Swerve me? The path to my fixed purpose is laid with iron rails, whereon my soul is grooved to run. Over unsounded gorges, through the rifled hearts of mountains, under torrents' beds, unerringly I rush! Naught's an obstacle, naught's an angle to the iron way!

Herman Melville

Categorized in : Running Heart Iron

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

learning inspirational knowledge

It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.

Herman Melville

motivational inspirational life

The Past is dead, and has no resurrection; but the Future is endowed with such a life, that it lives to us even in anticipation. The Past is, in many things, the foe of mankind; the Future is, in all things, our friend. In the Past is no hope; The Future is both hope and fruition. The Past is the text-book of tyrants; the Future is the Bible of the Free. Those who are solely governed by the Past stand like Lot's wife, crystallized in the act of looking backward, and forever incapable of looking before.

Herman Melville

tyrants book past

No philosophers so thoroughly comprehend us as dogs and horses.

Herman Melville

philosopher horse dog

When among wild beasts, if they menace you, be a wild beast.

Herman Melville

menace beast aggression

Ignorance is the parent of fear.

Herman Melville

ignorance healing fear

I love to sail forbidden seas, and land on barbarous coasts.

Herman Melville

sea adventure travel

Meditation and water are wedded for ever.

Herman Melville

reverie meditation water

Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off - then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can.

Herman Melville

strong depression hands

It is not down in any map; true places never are.

Herman Melville

nature home travel

It is better to fail in originality, than to succeed in imitation. He who has never failed somewhere, that man can not be great. Failure is the true test of greatness.

Herman Melville

greatness tests men

Art is the objectification of feeling.

Herman Melville

feelings inspirational art

In a multitude of acquaintances is less security, than in one faithful friend.

Herman Melville

acquaintance faithful friendship

There is nothing so slipperily alluring as sadness; we become sad in the first place by having nothing stirring to do; we continue in it, because we have found a snug sofa at last.

Herman Melville

sad lasts firsts

We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.

Herman Melville

spiritual inspirational life

What is an atheist, but one who does not, or will not, see in the universe a ruling principle of love; and what a misanthrope, but one who does not, or will not, see in man a ruling principle of kindness?

Herman Melville

atheist kindness men

A smile is the chosen vehicle of all ambiguities.

Herman Melville

smile laughter happiness

The most mighty of nature's laws is this, that out of Death she brings Life.

Herman Melville

nature law

You cannot spill a drop of American blood without spilling the blood of the whole world.... We are not a nation, so much as a world.

Herman Melville

usa patriotic blood

There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness is the true method.

Herman Melville

method literature order