All fables, indeed, have their morals; but the innocent enjoy the story. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
What exercise is to the body, employment is to the mind and morals. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
When a shadow flits across the landscape of the soul where is the substance? — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
The virtue which we appreciate, we to some extent appropriate. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
How can we expect a harvest of thought who have not had a seedtime of character? — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
Much of our poetry has the very best manners, but no character. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
Philanthropy is almost the only virtue which is sufficiently appreciated by mankind. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
We are armed with language adequate to describe each leaf of the filed, but not to describe human character. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
“Our whole life is startlingly moral. There is never an instant's truce between virtue and vice. Goodness is the only investment that… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
The slight reproach to which the virtue of patriotism is commonly liable, the noble are most likely to incur. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
“How can we expect a harvest of thought who have not had a seed-time of character?” — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
It behooves every man to see that his influence is on the side of justice, and let the courts make their own… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
That virtue we appreciate is as much ours as another s. We see so much only as we possess. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
Our whole life is startlingly moral. There is never an instant's truce between virtue and vice. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
The strongest wind cannot stagger a Spirit; it is a Spirit's breath. A just man's purpose cannot be split on any Grampus… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
How long shall we sit in our porticoes practising idle and musty virtues, which any work would make impertinent? As if one… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
We falsely attribute to men a determined character - putting together all their yesterdays - and averaging them - we presume we… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
A true politeness does not result from any hasty and artificial polishing, it is true, but grows naturally in characters of the… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
White Pond and Walden are great crystals on the surface of the earth, Lakes of Light… They are too pure to have… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
The character inherent in the American people has done all that has been accomplished; and it would have done somewhat more, if… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
Every day our garments become more assimilated to ourselves, receiving the impress of the wearer's character, until we hesitate tolay them aside… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
We are sometimes made aware of a kindness long passed, and realize that there have been times when our friends' thoughts of… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
My friend is one who takes me for what I am. A stranger takes me for something else than what I am.… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life so. Aim above morality. Be not simply good; be… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
Who knows what beautiful and winged life, whose egg has been buried for ages under many concretic layers of woodenness in the… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
Have you not budged an inch, then? Such is the daily news. Its facts appear to float in the atmosphere… We should… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
The heroic books, even if printed in the character of our mother tongue, will always be in a language dead to degenerate… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
The more supple vagabond, too, is sure to appear on the least rumor of such a gathering, and the next day to… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
The humblest observer who goes to the mines sees and says that gold-digging is of the character of a lottery; the gold… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or backgammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
Don't be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life so. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
I never was so rapid in my virtue but my vice kept up with me. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
Aim above morality. Be not simply good, be good for something. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
There are nine hundred and ninety-nine patrons of virtue to one virtuous man. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
What is morality but immemorial custom? Conscience is the chief of conservatives. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
We cannot well do without our sins; they are the highway of our virtue. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share
“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share
“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share
“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share
As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share
A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share
In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share
I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share
The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share
Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share
The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share
“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share
Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share
