If you have ever been in awe of the beauty of nature, you are far from alone. It has provided innumerable sources of inspiration for some of history’s greatest storytellers and philosophers, who have used its transcendental beauty to craft their messages and help us make sense of the world around us. To reconnect you with the natural world, here are just a few of nature’s most captivating quotes, arranged by theme.
Quotes About Nature’s Uniqueness
Nature is a mysterious and beautiful thing. Its idiosyncrasies and intricacies are a continuous source of delight to many.
“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper,” wrote W. B. Yeats.
“Nature never hurries,” said Ralph Waldo Emerson. “Yet everything is accomplished.”
“Look deep into nature,” proposed Albert Einstein, “and then you will understand everything better.”
Socrates claimed that “the wonders of nature reveal to us the limits of wisdom; the boundaries of understanding.”
Quotes to Teach Respect for Nature
The beauty of nature should not just be admired, but respected and cared for like you would protect any other precious resource.
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children,” Chief Seattle once said.
John Muir, who is often referred to as the “Father of the National Parks,” stated that “In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”
Rachel Carson, who is responsible for awakening the general public to the dangers of environmental pollution, declared “The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.”
Quotes About Nature’s Power
Nature is far more powerful than we can imagine.
“Nature can do more than physicians,” observed Francis Bacon.
Chief Seattle believed that “all things in the universe are connected… whatever befalls the earth, befalls the children of the earth.”
“The dream is real,” said Ralph Waldo Emerson. “My world is not a fantasy.”
As Henry David Thoreau said, “In wildness is the preservation of the world.”
Quotes Acknowledging Nature’s Strength
It can be humbling and informative to put aside worries about the future and the accomplishments of the past, to simply stop and admire the strength found in nature.
“Gardens and the sea perform the same office of contemplating the inscrutable,” John Muir remarked.
“Nature can always surprise us,” said Aristotle, “for she never betrays her secret.”
“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness,” wrote John Muir.
“Nature always wears the colors of the spirit,” wrote Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Quotes of Inspiration
Finally, some quotes of inspiration to remind us of the need to preserve the spectacular natural world:
“In joy or sadness, flowers are our constant friends,” wrote Okakura Kakuzō.
“Nature holds the key to our aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive and even spiritual satisfaction,” declared Edward O. Wilson.
W.H. Auden believed that “Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.”
“Lighting up the world with beauty,” suggested Victor Hugo, “is a woman’s’ mission.
