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 In Homer and Chaucer there is more of the innocence and serenity of youth than in the more modern and moral poets. The Iliad is not Sabbath but morning reading, and men cling to this old song, because they still have moments of unbaptized and uncommitted life, which give them an appetite for more. Henry David Thoreau reading song morning The student may read Homer or Ãâ schylus in the Greek without danger of dissipation or luxuriousness, for it implies that hein some measure emulate their heroes, and consecrate morning hours to their pages. Henry David Thoreau greek hero morning One generation abandons the enterprises of another like stranded vessels. Henry David Thoreau youth generations age I love man-kind, but I hate the institutions of the dead unkind. Men execute nothing so faithfully as the wills of the dead, to the last codicil and letter. They rule this world, and the living are but their executors. Such foundation too have our lectures and our sermons, commonly. Henry David Thoreau hate education men Can there be any greater reproach than an idle learning? Learn to split wood, at least. Henry David Thoreau splits woods education I had a classmate who fitted for college by the lamps of a lighthouse, which was more light, we think, than the University afforded. Henry David Thoreau college education thinking The schools begin with what they call the elements, and where do they end? Henry David Thoreau elements education school When the State wishes to endow an academy or university, it grants it a tract of forest land: one saw represents an academy, a gang, a university. Henry David Thoreau land wish education What avail all your scholarly accomplishments and learning, compared with wisdom and manhood? To omit his other behavior, see whata work this comparatively unread and unlettered man wrote within six weeks. Where is our professor of belles-lettres, or of logic and rhetoric, who can write so well? Henry David Thoreau education writing men As with our colleges, so with a hundred "modern improvements"; there is an illusion about them; there is not always a positive advance. The devil goes on exacting a compound interest to the last for his early share and numerous succeeding investments in them. Henry David Thoreau progress college education Perhaps anxious politicians may prove that only seventeen white men and five negroes were concerned in the late enterprise; but their very anxiety to prove this might suggest to themselves that all is not told. Why do they still dodge the truth? They are so anxious because of a dim consciousness of the fact, which they do not distinctly face, that at least a million of the free inhabitants of the United States would have rejoiced if it had succeeded. They at most only criticise the tactics. Henry David Thoreau anxiety white men Do not suffer your life to be taken by newspapers. Henry David Thoreau taken suffering life If you chance to live and move and have your being in that thin stratum in which the events that make the news transpire,--thinnerthan the paper on which it is printed,--then these things will fill the world for you; but if you soar above or dive below that plane, you cannot remember nor be reminded of them. Henry David Thoreau news events moving I find it so difficult to dispose of the few facts which to me are significant, that I hesitate to burden my attention with thosewhich are insignificant, which only a divine mind could illustrate. Such is, for the most part, the news in newspapers and conversation. Henry David Thoreau news mind attention The news we hear, for the most part, is not news to our genius. It is the stalest repetition. Henry David Thoreau journalism news genius The newspapers are the ruling power. Any other government is reduced to a few marines at Fort Independence. If a man neglects to read the Daily Times, government will go down on its knees to him, for this is the only treason these days. Henry David Thoreau independence marine men I do not know but it is too much to read one newspaper a week. I have tried it recently, and for so long it seems to me that I have not dwelt in my native region. The sun, the clouds, the snow, the trees say not so much to me. You cannot serve two masters. Henry David Thoreau clouds two long The press is, almost without exception, corrupt. Henry David Thoreau presses exception journalism I am sure that I never read any memorable news in a newspaper. Henry David Thoreau journalism news memorable My neighbors tell me of their adventures with famous gentlemen and ladies, what notabilities they met at the dinner-table; but I am no more interested in such things than in the contents of the Daily Times. The interest and the conversation are about costume and manners chiefly; but a goose is a goose still, dress it as you will. Henry David Thoreau gossip gentleman adventure
