Richard Henry Dana Jr. was a famous American lawyer, author, and politician known for his advocacy of the poor and the oppressed seamen. He joined the Harvard College to pursue his bachelors but had to take a break as measles affected his eyesight. He traveled as a seaman for a couple of years to improve his eyesight. This voyage changed his perspective towards life and he became determined to help the oppressed seamen. He recorded his experiences in his first and most notable book titled ‘Two Years Before The Mast’ while studying maritime law at Harvard. He had a great sympathy for the sailors and started helping them legally. He gained recognition as a proponent of downtrodden, freedmen, slaves and seamen. He further helped the sailors by jotting down all their legal rights in a book titled ‘The Seaman’s Friend’. He also joined a movement to eradicate slavery and gained a reputation as a reliable revolutionary. He also served as an attorney of the United States and moved further to serve as a council member. We have excerpted some of the notable quotations and thoughts by the champion of downtrodden and seamen. Go through the compilation of sayings and quotes by Richard Henry Dana Jr. that will reinstitute your faith in compassion.
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.
There is not so helpless and pitiable an object in the world as a landsman beginning a sailor's life.
Monterey, as far as my observation goes, is decidedly the pleasantest and most civilized-looking place in California.
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
