Top Henry David Thoreau Quotes - Quotesmemo.com

Henry David Thoreau Biography

Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau (see name pronunciation; July 12, 1817 – May 6, 1862) was an American essayist, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, and historian. A leading transcendentalist, Thoreau is best known for his book Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay "Civil Disobedience" (originally published as "Resistance to Civil Government"), an argument for disobedience to an unjust state.

Read about Henry David Thoreau in Wikipedia

Random Authors

Henry David Thoreau Quotes

On the whole, Chaucer impresses us as greater than his reputation, and not a little like Homer and Shakespeare, for he would haveheld up his head in their company.

Chaucer, Greater, Head, Littles, Reputation

Do not read the newspapers.

Journalism, Newspapers, Read, Reading

If misery loves company, misery has company enough.

Company, Enough, Literature, Love, Misery, Sad

We should go forth on the shortest walk, perchance in the spirit of undying adventure, never to return - sending back our embalmed hearts only as relics to our desolate kingdoms.

Adventure, Forth, Heart, Hearts, Journey, Sending

Be sure that you give the poor the aid they most need. If you give money, spend yourself with it, and do not merely abandon it to them. Often the poor man is not cold and hungry as he is dirty and ragged and gross. It is partly his taste, and not merely his misfortune.

Abandon, Dirty, Giving, Gross, Men, Partly

Each new year is a surprise to us. We find that we had virtually forgotten the note of each bird, and when we hear it again, it is remembered like a dream, reminding us of a previous state of existence. How happens it that the associations it awakens are always pleasing, never saddening, reminiscences of our sanest hours. The voice of nature is always encouraging.

Awakens, Dream, Nature, New Year, Saddening, Surprise

To read well, that is, to read true books in a true spirit, is a noble exercise, and one that will tax the reader more than any exercise which the customs of the day esteem. It requires a training such as the athletes underwent, the steady intention almost of the whole life to this object. Books must be read as deliberately and reservedly as they were written.

Athlete, Book, Day, Exercise, Spirit, Underwent

The next day the Indian told me their name for this light,--artoosoq',--and on my inquiring concerning the will-o'-the-wisp, and the like phenomena, he said that his "folks" sometimes saw fires passing along at various heights, even as high as the trees, and making a noise. I was prepared after this to hear of the most startling and unimagined phenomena, witnessed by "his folks"; they are abroad at all hours and seasons in scenes so unfrequented by white men. Nature must have made a thousand revelations to them which are still secrets to us.

Abroad, Men, Nature, Science

All that are printed and bound are not books; they do not necessarily belong to letters, but are oftener to be ranked with the other luxuries and appendages of civilized life. Base wares are palmed off under a thousand disguises.

Book, Letters, Life, Luxury, Printed, Ranked

I find that the respectable man, so called, has immediately drifted from his position, and despairs of his country, when his country has more reason to despair of him. He forthwith adopts one of the candidatesas the only available one, thus proving that he is himself available for any purposes of the demagogue. His vote is of no more worth than that of any unprincipled foreigner or hireling native, who may have been bought.

Country, Despair, Hireling, Men, Purposes, Voting

I think it will be found that he who speaks with most authority on a given subject is not ignorant of what has been said by his predecessors. He will take his place in a regular order, and substantially add his own knowledge to the knowledge of previous generations.

Thinking, Order, Ignorant, Add, Given, Authority

In Homer and Chaucer there is more of the innocence and serenity of youth than in the more modern and moral poets. The Iliad is not Sabbath but morning reading, and men cling to this old song, because they still have moments of unbaptized and uncommitted life, which give them an appetite for more.

Chaucer, Morning, Old, Reading, Song, Unbaptized

The most alive is the wildest.

Alive, Wildest, Wildness

Life is so short that it is not wise to take roundabout ways, nor can we spend much time in waiting. . . . We have not got half-way to dawn yet.

Life, Spend, Take, Waiting, Ways, Wise

I desire that there be as many different persons in the world as possible; I would have each one be very careful to find out and preserve his own way.

Desire, Different, Persons, Possible, Preserve, Thinking

The best thing a man can do for his culture when he is rich is to endeavor to carry out those schemes which he entertained when he was poor

Culture, Endeavor, Men, Rich, Schemes, Thing

Goodness is the only investment that never fails.

Bad Day, Business, Fails, Goodness, Integrity, Investment

There is such a thing as caste, even in the West; but it is comparatively faint; it is conservatism here. It says, forsake not your calling, outrage no institution, use no violence, rend no bonds; the State is thy parent. Its virtue or manhood is wholly filial.

Parent, Violence, India, Use, State, Calling

The only people who ever get anyplace interesting are the people who get lost.

Anyplace, Interesting, Lost, People

In the winter, warmth stands for all virtue.

Stands, Virtue, Warmth, Winter

1

...