John Burroughs

John Burroughs

22 quotes

John Burroughs is an American naturalist and essayist whose words have traveled far beyond their original audience. With equal ease, John Burroughs moved between Work and Science, finding connections others missed. Browse 28 quotes by John Burroughs that cover ground from Work, Science, Religion, Nature, and Motivational. Perhaps their most recognizable line: "Travel and society polish one, but a rolling stone gathers no moss, and a little moss is a good thing on a man."

“A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.”

— John Burroughs

Failure

All Quotes by John Burroughs

“Blessed is the man who has some congenial work, some occupation in which he can put his heart, and which affords a complete outlet to all the forces there are in him.”

— John Burroughs

Work

“The smallest deed is better than the greatest intention.”

— John Burroughs

Wisdom

“The secret of happiness is something to do.”

— John Burroughs

Happiness

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

— John Burroughs

Great

“Leap, and the net will appear.”

— John Burroughs

Motivational

“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.”

— John Burroughs

Life

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

— John Burroughs

Religion

“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.”

— John Burroughs

Happiness

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

— John Burroughs

Religion

“If you think you can do it, you can.”

— John Burroughs

Motivational

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

— John Burroughs

Failure

“To me - old age is always ten years older than I am.”

— John Burroughs

Age

“Science has done more for the development of western civilization in one hundred years than Christianity did in eighteen hundred years.”

— John Burroughs

Science

“Some scenes you juggle two balls, some scenes you juggle three balls, some scenes you can juggle five balls. The key is always to speak in your own voice. Speak the truth. That's Acting 101. Then you start putting layers on top of that.”

— John Burroughs

Truth

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

— John Burroughs

Imagination

“I seldom go into a natural history museum without feeling as if I were attending a funeral.”

— John Burroughs

History

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

— John Burroughs

Society

“If we take science as our sole guide, if we accept and hold fast that alone which is verifiable, the old theology must go.”

— John Burroughs

Alone

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

— John Burroughs

Nature

“A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else.”

— John Burroughs

Failure