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
learning men judging
But man's capacities have never been measured; nor are we to judge of what he can do by any precedents, so little have been tried.
self-esteem book dull
It is not all books that are as dull as their readers.
honesty mean men
Absolutely speaking, Do unto others as you would that they should do unto you is by no means a golden rule, but the best of current silver. An honest man would have but little occasion for it. It is golden not to have any rule at all in such a case.
sloth laziness virtuous
The Slothful do not have the time to become virtuous or despicable.
learning light soul
With all your science can you tell me how it is, and when it is, that light comes into the soul?
cheating may ethics-and-morals
Don't be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life so.
strength shields
For an impenetrable shield, stand inside yourself
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.
loving-life alive awake
To be awake is to be alive.
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.
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.
along appear arabian disposes face grief grieve ice kindness learn natural nature pleasantly pure river serenity sing soon soul spent sympathy
We feel at first as if some opportunities of kindness and sympathy were lost, but learn afterward that any pure grief is ample recompense for all. That is, if we are faithful; -- for a spent grief is but sympathy with the soul that disposes events, and is as natural as the resin of Arabian trees. -- Only nature has a right to grieve perpetually, for she only is innocent. Soon the ice will melt, and the blackbirds sing along the river which he frequented, as pleasantly as ever. The same everlasting serenity will appear in this face of God, and we will not be sorrowful, if he is not.
branches evil hacking striking thousands
There are thousands hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.