Moby Dick online reading group, Chapters 88-94

 

Ambergris in its dried  form.  (Creative Commons photo,  source.)

Moby Dick online reading group, Chapters 88-94,  “Schools & Schoolmasters” through “A Squeeze of the Hand”

Chapter 88

This chapter, describing schools of whales, also was one of my favorites. I liked this passage about the "rock stars" among the whales: "For like certain other omnivorous roving lovers that might be named, my Lord Whale has no taste for the nursery, however much for the bower; and so, being a great traveller, he leaves his anonymous babies all over the world; every baby an exotic."

And I liked this passage about whales becoming solitary savants when they get older, like Sigismundo in the woods in Nature's God: "Almost universally, a lone whale—as a solitary Leviathan is called—proves an ancient one. Like venerable moss-bearded Daniel Boone, he will have no one near him but Nature herself; and her he takes to wife in the wilderness of waters, and the best of wives she is, though she keeps so many moody secrets."

Chapter 90

Anything involving the British royal family seems to be a case of "you can't make this shit up." According to Wikipedia, "Under the law of the United Kingdom, whales (mammal) and sturgeons are royal fish, and when taken become the personal property of the monarch of the United Kingdom as part of his or her royal prerogative." We are also  informed, "Under current law, the Receiver of Wreck is the official appointed to take possession of royal fish when they arrive on English shores. The law of royal fish continues to excite some notice and occasional use, as evidenced when a fisherman caught and sold a sturgeon in Swansea Bay in 2004.[7] After informing of the sturgeon to Queen Elizabeth II, the fisherman, a man named Robert Davies, received notice that he could use the 264lb catch 'as he saw fit'."

I'm sure any British person can tell  you what the Receiver of Wreck is, but I'm an American, so I looked it up: "The Receiver of Wreck is an official who administers law dealing with maritime wrecks and salvage in some countries having a British administrative heritage. In the United Kingdom, the Receiver of Wreck is also appointed to retain the possession of royal fish on behalf of the British crown."

Chapter 91

The chapter about a ship called the Rose-Bud made me think of Citizen Kane. 

Chapter 92

"Now this ambergris is a very curious substance ...  " I've posted a photo, above, if anyone is curious about what it looks like. 

"Nor indeed can the whale possibly be otherwise than fragrant, when as a general thing, he enjoys such high health; taking abundance of exercise; always out of doors ..." Even when I read  19th century novels, I am nagged about taking care of my health.  

Chapter 93

I wasn't quite sure what this passage about poor Pip meant, but I thought it was quite striking: "He saw God’s foot upon the treadle of the loom, and spoke it; and therefore his shipmates called him mad. So man’s insanity is heaven’s sense; and wandering from all mortal reason, man comes at last to that celestial thought, which, to reason, is absurd and frantic; and weal or woe, feels then uncompromised, indifferent as his God."

Chapter 94

I liked this passage about getting pleasure: "I have perceived that in all cases man must eventually lower, or at least shift, his conceit of attainable felicity; not placing it anywhere in the intellect or the fancy; but in the wife, the heart, the bed, the table, the saddle, the fireside, the country."

Next week: Please read Chapter 95, "The Cassock," through Chapter 100, "Leg and Arm"