Моби Дик

The Advocate

           Ifreelyassert,thatthecosmopolitephilosophercannot,forhislife,pointoutonesinglepeacefulinfluence,whichwithinthelastsixtyyearshasoperatedmorepotentiallyuponthewholebroadworld,takeninoneaggregate,thanthehighandmightybusinessofwhaling.Onewayandanother,ithasbegotteneventssoremarkableinthemselves,andsocontinuouslymomentousintheirsequentialissues,thatwhalingmaywellberegardedasthatEgyptianmother,whoboreoffspringthemselvespregnantfromherwomb.Itwouldbeahopeless,endlesstasktocatalogueallthesethings.Letahandfulsuffice.Formanyyearspastthewhale-shiphasbeenthepioneerinferretingouttheremotestandleastknownpartsoftheearth.Shehasexploredseasandarchipelagoeswhichhadnochart,wherenoCookeorVancouverhadeversailed.IfAmericanandEuropeanmen-of-warnowpeacefullyrideinoncesavageharbors,letthemfiresalutestothehonorandgloryofthewhale-ship,whichoriginallyshowedthemtheway,andfirstinterpretedbetweenthemandthesavages.TheymaycelebrateastheywilltheheroesofExploringExpeditions,yourCookes,yourKrusensterns;butIsaythatscoresofanonymousCaptainshavesailedoutofNantucket,thatwereasgreat,andgreater,thanyourCookeandyourKrusenstern.Forintheirsuccorlessempty-handedness,they,intheheathenishsharkedwaters,andbythebeachesofunrecorded,javelinislands,battledwithvirginwondersandterrorsthatCookewithallhismarinesandmusketswouldnothavewillinglydared.AllthatismadesuchaflourishofintheoldSouthSeaVoyages,thosethingswerebutthelife-timecommonplacesofourheroicNantucketers.Often,adventureswhichVancouverdedicatesthreechaptersto,thesemenaccountedunworthyofbeingsetdownintheship’scommonlog.Ah,theworld!Oh,theworld!

           UntilthewhalefisheryroundedCapeHorn,nocommercebutcolonial,scarcelyanyintercoursebutcolonial,wascarriedonbetweenEuropeandthelonglineoftheopulentSpanishprovincesonthePacificcoast.

Содержание книги
Настройки
Фон страницы
Размер шрифта
Межстрочный интервал
Фразовые глаголы
Показать / Скрыть меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Страница 138 из 832