 Henry David Thoreau, the American transcendentalist poet, philosopher, abolitionist, and naturalist, was born on this day in 1817. A deep believer in the demands of conscience over the demands of the state, Thoreau's refusal to pay a tax led him to write the essay, Civil Disobedience, in which he states that government is at best but inexpedient. But most governments are usually, and all governments are sometimes, inexpedient. Happy Birthday Henry David Thoreau!