Nothing so aggravates an earnest person as a passive resistance.
Herman Melville
Earnest Aggravation, Passive Resistance, Frustrated Efforts, Resistance, Efforts, Frustration
Herman Melville’s Quotes On Topics
Disorder | Emotions | Inner Battles | Mortal Truth | Fortune | High Life | Understanding | Bold Leader | Human Equality | Lees | Drunken Christian | Unknown | Sea-lion Strength | Dignified Leisure | Apple Dumpling | Full Movement | Artistic Nature | Schoolmaster | True Brotherhood | Captain | More
More Herman Melville Quotes
“Evil is the chronic malady of the universe, and checked in one place, breaks forth in another.” Herman Melville
Evil, Malady, Universe, Perpetuity, Struggle, Conflict
Herman Melville Evil, Malady, Universe, Perpetuity, Struggle, Conflict“The names of all fine authors are fictitious ones, far more so than that of Junius, – simply standing, as they do, for the mystical, ever-eluding Spirit of all Beauty, which ubiquitously possesses men of genius.” Herman Melville
Authors, Creativity, Inspiration, Genius, Mysticism, Art
Herman Melville Authors, Creativity, Inspiration, Genius, Mysticism, Art“They are fighting Quakers; they are Quakers with a vengeance.” Herman Melville
Quakers, Irony, Religion, Fighting Spirit, Conflict, Social Critique
Herman Melville Quakers, Irony, Religion, Fighting Spirit, Conflict, Social Critique“In this world of lies, Truth is forced to fly like a scared white doe in the woodlands; and only by cunning glimpses will she reveal herself, as in Shakespeare and other masters of the great Art of Telling the Truth, even though it be covertly, and by snatches.” Herman Melville
Truth, Lies, Deception, Art, Philosophy, Irony
Herman Melville Truth, Lies, Deception, Art, Philosophy, Irony“It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.” Herman Melville
Originality Failure, Imitation Success, Authentic Choice, Originality, Failure, Imitation
Herman Melville Originality Failure, Imitation Success, Authentic Choice, Originality, Failure, Imitation“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 Wars, Youth, Philosophy, Violence, Masculinity, Conflict“In our own hearts, we mold the whole world’s hereafters; and in our own hearts we fashion our own gods.” Herman Melville
Self-determination, Personal Power, Inner Strength, Destiny, Spirituality, Heart
Herman Melville Self-determination, Personal Power, Inner Strength, Destiny, Spirituality, Heart“He knows himself, and all that’s in him, who knows adversity.” Herman Melville
Self-awareness, Adversity, Strength, Life Experience, Personal Growth, Resilience
Herman Melville Self-awareness, Adversity, Strength, Life Experience, Personal Growth, Resilience“It is not down in any map; true places never are.” Herman Melville
Adventure, Exploration, Discovery, True Places, Maps, Unknown
Herman Melville Adventure, Exploration, Discovery, True Places, Maps, Unknown“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“Chiamatemi Ismaele. Alcuni anni fa – non importa quanti esattamente – avendo pochi o punti denari in tasca e nulla di particolare che m’interessasse a terra, pensai di darmi alla navigazione e vedere la parte acquea del mondo. E’ un modo che ho io di cacciare la malinconia e di regolare la circolazione.” Herman Melville
Self-reflection, Exploring Life, Personal Journey, Mental Health, Adventure, Travel
Herman Melville Self-reflection, Exploring Life, Personal Journey, Mental Health, Adventure, Travel“The poor man wants many things; the covetous man, all.” Herman Melville
Wealth Desire, Covetous Nature, Poverty Truth, Poor, Covetous, Wants
Herman Melville Wealth Desire, Covetous Nature, Poverty Truth, Poor, Covetous, Wants“There is nothing so slipperily alluring as sadness; we become sad in the first place by having nothing stirring to do; we continue in it, because we have found a snug sofa at last.” Herman Melville
Sadness And Solitude, Emotional Traps, Human Nature, Melancholy, Comfort, Idleness
Herman Melville Sadness And Solitude, Emotional Traps, Human Nature, Melancholy, Comfort, Idleness“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“Light though thou be, thou leapest out of darkness; but I am darkness leaping out of light, leaping out of thee!” Herman Melville
Light, Darkness, Irony, Paradox, Reflection, Identity
Herman Melville Light, Darkness, Irony, Paradox, Reflection, Identity“For this reason a sleeping apartment should never be furnished with a fire, which is one of the luxurious discomforts of the rich. For the height of this sort of deliciousness is to have nothing but the blankets between you and your snugness and the cold of the outer air. Then there you lie like the one warm spark in the heart of an arctic crystal.” Herman Melville
Fire Comforts, Rich Luxury, Sleeping Apartment, Comfort, Fire, Luxury
Herman Melville Fire Comforts, Rich Luxury, Sleeping Apartment, Comfort, Fire, Luxury“The phantom-host has faded quite, Splendor and Terror gone – Portent or promise – and gives way To pale, meek Dawn.” Herman Melville
Phantom Host, Dawn Promise, Splendor Gone, Phantom, Dawn, Splendor
Herman Melville Phantom Host, Dawn Promise, Splendor Gone, Phantom, Dawn, Splendor“Nevertheless the sun hides not Virginia’s Dismal Swamp, nor Rome’s accursed Campagna, nor wide Sahara, nor all the million miles of deserts and of griefs beneath the moon. The sun hides not the ocean, which is the dark side of this earth, and which is two thirds of this earth. So, therefore, that mortal man who hath more of joy than sorrow in him, that mortal man cannot be true – not true, or undeveloped.” Herman Melville
Sun And Ocean, Mortal Joys, Hidden Darkness, Nature, Joy, Sorrow
Herman Melville Sun And Ocean, Mortal Joys, Hidden Darkness, Nature, Joy, Sorrow“The White Whale swam before him as the monomaniac incarnation of all those malicious agencies which some deep men feel eating them, till they are left living with half a heart and half a lung.” Herman Melville
White Whale, Obsession, Monomania, Malice, Fate, Struggle
Herman Melville White Whale, Obsession, Monomania, Malice, Fate, Struggle“The fact is, that among his hunters at least, the whale would by all hands be considered a noble dish, were there not so much of him; but when you come to sit down before a meat-pie nearly one hundred feet long, it takes away your appetite.” Herman Melville
Whale Dish, Noble Feast, Hunters, Appetite, Whale, Meal
Herman Melville Whale Dish, Noble Feast, Hunters, Appetite, Whale, Meal