Henry David Thoreau

You must not blame me if I do talk to the clouds.

We must walk consciously only part way toward our goal, and then leap in the dark to our success.

It is an interesting question how far men would retain their relative rank if they were divested of their clothes.

What is the use of a house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?

Through our own recovered innocence we discern the innocence of our neighbors.

Dreams are the touchstones of our characters.

It is easy to live for others, everybody does. I call on you to live for yourselves.

I like not only to be loved, but also to be told that I am loved. I am not sure that you are of the same mind. But the realm of silence is large enough beyond the grave. This is the world of light and speech, and I shall take leave to tell you that you are very dear.

Dreams are the touchstones of our characters.

Men must be governed by God or they will be ruled by tyrants.

The greatest gift is the ability to forget – to forget the bad things and focus on the good.

The highest panegyric, therefore, that private virtue can receive, is the praise of servants.

When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.

The Country is both the Philosopher’s Garden and his Library, in which he Reads and Contemplates the Power, Wisdom and Goodness of God.

Love truth, but pardon error.

We love to overlook the boundaries which we do not wish to pass.

The beginning is the most important part of the work.

Youth is wasted on the young.

More helpful than all wisdom is one draught of simple human pity that will not forsake us.

It is a fine thing to be honest, but it is also very important to be right.

Optimism is the madness of insisting that all is well when we are miserable.