All men live enveloped in whale-lines. All are born with halters round their necks; but it is only when caught in the swift, sudden turn of death, that mortals realize the silent, subtle, ever present perils of life.

Quote by Herman Melville

Topics: Death Quotes

Old age is always wakeful; as if, the longer linked with life, the less man...

Old age is always wakeful; as if, the longer linked with life, the less man...

There is all of the difference in the world between paying and being paid.

There is all of the difference in the world between paying and being paid.

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

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

Yet habit - strange thing! what cannot habit accomplish?

Yet habit - strange thing! what cannot habit accomplish?

A whale ship was my Yale College and my Harvard.

A whale ship was my Yale College and my Harvard.

Know, thou, that the lines that live are turned out of a furrowed brow.

Know, thou, that the lines that live are turned out of a furrowed brow.

So philosophers so throughly comprehend us as horses.

So philosophers so throughly comprehend us as horses.

The march of conquest through wild provinces, may be the march of Mind; but not...

The march of conquest through wild provinces, may be the march of Mind; but not...

To the last, I grapple with thee; From Hell's heart, I stab at thee; For...

To the last, I grapple with thee; From Hell's heart, I stab at thee; For...

There are certain queer times and occasions in this strange mixed affair we call life...

There are certain queer times and occasions in this strange mixed affair we call life...

Is there some principal of nature which states that we never know the quality of...

Is there some principal of nature which states that we never know the quality of...

Faith, like a jackal, feeds among the tombs, and even from these dead doubts she...

Faith, like a jackal, feeds among the tombs, and even from these dead doubts she...

Art is the objectification of feeling.

Art is the objectification of feeling.

Let America first praise mediocrity even, in her children, before she praises... the best excellence...

Let America first praise mediocrity even, in her children, before she praises... the best excellence...

Better sleep with a sober cannibal than a drunken Christian.

Better sleep with a sober cannibal than a drunken Christian.

Some dying men are the most tyrannical; and certainly, since they will shortly trouble us...

Some dying men are the most tyrannical; and certainly, since they will shortly trouble us...

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

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

They talk of the dignity of work. The dignity is in leisure.

They talk of the dignity of work. The dignity is in leisure.

Friendship at first sight, like love at first sight, is said to be the only...

Friendship at first sight, like love at first sight, is said to be the only...

Truth is the silliest thing under the sun. Try to get a living by the...

Truth is the silliest thing under the sun. Try to get a living by the...