I will have no man in my boat,” said Starbuck, “who is not afraid of a whale.” By this, he seemed to mean, not only that the most reliable and useful courage was that which arises from the fair estimation of the encountered peril, but that an utterly fearless man is a far more dangerous comrade than a coward.
Chapter 26, Knights and Squires – Moby Dick by Herman Melville
High above the flying scud and dark-rolling clouds, there floated a little isle of sunlight, from which beamed forth an angel’s face; and this bright face shed a distinct spot of radiance upon the ship’s tossed deck.
“Ah, noble ship,” the angel seemed to say, “beat on, beat on, thou noble ship, and bear a hardy helm; for lo! the sun is breaking through; the clouds are rolling off – serenest azure is at hand.”
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Clambering up and down a muddy hillside was what we wanted to avoid, so this trail was ideal: a completely paved path along a level shoreline. We doubled back at the 2-mile mark to get just enough exercise.
Descendant of the wild ass, the donkey is a domestic member of the horse family used for hauling goods since 4000 BC.
Donkeys are also related to zebras, although they’re often stockier, stronger and have much different personalities.
Female donkeys are called “jennies” or “jennets,” and a female ready to breed is known as a “broodmare.”
Ass is interchangeable with donkey, and “jackass” refers specifically to a male donkey. But a jackass is not a mule, and all burros are not jackasses.
“We’re going,” he said excitedly, and shivered with energy.
“Where? How?” said Arthur.
“I don’t know,” said Ford, “but I just feel that the time is right. Things are going to happen. We’re on our way.” He lowered his voice to a whisper: “I have detected,” he said, “disturbances in the wash.”
LIFE, THE UNIVERSE AND EVERYTHING, Chapter 2 – by Douglas Adams
Guard yourself against mistakes when you see evil people.
The I Ching or Book of Changes
Hobbes describes life as “nasty, brutish, and short.”
Keltner believes evolution has given Homo sapiens emotions like gratitude, joy, amusement, and compassion.
–On the Science of Awe by Mark Leviton Thomas
Humans Appreciate Art
In this novel forty-one million Englishmen die, but it is only suggested through the hardships of one couple.”
Richard H. Tyre – emphasising that effective writing involves understatement.
Men will gain infinitely more knowledge, insight, and eventually more products, from mastering the depths of the sea than from spending billions more trying to achieve conquest of sterile space.”
Jacques Yves Cousteau [all wet]
Haunting the seas from Norway through Iceland and all the way to Greenland, the Kraken would attack vessels with its strong arms, and having a taste for human flesh would devour the ship’s entire crew at once.