--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The front aspect of great thoughts can…" description: "\"The front aspect of great thoughts can only be enjoyed by those who stand on the side whence they arrive.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/433/henry-david-thoreau-20_aspect_the-front-aspect-of-great-thoughts-can-o_1893204.jpg" --- # The front aspect of great thoughts can only be enjoyed by… ![“The front aspect of great thoughts can only be enjoyed by those who stand on the side whence they arrive.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/433/henry-david-thoreau-20_aspect_the-front-aspect-of-great-thoughts-can-o_1893204.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/433/henry-david-thoreau-20_aspect_the-front-aspect-of-great-thoughts-can-o_1893204.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/433/henry-david-thoreau-20_aspect_the-front-aspect-of-great-thoughts-can-o_1893204.jpg) > “The front aspect of great thoughts can only be enjoyed by those who stand on the side whence they arrive.” [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. Great ideas are best appreciated by those who have experienced the conditions that produced them. **In simple terms:** Understanding comes from lived experience. Key Takeaway Seek experience before judgment. Themes experience appreciation perspective Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - education - travel - creative work - historical study Key Concepts epistemology phenomenology Questions to Reflect On - How does your background shape your view of ideas? - Can you imagine a thought without its context? A Different Perspective Those without direct experience may misinterpret or undervalue ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aspect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspect/) [Enjoyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoyed/) [Enjoyed Stand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enjoyed-stand-2749097/) [Fronts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fronts/) [Great Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-thoughts/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) [Stand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stand/) [Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts/) [Thoughts Enjoyed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts-enjoyed-2749098/) ## Related quotes > [“Great thoughts go best with common duties. Whatever therefore may be you office regard it as a fragment in an immeasurable ministry of love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-foss-westcott/great-thoughts-go-best-with-common-duties-whatever-therefore-may-be/) [Brooke Foss Westcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-foss-westcott/) > [All great deeds and all great thoughts have a ridiculous beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/all-great-deeds-and-all-great-thoughts-have-a-ridiculous-beginning/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [The roads to the stars are open only to those who grasp the great thoughts!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/the-roads-to-the-stars-are-open-only-to-those-who-grasp-the-great/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Great thoughts of your sin alone will drive you to despair; but great thoughts of Christ will pilot you into the haven of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/great-thoughts-of-your-sin-alone-will-drive-you-to-despair-but-great/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Forms of energy from nature gave my father trouble. He refused to believe he was going to die. He had these weird delusions. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laffoley/forms-of-energy-from-nature-gave-my-father-trouble-he-refused-to/) [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) > [The Dalai Lama once said that 'If science proves some belief of Buddhism wrong, then Buddhism will have to change!' This is a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/the-dalai-lama-once-said-that-if-science-proves-some-belief-of/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/all-truly-great-thoughts-are-conceived-while-walking/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I paint ideas, not things. My intention is less to paint works that are pleasing to the eye than to suggest great thoughts which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-frederic-watts/i-paint-ideas-not-things-my-intention-is-less-to-paint-works-that-are/) [George Frederic Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-frederic-watts/) > [The ground of all great thoughts is sadness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-james-bailey/the-ground-of-all-great-thoughts-is-sadness/) [Philip James Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-james-bailey/) > [“If a man has a capacity for great thoughts, he is likely to overtake them before he is decrepit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/if-a-man-has-a-capacity-for-great-thoughts-he-is-likely-to-overtake/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Great thoughts speak only to the thoughtful mind, but great actions speak to all mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/great-thoughts-speak-only-to-the-thoughtful-mind-but-great-actions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Great thoughts go best with common duties. Whatever therefore may be your office regard it as a fragment in an immeasurable ministry of love.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooke-foss-westcott/great-thoughts-go-best-with-common-duties-whatever-therefore-may-be-2/) [Brooke Foss Westcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooke-foss-westcott/) > [Great thoughts always come from the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/great-thoughts-always-come-from-the-heart/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our great thoughts, our great affections, the truths of our life, never leave us. Surely they can not separate from our consciousness, shall follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/our-great-thoughts-our-great-affections-the-truths-of-our-life-never/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [“Dare to dwell on great thoughts, you will be great.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/dare-to-dwell-on-great-thoughts-you-will-be-great/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) ## 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 Aspect quotes > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [It is according to the shapes that I lay the plans for victory, but the multitude does not comprehend this. Although everyone can see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-according-to-the-shapes-that-i-lay-the-plans-for-victory-but/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [I believe that simple, consistent shifts in our thinking and actions can lead to the miraculous in all aspects of our daily lives, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-bernstein/i-believe-that-simple-consistent-shifts-in-our-thinking-and-actions/) [Gabrielle Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-bernstein/) > [There is so much temptation to hold on to my career even more now. To try to micromanage and dictate every little aspect. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-lin/there-is-so-much-temptation-to-hold-on-to-my-career-even-more-now-to/) [Jeremy Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-lin/) > [I do miss the social aspect of sitting in a pub with a pint but you know what when I get down to it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/i-do-miss-the-social-aspect-of-sitting-in-a-pub-with-a-pint-but-you/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [Some say that you should not want money at all because the desire for money is materialistic and not Spiritual. But we want you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/some-say-that-you-should-not-want-money-at-all-because-the-desire-for/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I would call myself a Gnostic. Which means, I'm interested in pursuing and understanding the spiritual nature of things. A Gnostic is somebody seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-would-call-myself-a-gnostic-which-means-i-m-interested-in-pursuing/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [One can be a great artist without being a great technician. There have been many famous ballet stars who did not have the ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-bujones/one-can-be-a-great-artist-without-being-a-great-technician-there-have/) [Fernando Bujones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-bujones/) > [I love fall because I love the whole cuddling aspect of it, and a sweater dress has that vibe of I'm going to hunker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-chastain/i-love-fall-because-i-love-the-whole-cuddling-aspect-of-it-and-a/) [Jessica Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-chastain/) > [The socially redeeming aspect of golf lies in the vast number of lawyers and bankers and managers who play it, and when you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-socially-redeeming-aspect-of-golf-lies-in-the-vast-number-of/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I didnt like the Survivor shows because of the mean-spirited aspect, and women certainly were part of whatever conflict they would create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-lawrence/i-didnt-like-the-survivor-shows-because-of-the-mean-spirited-aspect/) [Sharon Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-lawrence/) > [MAC allowed me to have complete freedom on the collaborations—from the shades, the look-and-feel, to the campaign visuals. I have to admit that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-treacy/mac-allowed-me-to-have-complete-freedom-on-the-collaborations-from/) [Philip Treacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-treacy/) > [I mean family is more important than anything in life. Family is important than my crew, D-Block, my rap career anything... It's the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/styles-p/i-mean-family-is-more-important-than-anything-in-life-family-is/) [Styles P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/styles-p/) > [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/) [Browse all 3,171 Aspect quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspect/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The front aspect of great thoughts can only be enjoyed by those who stand on the side whence they arrive.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-front-aspect-of-great-thoughts-can-only-be-enjoyed-by-those-who/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aspect" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-front-aspect-of-great-thoughts-can-only-be-enjoyed-by-those-who/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/433/henry-david-thoreau-20_aspect_the-front-aspect-of-great-thoughts-can-o_1893204.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/433/henry-david-thoreau-20_aspect_the-front-aspect-of-great-thoughts-can-o_1893204.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/433/henry-david-thoreau-20_aspect_the-front-aspect-of-great-thoughts-can-o_1893204.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The front aspect of great thoughts can only be enjoyed by those who stand on the side whence they arrive.” — 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 front aspect of great thoughts...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-front-aspect-of-great-thoughts-can-only-be-enjoyed-by-those-who/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-front-aspect-of-great-thoughts-can-only-be-enjoyed-by-those-who/#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 } } ] } ```