None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.
Henry David ThoreauRead
Instead of water we got here a draught of beer, a lumberer's drink, which would acclimate and naturalize a man at once,-which would make him see green, and, if he slept, dream that he heard the wind sough among the pines.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the deep connection between nature and human experience, suggesting that natural elements can profoundly influence our perception and dreams.
Thoreau's quote encapsulates the essence of nature's ability to transform our understanding and experiences. By comparing water with beer, he implies that nature offers a more profound nourishment for our souls, one that aligns us with our surroundings. The imagery of green landscapes and the sound of wind through the trees evokes a sense of serenity and connection to the earth, highlighting how the natural world can enrich our lives and alter our subconscious thoughts.
Themes
NatureExperienceBeerDreamsPerception
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared at a nature retreat to emphasize the importance of connection with the environment.
More from Henry David Thoreau
All quotes →Through want of enterprise and faith men are where they are, buying and selling and spending their lives like servants.
Henry David ThoreauRead
An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.
Henry David ThoreauRead
Have no mean hours, but be grateful for every hour, and accept what it brings. The reality will make any sincere record respectable.
Henry David ThoreauRead
As every season seems best to us in its turn, so the coming in of spring is like the creation of Cosmos out of Chaos and the realization of the Golden Age.
Henry David ThoreauRead
That grand old poem called Winter
Henry David ThoreauRead
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And where she went, the flowers took thickest root, As she had sow'd them with her odorous foot.
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Back and forth she went each morning by the river, spring arriving once again; foolish, foolish spring, breaking open its tiny buds, and what she couldn’t stand was how—for many years, really—she had been made happy by such a thing. She had not thought she would ever become immune to the beauty of the physical world, but there you were. The river sparkled with the sun that rose, enough that she needed her sunglasses.
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Do you love this world? Do you cherish your humble and silky life? Do you adore the green grass, with its terror beneath? Do you also hurry, half-dressed and barefoot, into the garden, and softly, and exclaiming of their dearness, fill your arms with the white and pink flowers, with their honeyed heaviness, their lush trembling, their eagerness to be wild and perfect for a moment, before they are nothing, forever?
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