An interesting and perhaps essential formal model of this quality is to be found in Cantor's concepts of infinite sets and transfinite cardinals. The laws of ordinary, inductive mathematics do not apply to these, for the 'least part' of such transfinites are equal to the whole, and convey their infinite (i.e. world-like) quality.

The vigour of this arm was never vain

In fact, these two novels reflect each other almost paratextually in important ways: each concerns a young girl with aspirations to become a writer; indeed, each story is compounded of the diary entries written by the protagonist.

The camboose-house went also, at the last of these terrific seas; and nothing saved the camboose itself, but its great weight, added to the strength of its fastenings.