抹香鲸的情况远比不上一切已被捕获的大鲸,关于它的生活情形仍是一片空白。
Now the various species of whales need some sort ofpopular comprehensive classification, if only aneasy outline one for the present, hereafter to befilled in all-outward its departments by subsequentlaborers. As no better man advances to take thismatter in hand, I hereupon offer my own poorendeavors. I promise nothing complete; because anyhuman thing supposed to be complete must for that very reason infallibly be faulty. I shall notpretend to a minute anatomical description of the various species, or--in this space atleast-to much of any description. My object here is simply to project the draught of asystematization of cetology. I am the architect, not the builder.
现在对各种大鲸必须作出一种通俗易懂的分类来,如果暂时能够做出一个简便的纲要,让以后的劳作者去分门别类地进行补充也就不错了。既然没有高明人士来做这种事情,那我就不揣冒昧地尝试一番。我一点也不敢说能做得完满,因为任何一个自以为会做得完满的人,一定会由此而招致错误。我也不想从解剖学角度详细记述各种大鲸,也不想...至少在这里...做出任何过多的记述。我的目的只想勾勒出一幅鲸类学的有系统的草图来。我是工程师,而不是营造者。
But it is a ponderous task; no ordinary letter-sorter in the Post-Office is equal to it. To gropedown into the bottom of the sea after them; to have one's hands among the unspeakablefoundations, ribs, and very pelvis of the world; this is a fearful thing. What am I that I shouldessay to hook the nose of this leviathan! The awful tauntings in Job might well appal me. "Willhe (the leviathan) make a covenant with thee? Behold the hope of him is vain! But I haveswam through libraries and sailed through oceans; I have had to do with whales with thesevisible hands; I am in earnest; and I will try. There are some preliminaries to settle.
不过,这可是一件烦重的工作,决不是通常的邮政局检信员所能胜任的。得钻到海底里跟踪摸索,得把双手去探索世间所无法描摹的喷泉。肋骨和骨盆;这是一件可怕的事情。我是什么人,竟敢企图去钩住这种大海兽的鼻子!约伯遭到的那种可怕的奚落就足以把我吓坏了。"他(大海兽)岂肯与你立约?人们指望捉拿他,是徒然的!"但是,我已经跑遍了许多图书馆,航遍了各大洋;我只得用我这双看得见的手来处置这些大鲸;我是认认真真的,因此,我要试一试。这里得把一些准备工作安排一下。
