The man who takes the liberty to live is superior to all the laws, by virtue of his relation to the law-maker.
 Henry David Thoreau, Walking (1851). copy citation

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Author Henry David Thoreau
Source Walking
Topic virtue liberty
Date 1851
Language English
Reference
Note
Weblink http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1022/1022-h/1022-h.htm

Context

“It is an unfortunate discovery certainly, that of a law which binds us where we did not know before that we were bound. Live free, child of the mist—and with respect to knowledge we are all children of the mist. The man who takes the liberty to live is superior to all the laws, by virtue of his relation to the law-maker. “That is active duty,” says the Vishnu Purana, “which is not for our bondage; that is knowledge which is for our liberation: all other duty is good only unto weariness; all other knowledge is only the cleverness of an artist.”” source