The mass never comes up to the standard of its best member, but on the contrary degrades itself to a level with the lowest.
Source: Journals, 1906, entry for 14 Mar 1838.
-- Henry David Thoreau, (Jul 12 1817-1862), US essayist, poet, naturalist; He is best known for his description of life at Walden Pond, Walden, 1854 and his essay Civil Disobedience, 1849.