What right have I to grieve, who have not ceased to wonder?

In 1848, Thoreau went to jail for refusing, as a protest against the Mexican war, to pay his poll tax. When RW Emerson came to bail him out, Emerson said, 'Henry, what are you doing in there?' Thoreau quietly replied, 'Ralph, what are you doing out there?'

There is no ill which may not be dissipated, like the dark, if you let in a stronger light upon it.

Nature refuses to sympathize with our sorrow. She seems not to have provided for, but by a thousand contrivances against it.

The only fruit which even much living yields seems to be often only some trivial success,--the ability to do some slight thing better. We make conquest only of husks and shells for the most part,--at least apparently,--but sometimes these are cinnamon and spices, you know.

To be right is more honorable than to be law abiding.

Between whom there is hearty truth there is love.