The consciousness of being deemed dead, is next to the presumable unpleasantness of being so in reality. One feels like his own ghost unlawfully tenanting a defunct carcass.
Herman Melville
Deemed Dead, Ghost Feeling, Consciousness Paradox, Dead, Ghost, Consciousness
Herman Melville’s Quotes On Topics
Cold | Hidden Truths | Wants | Duality | Living Things | Unforgiveness | Merited Praise | Lombardy Crown | Unpainted | Gifts | Lineage | Death’s Influence | Dangerous Books | Violence Continues | Confidence | Mighty Good | Whale Delicacy | Claw | Reason | National Identity | More
More Herman Melville Quotes
“Surely no mere mortal who has at all gone down into himself will ever pretend that his slightest thought or act solely originates in his own defined identity.” Herman Melville
Mortal Identity, Defined Identity, Self Thought, Identity, Self, Thought
Herman Melville Mortal Identity, Defined Identity, Self Thought, Identity, Self, Thought“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“Ignorance is the parent of fear.” Herman Melville
Fear Source, Parent Ignorance, Ignorance, Fear, Cause, Knowledge
Herman Melville Fear Source, Parent Ignorance, Ignorance, Fear, Cause, Knowledge“It is only when caught in the swift, sudden turn of death, that mortals realise the silent, subtle, ever-present perils of life.” Herman Melville
Death’s Perils, Life’s Realization, Mortal Awareness, Life, Death, Awareness
Herman Melville Death’s Perils, Life’s Realization, Mortal Awareness, Life, Death, Awareness“Of the quaking recruit, three pitched battles make a grim grenadier; and he who shrank from the muzzle of a cannon, is now ready to yield his mustache for a sponge.” Herman Melville
Grenadier Courage, Battle Hardened, Fear Transformation, Courage, Battle, Fear
Herman Melville Grenadier Courage, Battle Hardened, Fear Transformation, Courage, Battle, Fear“To the last, I grapple with thee; From Hell’s heart, I stab at thee; For hate’s sake, I spit my last breath at thee.” Herman Melville
Ahab’s Hatred, Revenge, Obsession, Conflict, Determination, Hate
Herman Melville Ahab’s Hatred, Revenge, Obsession, Conflict, Determination, Hate“If you are poor, avoid wine as a costly luxury; if you are rich, shun it as a fatal indulgence. Stick to plain water.” Herman Melville
Wine Indulgence, Rich Simplicity, Water Choice, Poor, Wine, Water
Herman Melville Wine Indulgence, Rich Simplicity, Water Choice, Poor, Wine, Water“Heaven have mercy on us all – Presbyterians and Pagans alike – for we are all somehow dreadfully cracked about the head, and sadly need mending.” Herman Melville
Heaven Mercy, Cracked Heads, Dreadful Need, Mercy, Head, Mending
Herman Melville Heaven Mercy, Cracked Heads, Dreadful Need, Mercy, Head, Mending“Methinks that what they call my shadow here on earth is my true substance. 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 Substance, Earthly Shadow, Shadow, Substance, Spiritual, Perception
Herman Melville Spiritual Substance, Earthly Shadow, Shadow, Substance, Spiritual, Perception“Indolence is heaven’s ally here, And energy the child of hell: The Good Man pouring from his pitcher clear But brims the poisoned well.” Herman Melville
Indolence’s Ally, Energy And Hell, Goodness And Poison, Clear And Tainted, Evil’s Child, Heavenly Aid
Herman Melville Indolence’s Ally, Energy And Hell, Goodness And Poison, Clear And Tainted, Evil’s Child, Heavenly Aid“In an instant’s compass, great hearts sometimes condense to one deep pang, the sum total of those shallow pains kindly diffused through feebler men’s whole lives. And so, such hearts, though summary in each one suffering; still, if the gods decree it, in their lifetime aggregate a whole age of woe, wholly made up of instantaneous intensities; for even in their pointless centres, those noble natures contain the entire circumferences of inferior souls.” Herman Melville
Great Hearts, Deep Pain, Noble Natures, Suffering, Strength, Empathy
Herman Melville Great Hearts, Deep Pain, Noble Natures, Suffering, Strength, Empathy“And tell him to paint me a sign, with no suicides permitted here, and no smoking in the parlor; might as well kill both birds at once.” Herman Melville
Painted Sign, House Rules, Sign, Smoking, Suicides, Parlor
Herman Melville Painted Sign, House Rules, Sign, Smoking, Suicides, Parlor“To a sensitive being, pity is not seldom pain.” Herman Melville
Sensitive Nature, Pain Pity, Emotional Impact, Sensitive, Pain, Pity
Herman Melville Sensitive Nature, Pain Pity, Emotional Impact, Sensitive, Pain, Pity“Top-heavy was the ship as a dinnerless student with all Aristotle in his head.” Herman Melville
Top-Heavy Ship, Dinnerless Student, Aristotle’s Influence, Philosophy, Ship, Knowledge
Herman Melville Top-Heavy Ship, Dinnerless Student, Aristotle’s Influence, Philosophy, Ship, Knowledge“As for me, I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote. I love to sail forbidden seas, and land on barbarous coasts.” Herman Melville
Wanderlust, Exploration, Adventure, Freedom, Obsession, Risk
Herman Melville Wanderlust, Exploration, Adventure, Freedom, Obsession, Risk“There’s something ever egotistical in mountain tops and towers, and all things grand and lofty.” Herman Melville
Mountain Peaks, Grand Structures, Egotistical, Lofty, Towers, Grandeur
Herman Melville Mountain Peaks, Grand Structures, Egotistical, Lofty, Towers, Grandeur“There is no quality in this world that is not what it is merely by contrast. Nothing exists in itself.” Herman Melville
Contrast, Existence, Philosophy, Perception, Reality, Duality
Herman Melville Contrast, Existence, Philosophy, Perception, Reality, Duality“In times of strong emotion mankind disdain all base considerations.” Herman Melville
Emotional Strength, Human Nature, Emotional Wisdom, Inner Power, Reactions, Mindset
Herman Melville Emotional Strength, Human Nature, Emotional Wisdom, Inner Power, Reactions, Mindset“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“What man who carries a heavenly soul in him, has not groaned to perceive, that unless he committed a sort of suicide as to the practical things of this world, he never can hope to regulate his earthly conduct by that same heavenly soul?” Herman Melville
Heavenly Soul, Earthly Struggle, Soul’s Conflict, Human Conduct, Practical Suicide, Earthly Life
Herman Melville Heavenly Soul, Earthly Struggle, Soul’s Conflict, Human Conduct, Practical Suicide, Earthly Life