Henry David Thoreau

How many a man has dated a new era in his life from the reading of a book! The book exists for us, perchance, that will explain our miracles and reveal new ones. The at present unutterable things we may find somewhere uttered.

Speech is for the convenience of those who are hard of hearing; but there are many fine things which we cannot say if we have to shout.

Absolutely speaking, Do unto others as you would that they should do unto you is by no means a golden rule, but the best of current silver. An honest man would have but little occasion for it. It is golden not to have any rule at all in such a case.

All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or backgammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and wrong.

The wilderness is near as well as dear to every man. Even the oldest villages are indebted to the border of wild wood which surrounds them, more than to the gardens of men. There is something indescribably inspiriting and beautiful in the aspect of the forest skirting and occasionally jutting into the midst of new towns, which, like the sand-heaps of fresh fox-burrows, have sprung up in their midst. The very uprightness of the pines and maples asserts the ancient rectitude and vigor of nature. Our lives need the relief of such a background, where the pine flourishes and the jay still screams.

The universe seems bankrupt as soon as we begin to discuss the characters of individuals.

The end of the human race will be that it will eventually die of civilization.

The report of my death was an exaggeration.

Fear follows crime and is its punishment.

Society is infested by persons who, seeing that the sentiments please, counterfeit the expression of them. These we call sentimentalists – talkers who mistake the description for the thing, saying for having.

A man’s action is only a picture book of his creed.

What do we live for, if not to make life less difficult for each other?

Twenty to twenty-five! These are the years! Dont be content with things as they are. Dont take No for an answer. Never submit to failure. Do not be fobbed off with mere personal success or acceptance. You will make all kinds of mistakes; but as long as you are generous and true, and also fierce, you cannot hurt the world or even seriously distress her. She was made to be wooed and won by youth. She has lived and thrived only by repeated subjugations.

Rituals are important. Nowadays it’s hip not to be married. I’m not interested in being hip.

Why should we take advice on sex from the pope? If he knows anything about it, he shouldn’t!

The greatest meliorator of the world is selfish, huckstering Trade.

The master minds of all nations, in all ages, have sprung in affluent multitude from the mass of the nation, and from the mass of the nation only – not from its privileged classes.

Solitude is impractical and yet society is fatal.

By all means let’s be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out.

Man is the only creature who has a nasty mind.

Mementos of this world, in which the things worth being were so easily exchanged for the things worth having.