Moby Dick - Chapter 32 - Cetology (excerpt)
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Of the names in this list of whale authors, only those following Owen ever saw living whales. And but one of them was a real professional harpooneer and whaleman. I mean, Captain Scoresby. On the separate subject of the Greenland or right whale, he is the best existing authority, but Scoresby knew nothing and says nothing of the great sperm whale compared with which the Greenland Whale is almost unworthy mentioning. And here it be said that the Greenland Whale is an usurper upon the throne of the seas. He is not even by any means the largest of the whales yet owing to the long priority of his claims and the profound ignorance which till some 70 years back invested then fabulous or utterly unknown sperm whale and which ignorance to this present day still reigns and all put some few scientific retreats and whale ports. This usurpation has been every way complete reference to nearly all the Leviathanic illusions in the great poets of past days will satisfy you that the Greenland Whale without one rival was to them the monarch of the seas. But the time has at last come for a new proclamation. This is Chairing Cross. Hear ye good people. All the Greenland Whale is deposed. The great sperm whale now reigneth.