Bokelskere.no

To read well, that is, to read true books in a true spirit, is a noble exercise, and one that will task the reader more than any exercise which the customs of the day esteem.

For what are the classics but the noblest recorded thoughts of man?

It is worth the expense of youthful days and costly hours, if you learn only some words of an ancient language, [...].

Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it; but while I drink I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is. Its thin current slides away, but eternity remains.

For my part, I could easily do without the post-office. I think that there are very few important communications made through it. To speak critically, I never received more than one or two letters in my life - I wrote this some years ago - that were worth the postage.

I went into the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

Every morning was a cheerful invitation to make my life of equal simplicity, and I may say innocence, with Nature itself. I have been as sincere a worshipper of Aurora as the Greeks. I got up early and bathed in the pond; that was a religious exercise, and one of the best things which I did. [...] Morning brings back the heroic ages. [...] The morning, which is the most memorable season of the day, is the awakening hour. [...] Morning is when I am awake and there is a dawn in me. [...] To be awake is to be alive. I have never yet met a man who was quite awake. How could I have looked him in the face?

Snart skulle vore frie Stater yngle
om Strandene et frie Staters Forbund;

Nogle blandt Folkene

Hvad? Vel! Levvel du vore Fædres Vugge,
du Jord, som avled' os - ak nu vor Stedmo'er!
Vi, trætte af at trælle uden Løn,
Vi, kjede af at svede og at bløde
for nogle Faae af vore Brødres Lyst,
[...]

O Menneskehed,
knæl da, Broder ved Broder, ned!
bryd da, Læbe med Læbe, ud:
'Himlen meer ei deles efter
Altrenes Qvadrater; Jorden kløves
ei og eøves meer ei af Tyranners Sceptre.
Blodige Kroner, Bøddelstaal,
TRældomsfakler og Offerbaal
glimte meer over Jorden:
gjennem Præstemulm, gjennem Konetorden
FRihedens Morgenrøde,
Sandheds lyse Dag
straaler under Himlen, nu eet Tempeltag;
daler ned paa Jorden,
nu eet Altar vorden
for Brødrekjærlighed.
Jordens Aander gløde
i friske Hjerter nu:
Frihed er Aanders Hjerte, Sandhed Aanders Hu!
Jordens Aander alle ned i Støvet falde
den Evige paakalde:
hver sin Thronehimmel i sin egen Pande har,
hver i eget Hjerte har Alter og Offerkar:
Drot er Hver for Jorden, Præst er Hver for Gud!

Vee - Konger og Præster isammensvorne!
Frihed og Sandhed forlorne!

Saa malte Manden da paa Templets Vægge
Calenderen; og af den malte Tanke "Gud"
fremkom, som Slangen der af liden Klump
udskyder endeløse Ringe, atter
en Viisdomslære, gjemt i Hieroglypher,
om Sundhed, Velfærd og om Frihed,
[...].

Men, Frihed og Sandhed - Aandens Ejemærke,
i Menneskehedens Barndomsirren henlagt,
bortkasted ei, thi den kan ikke tabes,
om Jorden svam i Blod, og Skyen var
ei Blomsterduft, men blodig Offerrøg,
om over hver en Hytte stod en graadig
Tyran, om Solens Lys blev fanget ene
af mørke, slugne Offerpræsters Kaaber, -
[...]

Messias

I lange Rækker af Kroner Jorden er lænket vorden.
Og Hjerterne til vilde Offerflammer nu flamme sammen!
Gjennem Offerhymner gjennem Sejerssange
hyler Offernes, Slavernes Jammer.
Vee, Tyranniet har sin Arm opreist
i Kongen, sit Hoved i en Offerpræst!
I Troldomsstave, i Kronens Ender
sine lange Fingre: i Blod de brænde!

En esta sociedad el Estado es parte inseparable de la máquina de explotación y de exterminio. Los indígenas no deben esperar nada de semejantes instituciones. Si quieren ser libres tienen que conquistar su libertad con sus brazos y su coraje.

Every morning was a cheerful invitation to make my life of equal simplicity, and I may say innocence, with Nature herself.