We are double-edged blades, and every time we whet our virtue the return stroke strops our vice. — 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
Our whole life is startlingly moral. There is never an instant's truce between virtue and vice. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
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 Copy Share Image
The Grecian are youthful and erring and fallen gods, with the vices of men, but in many important respects essentially of the… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
We are double-edged blades, and every time we whet our virtue the return stroke straps our vice. Where is the skillful swordsman… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
Somehow strangely the vice of men gets well represented and protected but their virtue has none to plead its cause - nor… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
The foul slime stands for the sloth and vice of man, the decay of humanity; the fragrant flower that springs from it,… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
Exaggeration! was ever any virtue attributed to a man without exaggeration? was ever any vice, without infinite exaggeration? Do we not exaggerate… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
“Yet, for my part, I was never usually squeamish; I could sometimes eat a fried rat with a good relish, if it… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
So behave that the odor of your actions may enhance the general sweetness of the atmosphere, that when we behold or scent… — 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
