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Henry David Thoreau Quotes about Evil

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It is best to avoid the beginnings of evil.

It is best to avoid the beginnings of evil.

Henry David Thoreau
Evil, Literature, Vengeance
Henry David Thoreau (2016). “Walden”, p.49, Xist Publishing

The tree of Knowledge is a Tree of Knowledge of good and evil.

Henry David Thoreau
Evil, Tree, Good And Evil
Henry David Thoreau (1862). “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers. By Henry D. Thoreau”, p.381

A worm is as good a traveler as a grasshopper or a cricket, and a much wiser settler. With all their activity these do not hop away from drought nor forward to summer. We do not avoid evil by fleeing before it, but by rising above or diving below its plane; as the worm escapes drought and frost by boring a few inches deeper.

Henry David Thoreau
Summer, Travel, Evil
Henry David Thoreau (2016). “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”, p.217, Xist Publishing

Since all things are good, men fail at last to distinguish which is the bane and which the antidote.

Henry David Thoreau
Knowledge, Men, Evil
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Henry David Thoreau (Illustrated)”, p.197, Delphi Classics

It is a momentous fact that a man may be good, or he may be bad; his life may be true, or it may be false; it may be either a shame or a glory to him. The good man builds himself up; the bad man destroys himself.

Henry David Thoreau
Truth, Men, Evil
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “Familiar Letters (Annotated Edition)”, p.133, Jazzybee Verlag

They will wait, well disposed, for others to remedy evil, that they may no longer have have it to regret.

Henry David Thoreau
Regret, Evil, Waiting

I never dreamed of any enormity greater than I have committed. I never knew, and never shall know, a worse man than myself.

Henry David Thoreau
Dream, Men, Evil
Henry David Thoreau (2016). “Walden”, p.56, Xist Publishing

There is no ill which may not be dissipated, like the dark, if you let in a stronger light upon it.

Henry David Thoreau
Dark, Light, Evil
Henry David Thoreau (2013). “The Essential Thoreau”, p.198, Simon and Schuster

So far as my experience goes, travelers generally exaggerate the difficulties of the way. Like most evil, the difficulty is imaginary; for what's the hurry?

Henry David Thoreau
Travel, Evil, Optimism
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “The Portable Thoreau”, p.101, Penguin

If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am constantly doing by being what I am.

Henry David Thoreau
Men, Evil, Deeds

A lady once offered me a mat, but as I had no room to spare within the house, nor time to spare within or without to shake it, I declined it, preferring to wipe my feet on the sod before my door. It is best to avoid the beginnings of evil.

Henry David Thoreau
Doors, Feet, Evil
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “Citizen Thoreau: Walden, Civil Disobedience, Life Without Principle, Slavery in Massachusetts, A Plea for Captain John Brown”, p.49, Graphic Arts Books

What is the price-current of an honest man and patriot to-day? They hesitate, and they regret, and sometimes they petition; but they do nothing in earnest and with effect. They will wait, well disposed, for others to remedy the evil, that they may no longer have it to regret. At most, they give only a cheap vote, and a feeble countenance and Godspeed, to the right, as it goes by them.

Henry David Thoreau
Regret, Men, Evil
Henry David Thoreau (2012). “Civil Disobedience and Other Essays”, p.5, Courier Corporation

There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root, and it may be that he who bestows the largest amount of time and money on the needy is doing the most by his mode of life to produce that misery which he strives in vain to relieve.

Henry David Thoreau
Sad, Roots, Evil
Henry David Thoreau (1882). “Walden”, p.120

We are double-edged blades, and every time we whet our virtue the return stroke straps our vice. Where is the skillful swordsman who can give clean wounds, and not rip up his work with the other edge?

Henry David Thoreau
Rip, Evil, Giving
Henry David Thoreau (1996). “The nature writings of Henry David Thoreau”

If a man were to place himself in an attitude to bear manfully the greatest evil that can be inflicted on him, he would find suddenly that there was no such evil to bear; his brave back would go a-begging.

Henry David Thoreau
Attitude, Men, Evil
Henry David Thoreau (2014). “Familiar Letters (Annotated Edition)”, p.190, Jazzybee Verlag

All health and success does me good, however far off and withdrawn it may appear; all disease and failure helps to make me sad anddoes me evil, however much sympathy it may have with me or I with it.

Henry David Thoreau
Success, Health, Evil
Henry David Thoreau (2016). “Walden”, p.56, Xist Publishing

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