Ignorance and bungling with love are better than wisdom and skill without. Henry David Thoreau More Quotes by Henry David Thoreau More Quotes From Henry David Thoreau Compared with this simple, fibrous life, our civilized history appears the chronicle of debility, of fashion, and the arts of luxury. But the civilized man misses no real refinement in the poetry of the rudest era. It reminds him that civilization does but dress men. It makes shoes, but it does not toughen the soles of the feet. It makes cloth of finer texture, but it does not touch the skin. Inside the civilized man stands the savage still in the place of honor. We are those blue-eyed, yellow-haired Saxons, those slender, dark-haired Normans. Henry David Thoreau fashionrealart I hate the present modes of living and getting a living. Farming and shopkeeping and working at a trade or profession are all odious to me. I should relish getting my living in a simple, primitive fashion. Henry David Thoreau fashionhatesimple A distinguished clergyman told me that he chose the profession of a clergyman because it afforded the most leisure for literary pursuits. I would recommend to him the profession of a governor. Henry David Thoreau leisureclergymenpursuit I would stand upon facts. Henry David Thoreau facts I delight to come to my bearings,... not to live in this restless, nervous, bustling, trivial Nineteenth Century, but stand or sitthoughtfully while it goes by. Henry David Thoreau nervousindependencedelight God is only the president of the day, and Webster is his orator. Henry David Thoreau oratorspresident The seeds of the life of fishes are everywhere disseminated, whether the winds waft them, or the waters float them, or the deep earth holds them; wherever a pond is dug, straightway it is stocked with this vivacious race. They have a lease of nature, and it is not yet out. Henry David Thoreau racewindwater It is not worth the while to live by rich cookery. Henry David Thoreau cookeryrichlive-by Every man must walk to the beat of his own drummer. Henry David Thoreau beatsdrummermen Let your life be a counter-friction to stop the machine. What I have to do is to see, at any rate, that I do not lend myself to the wrong which I condemn. Henry David Thoreau machinesfrictionlife-is We do not live by justice, but by grace. Henry David Thoreau gracejusticelife Every man looks at his wood-pile with a kind of affection. Henry David Thoreau woodsmenlooks If we cannot sing of faith and triumph, we will sing our despair. We will be that kind of bird. There are day owls, and there arenight owls, and each is beautiful and even musical while about its business. Henry David Thoreau faithbeautifulbird All nations love the same jests and tales, Jews, Christians, and Mahometans, and the same translated suffice for all. Henry David Thoreau talesliteraturechristian The repugnance to animal food is not the effect of experience, but is an instinct. It appeared more beautiful to live low and farehard in many respects; and though I never did so, I went far enough to please my imagination. Henry David Thoreau imaginationanimalbeautiful The rarest quality in an epitaph is truth. Henry David Thoreau cynicalqualitytruth Great men, unknown to their generation, have their fame among the great who have preceded them, and all true worldly fame subsides from their high estimate beyond the stars. Henry David Thoreau starsidolsmen Society is commonly too cheap. We meet at very short intervals, not having had time to acquire any new value for each other. We meet at meals three times a day, and give each other a new taste of that old musty cheese that we are. Henry David Thoreau mealsfriendshipgiving I found in myself, and still find, an instinct toward a higher, or, as it is named, spiritual life, as do most men, and another toward a primitive rank and savage one, and I reverence them both. I love the wild not less than the good. Henry David Thoreau spirituallovemen Thus men will lie on their backs, talking about the fall of man, and never make an effort to get up. Henry David Thoreau lifelyingfall
