--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is interesting to observe with what…" description: "\"It is interesting to observe with what singular unanimity the farthest sundered nations and generations consent to give completeness and roundness to a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/177/henry-david-thoreau-20_add_it-is-interesting-to-observe-with-what-s_1973831.jpg" --- # It is interesting to observe with what singular unanimity… ![“It is interesting to observe with what singular unanimity the farthest sundered nations and generations consent to give completeness and roundness to an ancient fable, of which they indistinctly appreciate the beauty or the truth. By a faint and dream-like effort, though it be only by the vote of…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/177/henry-david-thoreau-20_add_it-is-interesting-to-observe-with-what-s_1973831.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/177/henry-david-thoreau-20_add_it-is-interesting-to-observe-with-what-s_1973831.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/177/henry-david-thoreau-20_add_it-is-interesting-to-observe-with-what-s_1973831.jpg) > “It is interesting to observe with what singular unanimity the farthest sundered nations and generations consent to give completeness and roundness to an ancient fable, of which they indistinctly appreciate the beauty or the truth. By a faint and dream-like effort, though it be only by the vote of a scientific body, the dullest posterity slowly add some trait to the mythus. As when astronomers call the lately discovered planet Neptune; or the asteroid Astr” [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. Societies collectively shape myths, adding details over time, similar to how scientists gradually refine knowledge. **In simple terms:** People add to myths and science over time. Key Takeaway Contribute thoughtfully to shared narratives. Themes culture knowledge evolution Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - education - media - public discourse - historical analysis Key Concepts mythmaking scientific method collective memory Questions to Reflect On - How do we balance tradition with progress? - What role does individual insight play in shaping myths? A Different Perspective Rigid adherence can stifle innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Add](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/add/) [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Ancient Fable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient-fable-3253618/) [Appreciate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appreciate/) [Asteroids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asteroids/) [Astronomers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomers/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Completeness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/completeness/) [Consent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consent/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Fables](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fables/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Neptune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neptune/) [Planets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planets/) [Posterity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/posterity/) [Roundness Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roundness-ancient-3330133/) [Singular Unanimity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singular-unanimity-3330134/) [Traits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traits/) [Unanimity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unanimity/) [Unanimity Farthest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unanimity-farthest-3330135/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) ## Related quotes > [Crowds are somewhat like the sphinx of ancient fable: It is necessary to arrive at a solution of the problems offered by their psychology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-le-bon/crowds-are-somewhat-like-the-sphinx-of-ancient-fable-it-is-necessary/) [Gustave Le Bon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-le-bon/) > [Epistemology now flourishes with various complementary approaches. This includes formal epistemology, experimental philosophy, cognitive science and psychology, including relevant brain science, and other philosophical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-sosa/epistemology-now-flourishes-with-various-complementary-approaches/) [Ernest Sosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-sosa/) > [There was one issue on which there seemed to be almost unanimity: the Internet should not be managed by any government, national or multinational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-postel/there-was-one-issue-on-which-there-seemed-to-be-almost-unanimity-the/) [Jon Postel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-postel/) > [Unfortunately, unanimity is not always feasible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/unfortunately-unanimity-is-not-always-feasible/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [Economists' unanimity that bad business is ahead is the most reassuring news possible. It's very unlikely that this will be the one time they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/economists-unanimity-that-bad-business-is-ahead-is-the-most/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [“As uncomfortable as it might be, I refuse to let the comfort of being agreed with suffocate my opinions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/as-uncomfortable-as-it-might-be-i-refuse-to-let-the-comfort-of-being/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [The unanimously applauded, self-congratulatory bromides of a Soviet Party Congress seemed contemptible. The unanimity of the sanctimonious, reality-concealing rhetoric spouted by American officials and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/the-unanimously-applauded-self-congratulatory-bromides-of-a-soviet/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [The Democratic Party has always been a party that is not known for its unanimity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/the-democratic-party-has-always-been-a-party-that-is-not-known-for/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [Unanimity of opinion may be fitting for a church, for the frightened or greedy victims of some (ancient, or modern) myth, or for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feyerabend/unanimity-of-opinion-may-be-fitting-for-a-church-for-the-frightened/) [Paul Feyerabend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feyerabend/) > [Unanimity is the mistress of strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonse-de-lamartine/unanimity-is-the-mistress-of-strength/) [Alphonse de Lamartine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonse-de-lamartine/) > [It is often hard to secure unanimity about the borders of legislative power, but that is much easier than to decide how far a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/it-is-often-hard-to-secure-unanimity-about-the-borders-of-legislative/) [Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/) > [No political party can ever make prohibition effective. A political party implies an adverse, an opposing, political party. To enforce criminal statutes implies substantial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-political-party-can-ever-make-prohibition-effective-a-political/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A high self-esteem having artist works hard to be understood. A low self-esteem having artist works hard to be agreed with.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/a-high-self-esteem-having-artist-works-hard-to-be-understood-a-low/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Contemporary Christianity, diverse and complex as we find it, actually may show more unanimity than the Christian churches of the first and second centuries.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-pagels/contemporary-christianity-diverse-and-complex-as-we-find-it-actually/) [Elaine Pagels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-pagels/) > [...convince all nuclear powers, including those which have been more reluctant up to now, of the necessity to respect the "vital interests" of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfonso-garcia-robles/convince-all-nuclear-powers-including-those-which-have-been-more/) [Alfonso Garcia Robles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfonso-garcia-robles/) ## 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 Add quotes > [Most marriages don't add two people together. They subtract one from the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/most-marriages-don-t-add-two-people-together-they-subtract-one-from/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [A 'modern' man has nothing to add to modernism, if only because he has nothing to oppose it with. The well-adapted drop off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/a-modern-man-has-nothing-to-add-to-modernism-if-only-because-he-has/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [Observation and theory get on best when they are mixed together, both helping one another in the pursuit of truth. It is a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-eddington/observation-and-theory-get-on-best-when-they-are-mixed-together-both/) [Arthur Eddington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-eddington/) > [I may add that we have more than once stated our willingness to conclude nonaggression pacts with the states neighboring our own!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-may-add-that-we-have-more-than-once-stated-our-willingness-to/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [The American Constitution declares 'All men are born equal.' The British Socialist Party add: 'All men must be kept equal'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-american-constitution-declares-all-men-are-born-equal-the-british/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. Each discovery of science therefore adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/new-generations-of-humans-inherit-the-acquired-discoveries-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Thirty days is just about the right amount of time to add a new habit or subtract a habit - like watching the news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-cutts/thirty-days-is-just-about-the-right-amount-of-time-to-add-a-new-habit/) [Matt Cutts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-cutts/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [The Greeks said grandly in their tragic phrase, 'Let no one be called happy till his death;' to which I would add, 'Let no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/the-greeks-said-grandly-in-their-tragic-phrase-let-no-one-be-called/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [Mostly we just add to the piles of rainbow glass that's been blown off the exteriors of the cany-colored buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/mostly-we-just-add-to-the-piles-of-rainbow-glass-that-s-been-blown/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Global is a unifying bond for people. Once they get outside their own heads and their own communities and see themselves in a broader…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-calvin/global-is-a-unifying-bond-for-people-once-they-get-outside-their-own/) [Kathy Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-calvin/) [Browse all 2,710 Add quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/add/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is interesting to observe with what singular unanimity the farthest sundered nations and generations consent to give completeness and roundness to an ancient fable, of which they indistinctly appreciate the beauty or the truth. By a faint and dream-like effort, though it be only by the vote of a scientific body, the dullest posterity slowly add some trait to the mythus. 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