Who said “For eighteen hundred years, though perchance I have no right to say it, the New…”?

Verified

Henry David Thoreau. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceCivil Disobedience (1849)

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“For eighteen hundred years, though perchance I have no right to say it, the New Testament has been written; yet where is the legislator who has wisdom and practical talent enough to avail himself of the light which it sheds on the science of legislation?”
— Henry David Thoreau
VerifiedCivil Disobedience (1849) · evidenceBible

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Civil Disobedience (1849).

APA

Thoreau, H. D. (n.d.). For eighteen hundred years, though perchance I have no right to say it, the New Testament has been written; yet where is the legislator who has wisdom and practical talent enough to avail himself of the light which it sheds on the science of legislation? [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/8041-for-eighteen-hundred-years-though-perchance-i-have/

MLA

Thoreau, Henry David. “For eighteen hundred years, though perchance I have no right to say it, the New Testament has been written; yet where is the legislator who has wisdom and practical talent enough to avail himself of the light which it sheds on the science of legislation?” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/8041-for-eighteen-hundred-years-though-perchance-i-have/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Thoreau, Henry David. “For eighteen hundred years, though perchance I have no right to say it, the New Testament has been written; yet where is the legislator who has wisdom and practical talent enough to avail himself of the light which it sheds on the science of legislation?” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/8041-for-eighteen-hundred-years-though-perchance-i-have/.

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