Quote by Henry David Thoreau
Thus the great civilizer sends out its emissaries, sooner or later, to every sandy cape and light-house of the New World which the census-taker visits, and summons the savage there to surrender.
Summary
This quote suggests that civilization, represented by the census-taker, will eventually reach even the most remote and untouched places in the New World. The "great civilizer" symbolizes the spread of progress and modernity, while the "emissaries" stand for the individuals who bring these advances to isolated regions. The phrase "sandy cape and lighthouse" refers to the diverse locations they visit. The quote implies that this process will ultimately lead to the assimilation and relinquishment of traditional ways of life by the indigenous populations, symbolized by the term "savage surrender."
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