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The Whiteness of The Whale

           thoughamongtheRedMenofAmericathegivingofthewhitebeltofwampumwasthedeepestpledgeofhonor;thoughinmanyclimes,whitenesstypifiesthemajestyofJusticeintheermineoftheJudge,andcontributestothedailystateofkingsandqueensdrawnbymilk-whitesteeds;thougheveninthehighermysteriesofthemostaugustreligionsithasbeenmadethesymbolofthedivinespotlessnessandpower;bythePersianfireworshippers,thewhiteforkedflamebeingheldtheholiestonthealtar;andintheGreekmythologies,GreatJovehimselfbeingmadeincarnateinasnow-whitebull;andthoughtothenobleIroquois,themidwintersacrificeofthesacredWhiteDogwasbyfartheholiestfestivaloftheirtheology,thatspotless,faithfulcreaturebeingheldthepurestenvoytheycouldsendtotheGreatSpiritwiththeannualtidingsoftheirownfidelity;andthoughdirectlyfromtheLatinwordforwhite,allChristianpriestsderivethenameofonepartoftheirsacredvesture,thealbortunic,wornbeneaththecassock;andthoughamongtheholypompsoftheRomishfaith,whiteisspeciallyemployedinthecelebrationofthePassionofourLord;thoughintheVisionofSt.John,whiterobesaregiventotheredeemed,andthefour-and-twentyeldersstandclothedinwhitebeforethegreat-whitethrone,andtheHolyOnethatsitteththerewhitelikewool;yetforalltheseaccumulatedassociations,withwhateverissweet,andhonorable,andsublime,thereyetlurksanelusivesomethingintheinnermostideaofthishue,whichstrikesmoreofpanictothesoulthanthatrednesswhichaffrightsinblood.

           Thiselusivequalityitis,whichcausesthethoughtofwhiteness,whendivorcedfrommorekindlyassociations,andcoupledwithanyobjectterribleinitself,toheightenthatterrortothefurthestbounds.Witnessthewhitebearofthepoles,andthewhitesharkofthetropics;whatbuttheirsmooth,flakywhitenessmakesthemthetranscendenthorrorstheyare?Thatghastlywhitenessitiswhichimpartssuchanabhorrentmildness,evenmoreloathsomethanterrific,tothedumbgloatingoftheiraspect.Sothatnotthefierce-fangedtigerinhisheraldiccoatcansostaggercourageasthewhite-shroudedbearorshark.

           Asforthewhiteshark,thewhiteglidingghostlinessofreposeinthatcreature,whenbeheldinhisordinarymoods,strangelytallieswiththesamequalityinthePolarquadruped.

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