Brainstorming about history, politics, literature, religion, and other topics from a 'gypsy' scholar on a wagon hitched to a star. And, of course, its equally famous closing line: And I only am escaped alone to tell thee. Well, I am here to tell you that you are wrong. The true opening is as follows: The pale Usher -- threadbare in coat, heart, body, and brain; I see him now. He was ever dusting his old lexicons and grammars, with a queer handkerchief, mockingly embellished with all the gay flags of all the known nations of the world. But even that is prefaced by these words of etymology supplied by. And the true closing words are these: It was the devious-cruising Rachel, that in her retracing search after her missing children, only found another orphan.

While Herman Melville lived, little attention was paid to " Moby Dick. It wasn't until the s — a few decades after Melville's death — that literary historians began to take note. Here are 10 of the lines most memorably associated with the book now called a masterwork of world literature. October 18,

The opening sentence : "Call me Ishmael. The correct grammer for this sentence is: "A copy of Moby Dick and several magazines have disappeared from my room. It's Moby-Dick. Call me ishmael.