Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreauwas an American essayist, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, and historian. A leading transcendentalist, Thoreau is best known for his book Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay Resistance to Civil Government, an argument for disobedience to an unjust state...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionAuthor
Date of Birth12 July 1817
CountryUnited States of America
winter sunshine fire
What fire could ever equal the sunshine of a winter's day?
time reality doors
Must be out-of-doors enough to get experience of wholesome reality, as a ballast to thought and sentiment. Health requires this relaxation, this aimless life.
strength shields
For an impenetrable shield, stand inside yourself
lost-friendship honor littles
What is commonly called friendship is only a little more honor among rogues.
mistake errors virtue
The broadest and most prevalent error requires the most disinterested virtue to sustain it.
strength men world
It is very rare that you meet with obstacles in this world, which the humblest man has not faculties to surmount.
strength swamps woods
When I would re-create myself, I seek the darkest wood, the thickest and most interminable and to the citizen, most dismal, swamp. I enter as a sacred place, a Sanctum sanctorum. There is the strength, the marrow, of Nature.
dream new-year years
Each new year is a surprise to us. We find that we had virtually forgotten the note of each bird, and when we hear it again, it is remembered like a dream, reminding us of a previous state of existence. How happens it that the associations it awakens are always pleasing, never saddening, reminiscences of our sanest hours. The voice of nature is always encouraging.
loving-life alive awake
To be awake is to be alive.
miracle world happens
When we bring what is within out into the world, miracles happen.
relationship kids eye
Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other's eyes for an instant?
fishing tragedy life-is
The greatest tragedy in life is to spend your whole life fishing only to discover it was never fish that you were after.
lonely way should
Why should I feel lonely? is not our planet in the Milky Way?
attribute character determined falsely family large man men pity poor presume putting silent support together worse
We falsely attribute to men a determined character -- putting together all their yesterdays -- and averaging them -- we presume we know them. Pity the man who has character to support -- it is worse than a large family -- he is the silent poor indeed.