434 
MOBY DICK; OR 
“Measured for a leg! good. Well, it’s not the first time. About 
it! There; keep thy finger on it. This is a cogent vice thou hast 
here, carpenter; let me feel its grip once. So, so; it does pinch some.” 
“Oh, sir, it will break hones — beware, beware !” 
“No fear ; I like a good grip ; I like to feel something in this slippery 
world that can hold, man. What’s Prometheus about there? — the 
blacksmith, I mean — what’s he about? 
“He must be forging the buckle-screw, sir, now.” 
“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 he the remainder the Greek made the Afri- 
cans of. Carpenter, when he’s through with that buckle, tell him to forge 
a pair of steel shoulder-blades; there’s a pedlar abroad with a crush- 
ing 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 ? Ho, but put a skylight 
on top of his head to illuminate inwards. There, take the order, and 
away.” 
“How, what’s he speaking about, and who’s he speaking to, I should 
like to know ? Shall I keep standing here ?” (aside). 
“ ’Tis but indifferent architecture to make a blind dome; here’s one. 
Ho, no, no ; I must have a lantern.” 
“Ho, ho! That’s it, hey? Here are two, sir; one will serve my 
turn.” 
“What art thou thrusting that thief -catcher into my face for, man ? 
Thrusted light i§ worse than presented pistols,” 
