The chief recommendation of the Kossuth has is that it looks old to start with, and almost as good as new to end with.
—Journal, 25 December 1859The chief want, in every state that I have been into, was a high and earnest purpose in its inhabitants.
—"Life Without Principle"The Christians, now and always, are they who obey the higher law, who discover it to be according to their constitution to interfere.
—Journal, 17 June 1854The common perch . . . . is the firmest and toughest of our fishes and by those who are not epicures most preferred for food.
—Journal, after 1 August 1844The day is an epitome of the year. The night is the winter, the morning and evening are the spring and fall, and the noon is the summer.
—WaldenThe death of friends should inspire us as much as their lives. If they are great and rich enough, they will leave consolation to the mourners before the expenses of their funerals.
—Journal, 19 February 1842The death scenes of great men are agreeable to consider only when they make another and harmonious chapter of their lives.
—"Sir Walter Raleigh"The deep places in the river are not so obvious as the shallow ones and can only be found by carefully probing it. So perhaps it is with human nature.
—Journal, 5 July 1859The Deity would be reverenced, not feared.
—Early Essays and MiscellaniesThe discoveries which we make abroad are special and particular; those which we make at home are general and significant. The further off, the nearer the surface. The nearer home, the deeper.
—Journal, 7 September 1851The doctors are all agreed that I am suffering from want of society. Was never a case like it. First, I did not know that I was suffering at all. Secondly, as an Irishman might say, I had thought it was indigestion of the society I got.
—Thoreau to H. G. O. Blake, 1 January 1859The earth song of the cricket! Before Christianity was, it is. Health, health, health, is the burden of its song.
—Journal, 17 June 1852The entertaining a single thought of a certain elevation makes all men of one religion. It is always some base alloy that creates the distinction of sects.
—Journal, 8 August 1852The fact is I am a mystic, a transcendentalist, and a natural philosopher to boot.
—Journal, 5 March 1853The fact is, you have got to take the world on your shoulders like Atlas, and “put along” with it. You will do this for an idea’s sake, and your success will be in proportion to your devotion to ideas. It may make your back ache occasionally, but you will have the satisfaction of hanging it or twirling it to suit yourself.
—Thoreau to H.G.O. Blake, 20 May 1860The farmer has always come to the field after some material thing: that is not what a philosopher goes there for.
—Journal, 14 October 1857