Beautiful, Summer, Morning
Walden ch. 18 (1854)

The incessant anxiety and strain of some is a well-nigh incurable form of disease. We are made to exaggerate the importance of what we do; and yet how much is not done by us!

Henry David Thoreau
Anxiety, Done, Disease
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.159, Penguin

Many are concerned about the monuments of the West and the East -- to know who built them. For my part, I should like to know who in those days did not build them -- who were above such trifling.

Henry David Thoreau
West, East, Should
Henry David Thoreau (1882). “Walden”, p.94

I have lately got back to that glorious society called Solitude, where we meet our friends continually, and can imagine the outside world also to be peopled. Yet some of my acquaintance would fain hustle me into the almshouse for the sake of society, as if I were pining for that diet, when I seem to myself a most befriended man, and find constant employment. However, they do not believe a word I say.

Henry David Thoreau
Believe, Men, Solitude
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.376, Penguin

Our bread need not ever be sour or hard to digest. What Nature is to the mind she is also to the body. As she feeds my imagination, she will feed my body; for what she says she means, and is ready to do. She is not simply beautiful to the poet's eye. Not only the rainbow and sunset are beautiful, but to be fed and clothed, sheltered and warmed aright, are equally beautiful and inspiring. There is not necessarily any gross and ugly fact which may not be eradicated from the life of man.

Henry David Thoreau
Beautiful, Nature, Mean
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “Familiar Letters (Annotated Edition)”, p.132, Jazzybee Verlag

The fact is, mental philosophy is very like Poverty, which, you know, begins at home; and indeed, when it goes abroad, it is poverty itself.

Henry David Thoreau
Philosophy, Home, Psychology
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “Familiar Letters (Annotated Edition)”, p.25, Jazzybee Verlag

If I am to be a thoroughfare, I prefer that it be of the mountain brooks, the Parnassian streams, and not the town sewers. There is inspiration, that gossip which comes to the ear of the attentive mind from the courts of heaven. There is the profane and stale revelation of the barroom and the police court. The same ear is fitted to receive both communications. Only the character of the hearer determines to which it shall be open, and to which closed.

Henry David Thoreau
Inspirational, Communication, Character
Henry David Thoreau, Barry Andrews (2005). “True Harvest: Readings from Henry David Thoreau for Every Day of the Year”, p.137, Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations

By one bait or another, Nature allures inhabitants into all her recesses.

Henry David Thoreau
Nature, Bait, Allure
Henry David Thoreau (2004). “Walden and Other Writings”, p.40, Bantam Classics

When I visit again some haunt of my youth, I am glad to find that nature wears so well. The landscape is indeed something real, and solid, and sincere, and I have not put my foot through it yet.

Henry David Thoreau
Nature, Real, Feet
Henry David Thoreau (2016). “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”, p.249, Xist Publishing

We could not help being struck by the seeming, though innocent, indifference of Nature to these men's necessities, while elsewhereshe was equally serving others. Like a true benefactress, the secret of her service is unchangeableness. Thus is the busiest merchant, though within sight of his Lowell, put to pilgrim's shifts, and soon comes to staff and scrip and scallop-shell.

Henry David Thoreau
Nature, Men, Sight
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.98, Penguin

The lichen on the rocks is a rude and simple shield which beginning and imperfect Nature suspended there. Still hangs her wrinkledtrophy.

Henry David Thoreau
Nature, Simple, Rocks
Henry David Thoreau (2016). “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”, p.178, Xist Publishing

As yesterday and the historical ages are past, as the work of today is present, so some flitting perspectives and demi-experiencesof the life that is in nature are in time veritably future, or rather outside of time, perennial, young, divine, in the wind and rain which never die.

Henry David Thoreau
Time, Nature, Rain

Nature seemed to have adorned herself for our departure with a profusion of fringes and curls, mingled with the bright tints of flowers, reflected in the water. But we missed the white water-lily, which is the queen of river flowers, its reign being over for this season.... Many of this species inhabit our Concord water.

Henry David Thoreau
Nature, Queens, Flower
Henry David Thoreau (2017). “HENRY DAVID THOREAU – The Man, The Philosopher & The Trailblazer (Illustrated): Biographies, Memoirs, Autobiographical Books & Personal Letters (Including Walden, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, The Maine Woods, Cape Cod, A Yankee in Canada…)”, p.37, e-artnow

Nature is not made after such a fashion as we would have her. We piously exaggerate her wonders, as the scenery around our home.

Henry David Thoreau
Fashion, Nature, Home
Henry David Thoreau (2016). “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”, p.136, Xist Publishing

It enhances our sense of the grand security and serenity of nature to observe the still undisturbed economy and content of the fishes of this century, their happiness a regular fruit of the summer.

Henry David Thoreau
Happiness, Summer, Nature
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “The Essential Thoreau”, p.460, Simon and Schuster

Yet I experienced sometimes that the most sweet and tender, the most innocent and encouraging society may be found in any naturalobject, even for the poor misanthrope and most melancholy man. There can be no very black melancholy to him who lives in the midst of nature and has his senses still.

Henry David Thoreau
Sweet, Nature, Men
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “Citizen Thoreau: Walden, Civil Disobedience, Life Without Principle, Slavery in Massachusetts, A Plea for Captain John Brown”, p.84, Graphic Arts Books

I should be glad if all the meadows on the earth were left in a wild state, if that were the consequence of men's beginning to redeem themselves.

Henry David Thoreau
Nature, Men, Earth
Henry David Thoreau, Joseph O. Valentine, Thoreau Society (2001). “Thoreau on Land: Nature's Canvas”, p.84, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Our village life would stagnate if it were not for the unexplored forests and meadows which surround it.

Henry David Thoreau
Village Life, Forests, Wilderness
Henry David Thoreau, Laura Ross (2009). “Walden, Or, Life in the Woods: Bold-faced Ideas for Living a Truly Transcendent Life”, p.414, Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.

The phenomena of the year take place every day in a pond on a small scale. Every morning, generally speaking, the shallow water isbeing warmed more rapidly than the deep, though it may not be made so warm after all, and every evening it is being cooled more rapidly until the morning. The day is an epitome of the year. The night is the winter, the morning and evening are the spring and fall, and the noon is the summer. The cracking and booming of the ice indicate a change of temperature.

Henry David Thoreau
Summer, Morning, Spring
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “The Essential Thoreau”, p.174, Simon and Schuster

If I thought that I could speak with discrimination and impartiality of the nations of Christendom, I should praise them, but it tasks me too much. They seem to be the most civil and humane, but I may be mistaken.

Henry David Thoreau
Civilization, Tasks, May
Henry David Thoreau (2016). “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”, p.46, Xist Publishing

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