Jonah Historically Regarded

           ReferencewasmadetothehistoricalstoryofJonahandthewhaleintheprecedingchapter.NowsomeNantucketersratherdistrustthishistoricalstoryofJonahandthewhale.ButthenthereweresomescepticalGreeksandRomans,who,standingoutfromtheorthodoxpagansoftheirtimes,equallydoubtedthestoryofHerculesandthewhale,andArionandthedolphin;andyettheirdoubtingthosetraditionsdidnotmakethosetraditionsonewhitthelessfacts,forallthat.

           OneoldSag-Harborwhaleman’schiefreasonforquestioningtheHebrewstorywasthis:—Hehadoneofthosequaintold-fashionedBibles,embellishedwithcurious,unscientificplates;oneofwhichrepresentedJonah’swhalewithtwospoutsinhisheadapeculiarityonlytruewithrespecttoaspeciesoftheLeviathan(theRightWhale,andthevarietiesofthatorder),concerningwhichthefishermenhavethissaying,"Apennyrollwouldchokehim";hisswallowissoverysmall.But,tothis,BishopJebb’santicipativeanswerisready.Itisnotnecessary,hintstheBishop,thatweconsiderJonahastombedinthewhale’sbelly,butastemporarilylodgedinsomepartofhismouth.AndthisseemsreasonableenoughinthegoodBishop.Fortruly,theRightWhale’smouthwouldaccommodateacoupleofwhist-tables,andcomfortablyseatalltheplayers.Possibly,too,Jonahmighthaveensconcedhimselfinahollowtooth;but,onsecondthoughts,theRightWhaleistoothless.

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