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"Call me Ishmael."
-- Ishmael (what, did you think I wouldn't put this one up?) "Whenever it is a 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." -- Ishmael on dealing with depression "Meditation and water are wedded forever." -- Ishmael "It is out of the idolatrous dotings of the old Egyptians upon broiled ibis and roasted river horse that you see the mummies of those creatures in their huge brakehouses, the Pyramids." -- Ishmael (The way to religion is through one's stomach.) "Well, then, however the old sea-captains may order me about- however they may thump and punch me about, I have the satisfaction of knowing that it is all right; that everybody else is one way or other served in much the same way- either in a physical or metaphysical point of view, that is; and so the universal thump is passed round, and all hands should rub each other's shoulder-blades, and be content." --Ishmael, on the universal condition "The urbane activity with which a man receives money is really marvellous, considering that we so earnestly believe money to be the root of all earthly ills, and that on no account can a monied man enter heaven. Ah! how cheerfully we consign ourselves to perdition!" --Ishmael (how true) "...head winds are far more prevalent than winds from astern (that is, if you never violate the Pythagorean maxim)..." -- I put this in because it's not just a fart joke in a major work of literature...it's a REALLY erudite fart joke. "And, doubtless, my going on this whaling voyage, formed part of the grand programme of Providence that was drawn up a long time ago. It came in as a sort of brief interlude and solo between more extensive performances. I take it that this part of the bill must have run something like this: GRAND CONTESTED ELECTION FOR THE PRESIDENCY OF THE UNITED STATES Whaling voyage by one Ishmael BLOODY BATTLE IN AFFGHANISTAN. --Ishmael (world hasn't changed much, has it?) "...I am quick to perceive a horror, and could still be social with it- would they let me- since it is but well to be on friendly terms with all the inmates of the place one lodges in." -- Ishmael, doing Lovecraft proud. "...the great flood-gates of the wonder-world swung open, and in the wild conceits that swayed me to my purpose, two and two there floated into my inmost soul, endless processions of the whale, and, mid most of them all, one grand hooded phantom, like a snow hill in the air." --Ishmael (one of my favorite quotes) |
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