From beneath his slouched hat Ahab dropped a tear into the sea; nor did all the Pacific contain such wealth as that one wee drop.
Herman Melville
Ahab’s Grief, Personal Loss, Emotional Depth, Tragedy, Sea, Wealth
Herman Melville’s Quotes On Topics
Sin | Past And Future | Nature’s Principle | Draught | Enemies | God Commands | Madman’s View | Schoolmaster | Existence | Mystic Signs | Horse | Virtue Courage | Humor | Unexpected Wisdom | Invisible Beauty | Immortality | Movement | Eternal Bond | Youth’s Dreams | Free Will | More
More Herman Melville Quotes
“We cannibals must help these Christians.” Herman Melville
Cannibal Help, Christian Irony, Unexpected Solidarity, Cannibals, Christians, Help
Herman Melville Cannibal Help, Christian Irony, Unexpected Solidarity, Cannibals, Christians, Help“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
Youth Wars, Stirring Hearts, Spirit Appeal, Youth, Wars, Spirit
Herman Melville Youth Wars, Stirring Hearts, Spirit Appeal, Youth, Wars, Spirit“Who in the rainbow can draw the line where the violet tint ends and the orange tint begins? Distinctly we see the difference of the colors, but where exactly does the one first blendingly enter into the other? So with sanity and insanity.” Herman Melville
Rainbow Colors, Sanity Insanity, Color Difference, Rainbow, Sanity, Colors
Herman Melville Rainbow Colors, Sanity Insanity, Color Difference, Rainbow, Sanity, Colors“There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness is the true method.” Herman Melville
Careful Disorder, True Method, Enterprises, Disorder, Method, Careful
Herman Melville Careful Disorder, True Method, Enterprises, Disorder, Method, Careful“Great towers take time to construct.” Herman Melville
Tower Building, Constructive Time, Patience Effort, Tower, Time, Patience
Herman Melville Tower Building, Constructive Time, Patience Effort, Tower, Time, Patience“No philosophers so thoroughly comprehend us as dogs and horses.” Herman Melville
Animal Wisdom, Human Bonds, Philosophical Insight, Dogs, Horses, Insight
Herman Melville Animal Wisdom, Human Bonds, Philosophical Insight, Dogs, Horses, Insight“And yet self-knowledge is thought by some not so easy. Who knows, my dear sir, but for a time you may have taken yourself for somebody else? Stranger things have happened.” Herman Melville
Self Knowledge, Personal Reflection, Knowledge, Self, Reflection, Identity
Herman Melville Self Knowledge, Personal Reflection, Knowledge, Self, Reflection, Identity“Life’s a voyage that’s homeward bound.” Herman Melville
Life’s Journey, Home, Voyage, Reflection, Humanity, Purpose
Herman Melville Life’s Journey, Home, Voyage, Reflection, Humanity, Purpose“When the passage “All men are born free and equal,” when that passage was being written were not some of the signers legalised owners of slaves?” Herman Melville
Equal Men, Freedom Paradox, Slave Owners, Men, Freedom, Slaves
Herman Melville Equal Men, Freedom Paradox, Slave Owners, Men, Freedom, Slaves“Stay true to the dreams of thy youth.” Herman Melville
Youth’s Dreams, Staying True, Life’s Aspirations, Dreams Alive, Youth’s Path, Dream Pursuit
Herman Melville Youth’s Dreams, Staying True, Life’s Aspirations, Dreams Alive, Youth’s Path, Dream Pursuit“There are times when even the most potent governor must wink at transgression, in order to preserve the laws inviolate for the future.” Herman Melville
Governance Wisdom, Transgression Management, Laws Preservation, Governor, Laws, Future
Herman Melville Governance Wisdom, Transgression Management, Laws Preservation, Governor, Laws, Future“I rejoice in my spine, as in the firm audacious staff of that flag which I fling half out to the world.” Herman Melville
Self-pride, Strength, Confidence, Life’s Journey, Individuality, Symbolism
Herman Melville Self-pride, Strength, Confidence, Life’s Journey, Individuality, Symbolism“Squeeze! squeeze! squeeze! all the morning long; I squeezed that sperm till I myself almost melted into it; I squeezed that sperm till a strange sort of insanity came over me; and I found myself unwittingly squeezing my co-laborers’ hands in it, mistaking their hands for the gentle globules.” Herman Melville
Squeeze, Madness, Labor, Insanity, Work, Obsession
Herman Melville Squeeze, Madness, Labor, Insanity, Work, Obsession“Long usage had, for this Stubb, converted the jaws of death into an easy chair. What he thought of death itself, there is no telling. Whether he ever thought of it at all, might be a question; but, if he ever did chance to cast his mind that way after a comfortable dinner, no doubt, like a good sailor, he took it to be a sort of call of the watch to tumble aloft, and bestir themselves there, about something which he would find out when he obeyed the order, and not sooner.” Herman Melville
Death Acceptance, Sailor Mindset, Life Philosophy, Carefree Attitude, Mortality, Courage
Herman Melville Death Acceptance, Sailor Mindset, Life Philosophy, Carefree Attitude, Mortality, Courage“Those of us who always abhorred slavery as an atheistical iniquity, gladly we join in the exulting chorus of humanity over its downfall.” Herman Melville
Slavery, Abolition, Humanity, Freedom, Equality, Justice
Herman Melville Slavery, Abolition, Humanity, Freedom, Equality, Justice“Youth is the time when hearts are large.” Herman Melville
Youth’s Time, Large Hearts, Heartfelt Youth, Youth, Heart, Time
Herman Melville Youth’s Time, Large Hearts, Heartfelt Youth, Youth, Heart, Time“It is not the purpose of literature to purvey news. For news consult the Almanac de Gotha.” Herman Melville
Purpose Of Literature, News Contrast, Literary Purpose, Literature, News, Writing
Herman Melville Purpose Of Literature, News Contrast, Literary Purpose, Literature, News, Writing“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
Infinite Truth, Shoreless Safety, Courageous Choices, Infinite, Truth, Land
Herman Melville Infinite Truth, Shoreless Safety, Courageous Choices, Infinite, Truth, Land