How feeble is all language to describe the horrors we inflict upon these wretches, whom we mason up in the cells of our prisons, and condemn to perpetual solitude in the very heart of our population.
Herman Melville
Prison Solitude, Human Horror, Feeble Language, Prison, Horror, Solitude
Herman Melville’s Quotes On Topics
Curiosity Limits | Fire Warnings | Hidden Danger | Sloth | Heaven Mercy | Life Lessons | Subtle Depravity | Endless Misery | Nights | Fish Nature | Man | Conquering Earls | Healing Scars | Traveling Sin | Eternal Bond | Honesty | Wag | Child Play | Implacable Sea | Living Things | More
More Herman Melville Quotes
“Appalling is the soul of a man! Better might one be pushed off into the material spaces beyond the uttermost orbit of our sun, than once feel himself fairly afloat in himself.” Herman Melville
Appalling Soul, Material Spaces, Inner Floating, Soul, Spaces, Floating
Herman Melville Appalling Soul, Material Spaces, Inner Floating, Soul, Spaces, Floating“It may seem strange that of all men sailors should be tinkering at their last wills and testaments, but there are no people in the world more fond of that diversion.” Herman Melville
Sailors, Death, Wills, Life’s Uncertainties, Irony, Reflection
Herman Melville Sailors, Death, Wills, Life’s Uncertainties, Irony, Reflection“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“There is sorrow in the world, but goodness too; and goodness that is not greenness, either, no more than sorrow is.” Herman Melville
Sorrow Goodness, World Balance, Emotional Depth, Sorrow, Goodness, Balance
Herman Melville Sorrow Goodness, World Balance, Emotional Depth, Sorrow, Goodness, Balance“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“How now in the contemplative evening of his days, the pious Bildad reconciled these things in the reminiscence, I do not know; but it did not seem to concern him much, and very probably he had long since come to the sage and sensible conclusion that a man’s religion is one thing, and this practical world quite another. This world pays dividends.” Herman Melville
Pious Bildad, Religion Practicality, Dividends Truth, Religion, Practicality, Dividends
Herman Melville Pious Bildad, Religion Practicality, Dividends Truth, Religion, Practicality, Dividends“Implacable I, the implacable Sea; Implacable most when most I smile serene- Pleased, not appeased, by myriad wrecks in me.” Herman Melville
Implacable Sea, Serene Smile, Wrecks Pleased, Sea, Implacable, Wrecks
Herman Melville Implacable Sea, Serene Smile, Wrecks Pleased, Sea, Implacable, Wrecks“The chief mate of the Pequod was Starbuck, a native of Nantucket, and a Quaker by descent.” Herman Melville
Ship Mate, Nantucket Origin, Quaker Heritage, Ship, Mate, Heritage
Herman Melville Ship Mate, Nantucket Origin, Quaker Heritage, Ship, Mate, Heritage“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
Easiest Life, Youth Conviction, Best Way, Life, Youth, Conviction
Herman Melville Easiest Life, Youth Conviction, Best Way, Life, Youth, Conviction“In what rapt ether sails the world, of which the weariest will never weary?” Herman Melville
Philosophy, Exploration, Eternity, Reflection, Worldview, Travel
Herman Melville Philosophy, Exploration, Eternity, Reflection, Worldview, Travel“There is no life in thee, now, except that rocking life imparted by a gently rolling ship; by her, borrowed from the sea; by the sea, from the inscrutable tides of God.” Herman Melville
Rocking Life, Ship’s Journey, Sea’s Influence, God’s Tides, Ship And Sea, Life’s Flow
Herman Melville Rocking Life, Ship’s Journey, Sea’s Influence, God’s Tides, Ship And Sea, Life’s Flow“Courage is the most common and vulgar of the virtues.” Herman Melville
Virtue Courage, Common Strength, Courage, Vulgar, Virtue, Strength
Herman Melville Virtue Courage, Common Strength, Courage, Vulgar, Virtue, Strength“Where do murderers go, man! Who's to doom, when the judge himself is dragged to the bar?” Herman Melville
Judgment Paradox, Doom Question, Moral Dilemma, Judgment, Doom, Moral
Herman Melville Judgment Paradox, Doom Question, Moral Dilemma, Judgment, Doom, Moral“To be hated cordially, is only a left-handed compliment.” Herman Melville
Cordial Hatred, Backhanded Compliment, Social Irony, Hated, Compliment, Irony
Herman Melville Cordial Hatred, Backhanded Compliment, Social Irony, Hated, Compliment, Irony“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“While nature thus very early and very abundantly feeds us, she is very late in tutoring us as to the proper methodization of our diet.” Herman Melville
Nature, Diet, Guidance, Early Learning, Health, Nutrition
Herman Melville Nature, Diet, Guidance, Early Learning, Health, Nutrition“The warmly cool, clear, ringing, perfumed, overflowing, redundant days, were as crystal goblets of Persian sherbet, heaped up – flaked up, with rose-water snow.” Herman Melville
Warm Days, Persian Sherbet, Fragrant Days, Days, Fragrance, Beauty
Herman Melville Warm Days, Persian Sherbet, Fragrant Days, Days, Fragrance, Beauty“If Shakespeare has not been equalled, he is sure to be surpassed, and surpassed by an American born now or yet to be born.” Herman Melville
Shakespeare Greatness, Future American, Literary Supremacy, Literature, Greatness, Future
Herman Melville Shakespeare Greatness, Future American, Literary Supremacy, Literature, Greatness, Future