Two mismatched floral porcelain cups sharing a shallow saucer

Original artwork, not a still

Essay on "Love" in letter, September 1852, to Harrison Blake

Henry David Thoreau

There is more of good nature than of good sense at the bottom of most marriages.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The quotation gives kindness more credit than clear judgment in explaining marriage. It suggests that being good-natured matters more than making a sensible calculation. The contrast offers a gently skeptical view of how people form such a close bond.

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