Can he who has discovered only some of the values of whale-bone and whale oil be said to have discovered the true use of the whale? Can he who slays the elephant for his ivory be said to have "seen the elephant"? These are pretty and accidental uses; just as if a stronger race were to kill us in order to make buttons and flageolets of our bones.

The Maine Woods (pp. 158-159), Thomas Y. Crowell & Co. 1909