“Night and Moonlight” is an 1863 essay by American essayist Henry David Thoreau that explores the moon and its place in literary tradition. Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) was an American poet, philosopher, and essayist most famous for his book “Walden” and his essay "Civil Disobedience", which advocated disobedience against unjust governments and influenced such notable figures as Mahatma Gandhi, Leo Tolstoy, and Martin Luther King Jr. His corpus included more than 20 volumes of poetry, essays, journals, articles and books covering a range of subjects from natural history to philosophy and beyond. A fascinating essay by a seminal writer not to be missed by those with an interest in literature and related subjects. Other notable works by this author include: “A Walk to Wachusett” (1842), “Paradise (to be) Regained” (1843), and “The Landlord” (1843). Read & Co. Great Essays is publishing this classic essay now complete with a biographical sketch of the author by Ralph Waldo Emerson.