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 Is not the midnight like Central Africa to most of us? Are we not tempted to explore it,--to penetrate to the shores of its Lake Tchad, and discover the source of its Nile, perchance the Mountains of the Moon? Who knows what fertility and beauty, moral and natural, are to be found? In the Mountains of the Moon, in the Central Africa of the night, there is where all Niles have their hidden heads. The expeditions up the Nile as yet extend but to the Cataracts, or perchance to the mouth of the White Nile; but it is the black Nile that concerns us. Henry David Thoreau moon night travel To the sick the doctors wisely recommend a change of air and scenery. Henry David Thoreau doctors health travel The other side of the globe is but the home of our correspondent. Our voyaging is only great-circle sailing. Henry David Thoreau circles home travel I am a good horse to travel, but not from choice a roadster. The landscape-painter uses the figures of men to mark a road. He would not make that use of my figure. Henry David Thoreau horse men travel Roads are made for horses and men of business. I do not travel in them much. Henry David Thoreau horse men travel Deep are the foundations of sincerity. Even stone walls have their foundation below the frost. Henry David Thoreau foundation wall frost Why look in the dark for light? Henry David Thoreau light dark looks The past is only so heroic as we see it. It is the canvas on which our idea of heroism is painted, and so, in one sense, the dim prospectus of our future field. Henry David Thoreau future past ideas It will always be found that one flourishing institution exists and battens on another mouldering one. The Present itself is parasitic to this extent. Henry David Thoreau flourishing institutions found I am never rich in money, and I am never meanly poor. Henry David Thoreau rich wealth poor Be not anxious to avoid poverty. In this way the wealth of the universe may be securely invested. Henry David Thoreau poverty may way Cultivate poverty like a garden herb, like sage. Henry David Thoreau simple-life simplicity garden Bankruptcy and repudiation are the springboards from which much of our civilization vaults and turns its somersets, but the savagestands on the unelastic plank of famine. Henry David Thoreau vaults economics civilization The world is a strange place for a playhouse to stand within it. Henry David Thoreau strange-places strange world In our daily intercourse with men, our nobler faculties are dormant and suffered to rust. None will pay us the compliment to expect nobleness from us. Though we have gold to give, they demand only copper. Henry David Thoreau giving character men Our vices always lie in the direction of our virtues, and in their best estate are but plausible imitations of the latter. Henry David Thoreau vices character lying When a shadow flits across the landscape of the soul where is the substance? Henry David Thoreau shadow soul character The more supple vagabond, too, is sure to appear on the least rumor of such a gathering, and the next day to disappear, and go into his hole like the seventeen-year locust, in an ever-shabby coat, though finer than the farmer's best, yet never dressed.... He especially is the creature of the occasion. He empties both his pockets and his character into the stream, and swims in such a day. He dearly loves the social slush. There is no reserve of soberness in him. Henry David Thoreau next-day character years The strongest wind cannot stagger a Spirit; it is a Spirit's breath. A just man's purpose cannot be split on any Grampus or material rock, but itself will split rocks till it succeeds. Henry David Thoreau determination character men Your richest veins don't lie nearest the surface. Henry David Thoreau veins character lying
