Henry David Thoreau

Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes.

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

The man who is dissatisfied with himself, what can he do?

The success of great scholars and thinkers is commonly a courtier-like success, not kingly, not manly.

We should distrust any enterprise that requires new clothes.

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

Don’t order any black things. Rejoice in his memory; and be radiant: leave grief to the children. Wear violet and purple. Be patient with the poor people who will snivel: they don’t know; and they think they will live for ever, which makes death a division instead of a bond.

If thou art clean and warm, it is sufficient; for more doth but rob the Poor, and please the Wanton.

Wine makes a man more pleased with himself; I do not say it makes him more pleasing to others.

Democracy becomes a government of bullies tempered by editors.

If you want to reach a state of bliss, then go beyond your ego and the internal dialogue. Make a decision to relinquish the need to control, the need to be approved, and the need to judge. Those are the three things the ego is doing all the time. It’s very important to be aware of them every time they come up.

The natural law of inertia: Matter will remain at rest or continue in uniform motion in the same straight line unless acted upon by some external force.

The artists must be sacrificed to their art. Like the bees, they must put their lives into the sting they give.

It is better to be a young June-bug than an old bird of paradise.

Men over forty are no judges of a book written in a new spirit.

Standing on the doorstep of desire, I hold this bouquet like a gun and these vows like a petition for the death penalty.

Rarely promise, but, if lawful, constantly perform.

Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it.

Knowledge exists to be imparted.

Have a care, therefore, where there is more sail than ballast.

When you’re drowning, you don’t say ‘I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,’ you just scream.