black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

There are no sermons in stones. It is easier to get a spark out of a stone than a moral.

John Burroughs

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.
JOHN BURROUGHS

End Eternal Find Meditate More Mystery Nature Near Origin Out Way World Yet
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

Anger Beast Dog Door Known Often Probably Quick Resent Show Slam
Nature furnishes the conditions – the solitude – and the soul furnishes the entertainment.
JOHN BURROUGHS

Condition Entertainment Furnish Nature Solitude Soul
Fear, love, and hunger were the agents that developed the wits of the lower animals, as they were, of course, the prime factors in developing the intelligence of man.
JOHN BURROUGHS

Agent Animal Course Develop Fear Hunger Intelligence Love Lower Man
We are really here to be happy and to make others happy.
JOHN BURROUGHS

Happy Make Other Really
Man has climbed up from some lower animal form, but he has, as it were, pulled the ladder up after him.
JOHN BURROUGHS

After Climb Form Ladder Lower Man Pull Some
There is something very human in this apparent mirth and mockery of the squirrels. It seems to be a sort of ironical laughter, and implies self-conscious pride and exultation in the laughter.
JOHN BURROUGHS

Apparent Conscious Execution Human Ironical Laugh Pride Self Something Sort Squirrels
To learn something new, take the path that you took yesterday.
JOHN BURROUGHS

Learn New Path Something Took Yesterday
Secluded waters of some pool or lakelet, are the crown and summit of the floral expeditions of summer.
JOHN BURROUGHS

Crown Expedition Floral Lakelet Pool Secluded Some Summer Summit Water
You are always nearer the divine and the true sources of your power than you think.
JOHN BURROUGHS

Always Divine Near Power Source Think True
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.
JOHN BURROUGHS

Flower Less More Name Still Strange Without
The geologist is pretty sure to be an evolutionist.
JOHN BURROUGHS

Exolutionist Geologist Pretty Sure
We talk of communing with Nature, but ’tis with ourselves we commune.
JOHN BURROUGHS

Communing Nature Ourselves Talk We
We now use the word ‘nature’ very much as our fathers used the word ‘God.’
JOHN BURROUGHS

Father God Must Nature Now Our Use Word
I am sure I was an evolutionist in the abstract, or by the quality and complexion of my mind, before I read Darwin, but to become an evolutionist in the concrete, and accept the doctrine of the animal origin of man, has not for me been an easy matter.
JOHN BURROUGHS

Abstract Comoextion Concrete Doctrine Each Man Matter Origin People Quality Revolution Sure
England is not a country of granite and marble, but of chalk, marl, and clay.
JOHN BURROUGHS

Chalk Clay Country Granite Marble Marl

There are no sermons in stones. It is easier to get a spark out of a stone than a moral.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

There are no sermons in stones. It is easier to get a spark out of a stone than a moral.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More John Burroughs Quotes