--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I cannot but feel compassion when I hear…" description: "\"“I cannot but feel compassion when I hear some trig, compact-looking man, seemingly free, all girded and ready, speak of his 'furniture,' as whether it..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/741/henry-david-thoreau-20_compassion_i-cannot-but-feel-compassion-when-i-hear_2365652.jpg" --- # I cannot but feel compassion when I hear some trig… ![“I cannot but feel compassion when I hear some trig, compact-looking man, seemingly free, all girded and ready, speak of his 'furniture,' as whether it is insured or not. 'But what shall I do with my furniture?'...It would surpass the powers of a well man nowadays to take up his bed and walk, and I…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/741/henry-david-thoreau-20_compassion_i-cannot-but-feel-compassion-when-i-hear_2365652.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/741/henry-david-thoreau-20_compassion_i-cannot-but-feel-compassion-when-i-hear_2365652.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/741/henry-david-thoreau-20_compassion_i-cannot-but-feel-compassion-when-i-hear_2365652.jpg) > ““I cannot but feel compassion when I hear some trig, compact-looking man, seemingly free, all girded and ready, speak of his 'furniture,' as whether it is insured or not. 'But what shall I do with my furniture?'...It would surpass the powers of a well man nowadays to take up his bed and walk, and I should certainly advise a sick one to lay down his bed and run.”” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Thoreau satirically critiques superficial concern for material possessions, urging deeper empathy and purpose beyond trivialities. **In simple terms:** Compassion over materialism. Key Takeaway Value empathy, not possessions. Themes materialism empathy philosophy satire Mood reflective critical Type philosophical satirical When to use this quote - personal reflection - social commentary - ethical decision-making Key Concepts Existentialism social critique Questions to Reflect On - How do you prioritize empathy over material concerns? - What does “furniture” symbolize in your life? A Different Perspective Focusing on possessions can distract from meaningful action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Compassion Hear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion-hear-2351070/) [Feel Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-compassion/) [Furniture Insured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/furniture-insured-5808428/) [Shall Furniture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shall-furniture-5808429/) [Speak Furniture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak-furniture-5808430/) ## Related quotes > [“In order to master compassion, you have to spend time getting to know monsters. When you can do that you will see that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/in-order-to-master-compassion-you-have-to-spend-time-getting-to-know/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [When you engage in compassion, and you hear a distressing sound, like someone calling for help, there is an activation in an area of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/when-you-engage-in-compassion-and-you-hear-a-distressing-sound-like/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [“Even the strongest and bravest must sometimes weep. It shows they have a great heart, one that can feel compassion for others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jacques/even-the-strongest-and-bravest-must-sometimes-weep-it-shows-they-have/) [Brian Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jacques/) > [“If you are upset or nervous, that is proof you lack something. Do not be sad or gloomy - foster virtue, feel compassion, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zen-arrow-awa-kenzo-zen-bow/if-you-are-upset-or-nervous-that-is-proof-you-lack-something-do-not/) [Zen Arrow Awa Kenzo - Zen Bow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zen-arrow-awa-kenzo-zen-bow/) > [At least once a year, I imagine that I am about to die. Looking back as truthfully as I can at my entire life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/at-least-once-a-year-i-imagine-that-i-am-about-to-die-looking-back-as/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Even the strongest and bravest must sometimes weep. It shows they have a great heart, one that can feel compassion for others." —Cornflower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jacques/even-the-strongest-and-bravest-must-sometimes-weep-it-shows-they-have-2/) [Brian Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jacques/) > [I no longer become angry. I not only do not say angry words, I do not even think angry thoughts! If someone does an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peace-pilgrim/i-no-longer-become-angry-i-not-only-do-not-say-angry-words-i-do-not/) [Peace Pilgrim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peace-pilgrim/) > [We cannot ignore our pain and feel compassion for it at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-cannot-ignore-our-pain-and-feel-compassion-for-it-at-the-same-time/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“You may find that your God is strong enough to handle your anger, strong enough to feel compassion and love for you, even in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-kubler-ross/you-may-find-that-your-god-is-strong-enough-to-handle-your-anger/) [Elisabeth Kübler-Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-kubler-ross/) > [“Mindfulness: Taking a balanced approach to negative emotions so that feelings are neither suppressed nor exaggerated. We cannot ignore our pain and feel compassion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/mindfulness-taking-a-balanced-approach-to-negative-emotions-so-that/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“He wishes he could remember everything. Anything. He doesn’t sense a bone in his body that can feel compassion or worthiness. Self-pity hides away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-a-campbell/he-wishes-he-could-remember-everything-anything-he-doesn-t-sense-a/) [Christy A. Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-a-campbell/) > [Hatred, jealousy and excessive attachment cause suffering and agitation. I feel compassion can help us overcome these disturbances and let us return to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/hatred-jealousy-and-excessive-attachment-cause-suffering-and/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [ Some people have become \[in U.S\] a lot more conservative but I can't really speak about that because I wasn't there. I feel compassion… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/some-people-have-become-in-u-s-a-lot-more-conservative-but-i-can-t/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [“When you love people, you are curious about who they are, what they think, and how they feel. You watch them closely, wondering about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/when-you-love-people-you-are-curious-about-who-they-are-what-they/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) > [There are many people out there (me being one of them) who can vouch that animals have feelings; they feel compassion and love, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/there-are-many-people-out-there-me-being-one-of-them-who-can-vouch/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) ## 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/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Compassion quotes > [Half the misery of human life might be extinguished if men would alleviate the general curse they lie under by mutual offices of compassion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/half-the-misery-of-human-life-might-be-extinguished-if-men-would/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“I fight with love and kindness as my weapons and compassion as my defense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/i-fight-with-love-and-kindness-as-my-weapons-and-compassion-as-my/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“If you refuse to use physical force, then you will be at the mercy of your oppressor!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/segun-magbagbeola/if-you-refuse-to-use-physical-force-then-you-will-be-at-the-mercy-of/) [Segun Magbagbeola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/segun-magbagbeola/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We are puzzled and bewildered whenever we see suffering in this world because we have become accustomed to the mercy and the long-suffering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/we-are-puzzled-and-bewildered-whenever-we-see-suffering-in-this-world/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“Helpers in every corner, helpers in every hood. That's how we'll make the move, to reform from rude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/helpers-in-every-corner-helpers-in-every-hood-that-s-how-we-ll-make/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [May the gods have mercy on whoever pisses them off, because Zarek and Jericho will have none for them. (Madoc) You’d better be glad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/may-the-gods-have-mercy-on-whoever-pisses-them-off-because-zarek-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [When you need empathy, you cannot give empathy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/when-you-need-empathy-you-cannot-give-empathy/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [But victimhood was seductive, a release from responsibility and caring. Fear would be transmuted into weary resignation; failure would no longer generate guilt but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/but-victimhood-was-seductive-a-release-from-responsibility-and-caring/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“No one has any right to tell you that the way you perceive yourself is wrong. Because by doing so, they also discourage the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/no-one-has-any-right-to-tell-you-that-the-way-you-perceive-yourself/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [“la ilaha ilallah muhammadun rasulullah, alaihi salatullah wa alihi wal ahibba "shine your mercy like the sun, and be gracious as the earth let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-al-habib/la-ilaha-ilallah-muhammadun-rasulullah-alaihi-salatullah-wa-alihi-wal/) [Talib al Habib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-al-habib/) > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) [Browse all 9,892 Compassion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I cannot but feel compassion when I hear some trig, compact-looking man, seemingly free, all girded and ready, speak of his 'furniture,' as whether it is insured or not. 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