--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Crossing the Penobscot, one found a…" description: "\"Crossing the Penobscot, one found a visible descent in the scale of humanity.\" — Francis Parkman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/476/francis-parkman-16945_crossing_crossing-the-penobscot-one-found-a-visib_1599346.png" --- # Crossing the Penobscot, one found a visible descent in the… ![“Crossing the Penobscot, one found a visible descent in the scale of humanity.” quote by Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/476/francis-parkman-16945_crossing_crossing-the-penobscot-one-found-a-visib_1599346.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/476/francis-parkman-16945_crossing_crossing-the-penobscot-one-found-a-visib_1599346.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/476/francis-parkman-16945_crossing_crossing-the-penobscot-one-found-a-visib_1599346.png) > “Crossing the Penobscot, one found a visible descent in the scale of humanity.” [Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humanity declines visibly when moving through the Penobscot, suggesting a loss of moral scale. **In simple terms:** Travel can reveal a drop in humanity’s quality. Key Takeaway Observe moral shifts in new places. Themes travel humanity decline Mood reflective critical Type narrative historical When to use this quote - expedition - colonial exploration - river journeys Key Concepts ethical relativism environmental impact Questions to Reflect On - What does “scale of humanity” mean to you? - Can travel change moral perception? A Different Perspective Perspective may be biased by personal prejudice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crossing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crossing/) [Crossing Penobscot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crossing-penobscot-6078486/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Humanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humanity/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Penobscot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/penobscot-4700121/) [Penobscot Visible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/penobscot-visible-6078487/) [Visible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/visible/) [Visible Descent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/visible-descent-6078488/) ## Related quotes > [“On the Penobscot River, on the opposite bank from the once-upon-a-time paper mill, stands Fort Knox, proudly named after the nation’s first Secretary of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/on-the-penobscot-river-on-the-opposite-bank-from-the-once-upon-a-time/) [Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/) > [On the 31st of August, 1846, I left Concord in Massachusetts for Bangor and the backwoods of Maine,... I proposed to make excursions to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/on-the-31st-of-august-1846-i-left-concord-in-massachusetts-for-bangor/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“She remembers third grade at the Indian Island School, where she learned that the name Penobscot is from Panawahpskek, meaning “the place where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/she-remembers-third-grade-at-the-indian-island-school-where-she/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“The old Waldo-Hancock Bridge crossed the Penobscot River from Verona Island in Hancock County to Waldo County in Maine. Built in 1931, it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/the-old-waldo-hancock-bridge-crossed-the-penobscot-river-from-verona/) [Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/) > [Not a breath of air stirred over the free and open prairie; the clouds were like light piles of cotton; and where the blue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/not-a-breath-of-air-stirred-over-the-free-and-open-prairie-the-clouds/) [Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) > [Lady crossing the street, not paying attention, almost got hit. Turns to husband & screams, 'Why didn't YOU watch where I was going?!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kal-penn/lady-crossing-the-street-not-paying-attention-almost-got-hit-turns-to/) [Kal Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kal-penn/) > [“Crossing the small wooden bridge, just past the rubble, Gabe ducked off to the left and swooped underneath into hiding. Once sure he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-owens/crossing-the-small-wooden-bridge-just-past-the-rubble-gabe-ducked-off/) [Wendy Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-owens/) > [“Crossing the line, that's what the Highway Patrol woman said. Neely was on a gurney, his injuries deemed non-life-threatening, she was taking her initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendric-neal/crossing-the-line-that-s-what-the-highway-patrol-woman-said-neely-was/) [Kendric Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendric-neal/) > [The real issue is not if a crossing is put in, but when. It would be negligent on the part of Union Pacific and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/the-real-issue-is-not-if-a-crossing-is-put-in-but-when-it-would-be/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [My wife's brother has a little house on a small island in the Baltic Sea, and we go there at Christmas. The 30-minute crossing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-frost/my-wife-s-brother-has-a-little-house-on-a-small-island-in-the-baltic/) [Nick Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-frost/) > [Those crossing opportunities always come up in a game so you have to be prepared for them so you have to keep practising them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-wan-bissaka/those-crossing-opportunities-always-come-up-in-a-game-so-you-have-to/) [Aaron Wan-Bissaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-wan-bissaka/) > [“More data—such as paying attention to the eye colors of the people around when crossing the street—can make you miss the big truck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/more-data-such-as-paying-attention-to-the-eye-colors-of-the-people/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [I did this one movie with a great director named Wayne Kramer. It was 'Crossing Over,' and Harrison Ford, Ashley Judd and Ray Liotta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/i-did-this-one-movie-with-a-great-director-named-wayne-kramer-it-was/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) > [“They were Catholic, my lovers, All in an access of crossing themselves, Particularly their fingers Behind their suspendered backs-- And that was the women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-caroline/they-were-catholic-my-lovers-all-in-an-access-of-crossing-themselves/) [Shay Caroline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-caroline/) > [Be bored and see where it takes you, because the imagination's dusty wilderness is worth crossing if you want to sculpt your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/be-bored-and-see-where-it-takes-you-because-the-imagination-s-dusty/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) ## More by Francis Parkman > [It was a rich and gorgeous sunset - an American sunset; and the ruddy glow of the sky was reflected from some extensive pools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/it-was-a-rich-and-gorgeous-sunset-an-american-sunset-and-the-ruddy/) [Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) > [Riding in advance, we passed over one of these great plains; we looked back and saw the line of scattered horsemen stretching for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/riding-in-advance-we-passed-over-one-of-these-great-plains-we-looked/) [Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) > [Four men are missing; R., Sorel and two emigrants. They set out this morning after buffalo, and have not yet made their appearance; whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/four-men-are-missing-r-sorel-and-two-emigrants-they-set-out-this/) [Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) > [Early on the next morning we reached Kansas, about five hundred miles from the mouth of the Missouri.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/early-on-the-next-morning-we-reached-kansas-about-five-hundred-miles/) [Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) > [The young nobles, of whom there were many, were volunteers, who had paid their own expenses in expectation of a golden harvest, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/the-young-nobles-of-whom-there-were-many-were-volunteers-who-had-paid/) [Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) > [Spanish civilization crushed the Indian. English civilization scorned and neglected him. French civilization embraced and cherished him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/spanish-civilization-crushed-the-indian-english-civilization-scorned/) [Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) > [France built its best colony on a principle of exclusion, and failed; England reversed the system, and succeeded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/france-built-its-best-colony-on-a-principle-of-exclusion-and-failed/) [Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) > [Humanity, morality, decency, might be forgotten, but codfish must still be had for the use of the faithful in Lent and on fast days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/humanity-morality-decency-might-be-forgotten-but-codfish-must-still/) [Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) > [If any pale student, glued to his desk, here seek an apology for a way of life whose natural fruits is that pallid and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/if-any-pale-student-glued-to-his-desk-here-seek-an-apology-for-a-way/) [Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) > [Our New England climate is mild and equable compared with that of the Platte.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/our-new-england-climate-is-mild-and-equable-compared-with-that-of-the/) [Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) > [Fort Leavenworth is in fact no fort, being without defensive works, except two block-houses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/fort-leavenworth-is-in-fact-no-fort-being-without-defensive-works/) [Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) > [A military road led from this point to Fort Leavenworth, and for many miles the farms and cabins of the Delawares were scattered at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/a-military-road-led-from-this-point-to-fort-leavenworth-and-for-many/) [Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) > [The monk, the inquisitor, and the Jesuit were lords of Spain,- sovereigns of her sovereign, for they had formed the dark and narrow mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/the-monk-the-inquisitor-and-the-jesuit-were-lords-of-spain-sovereigns/) [Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) > [“Faithfulness to the truth of history involves far more than research, however patient and scrupulous, into special facts. The narrator must seek to imbue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/faithfulness-to-the-truth-of-history-involves-far-more-than-research/) [Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) > [Not a breath of air stirred over the free and open prairie; the clouds were like light piles of cotton; and where the blue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/not-a-breath-of-air-stirred-over-the-free-and-open-prairie-the-clouds/) [Francis Parkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) [Explore all 38 Francis Parkman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/) ## More Crossing quotes > [Be bored and see where it takes you, because the imagination's dusty wilderness is worth crossing if you want to sculpt your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/be-bored-and-see-where-it-takes-you-because-the-imagination-s-dusty/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [“They were Catholic, my lovers, All in an access of crossing themselves, Particularly their fingers Behind their suspendered backs-- And that was the women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-caroline/they-were-catholic-my-lovers-all-in-an-access-of-crossing-themselves/) [Shay Caroline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-caroline/) > [I did this one movie with a great director named Wayne Kramer. It was 'Crossing Over,' and Harrison Ford, Ashley Judd and Ray Liotta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-chon/i-did-this-one-movie-with-a-great-director-named-wayne-kramer-it-was/) [Justin Chon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-chon/) > [“More data—such as paying attention to the eye colors of the people around when crossing the street—can make you miss the big truck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/more-data-such-as-paying-attention-to-the-eye-colors-of-the-people/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [Those crossing opportunities always come up in a game so you have to be prepared for them so you have to keep practising them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-wan-bissaka/those-crossing-opportunities-always-come-up-in-a-game-so-you-have-to/) [Aaron Wan-Bissaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-wan-bissaka/) > [My wife's brother has a little house on a small island in the Baltic Sea, and we go there at Christmas. The 30-minute crossing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-frost/my-wife-s-brother-has-a-little-house-on-a-small-island-in-the-baltic/) [Nick Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-frost/) > [The real issue is not if a crossing is put in, but when. It would be negligent on the part of Union Pacific and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/the-real-issue-is-not-if-a-crossing-is-put-in-but-when-it-would-be/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [“Crossing the line, that's what the Highway Patrol woman said. Neely was on a gurney, his injuries deemed non-life-threatening, she was taking her initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendric-neal/crossing-the-line-that-s-what-the-highway-patrol-woman-said-neely-was/) [Kendric Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendric-neal/) > [“Crossing the small wooden bridge, just past the rubble, Gabe ducked off to the left and swooped underneath into hiding. Once sure he was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-owens/crossing-the-small-wooden-bridge-just-past-the-rubble-gabe-ducked-off/) [Wendy Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-owens/) > [Lady crossing the street, not paying attention, almost got hit. Turns to husband & screams, 'Why didn't YOU watch where I was going?!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kal-penn/lady-crossing-the-street-not-paying-attention-almost-got-hit-turns-to/) [Kal Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kal-penn/) > [I love crossing borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olga-tokarczuk/i-love-crossing-borders/) [Olga Tokarczuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olga-tokarczuk/) > [Crossing the starting line may be an act of courage, but crossing the finish line is an act of faith. Faith is what kepes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/crossing-the-starting-line-may-be-an-act-of-courage-but-crossing-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you were growing up, your mom and dad told you to look both ways before crossing the street or not to get into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-dewolfe/when-you-were-growing-up-your-mom-and-dad-told-you-to-look-both-ways/) [Chris DeWolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-dewolfe/) > [“And he said... ...crossing your' 't' isn't as important as crossing your legs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-t-hincks/and-he-said-crossing-your-t-isn-t-as-important-as-crossing-your-legs/) [Anthony T. Hincks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-t-hincks/) > [“If you didn’t get a little wet crossing the river you might have crossed it, but you didn’t experience it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/if-you-didn-t-get-a-little-wet-crossing-the-river-you-might-have/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) [Browse all 153 Crossing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crossing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Crossing the Penobscot, one found a visible descent in the scale of humanity.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francis Parkman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/crossing-the-penobscot-one-found-a-visible-descent-in-the-scale-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Crossing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/crossing-the-penobscot-one-found-a-visible-descent-in-the-scale-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/476/francis-parkman-16945_crossing_crossing-the-penobscot-one-found-a-visib_1599346.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/476/francis-parkman-16945_crossing_crossing-the-penobscot-one-found-a-visib_1599346.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/476/francis-parkman-16945_crossing_crossing-the-penobscot-one-found-a-visib_1599346.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Crossing the Penobscot, one found a visible descent in the scale of humanity.” — Francis Parkman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Francis Parkman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parkman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Crossing the Penobscot, one found a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/crossing-the-penobscot-one-found-a-visible-descent-in-the-scale-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parkman/crossing-the-penobscot-one-found-a-visible-descent-in-the-scale-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```