The frontiers are not east or west, north or south, but wherever a man fronts a fact. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
Despair and postponement are cowardice and defeat. Men were born to succeed, not to fail. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
A man may acquire a taste for wine or brandy, and so lose his love for water, but should we not pity… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
It is an interesting question how far men would retain their relative rank if they were divested of their clothes. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
A man's whole life is taxed for the least thing well done. It is its net result. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
“A man must find his occasions in himself, it is true. The natural day is very calm, and will hardly reprove his… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
Still we live meanly like ants, though the fable tells us we were long ago changed into men. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
There is a higher law affecting our relation to pines as well as to men. A pine cut down, a dead pine,… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
I saw a muskrat come out of a hole in the ice ... While I am looking at him, I am thinking… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
What is peculiar in the life of a man consists not in his obedience, but his opposition, to his instincts. In 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
Books, not which afford us a cowering enjoyment, but in which each thought is of unusual daring; such as an idle man… — 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
I did not go to Boston, for with regard to that place I sympathize with one of my neighbors, an old man,… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
As a preacher, I should be prompted to tell men, not so much how to get their wheat bread cheaper, as of… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
As the truest society approaches always nearer to solitude, so the most excellent speech finally falls into Silence. Silence is audible to… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
Be sure that you give the poor the aid they most need. If you give money, spend yourself with it, and do… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
At present the globe goes with a shattered constitution in its orbit… No doubt the simple powers of nature, properly directed by… — 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
The better part of the man is soon ploughed into the soil for compost. By a seeming fate, commonly called necessity, they… — 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
It is not every man who can be a Christian, even in a very moderate sense, whatever education you give him. It… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
I sometimes despair of getting anything quite simple and honest done in this world by the help of men. They would have… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
The Musketaquid, or Grass-ground River, though probably as old as the Nile or Euphrates, did not begin to have a place in… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
While almost all men feel an attraction drawing them to society, few are attracted strongly to Nature. In their reaction to Naturemen… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
I cannot but regard it as a kindness in those who have the steering of me that, by the want of pecuniary… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
I have thoroughly tried school-keeping, and found that my expenses were in proportion, or rather out of proportion, to my income,for I… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
In war, in some sense, lies the very genius of law. It is law creative and active; it is the first principle… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
No man with a genius for legislation has appeared in America. They are rare in the history of the world. There are… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
Be assured that every man's success is in proportion to his average ability. The meadow flowers spring and bloom where the watersannually… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
Every wild apple shrub excites our expectation thus, somewhat as every wild child. It is, perhaps, a prince in disguise. What a… — 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
