More from Herman Melville
When the passage “All men are born free and equal,” when that passage was being written were not some of the signers legalised owners of slaves?
Herman MelvilleHerman Melville When among wild beasts, if they menace you, be a wild beast.
Herman MelvilleHerman Melville Only the man who says no is free
Herman MelvilleHerman Melville They talk of the dignity of work. The dignity is in leisure.
Herman MelvilleHerman Melville Truth is in things, and not in words.
Herman MelvilleHerman Melville We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.
Herman MelvilleHerman Melville The most mighty of nature’s laws is this, that out of Death she brings Life.
Herman MelvilleHerman Melville The Past is the textbook of tyrants; the Future 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 MelvilleHerman Melville All deep, earnest thinking is but the intrepid effort of the soul to keep the open independence of her sea, while the wildest winds of heaven and earth conspire to cast her on the treacherous, slavish shore.
Herman MelvilleHerman Melville Ladies are like creeds; if you cannot speak well of them, say nothing.
Herman MelvilleHerman Melville Better be an old maid, a woman with herself as a husband, than the wife of a fool; and Solomon more than hints that all men are fools; and every wise man knows himself to be one.
Herman MelvilleHerman Melville Honor lies in the mane of a horse.
Herman MelvilleHerman Melville The poor man wants many things; the covetous man, all.
Herman MelvilleHerman Melville 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 MelvilleHerman Melville Yet habit – strange thing! what cannot habit accomplish?
Herman MelvilleHerman Melville If you can get nothing better out of the world, get a good dinner out of it, at least.
Herman MelvilleHerman Melville
Original quotes
From our community writers
I am the universe, and every possibility belongs to me.
Courtney PeppernellCourtney Peppernell The only thing that changed about you is me.
Elaine HaysElaine Hays He is my heaven and my hell. Serving passion and poison with the same spoon, and i am a sucker for a taste.
Laura Natoli-KearneyLaura Natoli-Kearney My mistakes tell me I am quite human, but my brief flashes of brilliance tell me I am divine, too.
Rachel WolchinRachel Wolchin She now finds solace in vanilla-scented daydreams, as her soul sings away in a musical symphony of humid breaths and well-favored smiles.
Megan LaoMegan Lao Some things won’t change-some things can’t.
Julia Kellogg HenryJulia Kellogg Henry My blood is fifty percent alcohol the other half was you.
Chris AllchinChris Allchin Darling, you don’t fear love, you fear of loving wrong.
C.R. ElliottC.R. Elliott
Meet the writers
More on awake
Injustice makes the rules, and courage breaks them.
Ursula K. Le GuinUrsula K. Le Guin Whatever your years, there is in every being’s heart the love of wonder, the undaunted challenge of events, the unfailing childlike appetite for what next, and the joy and the game of life.
Douglas MacArthurDouglas MacArthur Becoming “awake” involves seeing our confusion more clearly.
Chogyam TrungpaChogyam Trungpa Every morning I awake torn between a desire to save the world and an inclination to savor it. This makes it hard to plan the day. But if we forget to savor the world, what possible reason do we have for saving it? In a way, the savoring must come first.
E. B. WhiteE. B. White I think a repressive regime always fears people who are awakened – particularly ordinary people. If they are awakened, I think governments all over the world feel uncomfortable about that; they want to be in control.
Ngugi wa Thiong'oNgugi wa Thiong'o We are witnessing a great awakening. Millions of Texans, millions of Americans are rising up to reclaim our country, to defend liberty and to restore the Constitution.
Ted CruzTed Cruz We are seeing a great awakening. A national movement of We the People, brought together by what unites us – a shared love of liberty, and an understanding of the unlimited potential of free men and free women.
Ted CruzTed Cruz Prayer is like lying awake at night, afraid, with your head under the cover, hearing only the beating of your own heart.
Wendell BerryWendell Berry