very often do the captains of such ships take those absent-minded young philosophers to task, upbraiding them with not feeling sufficient "interest" in the voyage; half-hinting that they are so hopelessly lost to all honorable ambition, as that in their secret souls they would rather not see whales than otherwise. but all in vain; those young platonists have a notion that their vision is imperfect; they are short-sighted; what use, then, to strain the visual nerve? they have left their opera-glasses at home.