--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I wished to see a mountain or other…" description: "\"If I wished to see a mountain or other scenery under the most favorable auspices, I would go to it in foul weather, so as to be there when it cleared u..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/henry-david-thoreau-20_eye_if-i-wished-to-see-a-mountain-or-other-s_2689653.jpg" --- # If I wished to see a mountain or other scenery under the… ![“If I wished to see a mountain or other scenery under the most favorable auspices, I would go to it in foul weather, so as to be there when it cleared up; we are then in the most suitable mood, and nature is most fresh and inspiring. There is no serenity so fair as that which is just established in…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/henry-david-thoreau-20_eye_if-i-wished-to-see-a-mountain-or-other-s_2689653.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/henry-david-thoreau-20_eye_if-i-wished-to-see-a-mountain-or-other-s_2689653.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/henry-david-thoreau-20_eye_if-i-wished-to-see-a-mountain-or-other-s_2689653.jpg) > “If I wished to see a mountain or other scenery under the most favorable auspices, I would go to it in foul weather, so as to be there when it cleared up; we are then in the most suitable mood, and nature is most fresh and inspiring. There is no serenity so fair as that which is just established in a tearful eye.” [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. Seeking challenging conditions can heighten appreciation of beauty and clarity. **In simple terms:** Adversity sharpens perception of wonder. Key Takeaway Embrace difficulty to deepen experience. Themes nature mindfulness resilience Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - hiking in storms - photography in low light - writing during hardship - meditation after loss Key Concepts aesthetic appreciation psychology of mood environmental philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How does discomfort change your view of the world? - When have you found beauty after struggle? A Different Perspective Not all hardships are necessary; safety and health may suffer. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Fairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fairs/) [Foul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foul/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inspiring Serenity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring-serenity-2647872/) [Mood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mood/) [Mood Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mood-nature-2647871/) [Mountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mountain/) [Mountain Scenery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mountain-scenery-2647873/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Observation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/observation/) [Scenery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scenery/) [Scenery Favorable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scenery-favorable-2647870/) [Serenity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serenity/) [Suitable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suitable/) [Weather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weather/) ## Related quotes > [I believe when I am in the mood that all nature is full of people whom we cannot see, and that some of these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/i-believe-when-i-am-in-the-mood-that-all-nature-is-full-of-people/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Why should not our whole life and its scenery be actually thus fair and distinct? All our lives want a suitable background. They should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/why-should-not-our-whole-life-and-its-scenery-be-actually-thus-fair/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The mode of clearing and planting is to fell the trees, and burn once what will burn, then cut them up into suitable lengths,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-mode-of-clearing-and-planting-is-to-fell-the-trees-and-burn-once/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Individuals, like nations, must have suitable broad and natural boundaries, even a considerable neutral ground, between them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/individuals-like-nations-must-have-suitable-broad-and-natural/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The scenery when it is truly seen reacts on the life of the seer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-scenery-when-it-is-truly-seen-reacts-on-the-life-of-the-seer/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In the wildest nature, there is not only the material of the most cultivated life, and a sort of anticipation of the last result,but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-the-wildest-nature-there-is-not-only-the-material-of-the-most/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The most stupendous scenery ceases to be sublime when it becomes distinct, or in other words limited, and the imagination is no longer encouraged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-most-stupendous-scenery-ceases-to-be-sublime-when-it-becomes/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The scenery, when it is truly seen, reacts on the life of the seer. How to live. How to get the most of life……](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-scenery-when-it-is-truly-seen-reacts-on-the-life-of-the-seer-how/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What would we not give for some great poem to read now, which would be in harmony with the scenery,--for if men read aright,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/what-would-we-not-give-for-some-great-poem-to-read-now-which-would-be/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I like sometimes to take rank hold on life and spend my day more as the animals do. Perhaps I have owed to this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-like-sometimes-to-take-rank-hold-on-life-and-spend-my-day-more-as/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Nature is not made after such a fashion as we would have her. We piously exaggerate her wonders, as the scenery around our home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/nature-is-not-made-after-such-a-fashion-as-we-would-have-her-we/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [We boast of our system of education, but why stop at schoolmasters and schoolhouses? We are all schoolmasters, and our schoolhouse is the universe.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-boast-of-our-system-of-education-but-why-stop-at-schoolmasters-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [To the sick the doctors wisely recommend a change of air and scenery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/to-the-sick-the-doctors-wisely-recommend-a-change-of-air-and-scenery/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [ I've often thought about that and the only suitable member to join me on that climb \[to Everest\] was George Lowe: he was strong,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-hillary/i-ve-often-thought-about-that-and-the-only-suitable-member-to-join-me/) [Edmund Hillary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-hillary/) > [The purpose of this book is to supply, in the form suitable for laymen, guidance in the adoption and execution of an investment policy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-graham/the-purpose-of-this-book-is-to-supply-in-the-form-suitable-for-laymen/) [Benjamin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-graham/) ## 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 Eye quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [“He blinked. His eyes fell as he processed her response. Then he lifted his chin and attempted a grin that was almost painfully dejected.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/he-blinked-his-eyes-fell-as-he-processed-her-response-then-he-lifted/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/) [Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [Quotations can be valuable, like raisins in the rice pudding, for adding iron as well as eye appeal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-bracken/quotations-can-be-valuable-like-raisins-in-the-rice-pudding-for/) [Peg Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-bracken/) > [Clearly, when we baptize, our eyes should gaze beyond the baptismal font to the holy temple. The great garner into which the sheaves should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/clearly-when-we-baptize-our-eyes-should-gaze-beyond-the-baptismal/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/at-the-end-of-night-before-you-close-your-eyes-be-content-with-what/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it; what custom hath civilized is become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/be-neither-too-early-in-the-fashion-nor-too-long-out-of-it-nor-too/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [It lies around us like a cloud- A world we do not see; Yet the sweet closing of an eye May bring us there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/it-lies-around-us-like-a-cloud-a-world-we-do-not-see-yet-the-sweet/) [Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. With his will or against his will he draws his portrait to the eye of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/a-man-cannot-speak-but-he-judges-himself-with-his-will-or-against-his/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [She'd read once that if you ran into a bear in the woods you should avoid eye contact and you shouldn't run away, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-ursu/she-d-read-once-that-if-you-ran-into-a-bear-in-the-woods-you-should/) [Anne Ursu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-ursu/) > [Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) [Browse all 16,237 Eye quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If I wished to see a mountain or other scenery under the most favorable auspices, I would go to it in foul weather, so as to be there when it cleared up; we are then in the most suitable mood, and nature is most fresh and inspiring. There is no serenity so fair as that which is just established in a tearful eye.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-i-wished-to-see-a-mountain-or-other-scenery-under-the-most/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Eye" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-i-wished-to-see-a-mountain-or-other-scenery-under-the-most/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/henry-david-thoreau-20_eye_if-i-wished-to-see-a-mountain-or-other-s_2689653.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/henry-david-thoreau-20_eye_if-i-wished-to-see-a-mountain-or-other-s_2689653.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/76e/henry-david-thoreau-20_eye_if-i-wished-to-see-a-mountain-or-other-s_2689653.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If I wished to see a mountain or other scenery under the most favorable auspices, I would go to it in foul…” — Henry David Thoreau", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If I wished to see a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-i-wished-to-see-a-mountain-or-other-scenery-under-the-most/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-i-wished-to-see-a-mountain-or-other-scenery-under-the-most/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```