[PW] ? "go to the grave with the song still in them"

[Cramer, Jeff]

Thoreau is often misquoted. I have recently been challenged by this line
which has several variants: “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation, and
go the grave with the song still in them.” The first half is obviously by
Thoreau (from Walden) BUT the second half which is appended to the Thoreau
quotation is not. Does anyone know of a possible source for the second half:
“go to the grave with the song still in them” or something similar? Any
help would be greatly appreciated. Best, Jeff

 

Jeffrey S. Cramer, Curator of Collections 
The Thoreau Institute at Walden Woods 
44 Baker Farm, Lincoln, MA 01773-3004 
Telephone/Fax: (781) 259-4730
E-mail:  <mailto:Jeff.Cramer at walden.org> Jeff.Cramer at walden.org
Website:  <http://www.walden.org/Institute> www.walden.org/Institute

"I have sometimes imagined a library, i.e. a collection of the works of true
poets, philosophers, naturalists, etc., deposited not in a brick and marble
edifice in a crowded and dusty city. . . but rather far away in the depths
of the primitive forest. . ."
 -- Henry D. Thoreau, 3 February 1852

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