Not P but Moby-Dick (52)

[David Morris]

What a nice way to respond to a person answering a question that you asked
help in answering.  If you’re feeling condescension, you should consider
looking at your own self-image.

On Fri, Feb 2, 2024 at 7:37 PM Mike Jing <gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com>
wrote:

> 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
>>>
>>