IS THE WHALE A FISH? 123 



an equal claim to this distinguished honour, inasmuch as he 

 enjoys, in common with the whale, all the peculiarites we have 

 just noted. Many of us may not have seen a whale, and might, 

 as to it, be led astray by the learning of philosphers; but the 

 porpoise is an inhabitant of our own waters, we can judge of his 

 claims for ourselves; and as the porpoise is as much and no more 

 a fish than a whale, in the acceptation of naturalists, we shall 

 all have the demonstration of our own senses to keep us right 

 on this great question. 



*' While we, however, rely ultimately on the decision of com- 

 mon sense, we shall not abandon to our adversaries the field of 

 learning. We shall call to our aid the great father of natural 

 science, to combat the visionary theories of modern times. 

 My learned friend, with whom I have the honour to be as- 

 sociated, has now arrayed before you ponderous volumes of 

 recondite learning, and the wisdom of the ancients will be 

 powerfully invoked by him in support of the conclusions of 

 common sense. But, gentlemen, independent of all that 

 learning can urge on this subject, we shall rely on the sacred 

 volume as conclusive. From it we learn that the great division 

 of all created things, fixed by the Deity himself, and which 

 naturalists may mar, but cannot mend, is, the birds of the air, 

 the beasts of the field, and the fish of the sea." Here Mr. 

 Anthon read from the first chapter of Genesis, the 26th, 27th, 

 and 28th verses, and concluded the theme thus: ''With such 

 auxiliaries, therefore, we stand forth the advocates of the 

 ancient empire of the whale, which, although fearfully shaken 

 by the efforts of naturalists, we trust will be established by your 

 verdict." 



Seldom, outside the pages of ''Pickwick Papers" has there 

 been such a trial. On the witness stand appeared emissaries of 

 the court, dealers in whale oil and in fish oil, legislators, educa- 

 tors, sailors, sea captains, tanners, and leather dealers. At- 

 torneys and witnesses hurled at one another the lore of the 

 ancient Hebrews, Chaldeans, Greeks, and Romans. The Bible 

 and the doctrines of Berosus, Pliny, Aristotle, Linnaeus, Sir 

 Isaac Newton, Oliver Goldsmith, Buffon, Cuvier, and La 



