"Most of the stone a nation hammers..." - Quote by Henry David Thoreau
Most of the stone a nation hammers goes toward its tomb only. It buries itself alive.
More by Henry David Thoreau
“The necessity of labor and conversation with many men and things to the scholar is rarely well remembered.”
“Let a slight snow come and cover the earth, and the tracks of men will show how little the woods and fields are frequented.”
“There is a sort of homely truth and naturalness in some books which is very rare to find, and yet looks cheap enough. There may benothing lofty in the sentiment, or fine in the expression, but it is careless country talk. Homeliness is almost as great a merit in a book as in a house, if the reader would abide there. It is next to beauty, and a very high art. Some have this merit only.”
More on Society
“In my afternoon walk I would fain forget all my morning occupations and my obligations to society.”
“Excessive (population) growth may reduce output per worker, repress levels of living for the masses and engender strife”
“Come, fix upon me that accusing eye.I thirst for accusation. All that was sung.All that was said in Ireland is a lieBreed out of the contagion of the throng,Saving the rhyme rats hear before they die.”