How we cite our quotes: (Chapter, Paragraph)
Quote #1
"Quite an original:" A phrase, we fancy, rather oftener used by the young, or the unlearned, or the untraveled, than by the old, or the well-read, or the man who has made the grand tour. Certainly, the sense of originality exists at its highest in an infant, and probably at its lowest in him who has completed the circle of the sciences. (44, 1)
There are those who are easily surprised, shocked, or scandalized, and there are those who've been educated—either in terms of life experience or schooling. This doesn't necessarily mean you lose your sense of wonder and curiosity once you've been educated, but here the narrator draws a distinction between those who really look at and learn from the world and those who can't, won't, or haven't yet.
Quote #2
The Man With the Weed Makes It an Even Question Whether He Be a Great Sage Or a Great Simpleton (5, title)
We don't really know what it says about humans in general that it's so hard to distinguish between a genius and a dull bulb, but this title brings our attention to that fine line. It also prods us to consider the question of perspective: where are we—as the audience—in relation to this line? Are we close to the "simpleton" and confused by sagacity? Better question: if we're not the brightest crayons in the box, will we judge the smarty-pantses as dumb-dumbs? Oh, this is a pickle. All we do know is that Weeds has a lot of opinions about education, and they show up in this chapter.
Quote #3
Overhearing his murmuring neighbor, the youth regarded him with some surprise, not to say interest. But, singularly for a collegian, being apparently of a retiring nature, he did not speak; when the other still more increased his diffidence by changing from soliloquy to colloquy, in a manner strangely mixed of familiarity and pathos. (5, 6)
The college student here is shy and not talkative. We're not sure if Melville is joking, though, when he says "singularly for a collegian." See, scholars often get a rep for being melancholy and for keeping to themselves. On the other hand, young college students are also teased if they act like know-it-alls, so Melville could be "shocked" that this guy is keeping quiet. Either way, there's some tricky generalizing about what it means to be into book-learnin'.