Henry David Thoreau

It is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things.

I have received no more than one or two letters in my life that were worth the postage.

I have been breaking silence these twenty-three years and have hardly made a rent in it.

There is no remedy for love, but to love more.

What sort of philosophers are we, who know absolutely nothing about the origin and destiny of cats?

The light which puts out our eyes is darkness to us. Only that day dawns to which we are awake. There is more day to dawn. The sun is but a morning star.

In statesmanship get the formalities right, never mind about the moralities.

We mustn’t be stiff and stand-off, you know. We must be thoroughly democratic, and patronize everybody without distinction of class.

I have the conviction that excessive literary production is a social offence.

Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.

It is the nature of babies to be in bliss.

All I have seen teaches me to trust the creator for all I have not seen.

The German intellect wants the French sprightliness, the fine practical understanding of the English, and the American adventure; but it has a certain probity, which never rests in a superficial performance, but asks steadily, To what end? A German public asks for a controlling sincerity.

We are paid for our suspicions by finding what we suspected.

Regardless of who you are or what you have been, you can be what you want to be.

To watch this crystal globe just sent from heaven to associate with me. While these clouds and this somber drizzling weather shut all in, we two draw nearer and know one another. The gathering in of the clouds with the last rush and dying breath of the wind, and then the regular dripping of twigs and leaves the country over, the impression of inward comfort and Sociableness, the drenched stubble and trees that drop beads on you as you pass, their dim outline seen through the rain on all sides drooping in sympathy with yourself. These are my undisputed territory. This is Nature’s English comfort.

There is a great deal of human nature in people.

In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one class of citizens to give to another.

Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome.

Beauty without expression is boring.

Do not do unto others as you expect they should do unto you. Their tastes may not be the same.