Melville was absolutely that extra about his feelings for Hawthorne

That is also my sense of Melville. (Moby Dick is pretty f*ing extra.)

I laughed out loud at the quoted description vs. image of Hawthorne. Just mostly because of his 19th century Evening Cloud Hairsaucer.

I shall just leave this article here

(Puts books whence this comes on hold) - "the bittersweet beauty of asymmetrical and half-requited loves"? Hi, my whole life.

Man