"What are the Rights of Man and the Liberties of the World but Loose-Fish? What all men's minds and opinions but Loose-Fish? What is the...

"What was America in 1492 but a Loose-Fish?"

"Is it not a saying in everyone's mouth, possession is one half of the law: that is, regardless of how the thing came into possession?...

"But even so, amid the tornadoed Atlantic of my being, do I myself still for ever centrally disport in mute calm; and while ponderous...

"For there is no folly of the beasts of the earth which is not infinitely outdone by the madness of men."

"Dissect him how I may, then, I but go skin deep; I know him not and never will. But if I know not even the tail of this whale, how...

"Real strength never impairs beauty or harmony, but it often bestows it; and in everything imposingly beautiful, strength has much to do...

"Doubts of all things earthly, and intuitions of some things heavenly; this combination makes neither believer nor infidel, but makes a...

"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...

"And I am convinced that from the heads of all ponderous profound beings [. . .] there always goes up a certain semi-visible stream,...