Henry David Thoreau

Politics is the gizzard of society, full of gut and gravel.

There are thousands hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.

What is called genius is the abundance of life and health.

That government is best which governs least.

There are nine hundred and ninety-nine patrons of virtue to one virtuous man.

Our moments of inspiration are not lost though we have no particular poem to show for them; for those experiences have left an indelible impression, and we are ever and anon reminded of them.

See, I think you live on earth a certain number of times until you finish what it is that you were meant to do here. And then you go on. I don’t think I’ll be back here. I think I’m done.

It is sound judgment to put on a bold face and play your hand for a hundred times what it is worth; forty-nine times out of fifty nobody dares to call it, and you roll in the chips.

If you try to please everybody, somebody’s not going to like it.

Art is the path of the creator to his work.

Fidelity has enfranchised slaves, and adopted servants to be sons.

True godliness does not turn men out of the world, but enables them to live better in it and excites their endeavors to mend it.

It matters not how a man dies, but how he lives. The act of dying is not of importance, it lasts so short a time.

While grief is fresh, every attempt to divert only irritates. You must wait till grief be digested, and then amusement will dissipate the remains of it.

You can always count on Americans to do the right thing – after they’ve tried everything else.

Do not assume anything. Clear your mind must be if you are to discover the real villains behind this plot.

I had rather see the portrait of a dog that I know, than all the allegorical paintings they can show me in the world.

Lies are sufficient to breed opinion, and opinion brings on substance.

Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have never been discovered.

The way it is now, the asylums can hold the sane people but if we tried to shut up the insane we would run out of building materials.