Herman Melville Quotes About Humanity

Quotes about: Humanity

• Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity over humanity, nothing exceeds most of the criticisms made on the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well- warmed, and well-fed.

  Herman Melville

  Inspirational, Learning, Knowledge

  Herman Melville, Harrison Hayford, G. Thomas Tanselle (1987). “Piazza Tales and Other Prose Pieces, 1839-1860: Volume Nine, Scholarly Edition”, p.296, Northwestern University Press

• Ah, Bartleby! Ah, humanity!

  Herman Melville

  Humanity

  "Bartleby the Scrivener" (1856)

• For my part I love sleepy fellows, and the more ignorant the better. Damn your wide-awake and knowing chaps. As for sleepiness, itis one of the noblest qualities of humanity. There is something sociable about it, too. Think of those sensible & sociable millions of good fellows all taking a good long friendly snooze together, under the sod--no quarrels, no imaginary grievances, no envies, heart-burnings, & thinking how much better that other chap is off--none of this: but all equally free-&-easy, they sleep away & reel off their nine knots an hour, in perfect amity.

  Herman Melville

  Death, Heart, Sleep

• We are only what we are; not what we would be; nor every thing we hope for. We are but a step in a scale, that reaches further above us than below.

  Herman Melville

  Perfection, Humanity, Would Be

  Herman Melville (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Herman Melville (Illustrated)”, p.1031, Delphi Classics

• Those of us who always abhorred slavery as an atheistical iniquity, gladly we join in the exulting chorus of humanity over its downfall.

  Herman Melville

  Evil, Humanity, Atheism

  Herman Melville (1866). “Battle-pieces and aspects of the war [poems].”, p.268

• Civilization does not engross all the virtues of humanity: she has not even her full share of them. They flourish in greater abundance and attain greater strength among many barbarous people. The hospitality of the wild Arab, the courage of the North American Indian, and the faithful friendships of some of the Polynesian nations, far surpass any thing of a similar kind among the polished communities of Europe.

  Herman Melville

  Europe, Civilization, People

  Herman Melville (2012). “Typee: A Romance of the South Seas (Illustrated & Annotated Edition)”, p.211, Jazzybee Verlag

• That hour in the life of a man when first the help of humanity fails him, and he learns that in his obscurity and indigence humanity holds him a dog and no man: that hour is a hard one, but not the hardest. There is still another hour which follows, when he learns that in his infinite comparative minuteness and abjectness, the gods do likewise despise him, and own him not of their clan.

  Herman Melville

  Dog, Men, Rejection

  Herman Melville (1996). “Pierre: or, The Ambiguities”, p.296, Penguin

• True Work is the necessity of poor humanity's earthly condition. The dignity is in leisure. Besides, 99 hundredths of all the work done in the world is either foolish and unnecessary, or harmful and wicked.

  Herman Melville

  Work, Humanity, Wicked

  Herman Melville, Lynn Horth (1993). “Correspondence”, p.464, Northwestern University Press

• Let us pray that the great historic tragedy of our time may not have been enacted without instructing our whole beloved country through terror and pity; and may fulfillment verify in the end those expectations which kindle the bards of Progress and Humanity.

  Herman Melville

  Country, War, Expectations

  Herman Melville (1866). “Battle-pieces and aspects of the war [poems].”, p.272

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