Henry David Thoreau

A friend is one who incessantly pays us the compliment of expecting from us all the virtues, and who can appreciate them in us. The friend asks no return but that his friend will religiously accept and wear and not disgrace his apotheosis of him. They cherish each other’s hopes. They are kind to each other’s dreams.

Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence.

We should come home from adventures, and perils, and discoveries every day with new experience and character.

How can they expect a harvest of thought who have not had the seed time of character.

An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.

Should not every apartment in which man dwells be lofty enough to create some obscurity overhead, where flickering shadows may play at evening about the rafters?

The majority have no other reason for their opinions than that they are the fashion.

If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.

Without a measureless and perpetual uncertainty, the drama of human life would be destroyed.

A fool’s brain digests philosophy into folly, science into superstition, and art into pedantry. Hence University education.

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.

The secret of being a bore… is to tell everything.

Your manuscript is both good and original; but the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good.

Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I’ve done it thousands of times.

Superstition is to religion what astrology is to astronomy the mad daughter of a wise mother. These daughters have too long dominated the earth.

It is admirable to consider how many Millions of People come into, and go out of the World, Ignorant of themselves, and of the World they have lived in.

No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned… a man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company.

My liver swells with bile difficult to repress.

Friendships begin with liking or gratitude roots that can be pulled up.

If we do not maintain Justice, Justice will not maintain us.

We have not lost faith, but we have transferred it from God to the medical profession.