Henry David Thoreau, (1817-1862) American naturalist, poet and philosopher. Quotes

Misfortunes occur only when a man is false.... Events, circumstances, etc., have their origin in ourselves. They spring from seeds which we have sown.

Shall a man go and hang himself because he belongs to the race of pygmies, and not be the biggest pygmy that he can?

If we knew all the laws of Nature, we should need only one fact or the description of one actual phenomenon to infer all the particular results at that point. Now we know only a few laws, and our result is vitiated, not, of course, by any confusion or irregularity in Nature, but by our ignorance of essential elements in the calculation. Our notions of law and harmony are commonly confined to those instances which we detect, but the harmony which results from a far greater number of seemingly conflicting, but really concurring, laws which we have not detected, is still more wonderful. The particular laws are as our points of view, as to the traveler, a mountain outline varies with every step, and it has an infinite number of profiles, though absolutely but one form. Even when cleft or bored through, it is not comprehended in its entireness.

If a thousand men were not to pay their tax bills this year, that would not be a violent and bloody measure, as it would be to pay them, and enable the State to commit violence and shed innocent blood. This is, in fact, the definition of a peaceable revolution.

To affect the quality of the day that is the highest use of the arts.

He is blessed over all mortals who loses no moment of the passing life.

The oldest, wisest politician grows not more human so, but is merely a gray wharf rat at last.

We make ourselves rich by making our wants few.

One is not born into the world to do everything but to do something.

He is the best sailor who can steer within fewest points of the wind and exact a motive power out of the greatest obstacles.