A thing may be incredible and still be true; sometimes it is incredible because it is true. — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
Friendship at first sight, like love at first sight, is said to be the only truth. — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
In truth, a mature man who uses hair oil, unless medicinally, that man has probably got a quoggy spot in him somewhere. — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
The symmetry of form attainable in pure fiction can not so readily be achieved in a narration essentially having less to do… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
Mystery is in the morning, and mystery in the night, and the beauty of mystery is everywhere; but still the plain truth… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
But as in landlessness alone resides the highest truth, shoreless, indefinite as God - so better is it to perish in that… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
Truth is the silliest thing under the sun. Try to get a living by the Truth and go to the Soup Societies.… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
“I pondered some time without fully comprehending the reason for this. Father Mapple enjoyed such a wide reputation for sincerity and sanctity,… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
“I do not know where I can find a better place than just here, to make mention of one or two other… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
“Glimpses do you seem to see of that mortally intolerable truth; that all deep, earnest thinking is but the intrepid effort of… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
What plays the mischief with the truth is that men will insist upon the universal application of a temporary feeling or opinion. — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
It is not for man to follow the trail of truth too far, since by so doing he entirely loses the directing… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
“For this is one of those disheartening instances where truth requires full as much bolstering as error.” — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
There seems no reason why patriotism and narrowness should go together, or why intellectual impartiality should be confounded with political trimming, or… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
“Glimpses do ye seem to see of that mortally intolerable truth; that all deep, earnest thinking is but the intrepid effort of… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
“There seems no reason why patriotism and narrowness should go together, or why intellectual fair mindedness should be confounded with political trimming,… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
“All dies! and not alone The aspiring trees and men and grass; The poets' forms of beauty pass, And noblest deeds they… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
There is the grand truth about Nathaniel Hawthorne. He says NO! in thunder; but the Devil himself cannot make him say yes.… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
“and man, though idiotic, and knowing not what he does, yet full of the sweet things of love and gratitude.” — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
“But were the coming narrative to reveal in any instance, the complete abasement of poor Starbuck's fortitude, scarce might I have the heart to… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
“(On Ralph Waldo Emerson)I love all men who dive. Any fish can swim near the surface, but it takes a great whale to go… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
“So seemed it to me, as I stood at her helm, and for long hours silently guided the way of this fire-ship on the… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
“Consider the subtleness of the sea; how its most dreaded creatures glide under water, unapparent for the most part, and treacherously hidden beneath the… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
“Is it that by its indefiniteness it shadows forth the heartless voids and immensities of the universe, and thus stabs us from behind with… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
“Now, as I before hinted, I have no objection to any person's religion, be it what it may, so long as that person does… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
Let America first praise mediocrity even, in her children, before she praises... the best excellence in the children of any other land. — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
“Yet this is life. For hardly have we mortals by long toilings extracted from this world's vast bulk its small but valuable sperm; and… — Herman Melville Copy Share Image
