--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The animal merely makes a bed, which he…" description: "\"The animal merely makes a bed, which he warms with his body, in a sheltered place; but man, having discovered fire, boxes up someair in a spacious apar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/henry-david-thoreau-20_animal_the-animal-merely-makes-a-bed-which-he-w_3030312.jpg" --- # The animal merely makes a bed, which he warms with his… ![“The animal merely makes a bed, which he warms with his body, in a sheltered place; but man, having discovered fire, boxes up someair in a spacious apartment, and warms that… Thus he goes a step or two beyond instinct, and saves a little time for the fine arts.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/henry-david-thoreau-20_animal_the-animal-merely-makes-a-bed-which-he-w_3030312.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/henry-david-thoreau-20_animal_the-animal-merely-makes-a-bed-which-he-w_3030312.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/henry-david-thoreau-20_animal_the-animal-merely-makes-a-bed-which-he-w_3030312.jpg) > “The animal merely makes a bed, which he warms with his body, in a sheltered place; but man, having discovered fire, boxes up someair in a spacious apartment, and warms that… Thus he goes a step or two beyond instinct, and saves a little time for the fine arts.” [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. Humans use technology to create comfort beyond natural instincts, freeing time for culture. **In simple terms:** Technology lets us relax and enjoy art. Key Takeaway Use tools to gain leisure for creativity. Themes technology comfort culture progress Mood reflective optimistic Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - home design - urban living - creative pursuits - work‑life balance Key Concepts industrialization leisure artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - How does modern comfort affect your daily habits? - What artistic activities could you prioritize with extra time? A Different Perspective Reliance on gadgets can reduce physical activity and connection to nature. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animal Merely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal-merely-4947372/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Apartment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apartment/) [Apartment Warms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apartment-warms-2614844/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Bed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bed/) [Bed Warms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bed-warms-2614843/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Body Sheltered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body-sheltered-2614845/) [Boxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boxes/) [Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine/) [Fine arts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine-arts/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) [Little time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-time/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Makes Bed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makes-bed-836252/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steps/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) ## Related quotes > [The animal merely makes a bed, which he warms with his body in a sheltered place; but man, having discovered fire, boxes up some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-animal-merely-makes-a-bed-which-he-warms-with-his-body-in-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“A blanket really makes the bed. Good thing too, because I never make the bed. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-blanket-really-makes-the-bed-good-thing-too-because-i-never-make/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“I'm going to have to give him shit for all this,' Shane said, as he wandered around. 'He lives alone and makes his bed?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/i-m-going-to-have-to-give-him-shit-for-all-this-shane-said-as-he/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [He that makes his bed ill, lies there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/he-that-makes-his-bed-ill-lies-there/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [“He lives alone and makes his bed? Who does that?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/he-lives-alone-and-makes-his-bed-who-does-that/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [The song "This Is Not Surreal," was inspired by a painter I love, Frida Kahlo. She really did suffer for her art. She speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindi-ortega/the-song-this-is-not-surreal-was-inspired-by-a-painter-i-love-frida/) [Lindi Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindi-ortega/) > [It is the special privilege of the fine artist to reveal immediate data with a clarity, intensity and purity that promotes them to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-tobey/it-is-the-special-privilege-of-the-fine-artist-to-reveal-immediate/) [Alton Tobey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-tobey/) > [Art must be an expression of love or it is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-chagall/art-must-be-an-expression-of-love-or-it-is-nothing/) [Marc Chagall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-chagall/) > [Some people's photography is an art. Not mine. Art is a dirty word in photography. All this fine art crap is killing it already.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-newton/some-people-s-photography-is-an-art-not-mine-art-is-a-dirty-word-in/) [Helmut Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-newton/) > [I came to New York to be a fine artist - that was my ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-came-to-new-york-to-be-a-fine-artist-that-was-my-ambition/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [A creative life is an amplified life. It's a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/a-creative-life-is-an-amplified-life-it-s-a-bigger-life-a-happier/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [I went to college as a theater major. But after about three weeks of that, I changed to the school of fine arts as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelberg/i-went-to-college-as-a-theater-major-but-after-about-three-weeks-of/) [Dan Fogelberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelberg/) > [Poetry is one of the original arts, and it began, as did all the fine arts, within the original wilderness of the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/poetry-is-one-of-the-original-arts-and-it-began-as-did-all-the-fine/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [Comedy, although it is not one of the fine arts - it's a vulgar art, it's one of the people's arts, it's the spoken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/comedy-although-it-is-not-one-of-the-fine-arts-it-s-a-vulgar-art-it-s/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [While the world of reality has its limits, the world of your imagination is without boundaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/while-the-world-of-reality-has-its-limits-the-world-of-your/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) ## 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 Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The animal merely makes a bed, which he warms with his body, in a sheltered place; but man, having discovered fire, boxes up someair in a spacious apartment, and warms that… Thus he goes a step or two beyond instinct, and saves a little time for the fine arts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-animal-merely-makes-a-bed-which-he-warms-with-his-body-in-a-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-animal-merely-makes-a-bed-which-he-warms-with-his-body-in-a-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/henry-david-thoreau-20_animal_the-animal-merely-makes-a-bed-which-he-w_3030312.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/henry-david-thoreau-20_animal_the-animal-merely-makes-a-bed-which-he-w_3030312.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a2/henry-david-thoreau-20_animal_the-animal-merely-makes-a-bed-which-he-w_3030312.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The animal merely makes a bed, which he warms with his body, in a sheltered place; but man, having…” — 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": "The animal merely makes a bed,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-animal-merely-makes-a-bed-which-he-warms-with-his-body-in-a-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-animal-merely-makes-a-bed-which-he-warms-with-his-body-in-a-2/#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 } } ] } ```