Animals Quote by Henry David Thoreau
““When I consider that the nobler animal have been exterminated here - the cougar, the panther, lynx, wolverine, wolf, bear, moose, dear, the beaver, the turkey and so forth and so forth, I cannot but feel as if I lived in a tamed and, as it were, emasculated country... Is it not a maimed and imperfect nature I am conversing with? As if I were to study a tribe of Indians that had lost all it's warriors...I take infinite pains to know all the phenomena of the spring, for instance, thinking that I have here the entire poem, and then, to my chagrin, I hear that it is but an imperfect copy that I possess and have read, that my ancestors have torn out many of the first leaves and grandest passages, and mutilated it in many places. I should not like to think that some demigod had come before me and picked out some of the best of the stars. I wish to know an entire heaven and an entire earth.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Walden, 1854
The loss of wild nature makes the world feel diminished, like a weakened version of its original grandeur.
In simple terms: Missing wilderness makes life feel incomplete.
Key Takeaway
Preserve and reconnect with nature.
Themes
environment
nature loss
nostalgia
imperfection
humanity
Mood
contemplative
melancholic
inspirational
Type
poetic
philosophical
environmental
When to use this quote
- national park advocacy
- urban green space planning
- environmental education
- personal nature retreats
- wildlife protection
Key Concepts
ecology
philosophy
literature
conservation
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “perfect nature” mean to you?
- How can modern life honor wild ecosystems?
A Different Perspective
May romanticize wilderness without addressing practical conservation challenges.
