---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I walk out into a nature such as the old…"
description: "\"I walk out into a nature such as the old prophets and poets Menu, Moses, Homer, Chaucer, walked in. You may name it America, but it is not America. Nei..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fb/henry-david-thoreau-20_accounts_i-walk-out-into-a-nature-such-as-the-old_36274.jpg"
---

#  I walk out into a nature such as the old prophets and…

![“I walk out into a nature such as the old prophets and poets Menu, Moses, Homer, Chaucer, walked in. You may name it America, but it is not America. Neither Americus Vespucius, nor Columbus, nor the rest were the discoverers of it. There is a truer account of it in Mythology than in any history of…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fb/henry-david-thoreau-20_accounts_i-walk-out-into-a-nature-such-as-the-old_36274.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fb/henry-david-thoreau-20_accounts_i-walk-out-into-a-nature-such-as-the-old_36274.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fb/henry-david-thoreau-20_accounts_i-walk-out-into-a-nature-such-as-the-old_36274.jpg)

> “I walk out into a nature such as the old prophets and poets Menu, Moses, Homer, Chaucer, walked in. You may name it America, but it is not America. Neither Americus Vespucius, nor Columbus, nor the rest were the discoverers of it. There is a truer account of it in Mythology than in any history of America so called that I have seen.”

[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.

The speaker argues that the true essence of America is found in mythic and poetic imagination rather than historical narratives or geographic naming.

**In simple terms:** America's mythic core outweighs its recorded history.

Key Takeaway

Myths shape cultural identity more than facts.

Themes

myth vs history cultural identity nature poetry exploration

Mood

contemplative reverent

Type

philosophical literary

When to use this quote

- teaching American literature
- writing travel essays
- discussing cultural heritage

Key Concepts

mythology national narrative

Practical Applications

- curriculum design
- creative writing prompts

Questions to Reflect On

- How does myth influence our perception of place?
- What does it mean to 'discover' a land?

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[America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moses/) [Mythology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mythology/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Prophet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prophet/) [Walks in the woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walks-in-the-woods/)

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