--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is often to be observed, that as in…" description: "\"It is often to be observed, that as in digging for precious metals in the mines, much earthly rubbish has first to be troublesomely handled and thrown ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/herman-melville-162_care_it-is-often-to-be-observed-that-as-in-di_2974795.jpg" --- # It is often to be observed, that as in digging for… ![“It is often to be observed, that as in digging for precious metals in the mines, much earthly rubbish has first to be troublesomely handled and thrown out ; so, in digging in one s soul for the fine gold of genius, much dulness and common-place is first brought to light. Happy would it be, if the…” quote by Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/herman-melville-162_care_it-is-often-to-be-observed-that-as-in-di_2974795.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/herman-melville-162_care_it-is-often-to-be-observed-that-as-in-di_2974795.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/herman-melville-162_care_it-is-often-to-be-observed-that-as-in-di_2974795.jpg) > “It is often to be observed, that as in digging for precious metals in the mines, much earthly rubbish has first to be troublesomely handled and thrown out ; so, in digging in one s soul for the fine gold of genius, much dulness and common-place is first brought to light. Happy would it be, if the man possessed in himself some receptacle for his own rubbish of this sort: but he is like the occupant of a dwelling, whose refuse cannot be clapped into his own cellar, but must be deposited in the street before his own door, for the public functionaries to take care of.” [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. Creating genius requires discarding mental clutter; external help clears the mind for brilliance. **In simple terms:** Clear mental clutter to reveal genius. Key Takeaway Eliminate distractions for creativity. Themes genius mental clarity self‑improvement creativity Mood reflective encouraging Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - writing retreats - mind‑clearing rituals - coaching sessions Key Concepts psychology of creativity self‑discipline Questions to Reflect On - What mental clutter hinders you? - How can you seek external support? A Different Perspective Not all rubbish can be easily removed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Cellars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cellars/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Digging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digging/) [Digging Precious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digging-precious-4597284/) [Doors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doors/) [Dwelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dwelling/) [Dwelling Refuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dwelling-refuse-4597285/) [Earthly Rubbish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earthly-rubbish-4597283/) [Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) [He man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he-man/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Metals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metals/) [Mines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mines/) [Possessed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possessed/) [Precious metal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precious-metal/) [Refuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/refuse/) [Rubbish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rubbish/) [Rubbish Troublesomely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rubbish-troublesomely-4597282/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) [Take care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take-care/) [Thrown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrown/) [Thrown Digging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrown-digging-4597286/) ## Related quotes > [As in digging for precious metals in the mines, much earthy rubbish has first to be troublesomely handled and thrown out; so, in digging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/as-in-digging-for-precious-metals-in-the-mines-much-earthy-rubbish/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [President Marcos was investing in precious metals long before he entered politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-marcos/president-marcos-was-investing-in-precious-metals-long-before-he/) [Imelda Marcos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-marcos/) > [“You do not,’ cried Giovanni, sitting up, ‘love anyone! You never have loved anyone, I am sure you never will! You love your purity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/you-do-not-cried-giovanni-sitting-up-love-anyone-you-never-have-loved/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [“I believe you did not have a happy life. I believe you were cheated. I believe your best friends were loneliness and misery. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-believe-you-did-not-have-a-happy-life-i-believe-you-were-cheated-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If precious metals had been abundant, they would not have been precious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/if-precious-metals-had-been-abundant-they-would-not-have-been-precious/) [Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/) > [“Dung is more valuable than any precious metal. You cannot grow food in gold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scott/dung-is-more-valuable-than-any-precious-metal-you-cannot-grow-food-in/) [Michael Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scott/) > [“I’ve fought for and against pretty much every cause there is. There will always be war of some kind. At first it was over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baldacci/i-ve-fought-for-and-against-pretty-much-every-cause-there-is-there/) [David Baldacci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baldacci/) > [ In practice \[monetary management\] is merely a high-sounding euphemism for continuous currency debasement. It consists of constant lying in order to support constant swindling.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hazlitt/in-practice-monetary-management-is-merely-a-high-sounding-euphemism/) [Henry Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hazlitt/) > [Nevertheless, if we contemplate a society with a somewhat stable wage-unit, with national characteristics which determine the propensity to consume and the preference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/nevertheless-if-we-contemplate-a-society-with-a-somewhat-stable-wage/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > [The trifling economy of paper, as a cheaper medium, or its convenience for transmission, weighs nothing in opposition to the advantages of the precious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-trifling-economy-of-paper-as-a-cheaper-medium-or-its-convenience/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [But I always liked side-paths, little dark back-alleys behind the main road- there one finds adventures and surprises, and precious metal in the dirt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-i-always-liked-side-paths-little-dark-back-alleys-behind-the-main/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As a precious metal, silver is also money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/as-a-precious-metal-silver-is-also-money/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [Achievements are precious and timeless, just like the precious metal platinum. And what better way to celebrate milestones in your life than with precious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijender-singh/achievements-are-precious-and-timeless-just-like-the-precious-metal/) [Vijender Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijender-singh/) > [The monopoly of a single bank is certainly an evil. The multiplication of them was intended to cure it; but it multiplied an influence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-monopoly-of-a-single-bank-is-certainly-an-evil-the-multiplication/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [There is here a great melting pot in which we must compound a precious metal. That metal is the metal of nationality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/there-is-here-a-great-melting-pot-in-which-we-must-compound-a/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) ## 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 Care quotes > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [We all know what it feels like to love someone and care about them and want to protect them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiana-madeira/we-all-know-what-it-feels-like-to-love-someone-and-care-about-them/) [Kiana Madeira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiana-madeira/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [I certainly do care for you Jeff Campbell less than you are always thinking and much more than you are ever knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-certainly-do-care-for-you-jeff-campbell-less-than-you-are-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defense, transportation, agriculture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-bond/advances-in-technology-will-continue-to-reach-far-into-every-sector/) [Christopher Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-bond/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I believe in taxation and health care that is outside the usual libertarian mandate, because I don't want people to have to suffer. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/i-believe-in-taxation-and-health-care-that-is-outside-the-usual/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [What makes you care about nature, about the planet? 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