The question of whether it's God's green earth is not at center stage, except in the sense that if so, one is reminded with some regularity that He may be dying.

City people try to buy time as a rule, when they can, whereas country people are prepared to kill time, although both try to cherish in their mind's eye the notion of a better life ahead.

If human nature eventually is going to take the place of nature everywhere, those of us who have been naturalists will have to transpose the faith in nature which is inherent in the profession to a faith in man-if necessary, man alone in the world.

True solitude is a din of birdsong, seething leaves, whirling colors, or a clamor of tracks in the snow.

Men often compete with one another until the day they die. Comradeship consists of rubbing shoulders jocularly with a competitor.

Men greet each other with a sock on the arm, women with a hug, and the hug wears better in the long run.

Sophistication" is another word for that inventive mix of tolerance, resilience, and resourcefulness city people develop.