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Henry David Thoreau Quotes - Page 110

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Count your age with friends but not with years.

Count your age with friends but not with years.

Henry David Thoreau
Wise, Years, Age

When the first light dawned on the earth, and the birds awoke, and the brave river was heard rippling confidently seaward, and the nimble early rising wind rustled the oak leaves about our tent, all people, having reinforced their bodies and their souls with sleep, and cast aside doubt and fear, were invited to unattempted adventures.

Henry David Thoreau
Nature, Adventure, Sleep

The gentle rain which waters my beans and keeps me in the house today is not drear and melancholy, but good for me too. Though it prevents my hoeing them, it is of far more worth than my hoeing. If it should continue so long as to cause the seeds to rot in the ground and destroy the potatoes in the low lands, it would still be good for the grass on the uplands, and, being good for the grass, would be good for me, too.

Henry David Thoreau
Nature, Rain, Land
Henry David Thoreau (2016). “Walden”, p.95, Xist Publishing

The light which puts out our eyes is darkness to us.

Henry David Thoreau
Eye, Light, Darkness
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “Walden, and On the Duty of Civil Disobedience”, p.304, First Avenue Editions

Writing may be either the record of a deed or a deed. It is nobler when it is a deed.

Henry David Thoreau
Writing, Records, Deeds

He is not a true man of science who does not bring some sympathy to his studies, and expect to learn something by behaviour as well as application.

Henry David Thoreau
Science, Men, Doe
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.271, Delphi Classics

Live free, child of the mist,- and with respect to knowledge we are allchildren of the mist.

Henry David Thoreau
Children, Live Free, Mist
Henry David Thoreau, David Gross (2007). “The Price of Freedom: Political Philosophy from Thoreau's Journals”, p.48, David M Gross

There are as many strata at different levels of life as there are leaves in a book. When on the higher levels we can remember the lower levels, but when on the lower we cannot remember the higher.

Henry David Thoreau
Book, Different, Levels
Henry David Thoreau, Odell Shepard (1961). “The Heart of Thoreau's Journals”, p.36, Courier Corporation

If I ever see more clearly at one time than at another, the medium through which I see is clearer.

Henry David Thoreau
Knowledge, Sight, Mediums
Henry David Thoreau, Barry Andrews (2005). “True Harvest: Readings from Henry David Thoreau for Every Day of the Year”, p.290, Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations

There is a sort of homely truth and naturalness in some books which is very rare to find, and yet looks cheap enough. There may benothing lofty in the sentiment, or fine in the expression, but it is careless country talk. Homeliness is almost as great a merit in a book as in a house, if the reader would abide there. It is next to beauty, and a very high art. Some have this merit only.

Henry David Thoreau
Country, Art, Book
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “The Essential Thoreau”, p.518, Simon and Schuster

Let your condiments be in the condition of your senses.

Henry David Thoreau
Taste, Condiments, Senses
Henry David Thoreau (1992). “The Essays of Henry David Thoreau”, p.215, Rowman & Littlefield

I should fear the infinite power and inflexible justice of the almighty mortal hardly as yet apotheosized, so wholly masculine, with no sister Juno, no Apollo, no Venus, nor Minerva, to intercede for me, thumoi phileousa te, kedomene te.

Henry David Thoreau
Sister, God, Women

A modern author would have died in infancy in a ruder age.

Henry David Thoreau
Age, Modern, Infancy
Henry David Thoreau (2000). “Walden and Other Writings: (A Modern Library E-Book)”, p.466, Modern Library

It is good even to be a fisherman in summer and in winter.

Henry David Thoreau
Summer, Winter, Fishing
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.34, Delphi Classics

The sport of digging the bait is nearly equal to that of catching the fish, when one's appetite is not too keen.

Henry David Thoreau
Sports, Fishing, Bait
Henry David Thoreau (2015). “Walden”, p.191, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

The fishermen say that the "thundering of the pond" scares the fishes and prevents their biting.

Henry David Thoreau
Spring, Ice, Fishing
Henry David Thoreau (2009). “Walden”, p.195, Cosimo, Inc.

It is a relief to read some true book, wherein all are equally dead,--equally alive. I think the best parts of Shakespeare would only be enhanced by the most thrilling and affecting events. I have found it so. And so much the more, as they are not intended for consolation.

Henry David Thoreau
Book, Reading, Thinking
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.1633, Delphi Classics

Since you are my readers, and I have not been much of a traveler, I will not talk about people a thousand miles off, but come as near home as I can. As the time is short, I will leave out all the flattery, and retain all the criticism.

Henry David Thoreau
Reading, Home, People
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.414, Penguin

In those days, when my hands were much employed, I read but little, but the least scraps of paper which lay on the ground, my holder, or tablecloth, afforded me as much entertainment, in fact answered the same purpose as the Iliad.

Henry David Thoreau
Reading, Hands, Purpose
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.177, Penguin

That is a pathetic inquiry among travelers and geographers after the site of ancient Troy. It is not near where they think it is.When a thing is decayed and gone, how indistinct must be the place it occupied!

Henry David Thoreau
Knowledge, Thinking, Gone
Henry David Thoreau (1873). “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”, p.406

No domain of nature is quite closed to man at all times.

Henry David Thoreau
Time, Nature, Knowledge
Henry David Thoreau (2011). “The Natural History Essays”, p.66, Gibbs Smith

I keep a mountain anchored off eastward a little way, which I ascend in my dreams both awake and asleep. Its broad base spreads over a village or two, which does not know it; neither does it know them, nor do I when I ascend it. I can see its general outline as plainly now in my mind as that of Wachusett. I do not invent in the least, but state exactly what I see. I find that I go up it when I am light-footed and earnest. It ever smokes like an altar with its sacrifice. I am not aware that a single villager frequents it or knows of it. I keep this mountain to ride instead of a horse.

Henry David Thoreau
Dream, Horse, Knowledge

Long enough I had heard of irrelevant things; now at length I was glad to make acquaintance with the light that dwells in rotten wood. Where is all your knowledge gone to? It evaporates completely, for it has no depth.

Henry David Thoreau
Knowledge, Science, Light
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.621, Delphi Classics

Unless the human race perspire more than I do, there is no occasion to live by the sweat of their brow. If men cannot get on without money (the smallest amount will suffice), the truest method of earning it is by working as a laborer at one dollar per day. You are least dependent so; I speak as an expert, having used several kinds of labor.

Henry David Thoreau
Men, Earning It, Sweat
Henry David Thoreau (2016). “Familiar Letters - The Writings of Henry David Thoreau”, p.104, Read Books Ltd

Men and boys are learning all kinds of trades but how to make men of themselves. They learn to make houses; but they are not so well housed, they are not so contented in their houses, as the woodchucks in their holes.

Henry David Thoreau
Education, Boys, Men
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.379, Penguin

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