[ Thoreau / Walden ]
Late in the first section of this work, "Economy," we find Walden's only reference to Newfoundlands:
A man is not a good man to me because he will feed me if I should be starving, or warm me if I should be freezing, or pull me out of a ditch if I should ever fall into one. I can find you a Newfoundland dog that will do as much. Philanthropy is not love for one's fellow-man in the broadest sense.