--- title: "5 Characteristics Quotes By Henry David Thoreau" description: "5 Characteristics quotes by Henry David Thoreau. Plus more from Henry David Thoreau and more Characteristics sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c87/henry-david-thoreau-20_amusement_the-mass-of-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desp_31115.jpg" --- > [The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-mass-of-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desperation-what-is-called/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c87/henry-david-thoreau-20_amusement_the-mass-of-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desp_31115.jpg) > [That excitement about Kossuth, consider how characteristic, but superficial, it was!--only another kind of politics or dancing. Men were making speeches to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/that-excitement-about-kossuth-consider-how-characteristic-but/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ed/henry-david-thoreau-20_characteristics_that-excitement-about-kossuth-consider-h_708024.jpg) > [All endeavor calls for the ability to tramp the last mile, shape the last plan, endure the last hours toil. The fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-endeavor-calls-for-the-ability-to-tramp-the-last-mile-shape-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/henry-david-thoreau-20_ability_all-endeavor-calls-for-the-ability-to-tr_1602000.jpg) > [It is the characteristic of great poems that they will yield of their sense in due proportion to the hasty and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-the-characteristic-of-great-poems-that-they-will-yield-of-their/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b1/henry-david-thoreau-20_army_it-is-the-characteristic-of-great-poems_1873856.jpg) > [Late in the afternoon we passed a man on the shore fishing with a long birch pole… The characteristics and pursuits of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/late-in-the-afternoon-we-passed-a-man-on-the-shore-fishing-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a6/henry-david-thoreau-20_afternoon_late-in-the-afternoon-we-passed-a-man-on_2771172.jpg) ## Other authors on Characteristics ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characteristics/henry-david-thoreau/#itemlist", "name": "5 Characteristics Quotes By Henry David Thoreau", "numberOfItems": 5, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work. 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They were merely banded together, as usual one leaning on another, and all together on nothing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/that-excitement-about-kossuth-consider-how-characteristic-but/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ed/henry-david-thoreau-20_characteristics_that-excitement-about-kossuth-consider-h_708024.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ed/henry-david-thoreau-20_characteristics_that-excitement-about-kossuth-consider-h_708024.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ed/henry-david-thoreau-20_characteristics_that-excitement-about-kossuth-consider-h_708024.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That excitement about Kossuth, consider how characteristic, but superficial, it was!--only another kind of…” — Henry David Thoreau", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All endeavor calls for the ability to tramp the last mile, shape the last plan, endure the last hours toil. The fight to the finish spirit is the one... characteristic we must posses if we are to face the future as finishers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-endeavor-calls-for-the-ability-to-tramp-the-last-mile-shape-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/henry-david-thoreau-20_ability_all-endeavor-calls-for-the-ability-to-tr_1602000.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/henry-david-thoreau-20_ability_all-endeavor-calls-for-the-ability-to-tr_1602000.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/henry-david-thoreau-20_ability_all-endeavor-calls-for-the-ability-to-tr_1602000.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“All endeavor calls for the ability to tramp the last mile, shape the last plan, endure the last hours toil…” — Henry David Thoreau", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is the characteristic of great poems that they will yield of their sense in due proportion to the hasty and the deliberate reader. To the practical they will be common sense, and to the wise wisdom; as either the traveler may wet his lips, or an army may fill its water-casks at a full stream.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-the-characteristic-of-great-poems-that-they-will-yield-of-their/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b1/henry-david-thoreau-20_army_it-is-the-characteristic-of-great-poems_1873856.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b1/henry-david-thoreau-20_army_it-is-the-characteristic-of-great-poems_1873856.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b1/henry-david-thoreau-20_army_it-is-the-characteristic-of-great-poems_1873856.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is the characteristic of great poems that they will yield of their sense in due proportion to the hasty…” — Henry David Thoreau", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 5, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Late in the afternoon we passed a man on the shore fishing with a long birch pole… The characteristics and pursuits of various ages and races of men are always existing in epitome in every neighborhood. The pleasures of my earliest youth have become the inheritance of other men. This man is still a fisher, and belongs to an era in which I myself have lived.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/late-in-the-afternoon-we-passed-a-man-on-the-shore-fishing-with-a/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a6/henry-david-thoreau-20_afternoon_late-in-the-afternoon-we-passed-a-man-on_2771172.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a6/henry-david-thoreau-20_afternoon_late-in-the-afternoon-we-passed-a-man-on_2771172.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a6/henry-david-thoreau-20_afternoon_late-in-the-afternoon-we-passed-a-man-on_2771172.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Late in the afternoon we passed a man on the shore fishing with a long birch pole… The characteristics and…” — Henry David Thoreau", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characteristics/henry-david-thoreau/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characteristics/henry-david-thoreau/", "name": "Characteristics Quotes by Henry David Thoreau", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characteristics/henry-david-thoreau/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c87/henry-david-thoreau-20_amusement_the-mass-of-men-lead-lives-of-quiet-desp_31115.jpg" }, "description": "5 Characteristics quotes by Henry David Thoreau. 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