ThemoreIdiveintothismatterofwhaling,andpushmyresearchesuptotheveryspring-headofitsomuchthemoreamIimpressedwithitsgreathonorablenessandantiquity;andespeciallywhenIfindsomanygreatdemi-godsandheroes,prophetsofallsorts,whoonewayorotherhavesheddistinctionuponit,IamtransportedwiththereflectionthatImyselfbelong,thoughbutsubordinately,tosoemblazonedafraternity.
ThegallantPerseus,asonofJupiter,wasthefirstwhaleman;andtotheeternalhonorofourcallingbeitsaid,thatthefirstwhaleattackedbyourbrotherhoodwasnotkilledwithanysordidintent.
Thoseweretheknightlydaysofourprofession,whenweonlyborearmstosuccorthedistressed,andnottofillmen’slamp-feeders.
EveryoneknowsthefinestoryofPerseusandAndromeda;howthelovelyAndromeda,thedaughterofaking,wastiedtoarockonthesea-coast,andasLeviathanwasintheveryactofcarryingheroff,Perseus,theprinceofwhalemen,intrepidlyadvancing,harpoonedthemonster,anddeliveredandmarriedthemaid.
Itwasanadmirableartisticexploit,rarelyachievedbythebestharpooneersofthepresentday;inasmuchasthisLeviathanwasslainattheveryfirstdart.
AndletnomandoubtthisArkitestory;forintheancientJoppa,nowJaffa,ontheSyriancoast,inoneofthePagantemples,therestoodformanyagesthevastskeletonofawhale,whichthecity’slegendsandalltheinhabitantsassertedtobetheidenticalbonesofthemonsterthatPerseusslew.
AkintotheadventureofPerseusandAndromeda-indeed,bysomesupposedtobeindirectlyderivedfromit-isthatfamousstoryofSt.GeorgeandtheDragon;whichdragonImaintaintohavebeenawhale;forinmanyoldchronicleswhalesanddragonsarestrangelyjumbledtogether,andoftenstandforeachother.
“Thouartasalionofthewaters,andasadragonofthesea,”saidEzekiel;hereby,plainlymeaningawhale;intruth,someversionsoftheBibleusethatworditself.
Besides,itwouldmuchsubtractfromthegloryoftheexploithadSt.Georgebutencounteredacrawlingreptileoftheland,insteadofdoingbattlewiththegreatmonsterofthedeep.
Letnotthemodernpaintingsofthisscenemisleadus;forthoughthecreatureencounteredbythatvaliantwhalemanofoldisvaguelyrepresentedofagriffin-likeshape,andthoughthebattleisdepictedonlandandthesaintonhorseback,yetconsideringthegreatignoranceofthosetimes,whenthetrueformofthewhalewasunknowntoartists;andconsideringthatasinPerseus’case,St.George’swhalemighthavecrawledupoutoftheseaonthebeach;andconsideringthattheanimalriddenbySt.Georgemighthavebeenonlyalargeseal,orsea-horse;bearingallthisinmind,itwillnotappearaltogetherincompatiblewiththesacredlegendandtheancientestdraughtsofthescene,toholdthisso-calleddragonnootherthanthegreatLeviathanhimself.
Infact,placedbeforethestrictandpiercingtruth,thiswholestorywillfarelikethatfish,flesh,andfowlidolofthePhilistines,Dagonbyname;whobeingplantedbeforethearkofIsrael,hishorse’sheadandboththepalmsofhishandsfellofffromhim,andonlythestumporfishypartofhimremained.
Thus,then,oneofourownnoblestamp,evenawhaleman,isthetutelaryguardianofEngland;andbygoodrights,weharpooneersofNantucketshouldbeenrolledinthemostnobleorderofSt.George.
Andtherefore,letnottheknightsofthathonorablecompany(noneofwhom,Iventuretosay,haveeverhadtodowithawhaleliketheirgreatpatron),letthemnevereyeaNantucketerwithdisdain,sinceeveninourwoollenfrocksandtarredtrowerswearemuchbetterentitledtoSt.George’sdecorationthanthey.
WhethertoadmitHerculesamongusornot,concerningthisIlongremaineddubious:forthoughaccordingtotheGreekmythologies,thatantiqueCrockettandKitCarson-thatbrawnydoerofrejoicinggooddeeds,wasswalloweddownandthrownupbyawhale;still,whetherthatstrictlymakesawhalemanofhim,thatmightbemooted.
Nevertheless,hemaybedeemedasortofinvoluntarywhaleman;atanyratethewhalecaughthim,ifhedidnotthewhale.Iclaimhimforoneofourclan.
But,bythebestcontradictoryauthorities,thisGrecianstoryofHerculesandthewhaleisconsideredtobederivedfromthestillmoreancientHebrewstoryofJonahandthewhale;andviceversa;certainlytheyareverysimilar.
Ourgrandmasterisstilltobenamed;forlikeroyalkingsofoldtimes,wefindthehead-watersofourfraternityinnothingshortofthegreatgodsthemselves.
ThatwondrousorientalstoryisnowtoberehearsedfromtheShaster,whichgivesusthedreadVishnoo,oneofthethreepersonsinthegodheadoftheHindoos;givesusthisdivineVishnoohimselfforourLord;-Vishnoo,who,bythefirstofhistenearthlyincarnations,hasforeversetapartandsanctifiedthewhale.
WhenBrahma,ortheGodofGods,saiththeShaster,resolvedtorecreatetheworldafteroneofitsperiodicaldissolutions,hegavebirthtoVishnoo,topresideoverthework;buttheVedas,ormysticalbooks,whoseperusalwouldseemtohavebeenindispensabletoVishnoobeforebeginningthecreation,andwhichthereforemusthavecontainedsomethingintheshapeofpracticalhintstoyoungarchitects,theseVedaswerelyingatthebottomofthewaters;soVishnoobecameincarnateinawhale,andsoundingdowninhimtotheuttermostdepths,rescuedthesacredvolumes.
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