I do not understand this extract

[wholegrain]

This extract is from The Confidence Man written by Herman Melville:

"Stared at, but unsaluted, with the air of one neither courting nor shunning regard, but evenly pursuing the path of duty, lead it through solitudes or cities, he held on his way along the lower deck until he chanced to come to a placard nigh the captain's office."

I do not understand what "lead it through solitudes or cities" means.

I think he meant "even if the path would lead through solitudes or cities"

However, I somewhat doubt "it" is a pronoun here meaning "path", as if it was the case, "lead" should be "leads" instead.

Can someone enlighten me?

I am not a native English speaker; therefore, it would be appreciated if you could answer the next question also: I would like to use the formulation "lead it" in another sentences, can you give me examples?

[patrickbeverley]

Your hunch that the phrase means "even if..." is correct.

"Lead" would be "leads" in Modern English, but in Melville's own time, the formulation was quite acceptable.

However, do not use this formulation in English speech or writing now: it is out of date and will make you sound totally weird.

[bluosean]

I came here thinking that you didnt understand the book. I came to say that I did not either. it has been a long time since i have read it. I would like to read it again.

but for your question: I agree that it means "even if". My grammer isn't the best, but I think that the sentence today would still be perfectely acceptable.