“I have sat before the dense coal fire and watched it all aglow, full of its tormented flaming life; and I have seen it wane at last, down, down, to dumbest dust. Old man of oceans! of all this fiery life of thine, what will at length remain but one little heap of ashes!”
Musing: I love this line: "of all this fiery life of thine, what will at length remain but one little heap of ashes!” Sadly, this line is said by Starbuck. Starbuck has seen Ahab trample the Quadrant. Starbuck surely knows the ship is doomed. Still, he seems resigned to accept his fate. A lesson for us all?