The mass of men serve the state thus, not as men mainly, but as machines, with their bodies. They are the standing army, and the militia, jailors, constables, posse comitatus, etc. In most cases there is no free exercise whatever of the judgment or of the moral sense; but they put themselves on a level […]
Henry David Thoreau Quotes
City Life. Millions of people being lonesome together.
Children, who play life, discern its true law and relations more clearly than men, who fail to live it worthily, but who think that they are wiser by experience, that is, by failure.
I suspect that the child plucks its first flower with an insight into its beauty and significance which the subsequent botanist never retains.
The generative energy, which, when we are loose, dissipates and makes us unclean, when we are continent invigorates and inspires us. Chastity is the flowering of man; and what are called Genius, Heroism, Holiness, and the like, are but various fruits which succeed it. Man flows at once to God when the channel of purity […]
If you give money, spend yourself with it.
Philanthropy is almost the only virtue which is sufficiently appreciated by mankind. Nay, it is greatly overrated; and it is our selfishness which overrates it.
How can we ever a harvest of thought who have not had a seed time of character?
Things do not change: we change.
All change is a miracle to contemplate; but it is a miracle which is taking place every instant.
