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Henry David Thoreau Quotes - Page 74

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Music is the sound of the universal laws promulgated. It is the only assured tone. There are in it such strains as far surpass anyman's faith in the loftiness of his destiny. Things are to be learned which it will be

Music is the sound of the universal laws promulgated. It is the only assured tone. There are in it such strains as far surpass anyman's faith in the loftiness of his destiny. Things are to be learned which it will be worth the while to learn.

Henry David Thoreau
Music, Knowledge, Destiny
Henry David Thoreau (2016). “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”, p.124, Xist Publishing

Who that has heard a strain of music feared then lest he should speak extravagantly any more forever?

Henry David Thoreau
Music, Forever, Speech
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “Citizen Thoreau: Walden, Civil Disobedience, Life Without Principle, Slavery in Massachusetts, A Plea for Captain John Brown”, p.190, Graphic Arts Books

The wise are not so much wiser than others as respecters of their own wisdom.

Henry David Thoreau
Wise, Wisdom, Wiser
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.245, Delphi Classics

On every hand we observe a truly wise practice, in education, in morals, and in the arts of life, the embodied wisdom of many an ancient philosopher.

Henry David Thoreau
Education, Wise, Wisdom
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “A Week On The Concord And Merrimack Rivers (Annotated Edition)”, p.103, Jazzybee Verlag

Unless we do more than simply learn the trade of our time, we are but apprentices, and not yet masters of the art of life.

Henry David Thoreau
Life, Wisdom, Art
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “A Week On The Concord And Merrimack Rivers (Annotated Edition)”, p.103, Jazzybee Verlag

Ex oriente lux may still be the motto of scholars, for the Western world has not yet derived from the East all the light which itis destined to receive thence.

Henry David Thoreau
Wisdom, Knowledge, Light
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.117, Delphi Classics

Men do not fail commonly for want of knowledge, but for want of prudence to give wisdom the preference.

Henry David Thoreau
Wisdom, Knowledge, Men
Henry David Thoreau (2016). “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”, p.90, Xist Publishing

Webster never goes behind government, and so cannot speak with authority about it. His words are wisdom to those legislators who contemplate no essential reform in the existing government; but for thinkers, and those who legislate for all time, he never once glances at the subject.... Comparatively, he is always strong, original, and, above all, practical. Still, his quality is not wisdom, but prudence.

Henry David Thoreau
Wisdom, Strong, Government

After reading Howitt's account of the Australian gold-diggings one evening,... I asked myself why I might not be washing some golddaily, though it were only the finest particles,--why I might not sink a shaft down to the gold within me, and work that mine.... At any rate, I might pursue some path, however solitary and narrow and crooked, in which I could walk with love and reverence.

Henry David Thoreau
Wisdom, Reading, Solitude
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “Civil Disobedience and Other Essays”, p.81, Courier Corporation

From exertion come wisdom and purity; from sloth ignorance and sensuality.

Henry David Thoreau
Wisdom, Ignorance, Sloth
Henry David Thoreau (2010). “Walden”, p.205, Bibliolis Books

One may almost doubt if the wisest man has learned anything of absolute value by living.

Henry David Thoreau
Life, Wisdom, Men
Henry David Thoreau (1882). “Walden”, p.16

The constant abrasion and decay of our lives makes the soil of our future growth.

Henry David Thoreau
Life, Growth, Decay
Henry David Thoreau (2016). “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”, p.251, Xist Publishing

As we grow older, we live more coarsely, we relax a little in our disciplines, and, to some extent, cease to obey our finest instincts. But we should be fastidious to the extreme of sanity, disregarding the gibes of those who are more unfortunate than ourselves.

Henry David Thoreau
Discipline, Relax, Littles
Henry David Thoreau (1937). “The selected works of Thoreau”, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH)

I am too easily contented with a slight and almost animal happiness. My happiness is a good deal like that of the woodchucks.

Henry David Thoreau
Happiness, Animal, Woodchucks
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.359, Penguin

I do not know what right I have to so much happiness, but rather hold it in reserve till the time of my desert.

Henry David Thoreau
Happiness, Desert, Knows
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “Familiar Letters (Annotated Edition)”, p.35, Jazzybee Verlag

My actual life is a fact, in view of which I have no occasion to congratulate myself; but for my faith and aspiration I have respect. It is from these that I speak.

Henry David Thoreau
Faith, Ambition, Views
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.357, Penguin

Alas! this is the crying sin of the age, this want of faith in the prevalence of a man. Nothing can be effected but by one man. Hewho wants help wants everything. True, this is the condition of our weakness, but it can never be the means of our recovery. We must first succeed alone, that we may enjoy our success together.

Henry David Thoreau
Success, Faith, Recovery
Henry David Thoreau (2017). “Civil Disobedience & Other Essays - Premium Collection: 26 Political, Philosophical & Historical Essays: Slavery in Massachusetts, Life Without Principle, The Landlord, Walking, Sir Walter Raleigh, Paradise (to be) Regained, Herald of Freedom, A Plea for Captain John Brown, The Highland Light, Dark Ages…”, p.312, e-artnow

Each reaching and aspiration is an instinct with which all nature consists and cöoperates, and therefore it is not in vain. But alas! each relaxing and desperation is an instinct too. To be active, well, happy, implies courage. To be ready to fight in a duel or a battle implies desperation, or that you hold your life cheap.

Henry David Thoreau
Courage, Fighting, Despair
Henry David Thoreau (1894). “The Writings of Henry David Thoreau: With Bibliographical Introductions and Full Indexes”

The state does not demand justice of its members, but thinks that it succeeds very well with the least degree of it, hardly more than rogues practice; and so do the neighborhood and the family. What is commonly called Friendship even is only a little more honor among rogues.

Henry David Thoreau
Family, Thinking, Practice
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.111, Penguin

Our actual Friends are but distant relations of those to whom we are pledged.

Henry David Thoreau
Friendship, Friends, Relation
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.110, Penguin

We must love our friend so much that she shall be associated with our purest and holiest thoughts alone.

Henry David Thoreau
Friendship, Purity
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.1142, Delphi Classics

I often accuse my finest acquaintances of an immense frivolity; for, while there are manners and compliments we do not meet, we donot teach one another the lessons of honesty and sincerity that the brutes do, or of steadiness and solidity that the rocks do. The fault is commonly mutual; however, for we do not habitually demand any more of each other.

Henry David Thoreau
Friendship, Honesty, Character

We should never stand upon ceremony with sincerity. We should never cheat and insult and banish one another by our meanness, if there were present the kernel of worth and friendliness. We should not meet thus in haste.

Henry David Thoreau
Friendship, Haste, Insult
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.243, Penguin

I had but three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship; three for society. When visitors came in larger and unexpected numbers there was but the third chair for them all, but they generally economized the room by standing up.

Henry David Thoreau
Friendship, Two, Numbers
Walden ch. 6 (1854)

Love is the profoundest of secrets. Divulged, even to the beloved, it is no longer Love. As if it were merely I that loved you. When love ceases, then it is divulged.

Henry David Thoreau
Communication, Love Is, Secret
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “Familiar Letters (Annotated Edition)”, p.159, Jazzybee Verlag

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