---
title: "18 Left Quotes By Henry David Thoreau"
description: "18 Left quotes by Henry David Thoreau. Plus more from Henry David Thoreau and more Left sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38d/henry-david-thoreau-20_compassion_nature-has-left-nothing-to-the-mercy-of_882249.jpg"
---

> [Nature has left nothing to the mercy of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/nature-has-left-nothing-to-the-mercy-of-man/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/38d/henry-david-thoreau-20_compassion_nature-has-left-nothing-to-the-mercy-of_882249.jpg)

> [I should be glad if all the meadows on the earth were left in a wild state, if that were the consequence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-should-be-glad-if-all-the-meadows-on-the-earth-were-left-in-a-wild/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/609/henry-david-thoreau-20_consequence_i-should-be-glad-if-all-the-meadows-on-t_2830142.jpg)

> [Thus was my first year's life in the woods completed; and the second year was similar to it. I finally left Walden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/thus-was-my-first-year-s-life-in-the-woods-completed-and-the-second/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/337/henry-david-thoreau-20_firsts_thus-was-my-first-year-s-life-in-the-woo_2705777.jpg)

> [There have been some nations who could do nothing but construct tombs, and these are the only traces which they have left.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/there-have-been-some-nations-who-could-do-nothing-but-construct-tombs/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a5/henry-david-thoreau-20_constructs_there-have-been-some-nations-who-could-d_2968318.jpg)

> [The most primitive places left with us are the swamps, where the spruce still grows shaggy with usnea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-most-primitive-places-left-with-us-are-the-swamps-where-the/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc8/henry-david-thoreau-20_grows_the-most-primitive-places-left-with-us-a_2909429.jpg)

> [To speak or do anything that shall concern mankind, one must speak and act as if well, or from that grain of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/to-speak-or-do-anything-that-shall-concern-mankind-one-must-speak-and/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/571/henry-david-thoreau-20_concern_to-speak-or-do-anything-that-shall-conce_2363571.jpg)

> [If I shall sell both my forenoons and afternoons to society, as most appear to do, I'm sure that, for me, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-i-shall-sell-both-my-forenoons-and-afternoons-to-society-as-most/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e00/henry-david-thoreau-20_afternoon_if-i-shall-sell-both-my-forenoons-and-af_1444296.jpg)

> [On the 31st of August, 1846, I left Concord in Massachusetts for Bangor and the backwoods of Maine,... I proposed to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/on-the-31st-of-august-1846-i-left-concord-in-massachusetts-for-bangor/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5d/henry-david-thoreau-20_august_on-the-31st-of-august-1846-i-left-concor_2402057.jpg)

> [When we come down into the distant village, visible from the mountain-top, the nobler inhabitants with whom we peopled it have departed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-we-come-down-into-the-distant-village-visible-from-the-mountain/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/henry-david-thoreau-20_brave_when-we-come-down-into-the-distant-villa_2306174.jpg)

> [When we consider what, to use the words of the catechism, is the chief end of man, and what are the true…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-we-consider-what-to-use-the-words-of-the-catechism-is-the-chief/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1b/henry-david-thoreau-20_catechism_when-we-consider-what-to-use-the-words-o_2505697.jpg)

> [Left to herself, nature is always more or less civilized, and delights in a certain refinement; but where the axe has encroached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/left-to-herself-nature-is-always-more-or-less-civilized-and-delights/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a51/henry-david-thoreau-20_certain_left-to-herself-nature-is-always-more-or_416869.jpg)

> [If we were left solely to the wordy wit of legislators in Congress for our guidance, uncorrected by the seasonal experience and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-we-were-left-solely-to-the-wordy-wit-of-legislators-in-congress/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eef/henry-david-thoreau-20_america_if-we-were-left-solely-to-the-wordy-wit_2176406.jpg)

> [The moles nested in my cellar, nibbling every third potato, and making a snug bed even there of some hair left after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-moles-nested-in-my-cellar-nibbling-every-third-potato-and-making/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/743/henry-david-thoreau-20_animal_the-moles-nested-in-my-cellar-nibbling-e_1542150.jpg)

> [I rejoice that horses and steers have to be broken before they can be made the slaves of men, and that men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-rejoice-that-horses-and-steers-have-to-be-broken-before-they-can-be/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/681/henry-david-thoreau-20_broken_i-rejoice-that-horses-and-steers-have-to_1658245.jpg)

> [As for conforming outwardly, and living your own life inwardly, I do not think much of that. Let not your right hand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-conforming-outwardly-and-living-your-own-life-inwardly-i-do/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93d/henry-david-thoreau-20_business_as-for-conforming-outwardly-and-living-y_430816.jpg)

> [Science with its retorts would have put me to sleep; it was the opportunity to be ignorant that I improved. It suggested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/science-with-its-retorts-would-have-put-me-to-sleep-it-was-the/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e45/henry-david-thoreau-20_believer_science-with-its-retorts-would-have-put_2188930.jpg)

> [A wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it to prevail through the power of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-wise-man-will-not-leave-the-right-to-the-mercy-of-chance-nor-wish-3/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/henry-david-thoreau-20_abolition_a-wise-man-will-not-leave-the-right-to-t_1284027.jpg)

> [I saw a delicate flower had grown up two feet high between the horses' feet and the wheel-track. Which Dakin's and Maynard's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-saw-a-delicate-flower-had-grown-up-two-feet-high-between-the-horses-2/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/834/henry-david-thoreau-20_danger_i-saw-a-delicate-flower-had-grown-up-two_2981528.jpg)

## Other authors on Left

## 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/)

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                        "text": "Left to herself, nature is always more or less civilized, and delights in a certain refinement; but where the axe has encroached upon the edge of the forest, the dead and unsightly limbs of the pine, which she had concealed with green banks of verdure, are exposed to sight.",
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                        "text": "The moles nested in my cellar, nibbling every third potato, and making a snug bed even there of some hair left after plastering and of brown paper; for even the wildest animals love comfort and warmth as well as man, and they survive the winter only because they are so careful to secure them.",
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                        "text": "I rejoice that horses and steers have to be broken before they can be made the slaves of men, and that men themselves have some wild oats still left to sow before they become submissive members of society. Undoubtedly, all men are not equally fit subjects for civilization; and because the majority, like dogs and sheep, are tame by inherited disposition, this is no reason why the others should have their natures broken that they may be reduced to the same level.",
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                        "text": "As for conforming outwardly, and living your own life inwardly, I do not think much of that. Let not your right hand know what your left hand does in that line of business. It will prove a failure… It is a greater strain than any soul can long endure. When you get God to pulling one way, and the devil the other, each having his feet well braced,--to say nothing of the conscience sawing transversely,--almost any timber will give way.",
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                        "text": "Science with its retorts would have put me to sleep; it was the opportunity to be ignorant that I improved. It suggested to me that there was something to be seen if one had eyes. It made a believer of me more than before. I believed that the woods were not tenantless, but choke-full of honest spirits as good as myself any day,--not an empty chamber, in which chemistry was left to work alone, but an inhabited house,--and for a few moments I enjoyed fellowship with them.",
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                        "text": "A wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it to prevail through the power of the majority. There is but little virtue in the action of masses of men. When the majority shall at length vote for the abolition of slavery, it will be because they are indifferent to slavery, or because there is but little slavery left to be abolished by their vote. They will then be the only slaves. Only his vote can hasten the abolition of slavery who asserts his own freedom by his vote.",
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                        "text": "I saw a delicate flower had grown up two feet high between the horses' feet and the wheel-track. Which Dakin's and Maynard's wagons had Passed over many a time. An inch more to the right or left had sealed its fate, Or an inch higher. Yet it lived and flourished, As much as if it had a thousand acres Of untrodden space around it, and never Knew the danger it incurred. It did not borrow trouble, nor invite an Evil fate by apprehending it.",
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