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 Duty, Monastic Obedience, True Vows, Duty, Obedience, Vows
Herman Melville’s Quotes On Topics
Obsession | Broiled Fowl | Greatness And Tragedy | Fellow Man | Pious Bildad | Complexity | Craft’s Essence | Danger Familiarity | Plain Truth | Night | Loveliness | Unexpected Solidarity | Family Traditions | Friends | Queen | Accomplishment | Infinite Subjects | Habit | Personal Goals | Breathing | More
More Herman Melville Quotes
“Our souls belong to our bodies, not our bodies to our souls.” Herman Melville
Soul’s Domain, Body’s Role, Soul And Body, Body’s Servitude, Dual Nature, Soul’s Master
Herman Melville Soul’s Domain, Body’s Role, Soul And Body, Body’s Servitude, Dual Nature, Soul’s Master“Forty years after a battle it is easy for a non-combatant to reason about how it ought to have been fought. It is another thing personally and under fire to direct the fighting while involved in the obscuring smoke of it.” Herman Melville
Battle Wisdom, Leadership, Hindsight, War, Decision-making, Courage
Herman Melville Battle Wisdom, Leadership, Hindsight, War, Decision-making, Courage“That mortal man who hath more of joy than sorrow in him, that mortal man cannot be true – not true, or undeveloped.” Herman Melville
Joy Sorrow, Mortal Truth, Undeveloped Man, Joy, Sorrow, Truth
Herman Melville Joy Sorrow, Mortal Truth, Undeveloped Man, Joy, Sorrow, Truth“But, besides the Feegeeans, Tongatobooarrs, Erromanggoans, Pannangians, and Brighggians, and besides the wild specimens of the whaling-craft which unheeded reel about the streets, you will see other sights still more curious, certainly more comical.” Herman Melville
Wild Specimens, Comical Sights, Curious Streets, Specimens, Sights, Streets
Herman Melville Wild Specimens, Comical Sights, Curious Streets, Specimens, Sights, Streets“The path to my fixed purpose is laid with iron rails whereon my soul is grooved to run.” Herman Melville
Purpose-driven Life, Personal Goals, Determination, Ambition, Destiny, Strength
Herman Melville Purpose-driven Life, Personal Goals, Determination, Ambition, Destiny, Strength“And as for going as cook, – though I confess there is considerable glory in that, a cook being a sort of officer on shipboard – yet, somehow, I never fancied broiling fowls; – though once broiled, judiciously buttered, and judgmatically salted and peppered, there is no one who will speak more respectfully, not to say reverentially, of a broiled fowl than I will.” Herman Melville
Shipboard Cook, Culinary Glory, Broiled Fowls, Cooking, Glory, Food
Herman Melville Shipboard Cook, Culinary Glory, Broiled Fowls, Cooking, Glory, Food“Of all insults, the temporary condescension of a master to a slave is the most outrageous and galling. That potentate who most condescends, mark him well; for that potentate, if occasion come, will prove your uttermost tyrant.” Herman Melville
Master’s Condescension, Slave’s Insult, Galling Power, Tyrant’s Nature, Outrageous Power, Condescending Rulers
Herman Melville Master’s Condescension, Slave’s Insult, Galling Power, Tyrant’s Nature, Outrageous Power, Condescending Rulers“A hermitage in the forest is the refuge of the narrow-minded misanthrope; a hammock on the ocean is the asylum for the generous distressed. The ocean brims with natural griefs and tragedies; and into that watery immensity of terror, man’s private grief is lost like a drop.” Herman Melville
Ocean Asylum, Private Grief, Ocean, Grief, Hermitage, Refuge
Herman Melville Ocean Asylum, Private Grief, Ocean, Grief, Hermitage, Refuge“Yea, foolish mortals, Noah’s flood is not yet subsided; two thirds of the fair world it yet covers.” Herman Melville
Flood Allegory, Humanity, Mortality, Natural Disasters, Biblical References, Survival
Herman Melville Flood Allegory, Humanity, Mortality, Natural Disasters, Biblical References, Survival“He who is ready to despair in solitary peril, plucks up a heart in the presence of another. In a plurality of comrades is much countenance and consolation.” Herman Melville
Shared Courage, Solitary Peril, Comrade Consolation, Courage, Peril, Comrades
Herman Melville Shared Courage, Solitary Peril, Comrade Consolation, Courage, Peril, Comrades“There’s magic in the water that draws all men away from the land, that leads them over hills, down creeks and streams and rivers to the sea.” Herman Melville
Water Magic, Land’s Pull, Sea Mysteries, Magic, Water, Sea
Herman Melville Water Magic, Land’s Pull, Sea Mysteries, Magic, Water, Sea“Let me look into a human eye; it is better than to gaze into sea or sky; better than to gaze upon God.” Herman Melville
Human Connection, Profound Gaze, Soul Reflections, Life Perspective, Wisdom, Empathy
Herman Melville Human Connection, Profound Gaze, Soul Reflections, Life Perspective, Wisdom, Empathy“All we discover has been with us since the sun began to roll; and much we discover, is not worth the discovering.” Herman Melville
Ancient Knowledge, Discovery Worth, Timeless Truths, Discovery, Worth, Knowledge
Herman Melville Ancient Knowledge, Discovery Worth, Timeless Truths, Discovery, Worth, Knowledge“Over Descartian vortices you” Herman Melville
Philosophy, Descartes, Vortices, Reflection, Consciousness, Mind
Herman Melville Philosophy, Descartes, Vortices, Reflection, Consciousness, Mind“The only mode in which you can derive even a tolerable idea of his living contour, is by going a whaling yourself; but by so doing, you run no small risk of being eternally stove and sunk by him. Wherefore, it seems to me you had best not be too fastidious in your curiosity touching this Leviathan.” Herman Melville
Whale Hunting, Curiosity Limits, Living Contours, Life Risks, Adventure, Nature
Herman Melville Whale Hunting, Curiosity Limits, Living Contours, Life Risks, Adventure, Nature“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’s Power, Legacy And Death, Life’s End, Morality, Consequences, Burial
Herman Melville Death’s Power, Legacy And Death, Life’s End, Morality, Consequences, Burial“The grand points in human nature are the same to-day they were a thousand years ago. The only variability in them is in expression, not in feature.” Herman Melville
Human Nature, Timeless Traits, Expression Variability, Humanity, Nature, Time
Herman Melville Human Nature, Timeless Traits, Expression Variability, Humanity, Nature, Time“In times of strong emotion mankind disdain all base considerations.” Herman Melville
Emotional Strength, Human Nature, Emotional Wisdom, Inner Power, Reactions, Mindset
Herman Melville Emotional Strength, Human Nature, Emotional Wisdom, Inner Power, Reactions, Mindset