Silence Quotes by Henry David Thoreau

What can be expressed in words can be expressed in life.

— Henry David Thoreau

The man I meet with is not often so instructive as the silence he breaks.

— Henry David Thoreau

A good book is the plectrum with which our else silent lyres are struck.

— Henry David Thoreau

The most difficult thing to understand during conversation is silence.

— Henry David Thoreau

Pity the man who has a character to support - it is worse than a large family - he is silent poor…

— Henry David Thoreau

The silence sings. It is musical. I remember a night when it was audible. I heard the unspeakable.

— Henry David Thoreau

I have been breaking silence these twenty-three years and have hardly made a rent in it.

— Henry David Thoreau

As we looked up in silence to those distant lights, we were reminded that it was a rare imagination which first taught…

— Henry David Thoreau

In human intercourse the tragedy begins, not when there is misunderstanding about words, but when silence is not understood.

— Henry David Thoreau

Silence is the universal refuge, the sequel to all dull discourses and all foolish acts, a balm to our every chagrin, as…

— Henry David Thoreau

We communicate like the burrows of foxes, in silence and darkness, under ground. We are undermined by faith and love.

— Henry David Thoreau

There are some things which a man never speaks of, which are much finer kept silent about. To the highest communications we…

— Henry David Thoreau

The orator puts off his individuality, and is then most eloquent when most silent. He listens while he speaks, and is a…

— Henry David Thoreau

No way of thinking or doing, however ancient, can be trusted without proof. What everybody echoes or in silence passes by as…

— Henry David Thoreau

Such were garrulous and noisy eras, which no longer yield any sound, but the Grecian or silent and melodious era is ever…

— Henry David Thoreau

Silence is the universal refuge, the sequel to all dull discourses and all foolish acts, a balm to our every chagrin, as…

— Henry David Thoreau

We falsely attribute to men a determined character - putting together all their yesterdays - and averaging them - we presume we…

— Henry David Thoreau

Priests and physicians should never look one another in the face. They have no common ground, nor is there any to mediate…

— Henry David Thoreau

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

But it is rather derogatory that your dwelling-place should be only a neighborhood to a great city,--to live on an inclined plane.I…

— Henry David Thoreau

“As the sun went down, I saw a solitary boatman disporting on the smooth lake. The falling dews seemed to strain and…

— Henry David Thoreau