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Quote by Herman Melville

“I don't know but a book in a man's brain is better off than a book bound in calf--at any rate it is safer from criticism. And taking a book off the brain, is akin to the ticklish & dangerous business of taking an old painting off a panel--you have to scrape off the whole brain in order to get at it with due safety--& even then, the painting may not be worth the trouble.”

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Herman Melville

Herman Melville was a renowned 19th-century American novelist known for his profound psychological descriptions and unique literary style. His masterpiece, 'Moby-Dick', is considered a classic of American literature. more

“I have written a wicked book, and feel spotless as the lamb. Ineffable socialities are in me. I would sit down and dine with you and all the gods in old Rome's Pantheon. It is a strange feeling--no hopefulness is in it, no despair. Content--that is it; and irresponsibility; but without licentious inclination.”

Feels Book Feelings Literature Written Strange Despair Down And Wicked Rome Inclination Lambs Ineffable Irresponsibility Hopefulness Dine Pantheon

Book:Tales, Poems, and Other Writings

Source: Tales, Poems, and Other Writings

“The further our civilization advances upon its present lines so much the cheaper sort of thing does "fame" become, especially of the literary sort. This species of "fame" a waggish acquaintance says can be manufactured to order, and sometimes is so manufactured.”

Doe Sometimes Order Literature Lines Civilization Fame Species Acquaintance Cheaper

Book:Correspondence

Source: Correspondence

“As in digging for precious metals in the mines, much earthy rubbish has first to be troublesomely handled and thrown out; so, in digging in one's soul for the fine gold of genius, much dullness and common-place is first brought to light.”

Firsts Soul Light Literature Common Creativity Mines Fine Genius Gold Thrown Metals Digging Rubbish Authorship Dullness Precious Metal

Book:Pierre; or The Ambiguities

Source: Pierre; or The Ambiguities

“Nearly all literature, in one sense, is made up of guide-books. Old ones tell us the ways our fathers went, through the thoroughfares and courts of old; but how few of those former places can their posterity trace, amid avenues of modern erections; to how few is the old guide-book now a clew! Every age makes its own guide-books, and the old ones are used for waste paper.”

Way Made Book Age Used Father Literature Modern Waste Paper Court Guides Former Posterity Avenues Our Father

Book:Works: Redburn, his first voyage

Source: Works: Redburn, his first voyage

“In metropolitan cases, the love of the most single-eyed lover, almost invariably, is nothing more than the ultimate settling of innumerable wandering glances upon some one specific object.”

Love Cities Cases Objects Lovers Ultimate Wander Settling Glances Metropolitan

Book:Pierre or The Ambiguities

Source: Pierre or The Ambiguities

“Climate of Egypt in winter is the reign of spring upon earth, & summer in the air, and tranquility in the heat.”

Earth Air Summer Spring Climate Winter Heat Reign Egypt Tranquility

Book:Journals

Source: Journals

“He who has never failed somewhere, that man can not be great. Failure is the true test of greatness. And if it be said, that continual success is a proof that a man wisely knows his powers,--it is only to be added, that, in that case, he knows them to be small.”

Ifs Knows Men Said Success Cases Greatness Failure Tests Proof Can Not Success Failure

Book:Life and Genius of Nathaniel Hawthorne: Letters, Diaries, Reminiscences and Extensive Biographies: Autobiographical Writings of the Renowned American Novelist, Author of

Source: Life and Genius of Nathaniel Hawthorne: Letters, Diaries, Reminiscences and Extensive Biographies: Autobiographical Writings of the Renowned American Novelist, Author of

“All round and round does the world lie as in a sharp-shooter's ambush, to pick off the beautiful illusions of youth, by the pitiless cracking rifles of the realities of age.”

World Doe Reality Age Beautiful Lying Youth Illusion Picks Rounds Realism Rifles Shooter Ambush

Book:Pierre or The Ambiguities: Works of Melville

Source: Pierre or The Ambiguities: Works of Melville

“For my part I love sleepy fellows, and the more ignorant the better. Damn your wide-awake and knowing chaps. As for sleepiness, itis one of the noblest qualities of humanity. There is something sociable about it, too. Think of those sensible & sociable millions of good fellows all taking a good long friendly snooze together, under the sod--no quarrels, no imaginary grievances, no envies, heart-burnings, & thinking how much better that other chap is off--none of this: but all equally free-&-easy, they sleep away & reel off their nine knots an hour, in perfect amity.”

Quote by Herman Melville

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