Not P but Moby-Dick (52)

[Mike Jing]

I don't think anybody said or meant it's _actually_ mica. I don't know
where you got that idea.

And stop being a condescending ass.


On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 4:27 AM David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com> wrote:

> Whatever the substance is, it’s NOT mica.  It  RESEMBLES ( in its
> translucency) mica.
>
> I’m sure it is a real thing. Maybe you should look up the ACTUAL PROCESS
> of whale-oil manufacturing from back then
>
> On Wed, Jan 31, 2024 at 1:38 AM Mike Jing <gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> I'm actually having second thoughts about this one, since apparently you
>> can indeed have very thin and transparent flakes or sheets of mica. It's
>> not clear what the other isinglass substance normally looks like.
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Dec 10, 2023 at 12:24 PM Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> > turns out mica can be minute scales with a layered structure...
>> >
>> > a shiny silicate mineral with a layered structure, found as minute
>> scales
>> > in granite and other rocks, or as crystals. It is used as a thermal or
>> > electrical insulator.
>> >
>> > On Sun, Dec 10, 2023 at 12:21 PM David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> >
>> >> ⬇️ They translated it to THIS? ⬇️
>> >>
>> >> “you may scrape off with your hand [from the body of a dead whale] an
>> >> infinitely thin, transparent substance, somewhat resembling the
>> thinnest
>> >> shreds of [MICA]”
>> >>
>> >> Mica??? From the body of a dead whale???
>> >>
>> >> On Sun, Dec 10, 2023 at 12:14 PM Mike Jing <
>> gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com>
>> >> wrote:
>> >>
>> >>> By the way, both the Norton Critical Edition and Melville Electronic
>> >>> Library took it to be mica.
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>> On Sun, Dec 10, 2023 at 9:41 AM Mike Jing <
>> gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com
>> >>> >
>> >>> wrote:
>> >>>
>> >>> > OK. All five previous translations I have at hand took the second
>> one,
>> >>> so
>> >>> > I thought I'd ask just to be sure. Thanks, Mark.
>> >>> >
>> >>> >
>> >>> > On Sun, Dec 10, 2023 at 6:01 AM Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com>
>> >>> wrote:
>> >>> >
>> >>> >> definition 1....
>> >>> >>
>> >>> >> On Sat, Dec 9, 2023 at 11:12 PM Mike Jing <
>> >>> gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com>
>> >>> >> wrote:
>> >>> >>
>> >>> >>> From Chapter 68:
>> >>> >>>
>> >>> >>> True, from the unmarred dead body of the whale, you may scrape off
>> >>> with
>> >>> >>> your hand an infinitely thin, transparent substance, somewhat
>> >>> resembling
>> >>> >>> the thinnest shreds of isinglass, only it is almost as flexible
>> and
>> >>> soft
>> >>> >>> as
>> >>> >>> satin; that is, previous to being dried, when it not only
>> contracts
>> >>> and
>> >>> >>> thickens, but becomes rather hard and brittle.
>> >>> >>>
>> >>> >>> What does "isinglass" refer to here?
>> >>> >>>
>> >>> >>> 1. A firm whitish semitransparent substance (being a comparatively
>> >>> pure
>> >>> >>> form of gelatin) obtained from the sounds or air-bladders of some
>> >>> >>> freshwater fishes, esp. the sturgeon; used in cookery for making
>> >>> jellies,
>> >>> >>> etc., also for clarifying liquors, in the manufacture of glue, and
>> >>> for
>> >>> >>> other purposes. Also extended to similar substances made from
>> hides,
>> >>> >>> hoofs,
>> >>> >>> etc.
>> >>> >>>
>> >>> >>> 2. A name given to mica, from its resembling in appearance some
>> >>> kinds of
>> >>> >>> isinglass.
>> >>> >>> --
>> >>> >>> Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l
>> >>> >>>
>> >>> >>
>> >>> --
>> >>> Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l
>> >>>
>> >>
>> --
>> Pynchon-L: https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l
>>
>