Richard Henry Dana, Jr. Quotes

He who dares to teach must never cease to learn.

— Richard Henry Dana, Jr.

“The Californians are an idle, thriftless people, and can make nothing for themselves. The country abounds in grapes, yet they buy, at a great price, bad wine made in Boston ...”

— Richard Henry Dana, Jr.

“We must come down from our heights, and leave our straight paths, for the byways and low places of life, If we would learn truths by strong contrasts; and in hovels, in forecastles, and among our own outcasts in foreign lands, see what has been wrought upon our fellow-creatures by accident, hardship, or strife.”

— Richard Henry Dana, Jr.

“There is a witchery in the sea, its songs and stories, and in the mere sight of a ship, and the sailor's dress, especially to a young mind, which has done more to man navies, and fill merchantmen, than all the pressgangs of Europe.”

— Richard Henry Dana, Jr.

His is one of those cases which are more numerous than those suppose who have never lived anywhere but in their own homes, and never walked but in one line from their cradles to their graves. We must come down from our heights, and leave our straight paths for the by-ways and low places of life, if we would learn truths by strong contrasts; and in hovels, in forecastles, and among our own outcasts in foreign lands, see what has been wrought among our fellow-creatures by accident, hardship, or vice.

— Richard Henry Dana, Jr.

“Let him then have powers commensurate with his utmost possible need, only let him be held strictly responsible for the exercise of them. Any other course would be injustice as well as bad policy”

— Richard Henry Dana, Jr.

“O sin, what hast thou done to this fair earth!”

— Richard Henry Dana, Jr.

“As has often been said, a ship is like a lady's watch, always out of repair.”

— Richard Henry Dana, Jr.

“It is always observable that the physical and the exact sciences are the last to suffer under despotisms.”

— Richard Henry Dana, Jr.

“Sin hath broke the world's sweet peace
unstrung
Th' harmonious chords to which the angels sung.”

— Richard Henry Dana, Jr.

“Thou little bird, thou dweller by the sea, Why takest thou its melancholy voice, And with that boding cry Along the waves dost thou fly? Oh! rather, bird, with me Through this fair land rejoice!”

— Richard Henry Dana, Jr.