I could lecture on dry oak leaves; I could, but who would hear me? If I were to try it on any large audience, I fear it would be no gain to them, and a positive loss to me. I should have behaved rudely toward my rustling friends.

Let us not underrate the value of a fact; it will one day flower into a truth.

Some interests have got a footing on the earth which we have not made sufficient allowance for.

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately.

Our molting season, like that of the fouls, must be a crisis in our lives.

You must love the crust of the earth on which you dwell more than the sweet crust of any bread or cake. You must be able to extract nutriment out of a sand-heap. You must have so good an appetite as this, else you will live in vain

A man may grow rich in Turkey even, if he will be in all respects a good subject of the Turkish government.