The holiest son of God

I believe that what so saddens the reformer is not his sympathy with his fellows in distress, but, though he be the holiest son of God, is his private ail. Let this be righted, let the spring come to him, the morning rise over his couch, and he will forsake his generous companions without apology. My excuse for not lecturing against the use of tobacco is, that I never chewed it, that is a penalty which reformed tobacco-chewers have to pay; though there are things enough I have chewed which I could lecture against. If you should ever be betrayed into any of these philanthropies, do not let your left hand know what your right hand does, for it is not worth knowing. Rescue the drowning and tie your shoestrings. Take your time, and set about some free labor.

梭羅臨終前他的姨媽來看望他，她說：「亨利，你同上帝講和了嗎？」梭羅睜開眼說：「我好像從來也沒有和他吵過嘴呀。我從沒和他爭吵過。」

他的姨媽大概從來沒有好好看過梭羅寫的東西。梭羅爭吵的對象不是上帝，是上帝的兒子。