Моби Дик

Does the Whale’s Magnitude Diminish? — Will He Perish?

           Naturalasitistobesomewhatincredulousconcerningthepopulousnessofthemoreenormouscreaturesoftheglobe,yetwhatshallwesaytoHarto,thehistorianofGoa,whenhetellsusthatatonehuntingtheKingofSiamtook4,000elephants;thatinthoseregionselephantsarenumerousasdrovesofcattleinthetemperateclimes.Andthereseemsnoreasontodoubtthatiftheseelephants,whichhavenowbeenhuntedforthousandsofyears,bySemiramis,byPorus,byHannibal,andbyallthesuccessivemonarchsoftheEastiftheystillsurvivethereingreatnumbers,muchmoremaythegreatwhaleoutlastallhunting,sincehehasapasturetoexpatiatein,whichispreciselytwiceaslargeasallAsia,bothAmericas,EuropeandAfrica,NewHolland,andalltheIslesoftheseacombined.

           Moreover:wearetoconsider,thatfromthepresumedgreatlongevityofwhales,theirprobablyattainingtheageofacenturyandmore,thereforeatanyoneperiodoftime,severaldistinctadultgenerationsmustbecontemporary.Andwhatthisis,wemaysoongainsomeideaof,byimaginingallthegrave-yards,cemeteries,andfamilyvaultsofcreationyieldingupthelivebodiesofallthemen,women,andchildrenwhowerealiveseventy-fiveyearsago;andaddingthiscountlesshosttothepresenthumanpopulationoftheglobe.

           Wherefore,forallthesethings,weaccountthewhaleimmortalinhisspecies,howeverperishableinhisindividuality.Heswamtheseasbeforethecontinentsbrokewater;heonceswamoverthesiteoftheTuileries,andWindsorCastle,andtheKremlin

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