I find it wholesome to be alone the greater part of the time. To be in company, even with the best, is soon wearisome and dissipating. I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude. We are for the most part more lonely when we go abroad among men than when we stay in our chambers. A man thinking or working is always alone, let him be where he will. Solitude is not measured by the miles of space that intervene between a man and his fellows.

Summary

This quote by Henry David Thoreau expresses the idea that being alone is often preferable to being in the company of others. Thoreau finds solace and fulfillment in solitude, suggesting that he never found a companion as comforting as being alone. He believes that even when surrounded by people, one can still feel lonely, but through independent thought and work, a person is always in a state of solitude. Thoreau emphasizes that solitude is not defined by physical distance but rather by the state of mind, highlighting the intrinsic value of being alone for personal growth and reflection.

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