We can never have enough of nature. We must be refreshed by the sight of inexhaustible vigor, vast and titanic features, the sea-coast with its wrecks, the wilderness with its living and its decaying trees, the thunder-cloud, and the rain.

Since most of us spend our lives doing ordinary tasks, the most important thing is to carry them out extraordinarily well.

From exertion come wisdom and purity; from sloth ignorance and sensuality.

I have no doubt that it is part of the destiny of the human race in its gradual improvement, to leave off eating animals.

There is a certain perfection in accident which we never consciously attain.

Nature seemed to have adorned herself for our departure with a profusion of fringes and curls, mingled with the bright tints of flowers, reflected in the water. But we missed the white water-lily, which is the queen of river flowers, its reign being over for this season.... Many of this species inhabit our Concord water.

Let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine.