58 The Humpback Whale 



danger is now almost non-existent, for reasons given 

 before. 



So that the joyous Humpback is practically free 

 to enjoy his life, to eat and love and play in the vastest 

 playground given by God. Even those ills to which he 

 is inevitably subject trouble him not at all beforehand ; 

 like the rest of the humbler creation, although he knows 

 fear, he knows not anticipation. For him the immedi- 

 ate present is his all, whether it be of pain or pleasure ; 

 and it is pleasant to remember that his pleasures out- 

 number his pains by at least a thousand to one. In 

 concluding this brief sketch of the Humpback's life, 

 I would explain that where any apparently essential 

 details are omitted, it may be understood that they 

 are substantially the same for the Humpback as for the 

 right whale, previously described ; the important 

 differences of habit have, I think, all been fully dealt 

 with. 



