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Henry David Thoreau Quotes - Page 92

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This is one of those instances in which the individual genius is found to consent, as indeed it always does, at last, with the universal.

This is one of those instances in which the individual genius is found to consent, as indeed it always does, at last, with the universal.

Henry David Thoreau
Doe, Genius, Lasts
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.1037, Delphi Classics

The murmurs of many a famous river on the other side of the globe reach even to us here, as to more distant dwellers on its banks;many a poet's stream, floating the helms and shields of heroes on its bosom.

Henry David Thoreau
Inspirational, Hero, Rivers
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”, p.17, Courier Corporation

The poet's, commonly, is not a logger's path, but a woodman's. The logger and pioneer have preceded him, like John the Baptist; eaten the wild honey, it may be, but the locusts also; banished decaying wood and the spongy mosses which feed on it, and built hearths and humanized Nature for him.

Henry David Thoreau
Inspirational, Civilization, Moss
Henry David Thoreau (1873). “The Maine Woods”, p.160

But there are spirits of a yet more liberal culture, to whom no simplicity is barren. There are not only stately pines, but fragile flowers, like the orchises, commonly described as too delicate for cultivation, which derive their nutriment from the crudest mass of peat. These remind us, that, not only for strength, but for beauty, the poet must, from time to time, travel the logger's path and the Indian's trail, to drink at some new and more bracing fountain of the Muses, far in the recesses of the wilderness.

Henry David Thoreau
Inspirational, Flower, Simplicity
Henry David Thoreau (1873). “The Maine Woods”, p.160

We could not help contrasting the equanimity of Nature with the bustle and impatience of man. His words and actions presume alwaysa crisis near at hand, but she is forever silent and unpretending.

Henry David Thoreau
Nature, Men, Hands
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “The Essential Thoreau”, p.219, Simon and Schuster

The young pines springing up in the corn-fields from year to year are to me a refreshing fact.

Henry David Thoreau
Nature, Spring, Years
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.56, Delphi Classics

Each reader discovers for himself that, with respect to the simpler features of nature, succeeding poets have done little else than copy his similes.

Henry David Thoreau
Nature, Done, Littles
Henry David Thoreau (2016). “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”, p.64, Xist Publishing

This world has many rings, like Saturn, and we live now on the outmost of them all. None can say deliberately that he inhabits thesame sphere, or is contemporary, with the flower which his hands have plucked, and though his feet may seem to crush it, inconceivable spaces and ages separate them, and perchance there is no danger that he will hurt it.

Henry David Thoreau
Crush, Nature, Hurt
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”, p.306, Courier Corporation

Look not to legislatures and churches for your guidance, nor to any soulless incorporated bodies, but to inspirited or inspired ones.

Henry David Thoreau
Inspirational, Church, Looks
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “The Essential Thoreau”, p.337, Simon and Schuster

Surely the fates are forever kind, though Nature's laws are more immutable than any despot's, yet to man's daily life they rarelyseem rigid, but permit him to relax with license in summer weather. He is not harshly reminded of the things he may not do.

Henry David Thoreau
Summer, Nature, Fate
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.41, Delphi Classics

By what a delicate and far-stretched contribution every island is made! What an enterprise of nature thus to lay the foundations of and to build up the future continent, of golden and silver sands and the ruins of forests, with ant-like industry.

Henry David Thoreau
Nature, Islands, Foundation
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.188, Delphi Classics

The chickadee and nuthatch are more inspiring society than statesmen and philosophers, and we shall return to these last as to more vulgar companions.

Henry David Thoreau
Nature, Civilization, Lasts
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.49, Penguin

There is a higher law affecting our relation to pines as well as to men. A pine cut down, a dead pine, is no more a pine than a dead human carcass is a man.

Henry David Thoreau
Nature, Cutting, Men
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “The Maine Woods: The Writings of Henry David Thoreau, Volume III (of 20)”, p.71, Trajectory Inc

Really to see the sun rise or go down every day, so to relate ourselves to a universal fact, would preserve us sane forever.

Henry David Thoreau
Nature, Forever, Sun
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.422, Penguin

Continued traveling is far from productive. It begins with wearing away the soles of the shoes, and making the feet sore, and erelong it will wear a man clean up, after making his heart sore into the bargain. I have observed that the afterlife of those who have traveled much is very pathetic.

Henry David Thoreau
Travel, Heart, Men
Henry David Thoreau (2017). “The Most Alive is the Wildest – Thoreau’s Complete Works on Living in Harmony with the Nature: Walden, Walking, Night and Moonlight, The Highland Light, A Winter Walk, The Maine Woods, A Walk to Wachusett, The Landlord, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers, Autumnal Tints, Wild Apples…”, p.455, e-artnow

I had often stood on the banks of the Concord, watching the lapse of the current, an emblem of all progress, following the same law with the system, with time, and all that is madeand at last I resolved to launch myself on its bosom and float whither it would bear me.

Henry David Thoreau
Travel, Law, Progress

He may travel who can subsist on the wild fruits and game of the most cultivated country.

Henry David Thoreau
Country, Travel, Games
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “The Essential Thoreau”, p.665, Simon and Schuster

He who rides and keeps the beaten track studies the fences chiefly.

Henry David Thoreau
Travel, Track, Study
Henry David Thoreau (1873). “The Maine Woods”, p.87

Within the memory of many of my townsmen the road near which my house stands resounded with the laugh and gossip of inhabitants, and the woods which border it were notched and dotted here and there with their little gardens and dwellings, though it was then much more shut in by the forest than now.

Henry David Thoreau
Memories, Garden, Dwelling
Henry David Thoreau (2000). “Walden and Other Writings: (A Modern Library E-Book)”, p.249, Modern Library

But, commonly, men are as much afraid of love as of hate.

Henry David Thoreau
Fear, Hate, Men
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.1140, Delphi Classics

It seems as if the more youthful and impressible streams can hardly resist the numerous invitations and temptations to leave theirnative beds and run down their neighbors' channels.

Henry David Thoreau
Running, Rivers, Temptation
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.666, Delphi Classics

I suppose that the great questions of "Fate, Freewill, Foreknowledge Absolute," which used to be discussed at Concord, are still unsettled.

Henry David Thoreau
Fate, Used, Stills
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.1688, Delphi Classics

Friends will be much apart. They will respect more each other's privacy than their communion.

Henry David Thoreau
Privacy, Communion
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.2058, Delphi Classics

I confess that I have hitherto indulged very little in philanthropic enterprises.... While my townsmen and women are devoted in somany ways to the good of their fellows, I trust that one at least may be spared to other and less humane pursuits. You must have a genius for charity as well as for anything else. As for Doing-good, that is one of the professions which are full.

Henry David Thoreau
Genius, Charity, May

How long shall we sit in our porticoes practising idle and musty virtues, which any work would make impertinent? As if one were tobegin the day with long-suffering, and hire a man to hoe his potatoes; and in the afternoon go forth to practise Christian meekness and charity with goodness aforethought!

Henry David Thoreau
Christian, Men, Long
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.516, Delphi Classics

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