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Henry David Thoreau Quotes - Page 89

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In my cheapest moments I am apt to think that it is n't my business to be seeking the spirit, but as much its business to be seeking me.

In my cheapest moments I am apt to think that it is n't my business to be "seeking the spirit," but as much its business to be seeking me.

Henry David Thoreau
Inspirational, Life, Thinking
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “Familiar Letters (Annotated Edition)”, p.134, Jazzybee Verlag

One revelation has been made to the Indian, another to the white man.

Henry David Thoreau
Men, White Man, Religion
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.621, Delphi Classics

I do not remember anything which Confucius has said directly respecting man's "origin, purpose, and destiny." He was more practical than that. He is full of wisdom applied to human relations,--to the private life,--the family,--government, etc. It is remarkable that, according to his own account, the sum and substance of his teaching is, as you know, to do as you would be done by.

Henry David Thoreau
Wisdom, Teaching, Destiny
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.1352, e-artnow

I should consider it a greater success to interest one wise and earnest soul, than a million unwise and frivolous.

Henry David Thoreau
Success, Wise, Wisdom
Henry David Thoreau (1906). “Familiar letters”

The community has no bribe that will tempt a wise man.

Henry David Thoreau
Wise, Wisdom, Money
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “Citizen Thoreau: Walden, Civil Disobedience, Life Without Principle, Slavery in Massachusetts, A Plea for Captain John Brown”, p.216, Graphic Arts Books

Let us not play at kittly-benders. There is a solid bottom everywhere.

Henry David Thoreau
Truth, Play, Deception
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.333, Penguin

The wildest dreams of wild men, even, are not the less true, though they may not recommend themselves to the sense which is most common among Englishmen and Americans to-day. It is not every truth that recommends itself to the common sense. Nature has a place for the wild clematis as well as for the cabbage. Some expressions of truth are reminiscent,--others merely sensible, as the phrase is,--others prophetic.

Henry David Thoreau
Dream, Truth, Men
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.406, Penguin

The Oriental philosophy approaches easily loftier themes than the modern aspires to; and no wonder if it sometimes prattle about them. It only assigns their due rank respectively to Action and Contemplation, or rather does full justice to the latter. Western philosophers have not conceived of the significance of Contemplation in their sense.

Henry David Thoreau
Philosophy, Philosophical, Justice
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.113, Delphi Classics

It cannot but affect our philosophy favorably to be reminded of these shoals of migratory fishes, of salmon, shad, alewives, marsh-bankers, and others, which penetrate up the innumerable rivers of our coast in the spring, even to the interior lakes, their scales gleaming in the sun; and again, of the fry which in still greater numbers wend their way downward to the sea.

Henry David Thoreau
Philosophy, Spring, Philosophical
Henry David Thoreau (2017). “Collected Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated): Philosophical and Autobiographical Books, Essays, Poetry, Translations, Biographies & Letters: Walden, Civil Disobedience, The Maine Woods, Cape Cod, Slavery in Massachusetts, Walking…”, p.273, e-artnow

Any moral philosophy is exceedingly rare. This of Menu addresses our privacy more than most. It is a more private and familiar, and at the same time, a more public and universal word, than is spoken in parlor or pulpit nowadays.

Henry David Thoreau
Philosophy, Philosophical, Addresses
Henry David Thoreau (2016). “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”, p.105, Xist Publishing

Slow are the beginnings of philosophy.

Henry David Thoreau
Philosophy, Philosophical
Henry David Thoreau (2011). “The Natural History Essays”, p.29, Gibbs Smith

Philosophy, certainly, is some account of truths the fragments and very insignificant parts of which man will practice in this workshop; truths infinite and in harmony with infinity, in respect to which the very objects and ends of the so-called practical philosopher will be mere propositions, like the rest.

Henry David Thoreau
Philosophy, Philosophical, Men
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “The Essential Thoreau”, p.281, Simon and Schuster

Beside some philosophers of larger vision, Carlyle stands like an honest, half-despairing boy, grasping at some details only of their world systems.

Henry David Thoreau
Philosophical, Boys, Vision
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “The Essential Thoreau”, p.281, Simon and Schuster

The philosopher's conception of things will, above all, be truer than other men's, and his philosophy will subordinate all the circumstances of life. To live like a philosopher is to live, not foolishly, like other men, but wisely and according to universal laws.

Henry David Thoreau
Philosophy, Philosophical, Men
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “The Selected Essays of Henry David Thoreau”, p.93, Simon and Schuster

Philosophy, having crept clinging to the rocks so far, puts out its feelers many ways in vain.

Henry David Thoreau
Philosophy, Philosophical, Rocks
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.1087, Delphi Classics

If you are a seer, whenever you meet a man you will see all that he owns, ay, and much that he pretends to disown, behind him.

Henry David Thoreau
Philosophical, Men, Hypocrisy
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “The Essential Thoreau”, p.43, Simon and Schuster

Even the poor student studies and is taught only political economy, while that economy of living which is synonymous with philosophy is not even sincerely professed in our colleges. The consequence is, that while he is reading Adam Smith, Ricardo, and Say, he runs his father in debt irretrievably.

Henry David Thoreau
Education, Running, Father
Henry David Thoreau (2016). “Walden”, p.38, Xist Publishing

Fishermen, hunters, woodchoppers, and others, spending their lives in the fields and woods, in a peculiar sense a part of Nature themselves, are often in a more favorable mood for observing her, in the intervals of their pursuits, than philosophers or poets even, who approach her with expectation. She is not afraid to exhibit herself to them.

Henry David Thoreau
Nature, Philosophical, Expectations
Henry David Thoreau (2015). “Walden, and On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience: Top American Literary”, p.131, 谷月社

The front aspect of great thoughts can only be enjoyed by those who stand on the side whence they arrive.

Henry David Thoreau
Ideas, Sides, Aspect
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.83, Delphi Classics

I have not yet learned to live, that I can see, and I fear that I shall not very soon. I find, however, that in the long run things correspond to my original idea,--that they correspond to nothing else so much; and thus a man may really be a true prophet without any great exertion. The day is never so dark, nor the night even, but that the laws at least of light still prevail, and so may make it light in our minds if they are open to the truth.

Henry David Thoreau
Life, Running, Dark
Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson (1865). “Letters to Various Persons”, p.113

How insupportable would be the days, if the night with its dews and darkness did not come to restore the drooping world. As the shades begin to gather around us, our primeval instincts are aroused, and we steal forth from our lairs, like the inhabitants of the jungle, in search of those silent and brooding thoughts which are the natural prey of the intellect.

Henry David Thoreau
Night, Ideas, Darkness
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.1262, Delphi Classics

Men talk glibly enough about moonshine, as if they knew its qualities very well, and despised them; as owls might talk of sunshine,--none of your sunshine!--but this word commonly means merely something which they do not understand,--which they are abed and asleep to, however much it may be worth their while to be up and awake to it.

Henry David Thoreau
Mean, Sunshine, Moon
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “The Essential Thoreau”, p.423, Simon and Schuster

The orator puts off his individuality, and is then most eloquent when most silent. He listens while he speaks, and is a hearer along with his audience.

Henry David Thoreau
Silence, Individuality, Speech
Henry David Thoreau, John C. Broderick, Robert Sattelmeyer (1981). “Journal”, p.114, Princeton University Press

The most attractive sentences are, perhaps, not the wisest, but the surest and roundest. They are spoken firmly and conclusively,as if the speaker had a right to know what he says, and if not wise, they have at least been well learned.

Henry David Thoreau
Wise, Style, Oratory
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “The Essential Thoreau”, p.516, Simon and Schuster

What is called eloquence in the forum is commonly found to be rhetoric in the study. The orator yields to the inspiration of a transient occasion, and speaks to the mob before him, to those who can hear him; but the writer, whose more equable life is his occasion, and who would be distracted by the event and the crowd which inspire the orator, speaks to the intellect and heart of mankind, to all in any age who can understand him.

Henry David Thoreau
Inspiration, Heart, Yield
Henry David Thoreau (2015). “Walden”, p.88, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

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