3,409 Quotes by Henry David Thoreau

It would be well, perhaps, if we were to spend more of our days and nights without any obstruction between us and the celestial bodies, if the poet did not speak so much from under a roof, or the saint dwell there so long. Birds do not sing in caves, nor do doves cherish their innocence in dovecots.

The universe is wider than our views of it.

I perceive that we inhabitants of New England live this mean life that we do because our vision does not penetrate the surface ofthings. We think that that is which appears to be.

The Grecian are youthful and erring and fallen gods, with the vices of men, but in many important respects essentially of the divine race.

A thoroughbred business man cannot enter heartily upon the business of life without first looking into his accounts.

This life is not for complaint, but for satisfaction.

Men will tell you sometimes that "money's hard." That shows it was not made to eat, I say.... Some of those who sank with the steamer the other day found out that money was heavy too.

That man is richest whose pleasures are the cheapest.

As a man grows older, his ability to sit still and follow indoor occupations increases. He grows vespertinal in his habits as theevening of life approaches, till at last he comes forth only just before sundown, and gets all the walk that he requires in half an hour.