Sincerity is a great but rare virtue, and we pardon to it much complaining, and the betrayal of many weaknesses. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
In dreams we see ourselves naked and acting out our real characters, even more clearly than we see others awake. — 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
What men call social virtues, good fellowship, is commonly but the virtue of pigs in a litter, which lie close together to… — 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
Philanthropy is almost the only virtue which is sufficiently appreciated by mankind. — 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
As all curves have reference to their centres or foci, so all beauty of character has reference to the soul, and is… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
We should come home from adventures, and perils, and discoveries every day with new experience and character. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
The outward is only the outside of that which is within. Men are not concealed under habits, but are revealed by them;… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
A friend is one who incessantly pays us the compliment of expecting from us all the virtues, and who can appreciate them… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
All fables, indeed, have their morals; but the innocent enjoy the story. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
What is morality but immemorial custom? Conscience is the chief of conservatives. — 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
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
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
Pity the man who has a character to support - it is worse than a large family - he is silent poor… — 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
All the moral laws are readily translated into natural philosophy, for often we have only to restore the primitive meaning of thewords… — 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
On every hand we observe a truly wise practice, in education, in morals, and in the arts of life, the embodied wisdom… — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
“Philanthropy is almost the only virtue which is sufficiently appreciated by mankind. Nay, it is overrated; and it is our selfishness which… — 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 Image
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 Image
“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 Image
“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 Image
“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 Image
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 Image
A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
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 Image
I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel. — Henry David Thoreau Copy Share Image
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 Image
