The first boat we read of, floated on an ocean, that with Portuguese vengeance had whelmed a whole world without leaving so much as a widow. That same ocean rolls now; that same ocean destroyed the wrecked ships of last year. Yea, foolish mortals, Noah’s flood is not yet subsided; two thirds of the fair world it yet covers.
Herman Melville
Historical Truths, Nature’s Power, World History, Disasters, Lessons Learned, Floods
Herman Melville’s Quotes On Topics
Scorched Past | Lived Remember | Misery | Twins | Self-pride | Inner Conflict | Greatness Proved | Craft’s Essence | Cunning | Geography | Whale | Education | Curious Streets | Sea Life | Implacable Sea | Perseverance | Despair | Dream Pursuit | Strength | Wisdom | More
More Herman Melville Quotes
“They talk of the dignity of work. The dignity is in leisure.” Herman Melville
Work, Leisure, Dignity, Relaxation, Balance, Life
Herman Melville Work, Leisure, Dignity, Relaxation, Balance, Life“Lo! ye believers in gods all goodness, and in man all ill, lo you! see the omniscient gods oblivious of suffering man; and man, though idiotic, and knowing not what he does, yet full of the sweet things of love and gratitude.” Herman Melville
Faith In Gods, Man’s Weakness, Love And Gratitude, Human Folly, Suffering, Gods Oblivious
Herman Melville Faith In Gods, Man’s Weakness, Love And Gratitude, Human Folly, Suffering, Gods Oblivious“But that darkness was licked up by the fierce flames, which at intervals forked forth from the sooty flues, and illuminated every lofty rope in the rigging, as with the famed Greek fire. The burning ship drove on, as if remorselessly commissioned to some vengeful deed.” Herman Melville
Fierce Flames, Burning Ship, Greek Fire, Flames, Ship, Fire
Herman Melville Fierce Flames, Burning Ship, Greek Fire, Flames, Ship, Fire“If a well-constituted individual refrains from blazoning aught amiss or calamitous in his family, a nation in the like circumstance may without reproach be equally discreet.” Herman Melville
Family, Privacy, Morality, Society, Reflection, Integrity
Herman Melville Family, Privacy, Morality, Society, Reflection, Integrity“Though amid all the smoking horror and diabolism of a sea-fight, sharks will be seen longingly gazing up to the ship’s decks, like hungry dogs round a table where red meat is being carved, ready to bolt down every killed man that is tossed to them.” Herman Melville
Sea Horror, Shark Hunger, Battle Imagery, Sharks, Sea, Battle
Herman Melville Sea Horror, Shark Hunger, Battle Imagery, Sharks, Sea, Battle“Out of the bottomless profundities the gigantic tail seems spasmodically snatching at the highest heaven. So in dreams, have I seen majestic Satan thrusting forth his tormented colossal claw from the flame Baltic of Hell. But in gazing at such scenes, it is all in all what mood you are in; if in the Dantean, the devils will occur to you; if in that of Isaiah, the archangels.” Herman Melville
Heaven Claw, Dream Scenes, Mood Perception, Claw, Dream, Mood
Herman Melville Heaven Claw, Dream Scenes, Mood Perception, Claw, Dream, Mood“Now, that Lazarus should lie stranded there on the curbstone before the door of Dives, this is more wonderful than that an iceberg should be moored to one of the Moluccas. Yet Dives himself, he too lives like a Czar in an ice palace made of frozen sighs, and being a president of a temperance society, he only drinks the tepid tears of orphans.” Herman Melville
Lazarus, Wealth, Poverty, Irony, Social Critique, Morality
Herman Melville Lazarus, Wealth, Poverty, Irony, Social Critique, Morality“Aft here, ye sons of bachelors,” he cried, as the sailors lingered at the main-mast. “Mr. Starbuck, drive aft.” Herman Melville
Sailor’s Call, Commanded Action, Starbuck Orders, Aft, Sailors, Call
Herman Melville Sailor’s Call, Commanded Action, Starbuck Orders, Aft, Sailors, Call“The Marquesan girls dance all over; not only do their feet dance, but their arms, hands, fingers, ay, their very eyes seem to dance in their heads.” Herman Melville
Marquesan Dance, Dancing Eyes, Full Movement, Dance, Eyes, Movement
Herman Melville Marquesan Dance, Dancing Eyes, Full Movement, Dance, Eyes, Movement“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“And the visible world seems formed in love, the invisible spheres were formed in fright.” Herman Melville
Visible Love, Invisible Fright, Love, Fright, World, Spheres
Herman Melville Visible Love, Invisible Fright, Love, Fright, World, Spheres“All visible objects, man, are but as pasteboard masks. But in each event – in the living act, the undoubted deed – there, some unknown but still reasoning thing puts forth the mouldings of its features from behind the unreasoning mask.” Herman Melville
Appearance Vs Reality, Life’s Purpose, Human Nature, Unknown Forces, Events And Deeds, Philosophy
Herman Melville Appearance Vs Reality, Life’s Purpose, Human Nature, Unknown Forces, Events And Deeds, Philosophy“Seat thyself sultanically among the moons of Saturn.” Herman Melville
Sultan Moons, Saturn Seat, Moons Seat, Saturn, Moons, Seat
Herman Melville Sultan Moons, Saturn Seat, Moons Seat, Saturn, Moons, Seat“Everyone knows that in most people’s estimation, to do anything cooly is to do it genteelly.” Herman Melville
Cooly Genteelly, Genteel Behavior, Cool Behavior, Cool, Genteel, Behavior
Herman Melville Cooly Genteelly, Genteel Behavior, Cool Behavior, Cool, Genteel, Behavior“Let us speak, though we show all our faults and weaknesses, – for it is a sign of strength to be weak, to know it, and out with it – not in a set way and ostentatiously, though, but incidentally and without premeditation.” Herman Melville
Strength Weakness, Fault Acceptance, Honest Speech, Strength, Weakness, Fault
Herman Melville Strength Weakness, Fault Acceptance, Honest Speech, Strength, Weakness, Fault“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“He who goes oftenest round Cape Horn goes the most circumspectly.” Herman Melville
Cape Horn, Frequent Circumspection, Maritime Wisdom, Cape, Wisdom, Circumspection
Herman Melville Cape Horn, Frequent Circumspection, Maritime Wisdom, Cape, Wisdom, Circumspection“Though the ancients were ignorant of the principles of Christianity there were in them the germs of its spirit.” Herman Melville
Ancient Spirit, Christianity Germs, Historical Values, Ancients, Christianity, Spirit
Herman Melville Ancient Spirit, Christianity Germs, Historical Values, Ancients, Christianity, Spirit