Should not every apartment in which man dwells be lofty enough to create some obscurity overhead, where flickering shadows may play at evening about the rafters? Henry David Thoreau More Quotes by Henry David Thoreau More Quotes From Henry David Thoreau A man sees only what concerns him.... How much more, then, it requires different intentions of the eye and of the mind to attend to different departments of knowledge! How differently the poet and the naturalist look at objects! Henry David Thoreau eye mind men The stars are distant and unobtrusive, but bright and enduring as our fairest and most memorable experiences. Henry David Thoreau experience stars memorable The scholar is not apt to make his most familiar experience come gracefully to the aid of his expression. Henry David Thoreau aids experience expression The necessity of labor and conversation with many men and things to the scholar is rarely well remembered. Henry David Thoreau experience inspirational men Our village life would stagnate if it were not for the unexplored forests and meadows which surround it. Henry David Thoreau wilderness village-life forests Every tree sends its fibres forth in search of the Wild. The cities import it at any price. Men plow and sail for it. From the forest and wilderness come the tonics and barks which brace mankind. Henry David Thoreau cities tree men The phenomena of the year take place every day in a pond on a small scale. Every morning, generally speaking, the shallow water isbeing warmed more rapidly than the deep, though it may not be made so warm after all, and every evening it is being cooled more rapidly until the morning. The day is an epitome of the year. The night is the winter, the morning and evening are the spring and fall, and the noon is the summer. The cracking and booming of the ice indicate a change of temperature. Henry David Thoreau summer spring morning If I thought that I could speak with discrimination and impartiality of the nations of Christendom, I should praise them, but it tasks me too much. They seem to be the most civil and humane, but I may be mistaken. Henry David Thoreau tasks may civilization There have been some nations who could do nothing but construct tombs, and these are the only traces which they have left. They are the heathen. Henry David Thoreau heathen constructs graves For the most part we stupidly confound one man with another. The dull distinguish only races or nations, or at most classes, but the wise man, individuals. Henry David Thoreau race wise men We are a nation of politicians, concerned about the outmost defenses only of freedom. It is our children's children who may perchance be really free. Henry David Thoreau liberty freedom children It is not every man who can be a Christian, even in a very moderate sense, whatever education you give him. It is a matter of constitution and temperament, after all. He may have to be born again many times. I have known many a man who pretended to be a Christian, in whom it was ridiculous, for he had no genius for it. It is not every man who can be a free man, even. Henry David Thoreau freedom christian men There is something servile in the habit of seeking after a law which we may obey. We may study the laws of matter at and for our convenience, but a successful life knows no law. Henry David Thoreau freedom law success The man who takes the liberty to live is superior to all the laws, by virtue of his relation to the lawmaker. Henry David Thoreau freedom god men What shall we think of a government to which all the truly brave and just men in the land are enemies, standing between it and those whom it oppresses? A government that pretends to be Christian and crucifies a million Christs every day! Henry David Thoreau christian men jesus The United States have a coffle of four millions of slaves. They are determined to keep them in this condition; and Massachusettsis one of the confederated overseers to prevent their escape. Henry David Thoreau slavery united-states four They who are continually shocked by slavery have some right to be shocked by the violent death of the slaveholder, but no others.Such will be more shocked by his life than by his death. Henry David Thoreau violent slavery violence No: until I want the protection of Massachusetts to be extended to me in some distant Southern port, where my liberty is endangered, or until I am bent solely on building up an estate at home by peaceful enterprise, I can afford to refuse allegiance to Massachusetts, and her right to my property and life. It costs me less in every sense to incur the penalty of disobedience to the State than it would to obey. I should feel as if I were worth less in that case. Henry David Thoreau building-up government home When I think of the gold-diggers and the Mormons, the slaves and the slave-holders and the flibustiers, I naturally dream of a glorious private life. No, I am not patriotic. Henry David Thoreau patriotic dream thinking To the innocent there are neither cherubim nor angels. Henry David Thoreau innocence angel perfection
