There is nothing namable but that some men will, or undertake to, do it for pay.
Herman Melville
Namable Things, Pay Undertaking, Human Efforts, Namable, Pay, Efforts
Herman Melville’s Quotes On Topics
Nantucket Origin | Trash | Family Bonds | America | Fear | Kindness | Perpetuity | Life After Death | Patriot Zeal | Comical Obligations | Pale Waters | Mind | Lees | Wonders | Strange Life | Chance | Might-Have-Been | Sail Set | Quakers | Planet’s Woes | More
More Herman Melville Quotes
“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 Deemed Dead, Ghost Feeling, Consciousness Paradox, Dead, Ghost, Consciousness“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“A man thinks that by mouthing hard words he understands hard things.” Herman Melville
Words, Understanding, Philosophy, Knowledge, Communication, Irony
Herman Melville Words, Understanding, Philosophy, Knowledge, Communication, Irony“Think of it. To go down to posterity as a ‘man who lived among the cannibals.’” Herman Melville
Posterity, Cultural Immersion, Cannibalism, Adventure, Legacy, Exploration
Herman Melville Posterity, Cultural Immersion, Cannibalism, Adventure, Legacy, Exploration“A wild, mystical, sympathetical feeling was in me; Ahab’s quenchless feud seemed mine. With greedy ear I learned the history of that murderous monster against whom I and all the others had taken our oaths of violence and revenge.” Herman Melville
Mystical Feeling, Ahab’s Feud, Violence And Revenge, Obsession, Violence, Mystical
Herman Melville Mystical Feeling, Ahab’s Feud, Violence And Revenge, Obsession, Violence, Mystical“When the passage “All men are born free and equal,” when that passage was being written were not some of the signers legalised owners of slaves?” Herman Melville
Equal Men, Freedom Paradox, Slave Owners, Men, Freedom, Slaves
Herman Melville Equal Men, Freedom Paradox, Slave Owners, Men, Freedom, Slaves“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
Traveling Sin, Virtue Poverty, Sin, Virtue, Poverty, Frontiers
Herman Melville Traveling Sin, Virtue Poverty, Sin, Virtue, Poverty, Frontiers“I leave a white and turbid wake; pale waters, paler cheeks, where’er I sail. The envious billows sidelong swell to whelm my track; let them; but first I pass.” Herman Melville
Turbid Wake, Envious Billows, Pale Waters, Wake, Billows, Pale
Herman Melville Turbid Wake, Envious Billows, Pale Waters, Wake, Billows, Pale“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“Truth uncompromisingly told will always have its jagged edges.” Herman Melville
Uncompromising Truth, Jagged Edges, Honest Words, Truth, Edges, Honest
Herman Melville Uncompromising Truth, Jagged Edges, Honest Words, Truth, Edges, Honest“The sweetest joys of life grow in the very jaws of its perils.” Herman Melville
Life’s Joys, Perils Faced, Sweetest Joys, Perilous Beauty, Joy In Danger, Life’s Sweetness
Herman Melville Life’s Joys, Perils Faced, Sweetest Joys, Perilous Beauty, Joy In Danger, Life’s Sweetness“If you begin the day with a laugh, you may, nevertheless, end it with a sob and a sigh.” Herman Melville
Laughter, Irony, Life’s Paradoxes, Emotions, Mood, Reflection
Herman Melville Laughter, Irony, Life’s Paradoxes, Emotions, Mood, Reflection“Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed.” Herman Melville
Humanity Criticisms, Wealth Assumptions, Class Habits, Humanity, Wealth, Criticisms
Herman Melville Humanity Criticisms, Wealth Assumptions, Class Habits, Humanity, Wealth, Criticisms“Over Descartian vortices you” Herman Melville
Philosophy, Descartes, Vortices, Reflection, Consciousness, Mind
Herman Melville Philosophy, Descartes, Vortices, Reflection, Consciousness, Mind“Not one man in five cycles, who is wise, will expect appreciative recognition from his fellows.” Herman Melville
Wise Recognition, Cycles Wisdom, Expected Gratitude, Wise, Recognition, Gratitude
Herman Melville Wise Recognition, Cycles Wisdom, Expected Gratitude, Wise, Recognition, Gratitude“A beautiful woman is born Queen of men and women both, as Mary Stuart was born Queen of Scots, whether men or women.” Herman Melville
Beautiful Queen, Mary Stuart, Queen Woman, Queen, Woman, Beauty
Herman Melville Beautiful Queen, Mary Stuart, Queen Woman, Queen, Woman, Beauty“His duty he always faithfully did; but duty is sometimes a dry obligation, and he was for irrigating its aridity whensoever possible with a fertilizing decoction of strong waters.” Herman Melville
Faithful Duty, Obligation Aridity, Strong Waters, Duty, Obligation, Waters
Herman Melville Faithful Duty, Obligation Aridity, Strong Waters, Duty, Obligation, Waters“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“Like a savage tigress that tossing in the jungle overlays her own cubs, so the sea dashes even the mightiest whales against the rocks, and leaves them there side by side with the split wrecks of ships. No mercy, no power but its own controls it. Panting and snorting like a mad battle steed that has lost its rider, the masterless ocean overruns the globe.” Herman Melville
Sea, Nature, Power, Violence, Survival, Chaos
Herman Melville Sea, Nature, Power, Violence, Survival, Chaos