--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The urbane activity with which a man…" description: "\"“The urbane activity with which a man receives money is really marvelous, considering that we so earnestly believe money to the root of all earthly ill..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/821/herman-melville-162_accounts_the-urbane-activity-with-which-a-man-rec_1722378.jpg" --- # The urbane activity with which a man receives money is… ![“The urbane activity with which a man receives money is really marvelous, considering that we so earnestly believe money to the root of all earthly ills, and that on no account can a monied man enter heaven. Ah! how cheerfully we consign ourselves to perdition!” quote by Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/821/herman-melville-162_accounts_the-urbane-activity-with-which-a-man-rec_1722378.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/821/herman-melville-162_accounts_the-urbane-activity-with-which-a-man-rec_1722378.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/821/herman-melville-162_accounts_the-urbane-activity-with-which-a-man-rec_1722378.jpg) > ““The urbane activity with which a man receives money is really marvelous, considering that we so earnestly believe money to the root of all earthly ills, and that on no account can a monied man enter heaven. Ah! how cheerfully we consign ourselves to perdition!”” [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. The irony of wealth being both coveted and condemned, and the moral paradox of a rich man's salvation. **In simple terms:** Money is praised yet seen as sinful, creating a moral conflict. Key Takeaway Question the link between wealth and virtue. Themes wealth morality paradox religion Mood reflective critical Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - politics - personal finance - religious discourse - literary analysis Key Concepts ethical relativism materialism spirituality Questions to Reflect On - Is wealth a moral obstacle or a tool? - Can virtue exist without material means? A Different Perspective Wealth does not inherently determine moral standing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Perdition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perdition/) [Roots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roots/) ## Related quotes > [“The act of paying is perhaps the most uncomfortable infliction that the two orchard thieves entailed upon us. But being paid,—what will compare with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/the-act-of-paying-is-perhaps-the-most-uncomfortable-infliction-that-2/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Not everybody paints what the public will pay for. The method in which an artist receives money is nobody's business, what matters is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rowe/not-everybody-paints-what-the-public-will-pay-for-the-method-in-which/) [Jim Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rowe/) > [“There is all the difference in the world between paying and being paid. The act of paying is perhaps the most uncomfortable affliction that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-melville/there-is-all-the-difference-in-the-world-between-paying-and-being/) Hermann Melville > [A man receives only what he is ready to receive... The phenomenon or fact that cannot in any wise be linked with the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-man-receives-only-what-he-is-ready-to-receive-the-phenomenon-or/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In Giving, a man receives more than he gives; and the more is in proportion to the worth of the thing given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/in-giving-a-man-receives-more-than-he-gives-and-the-more-is-in/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“The idea is, when a man receives a gift from another, his heart becomes impure, he becomes low, he loses his independence, he becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-idea-is-when-a-man-receives-a-gift-from-another-his-heart-becomes/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [A man receives only what he is ready to receive, whether physically or intellectually or morally, as animals conceive at certain seasons their kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-man-receives-only-what-he-is-ready-to-receive-whether-physically-or/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A successful man is he who receives a great deal from his fellow men, usually incomparably more than corresponds to his service to them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-successful-man-is-he-who-receives-a-great-deal-from-his-fellow-men/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Aye, aye! and I'll chase him round Good Hope, and round the Horn, and round the Norway Maelstrom, and round perdition's flames before I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/aye-aye-and-i-ll-chase-him-round-good-hope-and-round-the-horn-and/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“We believe that money is only a meaningless token of no intrinsic worth, yet we act as if it has a holy value. Moreover,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-fisher/we-believe-that-money-is-only-a-meaningless-token-of-no-intrinsic/) [Mark Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-fisher/) > [He who believe that the money is everything in his life,then he have nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hayek/he-who-believe-that-the-money-is-everything-in-his-life-then-he-have/) [Joe Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hayek/) > [From my experience and understanding, I believe money follows name and fame, while recognition calls for a huge amount of sacrifice. To get something,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lata-mangeshkar/from-my-experience-and-understanding-i-believe-money-follows-name-and/) [Lata Mangeshkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lata-mangeshkar/) > [Human being's believe money is an organism that grows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/human-being-s-believe-money-is-an-organism-that-grows/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [I've seen the ticket, and I still can't believe it. When I see the money, I hope I don't hit the floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-garland/i-ve-seen-the-ticket-and-i-still-can-t-believe-it-when-i-see-the/) [Judy Garland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-garland/) > [“Whereas religion asks us to believe in something, money asks us to believe that other people believe in something”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/whereas-religion-asks-us-to-believe-in-something-money-asks-us-to/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) ## 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. Any fish can swim near the surface, but it takes a great whale to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/on-ralph-waldo-emerson-i-love-all-men-who-dive-any-fish-can-swim-near/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/so-seemed-it-to-me-as-i-stood-at-her-helm-and-for-long-hours-silently/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“the only real owner of anything is its commander;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/the-only-real-owner-of-anything-is-its-commander/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“Consider the subtleness of the sea; how its most dreaded creatures glide under water, unapparent for the most part, and treacherously hidden beneath the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/consider-the-subtleness-of-the-sea-how-its-most-dreaded-creatures/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“Is it that by its indefiniteness it shadows forth the heartless voids and immensities of the universe, and thus stabs us from behind with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/is-it-that-by-its-indefiniteness-it-shadows-forth-the-heartless-voids/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/now-as-i-before-hinted-i-have-no-objection-to-any-person-s-religion/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Let America first praise mediocrity even, in her children, before she praises... the best excellence in the children of any other land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/let-america-first-praise-mediocrity-even-in-her-children-before-she/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Only the man who says no is free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/only-the-man-who-says-no-is-free/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Beneath those stars is a universe of gliding monsters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/beneath-those-stars-is-a-universe-of-gliding-monsters/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“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…](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 Accounts quotes > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The Hindus have a peculiar slovenliness in business matters, not being sufficiently methodical and strict in keeping accounts etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-hindus-have-a-peculiar-slovenliness-in-business-matters-not-being/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [With the Truman book, I wrote the entire account of his experiences in World War I before going over to Europe to follow his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/with-the-truman-book-i-wrote-the-entire-account-of-his-experiences-in/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [A great read; an exciting, frightening account of organized crime today. 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