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Herman Melville Quotes - Page 18

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There are some persons in this world, who, unable to give better proof of being wise, take a strange delight in showing what they think they have sagaciously read in mankind by uncharitable suspicions of them.

There are some persons in this world, who, unable to give better proof of being wise, take a strange delight in showing what they think they have sagaciously read in mankind by uncharitable suspicions of them.

Herman Melville
Wise, Thinking, Giving
Herman Melville (2016). “The Confidence-Man”, p.31, Open Road Media

Boy, take my advice, and never try to invent any thing but--happiness.

Herman Melville
Happiness, Boys, Advice
Herman Melville, Harrison Hayford, G. Thomas Tanselle (1987). “Piazza Tales and Other Prose Pieces, 1839-1860: Volume Nine, Scholarly Edition”, p.260, Northwestern University Press

In placid hours well-pleased we dream Of many a brave unbodied scheme. But form to lend, pulsed life create, What unlike things must meet and mate: A flame to melt--a wind to freeze; Sad patience--joyous energies; Humility--yet pride and scorn; Instinct and study; love and hate; Audacity--reverence. These must mate, And fuse with Jacob's mystic heart, To wrestle with the angel--Art.

Herman Melville
Dream, Art, Hate
Herman Melville, Robert C. Ryan, Hershel Parker (2009). “Published Poems: The Writings of Herman Melville”, p.280, Northwestern University Press

People seem to have a great love for names. For to know a great many names seems to look like knowing a good many things.

Herman Melville
Knowledge, Names, Knowing
Herman Melville (1850). “Redburn: His First Voyage. Being the Sailor-boy Confessions and Reminiscences of the Son-of-a-gentleman, in the Merchant Service”, p.89

The reason the mass of men fear God, and at bottom dislike Him, is because they rather distrust His heart, and fancy Him all brain like a watch. (You perceive I employ a capital initial in the pronoun referring to the Deity; don't you think there is a slight dash of flunkeyism in that usage?).

Herman Melville
Heart, Men, Thinking
Herman Melville (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Herman Melville (Illustrated)”, p.4894, Delphi Classics

For my part I love sleepy fellows, and the more ignorant the better. Damn your wide-awake and knowing chaps. As for sleepiness, itis one of the noblest qualities of humanity. There is something sociable about it, too. Think of those sensible & sociable millions of good fellows all taking a good long friendly snooze together, under the sod--no quarrels, no imaginary grievances, no envies, heart-burnings, & thinking how much better that other chap is off--none of this: but all equally free-&-easy, they sleep away & reel off their nine knots an hour, in perfect amity.

Herman Melville
Death, Heart, Sleep

Those peculiar social sensibilities nourished by our own peculiar political principles, while they enhance the true dignity of a prosperous American, do but minister to the added wretchedness of the unfortunate; first, by prohibiting their acceptance of what little random relief charity may offer; and, second, by furnishing them with the keenest appreciation of the smarting distinction between their ideal of universal equality and their grind-stone experience of the practical misery and infamy of poverty.

Herman Melville
Appreciation, Acceptance, Political
Herman Melville (2012). “The Encantadas and Other Stories”, p.83, Courier Corporation

Of all human events, perhaps, the publication of a first volume of verses is the most insignificant; but though a matter of no moment to the world, it is still of some concern to the author.

Herman Melville
Poetry, Events, Literature
Herman Melville, Robert C. Ryan, Hershel Parker (2009). “Published Poems: The Writings of Herman Melville”, p.443, Northwestern University Press

I have written a wicked book, and feel spotless as the lamb. Ineffable socialities are in me. I would sit down and dine with you and all the gods in old Rome's Pantheon. It is a strange feeling--no hopefulness is in it, no despair. Content--that is it; and irresponsibility; but without licentious inclination.

Herman Melville
Book, Rome, Feelings
Herman Melville (2001). “Tales, Poems, and Other Writings”

Were this world an endless pain, and by sailing eastward we could forever reach new distances, and discover sights more sweet and strange than any Cyclades or Islands of King Solomon, then there were promise in the voyage.

Herman Melville
Sweet, Kings, Pain

In metropolitan cases, the love of the most single-eyed lover, almost invariably, is nothing more than the ultimate settling of innumerable wandering glances upon some one specific object.

Herman Melville
Love, Cities, Settling
Herman Melville (2016). “Pierre or The Ambiguities”, p.277, Herman Melville

But even so, amid the tornadoed Atlantic of my being, do I myself still for ever centrally disport in mute calm; and while ponderous planets of unwaning woe revolve round me, deep down and deep inland there I still bathe me in eternal mildness of joy.

Herman Melville
Joy, Down And, Woe
Herman Melville (1892). “Moby Dick”, p.366

Where do murderers go, man! Who's to doom, when the judge himself is dragged to the bar?

Herman Melville
Fate, Men, Judging
Herman Melville (2016). “Moby Dick (World Classics, Unabridged)”, p.370, Vij Books India Pvt Ltd

The further our civilization advances upon its present lines so much the cheaper sort of thing does "fame" become, especially of the literary sort. This species of "fame" a waggish acquaintance says can be manufactured to order, and sometimes is so manufactured.

Herman Melville
Civilization, Order, Literature
Herman Melville, Lynn Horth (1993). “Correspondence”, p.492, Northwestern University Press

The dinner-hour is the summer of the day: full of sunshine, I grant; but not like the mellow autumn of supper.

Herman Melville
Summer, Sunshine, Autumn
Herman Melville (1855). “Mardi: And a Voyage Thither”, p.329

Did all the lets and bars appear To every just or larger end, Whence should come the trust and cheer? Youth must its ignorant impulse lend-- Age finds place in the rear. All wars are boyish, and are fought by boys, The champions and enthusiasts of the state

Herman Melville
Cheer, War, Boys
Herman Melville (1866). “Battle-pieces and aspects of the war [poems].”, p.22

Standing navies, as well as standing armies, serve to keep alive the spirit of war even in the meek heart of peace. In its very embers and smoulderings, they nourish that fatal fire, and half-pay officers, as the priests of Mars, yet guard the temple, though no god be there.

Herman Melville
War, Heart, Army
Herman Melville (1850). “White-jacket; Or, The World in the Man-of-war”, p.247

Were civilization itself to be estimated by some of its results, it would seem perhaps better for what we call the barbarous part of the world to remain unchanged.

Herman Melville
Civilization, World, Results
Herman Melville (2012). “Typee: A Romance of the South Seas (Illustrated & Annotated Edition)”, p.36, Jazzybee Verlag

It is not the purpose of literature to purvey news. For news consult the Almanac de Gotha.

Herman Melville
Purpose, News, Literature
Herman Melville (1924). “The works of Herman Melville”

Love's secrets, being mysteries, ever pertain to the transcendent and the infinite; and so they are as airy bridges, by which ourfurther shadows pass over into the regions of the golden mists and exhalations; whence all poetical, lovely thoughts are engendered, and drop into us, as though pearls should drop from rainbows.

Herman Melville
Love, Bridges, Rainbow
Herman Melville (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Herman Melville (Illustrated)”, p.2384, Delphi Classics

In our man-of-war world, Life comes in at one gangway and Death goes overboard at the other. Under the man-of-war scourge, cursesmix with tears; and the sigh and the sob furnish the bass to the shrill octave of those who laugh to drown buried griefs of their own.

Herman Melville
War, Grief, Men
Herman Melville (2017). “THE TALES OF THE SEA - Premium Collection: 10 Maritime Novels & Adventure Classics in One Volume: Moby-Dick, Typee, Omoo, Mardi, Redburn, White-Jacket, Israel Potter, Billy Budd, Sailor, Benito Cereno & The Encantadas (Based on the Author's Experiences on a Cargo Ship & US Navy Service)”, p.1519, e-artnow

Of the quaking recruit, three pitched battles make a grim grenadier; and he who shrank from the muzzle of a cannon, is now ready to yield his mustache for a sponge.

Herman Melville
Courage, Yield, Mustache
Herman Melville (1849). “Mardi: And a Voyage Thither”, p.45

The only ugliness is that of the heart, seen through the face. And though beauty be obvious, the only loveliness is invisible.

Herman Melville
Beauty, Heart, Faces
Herman Melville (1849). “Mardi: And a Voyage Thither”, p.120

Civilization has not ever been the brother of equality. Freedom was born among the wild eyries in the mountains; and barbarous tribes have sheltered under her wings, when the enlightened people of the plain have nestled under different pinions.

Herman Melville
Brother, Freedom, Civilization
Herman Melville, Harrison Hayford, Hershel Parker, G. Thomas Tanselle (1970). “Mardi and a Voyage Thither: Volulme Three, Scholarly Edition”, p.527, Northwestern University Press

The names of all fine authors are fictitious ones, far more so than that of Junius,--simply standing, as they do, for the mystical, ever-eluding Spirit of all Beauty, which ubiquitously possesses men of genius.

Herman Melville
Beauty, Men, Names
Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, Julian Hawthorne (2015). “Life and Genius of Nathaniel Hawthorne: Letters, Diaries, Reminiscences and Extensive Biographies: Autobiographical Writings of the Renowned American Novelist, Author of “The Scarlet Letter”, “The House of Seven Gables” and “Twice-Told Tales””, p.1768, e-artnow

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