A Rather Late Monday Quote

Here's a point to ponder from the pen of Herman Melville (1819-1891), the noted American author of, most famously, the classic Moby Dick. This particular quote, however comes from his novel Pierre:

"There is no faith, and no stoicism, and no
philosophy, that a mortal man can possibly
evoke, which will stand the final test in a
real impassioned onset of Life and Passion
upon him. Faith and philosophy are air,
but events are brass."