Methinks that in looking at things spiritual, we are too much like oysters observing the sun through the water, and thinking that thick water the thinnest of air.
Herman Melville
Spiritual Reflection, Oysters Analogy, Water Vision, Spiritual, Reflection, Water
Herman Melville’s Quotes On Topics
Good Conscience | Men’s Extremes | Failure Lesson | Expression Variability | Excellence Contrast | Shark Hunger | Exotic Location | Suns | Benevolent Risks | Floods | Voice | Feeling | Magnetism | Method | Deep Sleep | Companion | Personal Goals | Soul Food | Body House | Old Age | More
More Herman Melville Quotes
“Can it be, that the Greek grammarians invented their dual number for the particular benefit of twins?” Herman Melville
Greek Grammarians, Dual Number, Twin Humor, Grammar, Twins, Humor
Herman Melville Greek Grammarians, Dual Number, Twin Humor, Grammar, Twins, Humor“Now, Jonah’s Captain, shipmates, was one whose discernment detects crime in any, but whose cupidity exposes it only in the penniless. In this world, shipmates, sin that pays its way can travel freely, and without a passport; whereas Virtue, if a pauper, is stopped at all frontiers.” Herman Melville
Moral Double, Captain’s Cupidity, Virtue Barrier, Sin, Virtue, Captain
Herman Melville Moral Double, Captain’s Cupidity, Virtue Barrier, Sin, Virtue, Captain“Whatever fortune brings, don't be afraid of doing things.” Herman Melville
Fortune Courage, Fearless Actions, Life Choices, Fortune, Courage, Actions
Herman Melville Fortune Courage, Fearless Actions, Life Choices, Fortune, Courage, Actions“Know, thou, that the lines that live are turned out of a furrowed brow.” Herman Melville
Furrowed Brow, Living Lines, Brow, Lines, Furrowed, Live
Herman Melville Furrowed Brow, Living Lines, Brow, Lines, Furrowed, Live“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“A soul’s a sort of a fifth wheel to a wagon.” Herman Melville
Soul And Purpose, Human Existence, Life’s Meaning, Philosophical Thoughts, Individuality, Purpose
Herman Melville Soul And Purpose, Human Existence, Life’s Meaning, Philosophical Thoughts, Individuality, Purpose“Aye, aye! and I’ll chase him round Good Hope, and round the Horn, and round the Norway Maelstrom, and round perdition’s flames before I give him up.” Herman Melville
Chase, Perseverance, Obsession, Determination, Victory, Adventure
Herman Melville Chase, Perseverance, Obsession, Determination, Victory, Adventure“The Past is the textbook of tyrants; the Future the Bible of the Free. Those who are solely governed by the Past stand like Lot’s wife, crystallized in the act of looking backward, and forever incapable of looking before.” Herman Melville
Past And Future, Freedom Vs Tyranny, History Lessons, Self-reflection, Forward Thinking, Time
Herman Melville Past And Future, Freedom Vs Tyranny, History Lessons, Self-reflection, Forward Thinking, Time“Methinks that in looking at things spiritual, we are too much like oysters observing the sun through the water, and thinking that thick water the thinnest of air.” Herman Melville
Spiritual Reflection, Oysters Analogy, Water Vision, Spiritual, Reflection, Water
Herman Melville Spiritual Reflection, Oysters Analogy, Water Vision, Spiritual, Reflection, Water“There is a savor of life and immortality in substantial fare. Like balloons, we are nothing till filled.” Herman Melville
Substantial Fare, Life Savor, Immortal Filling, Fare, Life, Balloons
Herman Melville Substantial Fare, Life Savor, Immortal Filling, Fare, Life, Balloons“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 Ahab’s Grief, Personal Loss, Emotional Depth, Tragedy, Sea, Wealth“But I shall follow the endless, winding way, – the flowing river in the cave of man; careless whither I be led, reckless where I land.” Herman Melville
Endless Journey, Winding Path, Flowing River, Journey, Path, Destiny
Herman Melville Endless Journey, Winding Path, Flowing River, Journey, Path, Destiny“Fasting makes the body cave in; hence the spirit caves in; and all thoughts born of a fast must necessarily be half-starved. This is the reason why most dyspeptic religionists cherish such melancholy notions about their hereafters. In one word, Queequeg; hell is an idea first born on an undigested apple-dumpling; and since then perpetuated through the hereditary dyspepsias nurtured by Ramadans.” Herman Melville
Fasting And Spirit, Dyspeptic Religion, Starved Thoughts, Hell’s Origin, Malnourished Beliefs, Religious Fasting
Herman Melville Fasting And Spirit, Dyspeptic Religion, Starved Thoughts, Hell’s Origin, Malnourished Beliefs, Religious Fasting“The lightning flashes through my skull; mine eyeballs ache and ache; my whole beaten brain seems as beheaded, and rolling on some stunning ground.” Herman Melville
Lightning Pain, Aching Mind, Lightning, Pain, Brain, Ache
Herman Melville Lightning Pain, Aching Mind, Lightning, Pain, Brain, Ache“Las cosas mas maravillosas son siempre las inexpresables.” Herman Melville
Unexpressed Wonders, Marvelous Things, Wonders, Marvelous, Things, Express
Herman Melville Unexpressed Wonders, Marvelous Things, Wonders, Marvelous, Things, Express“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“A book in a man’s brain is better off than a book bound in calf – at any rate it is safer from criticism.” Herman Melville
Unwritten Books, Brain Safety, Criticism Avoidance, Books, Brain, Criticism
Herman Melville Unwritten Books, Brain Safety, Criticism Avoidance, Books, Brain, Criticism“What troops Of generous boys in happiness thus bred Saturnians through life’s Tempe led, Went from the North and came from the South, With golden mottoes in the mouth, To lie down midway on a bloody bed.” Herman Melville
Generosity, Life’s Journey, Happiness, Sacrifice, Conflict, Brotherhood
Herman Melville Generosity, Life’s Journey, Happiness, Sacrifice, Conflict, Brotherhood“In childhood, death stirred me not; in middle age, it pursued me like a prowling bandit on the road; now, grown an old man, it boldly leads the way, and ushers me on.” Herman Melville
Death Pursuit, Life Stages, Bold Leader, Death, Life, Leader
Herman Melville Death Pursuit, Life Stages, Bold Leader, Death, Life, Leader“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