"Moby Dick"

[fiefoe]

I'm going to read this only in tiny doses. So far Herman Melville's tome far easier to get into than I expected. The side effect of Ishmael's garrulousness is that it makes me want to do some gabbing of my own.

• I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen and regulating the circulation.
• With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship.
• 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 bakehouses the pyramids.
• 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.
• The act of paying is perhaps the most uncomfortable infliction that the two orchard thieves entailed upon us. But being paid,— what will compare with it? 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.
• Commodore on the quarter-deck gets his atmosphere at second hand from the sailors on the forecastle. He think she breathes it first; but not so. In much the same way do the commonalty lead their leaders in many other things.
• I think I can see a little into the springs and motives which being cunningly presented to me under various disguises, induced me to set about performing the part I did, besides cajoling me into the delusion that it was a choice resulting from my own unbiased freewill and discriminating judgment.
• I am tormented with an everlasting itch for things remote.
• ... sail in no other than a Nantucket craft, because there was a fine, boisterous something about everything connected with that famous old island, which amazingly pleased me.