How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Poor fish of Rodondo! In your victimized confidence, you are of the number of those who inconsiderately trust, while they do not understand, human nature. (5.48)
The narrator of "The Encantadas" feels sorry even for the fish, who are too dumb to stay away from the hooks. The elaborate compassion (with exclamation marks!) is similar to the lawyer's cry in Bartleby. (Ah fish! Ah humanity!) Which again, makes you wonder how much the lawyer actually felt for Bartleby. Did he feel sorry for him? Or is it just fun and funny to express elaborate compassion for some dumb fish?
Quote #8
Still, strange as it may seem, I must also abide by the more charitable thought; namely, that among these adventurers were some gentlemanly, companionable souls, capable of genuine tranquility and virtue. (5.90)
The narrator here is expressing compassion for pirates, thugs, and robbers. Poor guys, they were just forced to rob and murder people by circumstances; aren't they gentlemanly? Lots of folks saw pirates as romantic and exciting at the time and since; they made for good stories. Compare, though, the treatment of the black former slaves in "Benito Cereno." Surely if anyone had reason by circumstances to be violent it's Babo. But he's black, so instead of sympathy, he gets his head stuck on a pike. (Note that pirates were sometimes black or of African descent, though the gentlemanly pirates Melville is talking about seem to be white.)
Quote #9
All hearts bled that grief should be so brave. (5.123)
The narrator is talking about the sadness of Hunilla, who's lost her brother and husband. The sailors feel compassion for her because her suffering is stoic and noble. Lots of stoic, noble suffering in The Piazza Tales. Nobody just breaks down and weeps and throws a tantrum. Too messy, maybe; Melville prefers his suffering to have some decorum.