--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For small erections may be finished by…" description: "\"For small erections may be finished by their first architects; grand ones, true ones, ever leave the copestone to posterity. God keep me from ever comp..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/herman-melville-162_architect_for-small-erections-may-be-finished-by-t_2642772.jpg" --- # For small erections may be finished by their first… ![“For small erections may be finished by their first architects; grand ones, true ones, ever leave the copestone to posterity. God keep me from ever completing anything. This whole book is but a draught—nay, but the draught of a draught. Oh, Time, Strength, Cash, and Patience!” quote by Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/herman-melville-162_architect_for-small-erections-may-be-finished-by-t_2642772.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/herman-melville-162_architect_for-small-erections-may-be-finished-by-t_2642772.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e98/herman-melville-162_architect_for-small-erections-may-be-finished-by-t_2642772.jpg) > “For small erections may be finished by their first architects; grand ones, true ones, ever leave the copestone to posterity. God keep me from ever completing anything. This whole book is but a draught—nay, but the draught of a draught. Oh, Time, Strength, Cash, and Patience!” [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Architectural projects start small but lasting works require future generations to finish them; the speaker fears never completing anything. **In simple terms:** Small works finish early; great works need others to finish. Key Takeaway Accept that some things remain unfinished. Themes legacy completion humility Mood reflective melancholic Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - building a monument - writing a novel - software development - family lineage Key Concepts impermanence collaboration time Questions to Reflect On - What part of your work will you leave for others? - How do you balance personal ambition with humility? A Different Perspective Great works often outlive their creators, making personal completion elusive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Architect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/architect/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Book Draught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-draught-2282765/) [Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cash/) [Completing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/completing/) [Draught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draught/) [Draught Draught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draught-draught-2282764/) [Draught Nay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draught-nay-2282762/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Nay Draught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nay-draught-2282763/) [Posterity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/posterity/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“But I now leave my cetological System standing thus unfinished, even as the great Cathedral of Cologne was left, with the crane still standing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/but-i-now-leave-my-cetological-system-standing-thus-unfinished-even/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [The higher powers of the reflective intellect are more decidedly and more usefully tasked by the unostentatious game of draughts than by all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-allan-poe/the-higher-powers-of-the-reflective-intellect-are-more-decidedly-and/) [Edgar Allan Poe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-allan-poe/) > [I took one Draught of Life - I'll tell you what I paid - Precisely an existence - The market price, they said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/i-took-one-draught-of-life-i-ll-tell-you-what-i-paid-precisely-an/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [For me, the times I always regret are missed opportunities to say farewell to good people, to wish them long life and say to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/for-me-the-times-i-always-regret-are-missed-opportunities-to-say/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [Disguise thyself as thou wilt, still, Slavery," said I, "still thou art a bitter draught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/disguise-thyself-as-thou-wilt-still-slavery-said-i-still-thou-art-a/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [Olivia: What's a drunken man like, fool? 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I consider them as draughts upon good breeding, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/compliments-of-congratulation-are-always-kindly-taken-and-cost/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [When the milk of human kindness turns sour, it is a singularly unpalatable draught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/when-the-milk-of-human-kindness-turns-sour-it-is-a-singularly/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [Fatigue is the safest sleeping draught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/fatigue-is-the-safest-sleeping-draught/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## More by Herman Melville > [“and man, though idiotic, and knowing not what he does, yet full of the sweet things of love and gratitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/and-man-though-idiotic-and-knowing-not-what-he-does-yet-full-of-the/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/but-were-the-coming-narrative-to-reveal-in-any-instance-the-complete/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“(On Ralph Waldo Emerson)I love all men who dive. 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For hardly have we mortals by long toilings extracted from this world's vast bulk its small but valuable sperm; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/yet-this-is-life-for-hardly-have-we-mortals-by-long-toilings/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [I never fancied broiling fowls; - though once broiled, judiciously buttered, and judgmatically salted and peppered, there is no one who will speak more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/i-never-fancied-broiling-fowls-though-once-broiled-judiciously/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [War should be carried on like a monsoon; one changeless determination of every particle towards the one unalterable aim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/war-should-be-carried-on-like-a-monsoon-one-changeless-determination/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Genius is full of trash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/genius-is-full-of-trash/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) [Explore all 1,009 Herman Melville quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) ## More Architect quotes > [When I am asked what I believe in, I say that I believe in architecture. 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