Моби Дик

The Tail

           AndwhatevertheymayrevealofthedivineloveintheSon,thesoft,curled,hermaphroditicalItalianpictures,inwhichhisideahasbeenmostsuccessfullyembodied;thesepictures,sodestituteastheyareofallbrawniness,hintnothingofanypower,butthemerenegative,feminineoneofsubmissionandendurance,whichonallhandsitisconceded,formthepeculiarpracticalvirtuesofhisteachings.

           SuchisthesubtleelasticityoftheorganItreatof,thatwhetherwieldedinsport,orinearnest,orinanger,whateverbethemooditbein,itsflexionsareinvariablymarkedbyexceedinggrace.Thereinnofairy’sarmcantranscendit.

           Fivegreatmotionsarepeculiartoit.First,whenusedasafinforprogression;Second,whenusedasamaceinbattle;Third,insweeping;Fourth,inlobtailing;Fifth,inpeakingflukes.

           First:Beinghorizontalinitsposition,theLeviathan’stailactsinadifferentmannerfromthetailsofallotherseacreatures.Itneverwriggles.Inmanorfish,wrigglingisasignofinferiority.Tothewhalehistailisthesolemeansofpropulsion.Scroll-wisecoiledforwardsbeneaththebody,andthenrapidlysprungbackwards,itisthiswhichgivesthatsingulardarting,leapingmotiontothemonsterwhenfuriouslyswimming.Hisside-finsonlyservetosteerby.

           Second:Itisalittlesignificant,thatwhileonespermwhaleonlyfightsanotherspermwhalewithhisheadandjaw,nevertheless,inhisconflictswithman,hechieflyandcontemptuouslyuseshistail.

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