Моби Дик

Of the Monstrous Pictures of Whales

           Whatshallbesaidofthese?Asforthebook-binder’swhalewindinglikeavine-stalkroundthestockofadescendinganchorasstampedandgildedonthebacksandtitlepagesofmanybooksbotholdandnewthatisaverypicturesquebutpurelyfabulouscreature,imitated,Itakeit,fromthelikefiguresonantiquevases.Thoughuniversallydenominatedadolphin,Ineverthelesscallthisbook-binder’sfishanattemptatawhale;becauseitwassointendedwhenthedevicewasfirstintroduced.ItwasintroducedbyanoldItalianpublishersomewhereaboutthe15thcentury,duringtheRevivalofLearning;andinthosedays,andevendowntoacomparativelylateperiod,dolphinswerepopularlysupposedtobeaspeciesoftheLeviathan.

           Inthevignettesandotherembellishmentsofsomeancientbooksyouwillattimesmeetwithverycurioustouchesatthewhale,whereallmannerofspouts,jetsd’eau,hotspringsandcold,SaratogaandBaden-Baden,comebubblingupfromhisunexhaustedbrain.Inthetitle-pageoftheoriginaleditionofthe"AdvancementofLearning"youwillfindsomecuriouswhales.

           Butquittingalltheseunprofessionalattempts,letusglanceatthosepicturesofleviathanpurportingtobesober,scientificdelineations,bythosewhoknow.InoldHarris’scollectionofvoyagestherearesomeplatesofwhalesextractedfromaDutchbookofvoyages,A.D.1671,entitled"AWhalingVoyagetoSpitzbergenintheshipJonasintheWhale,PeterPetersonofFriesland,master."

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