The idea of a metal stand carrying a pyramid of cannon balls so delicately balanced as to be affected by the tiny differential expansion of brass and iron does not bear thinking about in a heavy sea.
( ( ( The idea ) ( of ( a metal ) ) ) ( ( stand ( ( carrying ( ( a pyramid ) ( of ( cannon balls ) ) ) ) ( so ( ( ( delicately balanced ) ( as ( to ( be ( affected ( by ( ( the ( tiny ( differential expansion ) ) ) ( of ( ( brass and ) iron ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ( ( does not ) ( bear ( ( thinking about ) ( in ( a ( heavy sea ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (DT The) (NN idea)) (PP (IN of) (NP (DT a) (NN metal)))) (VP (VBP stand) (S (VP (VBG carrying) (NP (NP (DT a) (NN pyramid)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NN cannon) (NNS balls)))) (SBAR (IN so) (S (NP (NP (RB delicately) (JJ balanced)) (SBAR (IN as) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB be) (VP (VBN affected) (PP (IN by) (NP (NP (DT the) (JJ tiny) (NN differential) (NN expansion)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NN brass) (CC and) (NN iron))))))))))) (VP (VBZ does) (RB not) (VP (VB bear) (S (VP (VBG thinking) (PRT (RP about)) (PP (IN in) (NP (DT a) (JJ heavy) (NN sea)))))))))))) (. .)))
It is disconcerting to consider the idea of a stack of cannon balls at the mercy of the expansion of metals on a heavy sea.
( It ( ( is ( disconcerting ( to ( ( consider ( ( the idea ) ( of ( ( a stack ) ( of ( cannon balls ) ) ) ) ) ) ( at ( ( the mercy ) ( of ( ( the expansion ) ( of ( metals ( on ( a ( heavy sea ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (PRP It)) (VP (VBZ is) (VP (VBG disconcerting) (S (VP (TO to) (VP (VB consider) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN idea)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NP (DT a) (NN stack)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NN cannon) (NNS balls)))))) (PP (IN at) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN mercy)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NP (DT the) (NN expansion)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NP (NNS metals)) (PP (IN on) (NP (DT a) (JJ heavy) (NN sea)))))))))))))) (. .)))