Not P but Moby-Dick (55)

[Mike Jing]

The last sentence:

not the smallest atom stirs or lives in matter, but has its cunning
duplicate in mind.

means "even the smallest atom that stirs or lives in matter has its cunning
duplicate in mind", is that correct?


On Thu, Dec 14, 2023 at 9:09 AM Mike Jing <gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com>
wrote:

> From Chapter 70:
>
> “Sail ho!” cried a triumphant voice from the main-mast-head.
>
> “Aye? Well, now, that’s cheering,” cried Ahab, suddenly erecting himself,
> while whole thunder-clouds swept aside from his brow. “That lively cry upon
> this deadly calm might almost convert a better man.—Where away?”
>
> “Three points on the starboard bow, sir, and bringing down her breeze to
> us!”
>
> “Better and better, man. Would now St. Paul would come along that way, and
> to my breezelessness bring his breeze! O Nature, and O soul of man! how far
> beyond all utterance are your linked analogies! not the smallest atom stirs
> or lives in matter, but has its cunning duplicate in mind.”
>
> First, does "convert" here refer to converting to Christianity?
>
> Second, is "bringing down her breeze to us" literal, or is there any other
> nautical meaning?
>
> Third, what does "not the smallest atom stirs or lives in matter" mean
> here?
>
>