Henry David Thoreau Quotes

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.

Henry David Thoreau

Life Facts Die Live Because Came Could Deliberately Discover Essential Front Had If I Could Learn Lived Only See Teach Wished Woods I Came

What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us.

Henry David Thoreau

Ahead Behind Us Lies Matters Compared Lives Tiny Within

If the machine of government is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law.

Henry David Thoreau

Nature You Government Legal Agent Another Break Injustice Law Machine Requires Say Then

There is no more fatal blunderer than he who consumes the greater part of his life getting his living.

Henry David Thoreau

Life Getting Who More Consumes Fatal Greater He His Living Part Than

It is what a man thinks of himself that really determines his fate.

Henry David Thoreau

Man Fate Himself Really Determines His Thinks

There are moments when all anxiety and stated toil are becalmed in the infinite leisure and repose of nature.

Henry David Thoreau

Nature Anxiety Leisure Moments Infinite Repose Stated Toil

What is the use of a house if you haven't got a tolerable planet to put it on?

Henry David Thoreau

You Space House Planet Got Put Tolerable Use

The squirrel that you kill in jest, dies in earnest.

Henry David Thoreau

You Squirrel Dies Earnest Jest

If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.

Henry David Thoreau

Work You Your Lost Air Built Castles Foundations Need Now Put Should Them Where

Goodness is the only investment that never fails.

Henry David Thoreau

Good Never Only Goodness Investment Fails

A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone.

Henry David Thoreau

Alone Man Rich Things Afford He Number Proportion

How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.

Henry David Thoreau

You Live Down Sit How Stood Up Vain Write

Any fool can make a rule, and any fool will mind it.

Henry David Thoreau

Fool Mind Will Make Rule Any

The greatest compliment that was ever paid me was when one asked me what I thought, and attended to my answer.

Henry David Thoreau

Me Compliment Answer Greatest Asked Attended Ever Paid Thought

Live your beliefs and you can turn the world around.

Henry David Thoreau

Inspirational You World Your Live Around Beliefs Turn

Truths and roses have thorns about them.

Henry David Thoreau

Roses Thorns About Them Truths

I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.

Henry David Thoreau

I Am Grateful Thanksgiving Perpetual Am

This world is but a canvas to our imagination.

Henry David Thoreau

Art World Imagination Canvas Our

Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new.

Henry David Thoreau

New Generation Old Every Fashions Follows Laughs

There is no value in life except what you choose to place upon it and no happiness in any place except what you bring to it yourself.

Henry David Thoreau

Life Happiness You Yourself Any Bring Choose Except Place Value

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.

Henry David Thoreau

Wisdom You Look See Matters

The smallest seed of faith is better than the largest fruit of happiness.

Henry David Thoreau

Happiness Faith Fruit Better Largest Seed Smallest Than

You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.

Henry David Thoreau

You Yourself Moment Your Live Each Eternity Every Find Launch Must Present Wave

Be not simply good - be good for something.

Henry David Thoreau

Good Something Simply

There is no remedy for love but to love more.

Henry David Thoreau

Love More Remedy To Love

Nothing goes by luck in composition. It allows of no tricks. The best you can write will be the best you are.

Henry David Thoreau

Best You Will Luck Composition Goes Nothing Tricks Write

I say, beware of all enterprises that require new clothes, and not rather a new wearer of clothes.

Henry David Thoreau

Clothes New Say Beware Enterprises New Clothes Rather Require

The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready.

Henry David Thoreau

Alone Today Man Wait Another Goes He Must Other Ready Start Till Travels Who

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

Henry David Thoreau

Disappointment Will Enough Find Compensation Every Quiet Ready Shall

None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.

Henry David Thoreau

Age Who Old Enthusiasm Those None Outlived

I think that there is nothing, not even crime, more opposed to poetry, to philosophy, ay, to life itself than this incessant business.

Henry David Thoreau

Life Business Poetry Think Crime Even Incessant Itself More Nothing Opposed Philosophy Than I Think

Only that day dawns to which we are awake.

Henry David Thoreau

Day Only Awake Which

Things do not change; we change.

Henry David Thoreau

Change Things

It is an interesting question how far men would retain their relative rank if they were divested of their clothes.

Henry David Thoreau

Men Clothes Question Interesting Far How How Far Rank Relative Retain Were Would

Thank God men cannot fly, and lay waste the sky as well as the earth.

Henry David Thoreau

Sky God Fly Environmental Cannot Earth Lay Men Thank Thank God Waste Well

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

Henry David Thoreau

Nature You Man Environmental Deep Appears Both Cannot Law Sympathy

Not only must we be good, but we must also be good for something.

Henry David Thoreau

Good Only Must Something Also

Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life so.

Henry David Thoreau

Life You Yourself May Cheat Moral Much Out Too

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation.

Henry David Thoreau

Men Quiet Resignation Lead Confirmed Desperation Lives Mass

The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.

Henry David Thoreau

Life You Anything Price Exchange Amount

Shall I not have intelligence with the earth? Am I not partly leaves and vegetable mould myself.

Henry David Thoreau

Myself Intelligence Earth Shall Am Leaves Mould Partly Vegetable

The bluebird carries the sky on his back.

Henry David Thoreau

Nature Sky Back His Bluebird Carries

Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.

Henry David Thoreau

Fish Men Sports Go Fishing After Knowing Lives Many Without

Henry David Thoreau Quotes

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