Henry David Thoreau — Philosophical Quotes

716 quotes · Writer, Philosopher

Page 40 of 50

Henry David Thoreau Quotes

All Philosophical Wise Grateful Creative Spiritual 716 quotes · page 40 of 50

Henry David Thoreau

Writer, Philosopher

Philosophical

“A man may grow rich in Turkey even, if he will be in all respects a good subject of the Turkish government.”

Men May Turkeys

♥ 3

Henry David Thoreau

Writer, Philosopher

Philosophical

“On the whole, Chaucer impresses us as greater than his reputation, and not a little like Homer and Shakespeare, for he would haveheld up his head in their company.”

Littles Reputation Chaucer

♥ 3

Philosophical

“The greater number of men are merely corporals.”

Men Numbers Conformity

♥ 3

Philosophical

“WE begin to die not in our sense or extremities, but in our divine faculties.”

Dies Divine

♥ 3

Philosophical

“Woe be to the generation that lets any higher faculty in its midst go unemployed.”

Generations Woe

♥ 3

Philosophical

“We admire Chaucer for his sturdy English wit.... But though it is full of good sense and humanity, it is not transcendent poetry.For picturesque description of persons it is, perhaps, without a parallel in English poetry; yet it is essentially humorous, as the loftiest genius never is.”

Humanity Genius Humorous

♥ 3

Philosophical

“It is but too easy to establish another durable and harmonious routine. Immediately all parts of nature consent to it. Only make something to take the place of something, and men will behave as if it was the very thing they wanted.”

Men Routine Conformity

♥ 3

Philosophical

“Ninety-nine one-hundredths of our lives we are mere hedgers and ditchers, but from time to time we meet with reminders of our destiny.”

Destiny Ninety Nine Reminders

♥ 3

Philosophical

“If labor mainly, or to any considerable degree, serves the purpose of a police, to keep men out of mischief, it indicates a rottenness at the foundation of our community.”

Men Community Police

♥ 3

Philosophical

“We are acquainted with a mere pellicle of the globe on which we live. Most have not delved six feet beneath the surface, nor leaped as many above it. We know not where we are. Beside, we are sound asleep nearly half our time.”

Sound Feet Half

♥ 3

Philosophical

“A regular council was held with the Indians, who had come in on their ponies, and speeches were made on both sides through an interpreter, quite in the described mode,--the Indians, as usual, having the advantage in point of truth and earnestness, and therefore of eloquence. The most prominent chief was named Little Crow. They were quite dissatisfied with the white man's treatment of them, and probably have reason to be so.”

Men Native American White Man

♥ 3

Philosophical

“It is worth the while to detect new faculties in man,--he is so much the more divine; and anything that fairly excites our admiration expands us. The Indian, who can find his way so wonderfully in the woods, possesses an intelligence which the white man does not,--and it increases my own capacity, as well as faith, to observe it. I rejoice to find that intelligence flows in other channels than I knew. It redeems for me portions of what seemed brutish before.”

Men Discovery Native American

♥ 3