Famous quotes containing the words civilized and/or nations:
“That swamp of impropriety ... in ... which two civilized beings will behave like cannibals.”
—Thomas Mann (1875–1955)
“In short, I am convinced, both by faith and experience, that to maintain one’s self on this earth is not a hardship but a pastime, if we will live simply and wisely; as the pursuits of the simpler nations are still the sports of the more artificial. It is not necessary that a man should earn his living by the sweat of his brow, unless he sweats easier than I do.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)