Herman Melville 1819-1891

Any man who has gone farther and fared worse than ever, may console himself with the thought that it could be the albatross or the flying Dutchman.

There is a wisdom that is woe; but there is a woe that is madness.

I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I'll go to it laughing.

From hell's heart, I stab at thee; for hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee.

Better to sleep with a sober cannibal than a drunken Christian.

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

There is no folly of the beasts of the earth which is not infinitely outdone by the madness of men.

I have swam through libraries and sailed through oceans, but I have never seen anything as terrifying as Moby Dick.

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

Call me Ishmael.