Henry David Thoreau - Quodid

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Picture of Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau (born David Henry Thoreau; July 12, 1817 – May 6, 1862) was an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher. A leading transcendentalist, he is best known for his book Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay "Civil Disobedience" (originally published as "Resistance to Civil Government"), an argument in favor of citizen disobedience against an unjust state.

Quotes from Henry David Thoreau

To a philosopher all news, as it is called, is gossip, and they who edit and read it are old women over their tea.

—Henry David Thoreau

news philosophy gossip

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.

—Henry David Thoreau

confidence dreams

If I devote myself to other pursuits and contemplations, I must first see, at least, that I do not pursue them sitting upon another man’s shoulders.

—Henry David Thoreau

I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance than I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn.

—Henry David Thoreau

gratitude nature honor divinity

The heart is forever inexperienced.

—Henry David Thoreau

attention experience heart

Men have become the tools of their tools.

—Henry David Thoreau

humanity power purpose tools distraction

As if you could kill time without injuring eternity.

—Henry David Thoreau

time wasting time eternity injury

Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.

—Henry David Thoreau

What is religion? That which is never spoken.

—Henry David Thoreau

spirituality religion speech

I went to the store the other day to buy a bolt for our front door, for, as I told the storekeeper, the governor was coming here. "Aye," said he, "and the legislature too." "Then I will take two bolts," said I.

—Henry David Thoreau

The language of friendship is not words but meanings.

—Henry David Thoreau

friendship words meaning language

Some circumstantial evidence is very strong, as when you find a trout in the milk.

—Henry David Thoreau

The cost of a thing is the amount of what I call life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run.

—Henry David Thoreau

If we will be quiet and ready enough, we shall find compensation in every disappointment.

—Henry David Thoreau

disappointment quiet

It appears to be a law that you cannot have a deep sympathy with both man and nature.

—Henry David Thoreau

man nature sympathy

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