What we take to be our strongest tower of delight, only stands at the caprice of the minutest … - Herman Melville

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He who hesitates is a damned fool.

Herman Melville

What we take to be our strongest tower of delight, only stands at the caprice of the minutest event the falling of a leaf, the hearing of a voice, or the receipt of one little bit of paper scratched over with a few small characters by a sharpened feather.

Character, Fall, Minutest, Scratched, Small, Voice

Same Author Quotes

Aside from higher considerations, charity often operates as a vastly wise and prudent principle-a great safeguard to its possessor. Men have committed murder for jealousy's sake, and anger's sake, and hatred's sake, and selfishness' sake, and spiritual pride's sake; but no man that ever I heard of, ever committed a diabolical murder for sweet charity's sake. Mere self-interest, then, if no better motive can be enlisted, should, especially with high-tempered men, prompt all beings to charity and philanthropy.

Aside, Higher, Mere, Spiritual, Sweet, Wise

And so, through all the thick mists of the dim doubts in my mind, divine intuitions now and then shoot, enkindling my fog with a heavenly ray. And for this I thank God; for all have doubts; many deny; but doubts or denials, few along with them, have intuitions. Doubts of all things earthly, and intuitions of some things heavenly; this combination makes neither believer nor infidel, but makes a man who regards them both with equal eye.

Enkindling, Eye, Fog, Infidel, Men, Mists

Ladies are like creeds; if you cannot speak well of them, say nothing.

Nothing, Religion, Say, Speak, Women

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.

Cast, Independence, Sea, Soul, Thinking, Wind

Truth is in things, and not in words.

Things, Truth, Truth Is, Words