All wars are boyish, and are fought by boys, The champions and enthusiasts of the state: Turbid ardors and vain joys Not barrenly abate – Stimulants to the power mature, Preparatives of fate.
Herman Melville
Wars, Youth, Philosophy, Violence, Masculinity, Conflict
Herman Melville’s Quotes On Topics
Experience | Fire | Cool Thinking | Exasperating Behavior | Revenge | Self-respect | Death Transition | Orphaned Souls | Dream Scenes | Devil Yes | Gliding Monsters | Ocean Truth | Lands | Mortal Truth | Prefer | Destiny | Hidden Threats | Infected Air | Stoneless Grave | Secret Appearance | More
More Herman Melville Quotes
“Let America add Mexico to Texas, and pile Cuba upon Canada; let the English overswarm all India, and hang out their blazing banner from the sun; two thirds of this terraqueous globe are the Nantucketer’s. For the sea is his; he owns it.” Herman Melville
America’s Legacy, Expansionism, Sea Dominance, Global Power, History, Colonialism
Herman Melville America’s Legacy, Expansionism, Sea Dominance, Global Power, History, Colonialism“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“A ship is a bit of terra firma cut off from the main; it is a state in itself; and the captain is its king.” Herman Melville
Ship State, Captain’s Rule, Terra Firma, Ship, Captain, State
Herman Melville Ship State, Captain’s Rule, Terra Firma, Ship, Captain, State“Dissect him how I may, then, I but go skin deep; I know him not, and never will.” Herman Melville
Human Nature, Depth, Perception, Understanding, Complexity, Judgment
Herman Melville Human Nature, Depth, Perception, Understanding, Complexity, Judgment“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
Soul’s Origin, Orphaned Souls, Life’s Secrets, Philosophy, Orphans, Knowledge
Herman Melville Soul’s Origin, Orphaned Souls, Life’s Secrets, Philosophy, Orphans, Knowledge“The transition is a keen one, I assure you, from a schoolmaster to a sailor, and requires a strong decoction of Seneca and the Stoics to enable you to grin and bear it.” Herman Melville
Schoolmaster Sailor, Stoics Transition, Strong Decoction, Schoolmaster, Stoics, Transition
Herman Melville Schoolmaster Sailor, Stoics Transition, Strong Decoction, Schoolmaster, Stoics, Transition“What plays the mischief with the truth is that men will insist upon the universal application of a temporary feeling or opinion.” Herman Melville
Truth, Misconception, Perception, Opinion, Belief, Truthfulness
Herman Melville Truth, Misconception, Perception, Opinion, Belief, Truthfulness“A good laugh is a mighty good thing, a rather too scarce a good thing.” Herman Melville
Good Laugh, Scarce Laughter, Laughter’s Value, Rare Humor, Mighty Good, Laughter’s Rarity
Herman Melville Good Laugh, Scarce Laughter, Laughter’s Value, Rare Humor, Mighty Good, Laughter’s Rarity“All Profound things, and emotions of things are preceded and attended by Silence.” Herman Melville
Profound Silence, Attended Emotions, Preceding Depth, Silence, Emotions, Depth
Herman Melville Profound Silence, Attended Emotions, Preceding Depth, Silence, Emotions, Depth“The terrors of truth and dart of death To faith alike are vain.” Herman Melville
Truth Death, Death Faith, Terrors Truth, Truth, Faith, Death
Herman Melville Truth Death, Death Faith, Terrors Truth, Truth, Faith, Death“Bachelors alone can travel freely, and without any twinges of their consciences touching desertion of the fire-side.” Herman Melville
Bachelor Life, Freedom, Conscience, Travel, Independence, Responsibility
Herman Melville Bachelor Life, Freedom, Conscience, Travel, Independence, Responsibility“Ah, Bartleby! Ah, humanity!” Herman Melville
Humanity Reflection, Bartleby Thought, Emotional Cry, Humanity, Thought, Cry
Herman Melville Humanity Reflection, Bartleby Thought, Emotional Cry, Humanity, Thought, Cry“Book! you lie there; the fact is, you books must know your places.” Herman Melville
Books Place, Knowledge Roles, Books, Fact, Place, Role
Herman Melville Books Place, Knowledge Roles, Books, Fact, Place, Role“The lightning-rod man still dwells in the land; still travels in storm-time, and drives a brave trade with the fear of man.” Herman Melville
Fear, Lightning-rod, Risk, Storm, Courage, Trade
Herman Melville Fear, Lightning-rod, Risk, Storm, Courage, Trade“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“But Ahab’s glance was averted; like a blighted fruit tree he shook, and cast his last, cindered apple to the soil.” Herman Melville
Despair, Self-destruction, Fate, Ahab, Emotional Turmoil, Symbolism
Herman Melville Despair, Self-destruction, Fate, Ahab, Emotional Turmoil, Symbolism“Surely a gentle sister is the second best gift to a man; and it is first in point of occurrence; for the wife comes after.” Herman Melville
Gentle Sister, Second Gift, Family Bonds, Sister, Gift, Family
Herman Melville Gentle Sister, Second Gift, Family Bonds, Sister, Gift, Family“Death is only a launching into the region of the strange Untried; it is but the first salutation to the possibilities of the immense Remote, the Wild, the Watery, the Unshored.” Herman Melville
Death Transition, Strange Possibilities, Immense Remote, Death, Possibilities, Remote
Herman Melville Death Transition, Strange Possibilities, Immense Remote, Death, Possibilities, Remote