No: until I want the protection of Massachusetts to be extended to me in some distant Southern port, where my liberty is endangered, or until I am bent solely on building up an estate at home by peaceful enterprise, I can afford to refuse allegiance to Massachusetts, and her right to my property and life. It costs me less in every sense to incur the penalty of disobedience to the State than it would to obey. I should feel as if I were worth less in that case.

It appears to be a law that you cannot have a deep sympathy with both man and nature.

Much of our poetry has the very best manners, but no character.

A township where one primitive forest waves above while another primitive forest rots below,--such a town is fitted to raise not only corn and potatoes, but poets and philosophers for the coming ages. In such a soil grew Homer and Confucius and the rest, and out of such a wilderness comes the Reformer eating locusts and wild honey.

It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know.

Gardening is civil and social, but it wants the vigor and freedom of the forest and the outlaw.

Birds never sing in caves.