John Burroughs Quotes

Travel and society polish one, but a rolling stone gathers no moss, and a little moss is a good thing on a man.

When a herd of cattle see a strange object, they are not satisfied till each one has sniffed it; and the horse is cured of his fright at the robe, or the meal-bag, or other object, as soon as he can be induced to smell it. There is a great deal of speculation in the eye of an animal, but very little science.

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to ha... -John Burroughs

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.

Without the emotion of the beautiful, the sublime, the mysterious, there is no art, no religion, no literature.

A sap run is the sweet goodbye of winter. It is the fruit of the equal marriage of the sun and frost.

Nature teaches more than she preaches. There are no sermons in stones. It is easier to get a spark out of a stone than a moral.

A somebody was once a nobody who wanted to and did.

To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter... to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring - these are some of the rewards of the simple life.

The secret of happiness is something to do.

To treat your facts with imagination is one thing,... -John Burroughs

To treat your facts with imagination is one thing, to imagine your facts is another.

If you think you can do it, you can.

I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see.

The common bees will never use their sting upon the queen; if she is to be disposed of, they starve her to death, and the queen herself will sting nothing but royalty, nothing but a rival queen.

Joy in the universe, and keen curiosity about it a... -John Burroughs

Joy in the universe, and keen curiosity about it all - that has been my religion.

Leap, and the net will appear.

Discovering the context

This quote encourages taking bold and courageous actions even in uncertain situations. It suggests that by taking risks and stepping out of one's comfort zone, the necessary support or solutions will present themselves.

Women are about the best lovers of nature, after all; at least of nature in her milder and more familiar forms. The feminine character, the feminine perceptions, intuitions, delicacy, sympathy, quickness, are more responsive to natural forms and influences than is the masculine mind.

Without the name, any flower is still more or less a stranger to you. The name betrays its family, its relationship to other flowers, and gives the mind something tangible to grasp. It is very difficult for persons who have had no special training to learn the names of the flowers from the botany.

We talk of communing with Nature, but 'tis with ourselves we commune... Nature furnishes the conditions - the solitude - and the soul furnishes the entertainment.

A man can get discouraged many times but he is not a failure until he begins to blame somebody else and stops trying.

The spirit of man can endure only so much and when... -John Burroughs

The spirit of man can endure only so much and when it is broken only a miracle can mend it.

Man takes root at his feet, and at best, he is no more than a potted plant in his house or carriage till he has established communication with the soil by the loving and magnetic touch of his soles to it.

I have discovered the secret of happiness. It is w... -John Burroughs

I have discovered the secret of happiness. It is work.

He who marvels at the beauty of the world in summer will find equal cause for wonder and admiration in winter.

It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it.

The Kingdom of Heaven is not a place, but a state ... -John Burroughs

The Kingdom of Heaven is not a place, but a state of mind.

I have discovered the secret of happiness - it is work, either with the hands or the head. The moment I have something to do, the draughts are open and my chimney draws, and I am happy.

For anything worth having one must pay the price; and the price is always work, patience, love, self-sacrifice - no paper currency, no promises to pay, but the gold of real service.

As life nears its end with me, I find myself meditating more and more upon the mystery of its nature and origin, yet without the least hope that I can find out the ways of the Eternal in this or in any other world.

The lure of the distant and the difficult is decep... -John Burroughs

The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive. The great opportunity is where you are.

The dog is often quick to resent a kick, be it from man or beast, but I have never known him to show anger at the door that slammed to and hit him. Probably, if the door held him by his tail or his limb, it would quickly receive the imprint of his teeth.

John Burroughs Quotes

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