"No, but put a sky-light on top of his head to illuminate inwards."
— Melville, Herman (1819-1891)
Author
Work Title
Place of Publication
New York and London
Date
1851
Metaphor
"No, but put a sky-light on top of his head to illuminate inwards."
Metaphor in Context
Hold; while Prometheus is about it, I'll order a complete man after a desireable 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? No, but put a sky-light on top of his head to illuminate inwards. There, take the order, and away.
(p. 390)
(p. 390)
Categories
Provenance
Reading
Citation
Melville, H. Moby-Dick. Ed. Harrison Hayford and Hershel Parker. New York and London: W. W. Norton and Co., 1967.
Theme
Outer and Inner
Date of Entry
09/14/2009
Date of Review
01/24/2004
