--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Seen from a lower point of view, the…" description: "\"Seen from a lower point of view, the Constitution, with all its faults, is very good; the law and the courts are very respectable;even this State and t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa0/henry-david-thoreau-20_admirable_seen-from-a-lower-point-of-view-the-cons_1412129.jpg" --- # Seen from a lower point of view, the Constitution, with… ![“Seen from a lower point of view, the Constitution, with all its faults, is very good; the law and the courts are very respectable;even this State and this American government are, in many respects, very admirable, and rare things, to be thankful for, such as a great many have described them; but…” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa0/henry-david-thoreau-20_admirable_seen-from-a-lower-point-of-view-the-cons_1412129.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa0/henry-david-thoreau-20_admirable_seen-from-a-lower-point-of-view-the-cons_1412129.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa0/henry-david-thoreau-20_admirable_seen-from-a-lower-point-of-view-the-cons_1412129.jpg) > “Seen from a lower point of view, the Constitution, with all its faults, is very good; the law and the courts are very respectable;even this State and this American government are, in many respects, very admirable, and rare things, to be thankful for, such as a great many have described them; but seen from a point of view a little higher, they are what I have described them; seen from a higher still, and the highest, who shall say what they are, or that they are worth looking at or thinking of at all?” [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. From a modest perspective the Constitution and institutions seem admirable, but from a higher, critical view their true value is uncertain. **In simple terms:** What looks good up close may be flawed when examined deeply. Key Takeaway Question authority and seek deeper truth. Themes politics philosophy criticism skepticism Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type philosophical political analytical When to use this quote - voting - legal reform - public discourse - academic study Key Concepts social contract ethical reflection institutional critique Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of governance deserve your trust? - How do you balance respect and critique? A Different Perspective Higher scrutiny can lead to cynicism and disengagement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-government/) [Being thankful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-thankful/) [Constitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitution/) [Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Point of view](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-of-view/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Rare things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rare-things/) [Things to be thankful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-to-be-thankful/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“Mr. President I confess that there are several parts of this constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/mr-president-i-confess-that-there-are-several-parts-of-this/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In these sentiments, sir, I agree to this Constitution, with all its faults, if they are such; because I think a General Government necessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/in-these-sentiments-sir-i-agree-to-this-constitution-with-all-its/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“I agree to this Constitution with all its faults, if they are such: because I think a General Government necessary for us, and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-agree-to-this-constitution-with-all-its-faults-if-they-are-such/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [But in view of the constitution, in the eye of the law, there is in this country no superior, dominant, ruling class of citizens.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall-harlan/but-in-view-of-the-constitution-in-the-eye-of-the-law-there-is-in/) [John Marshall Harlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marshall-harlan/) > [Since Vice President Al Gore is constantly making things up, it should come as no surprise that he wants Supreme Court justices who will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/since-vice-president-al-gore-is-constantly-making-things-up-it-should/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [The notion that it is improper to look beyond the borders of the United States in grappling with hard questions has a certain kinship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/the-notion-that-it-is-improper-to-look-beyond-the-borders-of-the/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [“Most striking, however, was the position taken in the 1840s by William Lloyd Garrison and his wing of the abolitionist movement. The Garrisonians had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-e-fehrenbacher/most-striking-however-was-the-position-taken-in-the-1840s-by-william/) Don E. Fehrenbacher > [ A lot of Americans have some view of the Constitution as just this thing that was handed down \[intact\]. But it really was the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/a-lot-of-americans-have-some-view-of-the-constitution-as-just-this/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [We cannot sanction the view that the Constitution, while solicitous of the cognitive content of individual speech, has little or no regard for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marshall-harlan-ii/we-cannot-sanction-the-view-that-the-constitution-while-solicitous-of/) [John Marshall Harlan II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marshall-harlan-ii/) > [What a miserable thing life is: you're in clover; only the clover isn't good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertolt-brecht/what-a-miserable-thing-life-is-you-re-in-clover-only-the-clover-isn-t/) [Bertolt Brecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertolt-brecht/) > [Thou who hast given so much to me, give me one more thing... a grateful heart!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/thou-who-hast-given-so-much-to-me-give-me-one-more-thing-a-grateful/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Thanks are the highest form of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/thanks-are-the-highest-form-of-thought/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/to-educate-yourself-for-the-feeling-of-gratitude-means-to-take-3/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [There is no such thing as gratitude unexpressed. If it is unexpressed, it is plain, old-fashioned ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/there-is-no-such-thing-as-gratitude-unexpressed-if-it-is-unexpressed/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [Reflect upon your present blessings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/reflect-upon-your-present-blessings/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) ## 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 Admirable quotes > [Consumer wants can have bizarre, frivolous, or even immoral origins, and an admirable case can still be made for a society that seeks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/consumer-wants-can-have-bizarre-frivolous-or-even-immoral-origins-and/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [Education is very admirable but let us not forget that anything worth knowing cannot be taught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/education-is-very-admirable-but-let-us-not-forget-that-anything-worth/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Happiness is a rare plant that seldom takes root on earth-few ever enjoyed it, except for a brief period; the search after it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-gardiner-countess-of-blessington/happiness-is-a-rare-plant-that-seldom-takes-root-on-earth-few-ever/) [Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-gardiner-countess-of-blessington/) > [Worthy is the one who remembers to thank the Lord for all His blessings; but admirable is the one who still thank God in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/worthy-is-the-one-who-remembers-to-thank-the-lord-for-all-his/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [It is admirable to consider how many millions of people come into, and go out of the world, ignorant of themselves and of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/it-is-admirable-to-consider-how-many-millions-of-people-come-into-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [What is pure Bill? 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