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Melville, Herman, 1819-1891

"Moby Dick: or, the White Whale"


Right. It's a partnership; he supplies the muscle part.
He makes a fierce red flame there!
Aye, sir; he must have the white heat for this kind of fine work.
Um-m. So he must. I do deem it now a most meaning thing,
that that old Greek, Prometheus, who made men, they say, should have
been a blacksmith, and animated them with fire; for what's made
in fire must properly belong to fire; and so hell's probable.
How the soot flies! This must be the remainder the Greek made
the Africans of. Carpenter, when he's through with that buckle,
tell him to forge a pair of steel shoulder-blades; there's a pedlar
aboard with a crushing pack.
Sir?
Hold; while Prometheus is about it, I'll order a complete man
after a desirable pattern. Imprimis, fifty feet high in his socks;
then, chest modelled after the Thames Tunnel then, legs with roots
to 'em, to stay in one place; then, arms three feet through the wrist;
no heart at all, brass forehead, and about a quarter of an acre
of fine brains; and let me see--shall I order eyes to see outwards?
No, but put a sky-light on top of his head to illuminate inwards.
There, take the order, and away.
Now, what's he speaking about, and who's he speaking to,
I should like to know? Shall I keep standing here? (aside.


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