Herman Melville Quotes - Page 4

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• I cherish the greatest respect towards everybody's religious obligations, no matter how comical.

  Herman Melville

  Religious, Matter, Cherish

  5 Copy quote

• I am a man who, from his youth upwards, has been filled with a profound conviction that the easiest way of life is the best.

  Herman Melville

  Men, Profound, Way

  Herman Melville (2016). “Bartleby, The Scrivener”, p.3, Herman Melville

  6 Copy quote

• I have no objection to any person's religion, be it what it may, so long as that person does not kill or insult any other person, because that other person don't believe it also. But when a man's religion becomes really frantic; when it is a positive torment to him; and, in fine, makes this earth of ours an uncomfortable inn to lodge in; then I think it high time to take that individual aside and argue the point with him.

  Herman Melville

  Believe, Men, Thinking

  'Moby Dick' (1851) ch. 17

  39 Copy quote

• Failure is the test of greatness.

  Herman Melville

  Greatness, Tests

  6 Copy quote

• I am, as I am; whether hideous, or handsome, depends upon who is made judge.

  Herman Melville

  Beauty, Judging, Handsome

  Herman Melville (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Herman Melville (Illustrated)”, p.1211, Delphi Classics

  242 Copy quote

• Silence is the only Voice of our God.

  Herman Melville

  Change, Voice, Silence

  "Pierre: or, The Ambiguities" by Herman Melville, (Bk. XXV, ch. 3), 1852.

  26 Copy quote

• The most mighty of nature's laws is this, that out of Death she brings Life.

  Herman Melville

  Nature, Law

  Herman Melville (1971). “Pierre, Or The Ambiguities: Volume Seven, Scholarly Edition”, p.9, Northwestern University Press

  27 Copy quote

• Never joke at funerals, or during business transactions.

  Herman Melville

  Funeral, Transactions, Jokes

  Herman Melville (2016). “Israel Potter: His Fifty Years of Exile and Life and Remarkable Adventures of Israel R. Potter”, p.51, Courier Dover Publications

  4 Copy quote

• As in digging for precious metals in the mines, much earthy rubbish has first to be troublesomely handled and thrown out; so, in digging in one's soul for the fine gold of genius, much dullness and common-place is first brought to light.

  Herman Melville

  Creativity, Light, Soul

  Herman Melville (2016). “Pierre; or The Ambiguities”, p.327, Herman Melville

  5 Copy quote

• Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off - then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can.

  Herman Melville

  Depression, Strong, Hands

  Herman Melville (2002). “Moby-Dick: A Picture Voyage : an Abridged and Illustrated Edition of the Original Classic”, p.13, Spinner Publications

  77 Copy quote

• Wag the world how it will, Leaves must be green in Spring.

  Herman Melville

  Spring, World, Green

  Herman Melville (1866). “Battle-pieces and aspects of the war [poems].”, p.68

  4 Copy quote

• Let us waive that agitated national topic, as to whether such multitudes of foreign poor should be landed on our American shores;let us waive it, with the one only thought, that if they can get here, they have God's right to come.

  Herman Melville

  Topics, Poor, Should

  Herman Melville (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Herman Melville (Illustrated)”, p.1380, Delphi Classics

  4 Copy quote

• You cannot spill a drop of American blood without spilling the blood of the whole world.... We are not a nation, so much as a world.

  Herman Melville

  Patriotic, Blood, Usa

  Herman Melville (1963). “The Works of Herman Melville”

  29 Copy quote

• A good laugh is a mighty good thing, and rather too scarce a good thing.

  Herman Melville

  Happiness, Laughter, Laughing

  "The Complete Works of Herman Melville".

  8 Copy quote

• Friendship at first sight, like love at first sight, is said to be the only truth.

  Herman Melville

  Love, Friendship, Sight

  42 Copy quote

• Youth is immortal; Tis the elderly only grow old!

  Herman Melville

  Elderly, Youth, Immortal

  Herman Melville (1924). “The Works of Herman Melville: Redburn”

  4 Copy quote

• Aid my disillusionment, my friend!

  Herman Melville

  Sad, Aids, Disillusionment

  16 Copy quote

• Why did the old Persians hold the sea holy? Why did the Greeks give it a separate deity, and own brother Jove? Surely all this is not without meaning. And still deeper the meaning of that story of Narcissus, who because he could not grasp the tormenting mild image he saw in the fountain, plunged into it and was drowned. But that same image, we ourselves see in all rivers and oceans. It is the image of the ungraspable phantom of life; and this is the key to it all.

  Herman Melville

  Brother, Ocean, Keys

  Herman Melville (1892). “Moby Dick”, p.9

  48 Copy quote

• In a multitude of acquaintances is less security, than in one faithful friend.

  Herman Melville

  Friendship, Faithful, Acquaintance

  Herman Melville (2012). “Mardi: And A Voyage Thither (Annotated Complete Edition)”, p.149, Jazzybee Verlag

  18 Copy quote

• Better be an old maid, a woman with herself as a husband, than the wife of a fool; and Solomon more than hints that all men are fools; and every wise man knows himself to be one.

  Herman Melville

  Wise, Husband, Men

  Herman Melville (1849). “Mardi: And a Voyage Thither”, p.62

  20 Copy quote

• If you begin the day with a laugh, you may, nevertheless, end it with a sob and a sigh.

  Herman Melville

  Laughing, May, Pessimism

  Herman Melville (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Herman Melville (Illustrated)”, p.1524, Delphi Classics

  5 Copy quote

• I am past scorching; not easily can’st thou scorch a scar.

  Herman Melville

  Past, Scar, Scorching

  Herman Melville (1892). “Moby Dick”, p.456

  6 Copy quote

• We may have civilized bodies and yet barbarous souls. We are blind to the real sights of this world; deaf to its voice; and dead to its death. And not till we know, that one grief outweighs ten thousand joys will we become what Christianity is striving to make us.

  Herman Melville

  Death, Real, Grief

  Herman Melville, Harrison Hayford, G. Thomas Tanselle (1969). “Redburn: Works of Herman Melville Volume Four”, p.293, Northwestern University Press

  21 Copy quote

• for there is no folly of the beast of the earth which is not infinitely outdone by the madness of men

  Herman Melville

  Men, Earth, Madness

  Herman Melville (2016). “Moby-Dick: Or, the Whale”, p.315, Cosimo, Inc.

  46 Copy quote

• Fame is an accident; merit a thing absolute.

  Herman Melville

  Merit, Fame, Accidents

  Herman Melville (1855). “Mardi: And a Voyage Thither”, p.93

  5 Copy quote

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