Henry David Thoreau Quotations: Expectation
But most men do not know what a house is, and the mass are actually poor all their days because they think they must have such an one as their neighbor's.—Journal, 23 August 1845
Can I not by expectation affect the revolutions of nature—make a day to bring forth something new?—Journal, 18 April 1852
Expectation may amount to prophecy.—Journal, 2 April 1852
Give me the old familiar walk, post-office and all, with this ever new self, with this infinite expectation and faith, which does not know when it is beaten. We'll go nutting once more. We'll pluck the nut of the world, and crack it in the winter evenings. Theaters and all other sightseeing are puppet-shows in comparison. I will take another walk to the Cliff, another row on the river, another skate on the meadow, be out in the first snow, and associate with the winter birds. Here I am at home. In the bare and bleached crust of the earth I recognize my friend.—Journal, 1 November 1858
Is not the attitude of expectation somewhat divine?—a sort of home-made divineness?—Thoreau to H.G.O. Blake, 28 May 1850
It is a common saying among country people that if you eat much fried hasty pudding it will make your hair curl. My experience, which was considerable, did not confirm this assertion.—Journal, 20 November 1850
It is in vain to dream of a wildness distant from ourselves. There is none such.—Journal, 30 August 1856
May I go to my slumbers as expecting to arise to a new and more perfect day.—Journal, 16 July 1851
Most men can keep a horse or keep up a certain fashionable style of living, but few indeed can keep up great expectations.—Journal, 6 May 1858
Our circumstances answer to our expectations and the demand of our natures.—A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers
