The Nut

If the Sperm Whale be physiognomically a Sphinx, to the phrenologist his brain seems that geometrical circle which it is impossible to square.

If the Sperm Whale’s appearance makes it a Sphinx, its brain seems to a phrenologist like a circle that cannot be squared.

In the full-grown creature the skull will measure at least twenty feet in length. Unhinge the lower jaw, and the side view of this skull is as the side of a moderately inclined plane resting throughout on a level base. But in life—as we have elsewhere seen—this inclined plane is angularly filled up, and almost squared by the enormous superincumbent mass of the junk and sperm. At the high end the skull forms a crater to bed that part of the mass; while under the long floor of this crater—in another cavity seldom exceeding ten inches in length and as many in depth—reposes the mere handful of this monster’s brain. The brain is at least twenty feet from his apparent forehead in life; it is hidden away behind its vast outworks, like the innermost citadel within the amplified fortifications of Quebec. So like a choice casket is it secreted in him, that I have known some whalemen who peremptorily deny that the Sperm Whale has any other brain than that palpable semblance of one formed by the cubic-yards of his sperm magazine. Lying in strange folds, courses, and convolutions, to their apprehensions, it seems more in keeping with the idea of his general might to regard that mystic part of him as the seat of his intelligence.

In a full-grown Sperm Whale, the skull measures at least twenty feet long. Remove the lower jaw, and the skull’s side view resembles a moderately sloping plane resting on a level base. But in life, as we have seen elsewhere, the enormous mass of junk and sperm fills out the slope, making the head almost square. At the high end, the skull forms a crater that holds part of this mass. Under the crater’s long floor lies another cavity, seldom more than ten inches long and ten inches deep. In it rests the monster’s brain, a mere handful. In life, the brain lies at least twenty feet behind what appears to be the whale’s forehead. It is hidden behind vast outer defenses, like the innermost citadel within the extensive fortifications of Quebec. The brain is hidden inside the whale like a precious casket. For this reason, I have known some whalemen who flatly deny that the Sperm Whale has any other brain than the obvious brainlike mass formed by the cubic yards of its sperm magazine. That mass lies in strange folds, layers, and convolutions. To these whalemen, it seems more fitting for a creature of such might to have its intelligence seated in that mysterious part.

It is plain, then, that phrenologically the head of this Leviathan, in the creature’s living intact state, is an entire delusion. As for his true brain, you can then see no indications of it, nor feel any. The whale, like all things that are mighty, wears a false brow to the common world.

Clearly, then, the living, intact head of this Leviathan is completely misleading to anyone studying its shape through phrenology. You can neither see nor feel any signs of his actual brain. The whale, like all mighty things, shows a false brow to the world at large.

If you unload his skull of its spermy heaps and then take a rear view of its rear end, which is the high end, you will be struck by its resemblance to the human skull, beheld in the same situation, and from the same point of view. Indeed, place this reversed skull (scaled down to the human magnitude) among a plate of men’s skulls, and you would involuntarily confound it with them; and remarking the depressions on one part of its summit, in phrenological phrase you would say—This man had no self-esteem, and no veneration. And by those negations, considered along with the affirmative fact of his prodigious bulk and power, you can best form to yourself the truest, though not the most exhilarating conception of what the most exalted potency is.

If you remove the masses of sperm from the whale’s skull and look at it from behind, you will notice something. The rear end, which is the higher end, resembles a human skull viewed from the same position. In fact, shrink this reversed skull to human size and place it among a collection of human skulls. You would instinctively mistake it for one of them. And if you noticed the hollows on part of its top, you would use the language of phrenology: This man had no self-esteem and no veneration. Consider these absences alongside the fact of the whale’s enormous size and strength. Together, they give you the truest, though not the most encouraging, idea of what the highest power is.

But if from the comparative dimensions of the whale’s proper brain, you deem it incapable of being adequately charted, then I have another idea for you. If you attentively regard almost any quadruped’s spine, you will be struck with the resemblance of its vertebræ to a strung necklace of dwarfed skulls, all bearing rudimental resemblance to the skull proper. It is a German conceit, that the vertebræ are absolutely undeveloped skulls. But the curious external resemblance, I take it the Germans were not the first men to perceive. A foreign friend once pointed it out to me, in the skeleton of a foe he had slain, and with the vertebræ of which he was inlaying, in a sort of basso-relievo, the beaked prow of his canoe. Now, I consider that the phrenologists have omitted an important thing in not pushing their investigations from the cerebellum through the spinal canal. For I believe that much of a man’s character will be found betokened in his backbone. I would rather feel your spine than your skull, whoever you are. A thin joist of a spine never yet upheld a full and noble soul. I rejoice in my spine, as in the firm audacious staff of that flag which I fling half out to the world.

But if you think the whale’s brain is too small to be adequately mapped, I have another idea for you. Look closely at the spine of almost any four-legged animal. You will be struck by how its vertebrae resemble a necklace of tiny skulls. All bear a basic resemblance to the animal’s actual skull. There is a German theory that vertebrae are actually undeveloped skulls. But I doubt the Germans were the first to notice the curious outward resemblance. A foreign friend once pointed it out to me in the skeleton of an enemy he had killed. He was inlaying the beaked prow of his canoe with the enemy’s vertebrae, in a kind of low relief. Now, I think the phrenologists have overlooked something important. They should have extended their investigations from the cerebellum through the spinal canal. For I believe a person’s backbone reveals much of their character. Whoever you are, I would rather feel your spine than your skull. A thin beam of a spine has never yet supported a full and noble soul. I rejoice in my spine. It is the firm, bold staff of the flag I fly halfway out to the world.

Apply this spinal branch of phrenology to the Sperm Whale. His cranial cavity is continuous with the first neck-vertebra; and in that vertebra the bottom of the spinal canal will measure ten inches across, being eight in height, and of a triangular figure with the base downwards. As it passes through the remaining vertebræ the canal tapers in size, but for a considerable distance remains of large capacity. Now, of course, this canal is filled with much the same strangely fibrous substance—the spinal cord—as the brain; and directly communicates with the brain. And what is still more, for many feet after emerging from the brain’s cavity, the spinal cord remains of an undecreasing girth, almost equal to that of the brain. Under all these circumstances, would it be unreasonable to survey and map out the whale’s spine phrenologically? For, viewed in this light, the wonderful comparative smallness of his brain proper is more than compensated by the wonderful comparative magnitude of his spinal cord.

Apply this spinal branch of phrenology to the Sperm Whale. His skull cavity connects directly to the first neck vertebra. In that vertebra, the base of the spinal canal is ten inches across and eight inches high. It is triangular, with the base at the bottom. The canal narrows as it passes through the remaining vertebrae, but it remains large for a considerable distance. Now, of course, the canal is filled with the spinal cord, a strangely fibrous substance much like the brain. The spinal cord connects directly to the brain. What is more, it remains the same thickness for many feet after leaving the skull cavity. Over that distance, it is almost as thick as the brain. Under all these circumstances, would it be unreasonable to examine and map the whale’s spine using phrenology? Seen in this light, the remarkable size of his spinal cord more than makes up for the remarkable smallness of his brain itself.

But leaving this hint to operate as it may with the phrenologists, I would merely assume the spinal theory for a moment, in reference to the Sperm Whale’s hump. This august hump, if I mistake not, rises over one of the larger vertebræ, and is, therefore, in some sort, the outer convex mould of it. From its relative situation then, I should call this high hump the organ of firmness or indomitableness in the Sperm Whale. And that the great monster is indomitable, you will yet have reason to know.

But I will leave this hint for the phrenologists to use as they may. For a moment, I will simply apply the spinal theory to the Sperm Whale’s hump. If I am not mistaken, this majestic hump rises above one of the larger vertebrae. So, in a way, the hump forms a rounded outer mold of that vertebra. Because of its position, I would call this high hump the Sperm Whale’s organ of firmness or indomitability. And you will yet have reason to know that the great monster is indomitable.