Herman Melville Quotes - Page 17

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The result of civilization, at the Sandwich Islands and elsewhere, is found productive to the civilizers, destructive to the civilizees. It is said to be compensation--a very philosophical word; but it appears to be very much on the principle of the old game, "You lose, I win": good philosophy for the winner.

Herman Melville

Philosophy, Philosophical, Winning

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Erie, and Ontario, and Huron, and Superior, and Michigan possess an ocean-like expansiveness, with many of the ocean's noblest traits... they are swept by Borean and dismasting blasts as direful as any that lash the salted wave; they know what shipwrecks are, for out of sight of land, however inland, they have drowned full many a midnight ship with all its shrieking crew.

Herman Melville

Ocean, Sight, Land

Herman Melville (2006). “Moby Dick the Whale Volume I EasyRead Ed”, p.344, ReadHowYouWant.com

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We should, if possible, prove a teacher to posterity, instead of being the pupil of by-gone generations. More shall come after us than have gone before; the world is not yet middle-aged.

Herman Melville

Teacher, Generations, Gone

Herman Melville (1850). “White-jacket: or, The world in a man-of-war”, p.151

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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

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Civilization does not engross all the virtues of humanity: she has not even her full share of them. They flourish in greater abundance and attain greater strength among many barbarous people. The hospitality of the wild Arab, the courage of the North American Indian, and the faithful friendships of some of the Polynesian nations, far surpass any thing of a similar kind among the polished communities of Europe.

Herman Melville

Europe, Civilization, People

Herman Melville (2012). “Typee: A Romance of the South Seas (Illustrated & Annotated Edition)”, p.211, Jazzybee Verlag

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But as in landlessness alone resides the highest truth, shoreless, indefinite as God - so better is it to perish in that howling infinite, than be ingloriously dashed upon the lee, even if that were safety! For worm-like, then, oh! who would craven crawl to land!

Herman Melville

Land, Safety, Infinite

Herman Melville (1892). “Moby Dick”, p.104

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Some dying men are the most tyrannical; and certainly, since they will shortly trouble us so little for evermore, the poor fellows ought to be indulged.

Herman Melville

Death, Men, Dying

Herman Melville (1892). “Moby Dick”, p.449

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We incline to think that God cannot explain His own secrets and that He would like a little information upon certain points Himself. We mortals astonish Him as much as He us. But it is this Being of the matter; there lies the knot with which we choke ourselves. As soon as you say Me, a God, a Nature, so soon you jump off from your stool and hang from the beam. Yes, that word is the hangman. Take God out of the dictionary, and you would have Him in the street.

Herman Melville

Lying, Thinking, Secret

Herman Melville (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Herman Melville (Illustrated)”, p.4889, Delphi Classics

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Whatever has made, or does make, or may make music, should be held sacred as the golden bridle-bit of the Shah of Persia's horse,and the golden hammer, with which his hoofs are shod.

Herman Melville

Horse, Musical, Golden

Herman Melville (2016). “Redburn.His First Voyage”, p.280, Herman Melville

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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

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The consciousness of being deemed dead, is next to the presumable unpleasantness of being so in reality. One feels like his own ghost unlawfully tenanting a defunct carcass.

Herman Melville

Reality, Survival, Next

Herman Melville (2015). “Mardi: and A Voyage Thither: Works of Melville”, p.28, 谷月社

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What troops Of generous boys in happiness thus bred Saturnians through life's Tempe led, Went from the North and came from the South, With golden mottoes in the mouth, To lie down midway on a bloody bed.

Herman Melville

Lying, Boys, Bed

Herman Melville, Douglas Robillard (2000). “The Poems of Herman Melville”, p.131, Kent State University Press

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I baptize you not in the name of the father, but in the name of the devil. (Ego baptizo te in nomine patris, sed in nomine diaboli.)

Herman Melville

Father, Names, Ego

Herman Melville, Peter Fish (1984). “Herman Melville's Moby-Dick”, Barrons Educational Series Incorporated

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Youth is the time when hearts are large, And stirring wars Appeal to the spirit which appeals in turn To the blade it draws.

Herman Melville

War, Heart, Spirit

Herman Melville (2006). “Selected Poems (Melville, Herman)”, p.97, Penguin

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Are there no Moravians in the Moon, that not a missionary has yet visited this poor pagan planet of ours, to civilise civilisation and christianise Christendom?

Herman Melville

Moon, Missionary, Pagan

Herman Melville (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Herman Melville (Illustrated)”, p.4907, Delphi Classics

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Delight,--top-gallant delight is to him, who acknowledges no law or lord, but the Lord his God, and is only a patriot to heaven.

Herman Melville

God, Law, Joy

'Moby Dick' (1851) ch. 1

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All we discover has been with us since the sun began to roll; and much we discover, is not worth the discovering.

Herman Melville

Discovery, Sun, Discovering

Herman Melville (1849). “Mardi: And a Voyage Thither”, p.299

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So, when on one side you hoist in Locke's head, you go over that way; but now, on the other side, hoist in Kant's and you come back again; but in very poor plight. Thus, some minds for ever keep trimming boat. Oh, ye foolish! throw all these thunder-heads overboard, and then you will float light and right.

Herman Melville

Light, Mind, Way

Herman Melville, Harrison Hayford, G. Thomas Tanselle, Hershel Parker (1988). “Moby Dick, Or The Whale: Volume 6, Scholarly Edition”, p.327, Northwestern University Press

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O Death, the Consecrator! Nothing so sanctifies a name As to be written--Dead. Nothing so wins a life from blame, So covers it from wrath and shame, As doth the burial-bed.

Herman Melville

Death, Winning, Names

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A true military officer is in one particular like a true monk. Not with more self-abnegation will the latter keep his vows of monastic obedience than the former his vows of allegiance to martial duty.

Herman Melville

Military, Self, Monk

Herman Melville (2016). “Billy Budd, Bartleby, and Other Stories”, p.190, Penguin

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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

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Cannibalism to a certain moderate extent is practised among several of the primitive tribes in the Pacific, but it is upon the bodies of slain enemies alone; and horrible and fearful as the custom is, immeasurably as it is to be abhorred and condemned, still I assert that those who indulge in it are in other respects humane and virtuous.

Herman Melville

Indulge In, Enemy, Cannibalism

Herman Melville (2017). “The Complete Novels of Herman Melville: Sea Tales, Maritime Adventures & Philosophical Novels: Moby-Dick, Typee, Omoo, Mardi, Redburn, White-Jacket, Pierre, Israel Potter, The Confidence-Man & Billy Budd, Sailor”, p.175, e-artnow

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Dollars damn me; and the malicious Devil is forever grinning in upon me, holding the door ajar. ... What I feel most moved to write, that is banned - it will not pay. Yet, altogether, write the other way I cannot. So the product is a final hash, and all my books are botches.

Herman Melville

Book, Writing, Doors

Herman Melville, Harrison Hayford, G. Thomas Tanselle, Hershel Parker (1988). “Moby Dick, Or The Whale: Volume 6, Scholarly Edition”, p.630, Northwestern University Press

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There was about all the Romans a heroic tone peculiar to ancient life. Their virtues were great and noble, and these virtues madethem great and noble. They possessed a natural majesty that was not put on and taken off at pleasure, as was that of certain eastern monarchs when they put on or took off their garments of Tyrian dye. It is hoped that this is not wholly lost from the world, although the sense of earthly vanity inculcated by Christianity may have swallowed it up in humility.

Herman Melville

Taken, Humility, Greatness

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

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Where lies the final harbor, whence we unmoor no more? In what rapt ether sails the world, of which the weariest will never weary? Where is the foundling’s father hidden? Our souls are like those orphans whose unwedded mothers die in bearing them: the secret of our paternity lies in their grave, and we must there to learn it.

Herman Melville

Mother, Father, Lying

Herman Melville (2016). “Moby Dick (World Classics, Unabridged)”, p.337, Vij Books India Pvt Ltd

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Born: August 1, 1819
Died: September 28, 1891
Occupation: Novelist
Cite this Page: Citation

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