A grain of gold will gild a great surface, but not so much as a grain of wisdom. - from Live Without Principle Henry David Thoreau More Quotes by Henry David Thoreau More Quotes From Henry David Thoreau This whole earth in which we inhabit is but a point is space. Henry David Thoreau spacewholeearth None can lead this life who are not almost amphibious. Henry David Thoreau this-lifewater When my legs begin to move, the thoughts begin to flow. Henry David Thoreau legsflowmoving Resign yourself to the influence of the earth. Henry David Thoreau influenceearth The most I can do for my friend is simply be his friend. Henry David Thoreau best-friendhappinessfriendship Not that the story need be long, but it will take a long while to make it short. Henry David Thoreau insightfulwritinglong Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a just man is also in prison, the only house in a slave State in which a free man can abide with honor. They do not know how much truth is stronger than error, nor how much more eloquently and effectively he can combat injustice who has experienced a little in his own person. If the alternative is to keep all just men in prison, or give up war and slavery, the State will not hesitate which to choose. Henry David Thoreau giving-upmenwar It is not worth the while to let our imperfections disturb us always. Henry David Thoreau imperfectionlive-by It is remarkable how many creatures live wild and free though secret in the woods. Henry David Thoreau wild-and-freewoodssecret And I am sure that I never read any memorable news in a newspaper. If we read of one man robbed, or murdered, or killed by accident, or one house burned, or one vessel wrecked, or one steamboat blown up, or one cow run over on the Western Railroad, or one mad dog killed, or one lot of grasshoppers in the winter, - we need never read of another. One is enough. If you are acquainted with the principle, what do you care for a myriad instances and applications? Henry David Thoreau dogmemorablerunning Impulse is, after all, the best linguist; its logic, if not conformable to Aristotle, cannot fail to be most convincing. Henry David Thoreau impulselogicfailing Wherever you have planted a seed, I am prepared to expect wonders. Henry David Thoreau preparedseedswonder Wealth can't buy heath, but heath can buy wealth. Henry David Thoreau fortune-cookiewealth Death is beautiful when seen to be a law, and not an accident. It is as common as life. Henry David Thoreau ripbeautifuldeath In dreams we see ourselves naked and acting out our real characters, even more clearly than we see others awake. Henry David Thoreau realdreamcharacter Nature must be viewed humanly to be viewed at all; that is, her scenes must be associated with humane affections, such as are associated with one's native place. She is most significant to a lover. A lover of Nature is preeminently a lover of man. If I have no friend, what is Nature to me? She ceases to be morally significant. . . Henry David Thoreau no-friendsnaturemen The animal merely makes a bed, which he warms with his body, in a sheltered place; but man, having discovered fire, boxes up someair in a spacious apartment, and warms that.... Thus he goes a step or two beyond instinct, and saves a little time for the fine arts. Henry David Thoreau animalmenart We need the tonic of wildness...At the same time that we are earnest to explore and learn all things, we require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable, that land and sea be indefinitely wild, unsurveyed and unfathomed by us because unfathomable. We can never have enough of nature. Henry David Thoreau environmentallandsea If a thousand men were not to pay their tax-bills this year, that would ... [be] the definition of a peaceable revolution, if any such is possible. Henry David Thoreau libertymenyears I would that our farmers when they cut down a forest felt some of that awe which the old Romans did when they came to thin, or letin the light to, a consecrated grove (lucum conlucare), that is, would believe that it is sacred to some god. The Roman made an expiatory offering, and prayed, Whatever god or goddess thou art to whom this grove is sacred, be propitious to me, my family, and children, etc. Henry David Thoreau believechildrenart
