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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/10005-0.txt b/10005-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..da5d550 --- /dev/null +++ b/10005-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6893 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10005 *** + + A + VOYAGE TO THE MOON: + WITH + SOME ACCOUNT + OF THE + MANNERS AND CUSTOMS, SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY, + OF THE + PEOPLE OF MOROSOFIA, + AND + OTHER LUNARIANS. + + + + BY GEORGE TUCKER (JOSEPH ATTERLEY) + + + + + "It is the very error of the moon, + She comes more near the earth than she was wont, + And makes men mad."--_Othello_. + + + + 1827 + + + CONTENTS. + + + + CHAPTER I. + +Atterley's birth and education--He makes a voyage-- + Founders off the Burman coast--Adventures in + that Empire--Meets with a learned Brahmin from + Benares. + + CHAPTER II. + +The Brahmin's illness--He reveals an important secret + to Atterley--Curious information concerning the + Moon--The Glonglims--They plan a voyage to + the Moon. + + CHAPTER III. + +The Brahmin and Atterley prepare for their voyage-- + Description of their travelling machine--Incidents + of the voyage--The appearance of the earth; + Africa; Greece--The Brahmin's speculations on + the different races of men--National character. + + CHAPTER IV. + +Continuation of the voyage--View of Europe; Atlantic + Ocean; America--Speculations on the future + destiny of the United States--Moral reflections-- + Pacific Ocean--Hypothesis on the origin of the + Moon. + + CHAPTER V. + +The voyage continued--Second view of Asia--The + Brahmin's speculations concerning India--Increase + of the Moon's attraction--Appearance of the Moon + --They land on the Moon. + + CHAPTER VI. + +Some account of Morosofia, and its chief city, Alamatua + --Singular dresses of the Lunar ladies--Religious + self-denial--Glonglim miser and spendthrift. + + CHAPTER VII. + +Physical peculiarities of the Moon--Celestial phenomena + --Farther description of the Lunarians--National + prejudice--Lightness of bodies--The Brahmin + carries Atterley to sup with a philosopher-- + His character and opinions. + + CHAPTER VIII. + +A celebrated physician: his ingenious theories in physics: + his mechanical inventions--The feather-hunting Glonglim. + + CHAPTER IX. + +The fortune-telling philosopher, who inspected the + finger nails: his visiters--Another philosopher, + who judged of the character by the hair--The + fortune-teller duped--Predatory warfare. + + CHAPTER X. + +The travellers visit a gentleman farmer, who is a great + projector: his breed of cattle: his apparatus for + cooking--He is taken dangerously ill. + + CHAPTER XI. + +Lunarian physicians: their consultation--While they + dispute the patient recovers--The travellers visit + the celebrated teacher Lozzi Pozzi. + + CHAPTER XII. + +Election of the Numnoonce, or town-constable-- + Violence of parties--Singular institution of the Syringe + Boys--The prize-fighters--Domestic manufactures. + + CHAPTER XIII. + +Description of the Happy Valley--The laws, customs, + and manners of the Okalbians--Theory of population + --Rent--System of government. + + CHAPTER XIV. + +Further account of Okalbia--The Field of Roses-- + Curious superstition concerning that flower--The + pleasures of smell traced to association, by a + Glonglim philosopher. + + CHAPTER XV. + +Atterley goes to the great monthly fair--Its various + exhibitions; difficulties--Preparations to leave the + Moon--Curiosities procured by Atterley--Regress + to the Earth. + + CHAPTER XVI. + +The Brahmin gives Atterley a history of his life. + + CHAPTER XVII. + +The Brahmin's story continued--The voyage concluded + --Atterley and the Brahmin separate--Atterley + arrives in New-York. + + + Appendix: Anonymous Review of _A Voyage to the + Moon,_ reprinted from _The American Quarterly + Review_ No. 5 (March 1828) + + + + +APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC. + + +Having, by a train of fortunate circumstances, accomplished a voyage, of +which the history of mankind affords no example; having, moreover, exerted +every faculty of body and mind, to make my adventures useful to my +countrymen, and even to mankind, by imparting to them the acquisition +of secrets in physics and morals, of which they had not formed the +faintest conception,--I flattered myself that both in the character +of traveller and public benefactor, I had earned for myself an immortal +name. But how these fond, these justifiable hopes have been answered, +the following narrative will show. + +On my return to this my native State, as soon as it was noised abroad +that I had met with extraordinary adventures, and made a most wonderful +voyage, crowds of people pressed eagerly to see me. I at first met their +inquiries with a cautious silence, which, however, but sharpened their +curiosity. At length I was visited by a near relation, with whom I felt +less disposed to reserve. With friendly solicitude he inquired "how much +I had made by my voyage;" and when he was informed that, although I had +added to my knowledge, I had not improved my fortune, he stared at me a +while, and remarking that he had business at the Bank, as well as an +appointment on 'Change, suddenly took his leave. After this, I was not +much interrupted by the tribe of inquisitive idlers, but was visited +principally by a few men of science, who wished to learn what I could +add to their knowledge of nature. To this class I was more communicative; +and when I severally informed them that I had actually been to the +Moon, some of them shrugged their shoulders, others laughed in my face, +and some were angry at my supposed attempt to deceive them; but all, +with a single exception, were incredulous. + +It was to no purpose that I appealed to my former character for veracity. +I was answered, that travelling had changed my morals, as it had changed +other people's. I asked what motives I could have for attempting to +deceive them. They replied, the love of distinction--the vanity of being +thought to have seen what had been seen by no other mortal; and they +triumphantly asked me in turn, what motives Raleigh, and Riley, and +Hunter, and a hundred other travellers, had for their misrepresentations. +Finding argument thus unavailing, I produced visible and tangible proofs +of the truth of my narrative. I showed them a specimen of moonstone. +They asserted that it was of the same character as those meteoric stones +which had been found in every part of the world, and that I had merely +procured a piece of one of these for the purpose of deception. I then +exhibited some of what I considered my most curious Lunar plants: but +this made the matter worse; for it so happened, that similar ones were +then cultivated in Mr. Prince's garden at Flushing. I next produced +some rare insects, and feathers of singular birds: but persons were +found who had either seen, or read, or heard of similar insects and +birds in Hoo-Choo, or Paraguay, or Prince of Wales's Island. In short, +having made up their minds that what I said was not true, they had an +answer ready for all that I could urge in support of my character; and +those who judged most christianly, defended my veracity at the expense +of my understanding, and ascribed my conduct to partial insanity. + +There was, indeed, a short suspension to this cruel distrust. An old +friend coming to see me one day, and admiring a beautiful crystal which +I had brought from the Moon, insisted on showing it to a jeweller, who +said that it was an unusually hard stone, and that if it were a diamond, +it would be worth upwards of 150,000 dollars. I know not whether the +mistake that ensued proceeded from my friend, who is something of a wag, +or from one of the lads in the jeweller's shop, who, hearing a part of +what his master had said, misapprehended the rest; but so it was, that +the next day I had more visiters than ever, and among them my kinsman, +who was kind enough to stay with me, as if he enjoyed my good fortune, +until both the Exchange and the Banks were closed. On the same day, +the following paragraph appeared in one of the morning prints: + + "We understand that our enterprising and intelligent traveller, + JOSEPH ATTERLEY, Esquire, has brought from his Lunar Expedition, + a diamond of extraordinary size and lustre. Several of the most + experienced jewellers of this city have estimated it at from + 250,000 to 300,000 dollars; and some have gone so far as to say + it would be cheap at half a million. We have the authority of a + near relative of that gentleman for asserting, that the satisfactory + testimonials which he possesses of the correctness of his narrative, + are sufficient to satisfy the most incredulous, and to silence + malignity itself." + +But this gleam of sunshine soon passed away. Two days afterwards, another +paragraph appeared in the same paper, in these words: + + "We are credibly informed, that the supposed diamond of the _famous_ + traveller to the Moon, turns out to be one of those which are found + on Diamond Island, in Lake George. We have heard that Mr. A----y + means to favour the public with an account of his travels, under + the title of 'Lunarian Adventures;' but we would take the liberty + of recommending, that for _Lunarian_, he substitute _Lunatic_." + +Thus disappointed in my expectations, and assailed in my character, +what could I do but appeal to an impartial public, by giving them a +circumstantial detail of what was most memorable in my adventures, that +they might judge, from intrinsic evidence, whether I was deficient either +in soundness of understanding or of moral principle? But let me first +bespeak their candour, and a salutary diffidence of themselves, by one +or two well-authenticated anecdotes. + +During the reign of Louis the XIVth, the king of Siam having received +an ambassador from that monarch, was accustomed to hear, with wonder +and delight, the foreigner's descriptions of his own country: but the +minister having one day mentioned, that in France, water, at one time +of the year, became a solid substance, the Siamese prince indignantly +exclaimed,--"Hold, sir! I have listened to the strange things you have +told me, and have hitherto believed them all; but now when you wish to +persuade me that water, which I know as well as you, can become hard, I +see that your purpose is to deceive me, and I do not believe a word you +have uttered." + +But as the present patriotic preference for home-bred manufactures, may +extend to anecdotes as well as to other productions, a story of domestic +origin may have more weight with most of my readers, than one introduced +from abroad. + +The chief of a party of Indians, who had visited Washington during +Mr. Jefferson's presidency, having, on his return home, assembled his +tribe, gave them a detail of his adventures; and dwelling particularly +upon the courteous treatment the party had received from their "Great +Father," stated, among other things, that he had given them ice, though +it was then mid-summer. His countrymen, not having the vivacity of our +ladies, listened in silence till he had ended, when an aged chief stepped +forth, and remarked that he too, when a young man, had visited their +Great Father Washington, in New-York, who had received him as a son, and +treated him with all the delicacies that his country afforded, but had +given him no ice. "Now," added the orator, "if any man in the world could +have made ice in the summer, it was Washington; and if he could have made +it, I am sure he would have given it to me. Tustanaggee is, therefore, a +liar, and not to be believed." + +In both these cases, though the argument seemed fair, the conclusion was +false; for had either the king or the chief taken the trouble to satisfy +himself of the fact, he might have found that his limited experience had +deceived him. + +It is unquestionably true, that if travellers sometimes impose on the +credulity of mankind, they are often also not believed when they speak +the truth. Credulity and scepticism are indeed but different names for +the same hasty judgment on insufficient evidence: and, as the old woman +readily assented that there might be "mountains of sugar and rivers +of rum," because she had seen them both, but that there were "fish +which could fly," she never would believe; so thousands give credit +to Redheiffer's patented discovery of perpetual motion, because they +had beheld his machine, and question the existence of the sea-serpent, +because they have not seen it. + +I would respectfully remind that class of my readers, who, like the +king, the Indian, or the old woman, refuse to credit any thing which +contradicts the narrow limits of their own observation, that there are +"more secrets in nature than are dreamt of in their philosophy;" and +that upon their own principles, before they have a right to condemn me, +they should go or send to the mountains of Ava, for some of the metal +with which I made my venturous experiment, and make one for themselves. + +As to those who do not call in question my veracity, but only doubt my +sanity, I fearlessly appeal from their unkind judgment to the sober and +unprejudiced part of mankind, whether, what I have stated in the following +pages, is not consonant with truth and nature, and whether they do not +there see, faithfully reflected from the Moon, the errors of the learned +on Earth, and "the follies of the wise?" + +JOSEPH ATTERLEY. + +_Long-Island, September_, 1827. + + + + +VOYAGE TO THE MOON. + + +CHAPTER I. + +_Atterley's birth and education--He makes a voyage--Founders off the +Burman coast--Adventures in that Empire--Meets with a learned Brahmin +from Benares._ + + +Being about to give a narrative of my singular adventures to the world, +which, I foresee, will be greatly divided about their authenticity, +I will premise something of my early history, that those to whom I am +not personally known, may be better able to ascertain what credit is +due to the facts which rest only on my own assertion. + +I was born in the village of Huntingdon, on Long-Island, on the 11th day +of May, 1786. Joseph Atterley, my father, formerly of East Jersey, as it +was once called, had settled in this place about a year before, in +consequence of having married my mother, Alice Schermerhorn, the only +daughter of a snug Dutch farmer in the neighbourhood. By means of the +portion he received with my mother, together with his own earnings, +he was enabled to quit the life of a sailor, to which he had been bred, +and to enter into trade. After the death of his father-in-law, by whose +will he received a handsome accession to his property, he sought, in the +city of New-York, a theatre better suited to his enlarged capital. He +here engaged in foreign trade; and, partaking of the prosperity which +then attended American commerce, he gradually extended his business, and +finally embarked in our new branch of traffic to the East Indies and +China. He was now very generally respected, both for his wealth and fair +dealing; was several years a director in one of the insurance offices; +was president of the society for relieving the widows and orphans of +distressed seamen; and, it is said, might have been chosen alderman, +if he had not refused, on the ground that he did not think himself +qualified. + +My father was not one of those who set little value on book learning, +from their own consciousness of not possessing it: on the contrary, he +would often remark, that as he felt the want of a liberal education +himself, he was determined to bestow one on me. I was accordingly, at +an early age, put to a grammar school of good repute in my native village, +the master of which, I believe, is now a member of Congress; and, at the +age of seventeen, was sent to Princeton, to prepare myself for some +profession. During my third year at that place, in one of my excursions +to Philadelphia, and for which I was always inventing pretexts, I became +acquainted with one of those faces and forms which, in a youth of twenty, +to see, admire, and love, is one and the same thing. My attentions were +favourably received. I soon became desperately in love; and, in spite of +the advice of my father and entreaties of my mother, who had formed other +schemes for me nearer home, I was married on the anniversary of my +twenty-first year. + +It was not until the first trance of bliss was over, that I began to +think seriously on the course of life I was to pursue. From the time +that my mind had run on love and matrimony, I had lost all relish for +serious study; and long before that time, I had felt a sentiment bordering +on contempt for the pursuits of my father. Besides, he had already taken +my two younger brothers into the counting-house with him. I therefore +prevailed on my indulgent parent, with the aid of my mother's intercession, +to purchase for me a neat country-seat near Huntingdon, which presented a +beautiful view of the Sound, and where, surrounded by the scenes of my +childhood, I promised myself to realise, with my Susanna, that life of +tranquil felicity which fancy, warmed by love, so vividly depicts. + +If we did not meet with all that we had expected, it was because we had +expected too much. The happiest life, like the purest atmosphere, has +its clouds as well as its sunshine; and what is worse, we never fully +know the value of the one, until we have felt the inconvenience of the +other. In the cultivation of my farm--in educating our children, a son +and two daughters, in reading, music, painting--and in occasional visits +to our friends in New-York and Philadelphia, seventeen years glided +swiftly and imperceptibly away; at the end of which time death, in +depriving me of an excellent wife, made a wreck of my hopes and enjoyments. +For the purpose of seeking that relief to my feelings which change of +place only could afford, I determined to make a sea voyage; and, as one +of my father's vessels was about to sail for Canton, I accordingly +embarked on board the well-known ship the _Two Brothers_, captain +Thomas, and left Sandy-hook on the 5th day of June, 1822, having first +placed my three children under the care of my brother William. + +I will not detain the reader with a detail of the first incidents of +our voyage, though they were sufficiently interesting at the time they +occurred, and were not wanting in the usual variety. We had, in singular +succession, dead calms and fresh breezes, stiff gales and sudden squalls; +saw sharks, flying-fish, and dolphins; spoke several vessels: had a +visit from Neptune when we crossed the Line, and were compelled to +propitiate his favour with some gallons of spirits, which he seems +always to find a very agreeable change from sea water; and touched at +Table Bay and at Madagascar. + +On the whole, our voyage was comparatively pleasant and prosperous, until +the 24th of October; when, off the mouths of the Ganges, after a fine +clear autumnal day, just about sunset, a small dark speck was seen in +the eastern horizon by our experienced and watchful captain, who, after +noticing it for a few moments, pronounced that we should have a hurricane. +The rapidity with which this speck grew into a dense cloud, and spread +itself in darkness over the heavens, as well as the increasing swell of +the ocean before we felt the wind, soon convinced us he was right. No +time was lost in lowering our topmasts, taking double reefs, and making +every thing snug, to meet the fury of the tempest. I thought I had +already witnessed all that was terrific on the ocean; but what I had +formerly seen, had been mere child's play compared with this. Never can +I forget the impression that was made upon me by the wild uproar of the +elements. The smooth, long swell of the waves gradually changed into an +agitated frothy surface, which constant flashes of lightning presented +to us in all its horror; and in the mean time the wind whistled through +the rigging, and the ship creaked as if she was every minute going to +pieces. + +About midnight the storm was at its height, and I gave up all for lost. +The wind, which first blew from the south-west, was then due south, and +the sailors said it began to abate a little before day: but I saw no +great difference until about three in the afternoon; soon after which +the clouds broke away, and showed us the sun setting in cloudless majesty, +while the billows still continued their stupendous rolling, but with a +heavy movement, as if, after such mighty efforts, they were seeking +repose in the bosom of their parent ocean. It soon became almost calm; +a light western breeze barely swelled our sails, and gently wafted us +to the land, which we could faintly discern to the north-east. Our ship +had been so shaken in the tempest, and was so leaky, that captain Thomas +thought it prudent to make for the first port we could reach. + +At dawn we found ourselves in full view of a coast, which, though not +personally known to the captain, he pronounced by his charts to be a +part of the Burmese Empire, and in the neighbourhood of Mergui, on the +Martaban coast. The leak had now increased to an alarming extent, so +that we found it would be impossible to carry the ship safe into port. +We therefore hastily threw our clothes, papers, and eight casks of +silver, into the long-boat; and before we were fifty yards from the +ship, we saw her go down. Some of the underwriters in New York, as I +have since learnt, had the conscience to contend that we left the ship +sooner than was necessary, and have suffered themselves to be sued for +the sums they had severally insured. It was a little after midday when +we reached the town, which is perched on a high bluff, overlooking +the coasts, and contains about a thousand houses, built of bamboo, +and covered with palm leaves. Our dress, appearance, language, and +the manner of our arrival, excited great surprise among the natives, +and the liveliest curiosity; but with these sentiments some evidently +mingled no very friendly feelings. The Burmese were then on the eve +of a rupture with the East India Company, a fact which we had not before +known; and mistaking us for English, they supposed, or affected to +suppose, that we belonged to a fleet which was about to invade them, +and that our ship had been sunk before their eyes, by the tutelar divinity +of the country. We were immediately carried before their governor, +or chief magistrate, who ordered our baggage to be searched, and finding +that it consisted principally of silver, he had no doubt of our hostile +intentions. He therefore sent all of us, twenty-two in number, to prison, +separating, however, each one from the rest. My companions were released +the following spring, as I have since learnt, by the invading army of +Great Britain; but it was my ill fortune (if, indeed, after what has +since happened, I can so regard it) to be taken for an officer of high +rank, and to be sent, the third day afterwards, far into the interior, +that I might be more safely kept, and either used as a hostage or offered +for ransom, as circumstances should render advantageous. + +The reader is, no doubt, aware that the Burman Empire lies beyond the +Ganges, between the British possessions and the kingdom of Siam; and +that the natives nearly assimilate with those of Hindostan, in language, +manners, religion, and character, except that they are more hardy and +warlike. + +I was transported very rapidly in a palanquin, (a sort of decorated +litter,) carried on the shoulders of four men, who, for greater despatch, +were changed every three hours. In this way I travelled thirteen days, +in which time we reached a little village in the mountainous district +between the Irawaddi and Saloon rivers, where I was placed under the +care of an inferior magistrate, called a Mirvoon, who there exercised +the chief authority. + +This place, named Mozaun, was romantically situated in a fertile valley, +that seemed to be completely shut in by the mountains. A small river, +a branch of the Saloon, entered it from the west, and, after running +about four miles in nearly a straight direction, turned suddenly round +a steep hill to the south, and was entirely lost to view. The village +was near a gap in the mountain, through which the river seemed to have +forced its way, and consisted of about forty or fifty huts, built of +the bamboo cane and reeds. The house of my landlord was somewhat larger +and better than the rest. It stood on a little knoll that overlooked +the village, the valley, the stream that ran through it, and commanded +a distant view of the country beyond the gap. It was certainly a lovely +little spot, as it now appears to my imagination; but when the landscape +was new to me, I was in no humour to relish its beauties, and when my +mind was more in a state to appreciate them, they had lost their novelty. + +My keeper, whose name was Sing Fou, and who, from a long exercise of +magisterial authority, was rough and dictatorial, behaved to me somewhat +harshly at first; but my patient submission so won his confidence and +good will, that I soon became a great favourite; was regarded more as +one of his family than as a prisoner, and was allowed by him every +indulgence consistent with my safe custody. But the difficulties in the +way of my escape were so great, that little restraint was imposed on +my motions. The narrow defile in the gap, through which the river rushed +like a torrent, was closed with a gate. The mountains, by which the +valley was hemmed in, were utterly impassable, thickly set as they were +with jungle, consisting of tangled brier, thorn and forest trees, of +which those who have never been in a tropical climate can form no adequate +idea. In some places it would be difficult to penetrate more than a +mile in the day; during which time the traveller would be perpetually +tormented by noxious insects, and in constant dread of beasts of prey. + +The only outlet from this village was by passing down the valley along +the settlements, and following the course of the stream; so that there +was no other injunction laid on me, than not to extend my rambles far +in that direction. Sing Fou's household consisted of his wife, whom I +rarely saw, four small children, and six servants; and here I enjoyed +nearly as great a portion of happiness as in any part of my life. + +It had been one of my favourite amusements to ramble towards a part of +the western ridge, which rose in a cone about a mile and a half from the +village, and there ascending to some comparatively level spot, or point +projecting from its side, enjoy the beautiful scenery which lay before +me, and the evening breeze, which has such a delicious freshness in a +tropical climate. + +Nor was this all. In a deep sequestered nook, formed by two spurs of this +mountain, there lived a venerable Hindoo, whom the people of the village +called the Holy Hermit. The favourable accounts I received of his +character, as well as his odd course of life, made me very desirous +of becoming acquainted with him; and, as he was often visited by the +villagers, I found no difficulty in getting a conductor to his cell. His +character for sanctity, together with a venerable beard, might have +discouraged advances towards an acquaintance, if his lively piercing eye, +a countenance expressive of great mildness and kindness of disposition, +and his courteous manners, had not yet more strongly invited it. He was +indeed not averse to society, though he had seemed thus to fly from it; +and was so great a favourite with his neighbours, that his cell would +have been thronged with visitors, but for the difficulty of the approach +to it. As it was, it was seldom resorted to, except for the purpose of +obtaining his opinion and counsel on all the serious concerns of his +neighbours. He prescribed for the sick, and often provided the medicine +they required--expounded the law--adjusted disputes--made all their little +arithmetical calculations--gave them moral instruction--and, when he +could not afford them relief in their difficulties, he taught them +patience, and gave them consolation. He, in short, united, for the simple +people by whom he was surrounded, the functions of lawyer, physician, +schoolmaster, and divine, and richly merited the reverential respect in +which they held him, as well as their little presents of eggs, fruit, and +garden stuff. + +From the first evening that I joined the party which I saw clambering up +the path that led to the Hermit's cell, I found myself strongly attached +to this venerable man, and the more so, from the mystery which hung +around his history. It was agreed that he was not a Burmese. None deemed +to know certainly where he was born, or why he came thither. His own +account was, that he had devoted himself to the service of God, and in +his pilgrimage over the east, had selected this as a spot particularly +favourable to the life of quiet and seclusion he wished to lead. + +There was one part of his story to which I could scarcely give credit. +It was said that in the twelve or fifteen years he had resided in this +place, he had been occasionally invisible for months together, and no +one could tell why he disappeared, or whither he had gone. At these +times his cell was closed; and although none ventured to force their +way into it, those who were the most prying could hear no sound indicating +that he was within. Various were the conjectures formed on the subject. +Some supposed that he withdrew from the sight of men for the purpose +of more fervent prayer and more holy meditation; others, that he visited +his home, or some other distant country. The more superstitious believed +that he had, by a kind of metempsychosis, taken a new shape, which, by +some magical or supernatural power, he could assume and put off at +pleasure. This opinion was perhaps the most prevalent, as it gained a +colour with these simple people, from the chemical and astronomical +instruments he possessed. In these he evidently took great pleasure, +and by their means he acquired some of the knowledge by which he so +often excited their admiration. + +He soon distinguished me from the rest of his visitors, by addressing +questions to me relative to my history and adventures; and I, in turn, +was gratified to have met with one who took an interest in my concerns, +and who alone, of all I had here met with, could either enter into my +feelings or comprehend my opinions. Our conversations were carried on +in English, which he spoke with facility and correctness. We soon found +ourselves so much to each other's taste, that there was seldom an evening +that I did not make him a visit, and pass an hour or two in his company. + +I learnt from him that he was born and bred at Benares, in Hindostan; +that he had been intended for the priesthood, and had been well instructed +in the literature of the east. That a course of untoward circumstances, +upon which he seemed unwilling to dwell, had changed his destination, +and made him a wanderer on the face of the earth. That in the neighbouring +kingdom of Siam he had formed an intimacy with a learned French Jesuit, +who had not only taught him his language, but imparted to him a knowledge +of much of the science of Europe, its institutions and manners. That after +the death of this friend, he had renewed his wanderings; and having been +detained in this village by a fit of sickness for some weeks, he was +warned that it was time to quit his rambling life. This place being +recommended to him, both by its quiet seclusion, and the unsophisticated +manners of its inhabitants, he determined to pass the remnant of his days +here, and, by devoting them to the purposes of piety, charity, and +science, to discharge his duty to his Creator, his species, and himself; +"for the love of knowledge," he added, "has long been my chief source of +selfish enjoyment." + +Our tastes and sentiments accorded in so many points, that our acquaintance +ripened by degrees into the closest friendship. We were both +strangers--both unfortunate; and were the only individuals here who had any +knowledge of letters, or of distant parts of the world. These are, indeed, +the main springs of that sympathy, without which there is no love among +men. It is being overwise, to treat with contempt what mankind hold in +respect: and philosophy teaches us not to extinguish our feelings, but to +correct and refine them. My visits to the hermitage were frequently renewed +at first, because they afforded me the relief of variety, whilst his +intimate knowledge of men and things--his remarkable sagacity and good +sense--his air of mingled piety and benignity,--cheated me into +forgetfulness of my situation. As these gradually yielded to the lenitive +power of time, I sought his conversation for the positive pleasure it +afforded, and at last it became the chief source of my happiness. Day after +day, and month after month, glided on in this gentle, unvarying current, +for more than three years; during which period he had occasionally thrown +out dark hints that the time would come when I should be restored to +liberty, and that he had an important secret, which he would one day +communicate. I should have been more tantalized with the expectations that +these remarks were calculated to raise, had I not suspected them to be a +good-natured artifice, to save me from despondency, as they were never made +except when he saw me looking serious and thoughtful. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +_The Brahmin's illness--He reveals an important secret to Atterley-- +Curious information concerning the Moon--The Glonglims--They plan a +voyage to the Moon._ + + +About this period, one afternoon in the month of March, when I repaired +to the hermitage as usual, I found my venerable friend stretched on his +humble pallet, breathing very quickly, and seemingly in great pain. He +was labouring under a pleurisy, which is not unfrequent in the mountainous +region, at this season. He told me that his disease had not yielded to +the ordinary remedies which he had tried when he first felt its approach, +and that he considered himself to be dangerously ill. "I am, however," +he added, "prepared to die. Sit down on that block, and listen to what +I shall say to you. Though I shall quit this state of being for another +and a better, I confess that I was alarmed at the thought of expiring, +before I had an opportunity of seeing and conversing with you. I am the +depository of a secret, that I believe is known to no other living mortal. +I once determined that it should die with me; and had I not met with you, +it certainly should. But from our first acquaintance, my heart has been +strongly attracted towards you; and as soon as I found you possessed +of qualities to inspire esteem as well as regard, I felt disposed to +give you this proof of my confidence. Still I hesitated. I first wished +to deliberate on the probable effects of my disclosure upon the condition +of society. I saw that it might produce evil, as well as good; but on +weighing the two together, I have satisfied myself that the good will +preponderate, and have determined to act accordingly. Take this key, +(stretching out his feverish hand,) and after waiting two hours, in +which time the medicine I have taken will have either produced a good +effect, or put an end to my sufferings, you may then open that blue +chest in the corner. It has a false bottom. On removing the paper which +covers it, you will find the manuscript containing the important secret, +together with some gold pieces, which I have saved for the day of +need--because--(and he smiled in spite of his sufferings)--because +hoarding is one of the pleasures of old men. Take them both, and use +them discreetly. When I am gone, I request you, my friend, to discharge +the last sad duties of humanity, and to see me buried according to the +usages of my caste. The simple beings around me will then behold that +I am mortal like themselves. And let this precious relic of female +loveliness and worth, (taking a small picture, set in gold, from his +bosom,) be buried with me. It has been warmed by my heart's blood for +twenty-five years: let it be still near that heart when it ceases +to beat. I have yet more to say to you; but my strength is too much +exhausted." + +The good old man here closed his eyes, with an expression of patient +resignation, and rather as if he courted sleep than felt inclined to it: +and, after shutting the door of his cell, I repaired to his little +garden, to pass the allotted two hours. Left to my meditations, when +I thought that I was probably about to be deprived for ever of the +Hermit's conversation and society, I felt the wretchedness of my situation +recur with all its former force. I sat down on a smooth rock under a +tamarind tree, the scene of many an interesting conference between the +Brahmin and myself; and I cast my eyes around--but how changed was every +thing before me! I no longer regarded the sparkling eddies of the little +cascade which fell down a steep rock at the upper end of the garden, and +formed a pellucid basin below. The gay flowers and rich foliage of this +genial climate--the bright plumage and cheerful notes of the birds--were +all there; but my mind was not in a state to relish them. I arose, and in +extreme agitation rambled over this little Eden, in which I had passed so +many delightful hours. + +Before the allotted time had elapsed--shall I confess it?--my fears for +the Hermit were overcome by those that were purely selfish. It occurred +to me, if he should thus suddenly die, and I be found alone in his cell, +I might be charged with being his murderer; and my courage, which, from +long inaction, had sadly declined of late, deserted me at the thought. +After the most torturing suspense, the dial at length showed me that the +two hours had elapsed, and I hastened to the cell. + +I paused a moment at the door, afraid to enter, or even look in; made one +or two steps, and hearing no sound, concluded that all was over with the +Hermit, and that my own doom was sealed. My delight was inexpressible, +therefore, when I perceived that he still breathed, and when, on drawing +nearer, I found that he slept soundly. In a moment I passed from misery +to bliss. I seated myself by his side, and there remained for more than +an hour, enjoying the transition of my feelings. At length he awoke, and +casting on me a look of placid benignity, said,--"Atterley, my time is +not yet come. Though resigned to death, I am content to live. The worst +is over. I am already almost restored to health." I then administered to +him some refreshments, and, after a while, left him to repose. On again +repairing to the garden, every object assumed its wonted appearance. The +fragrance of the orange and the jasmine was no longer lost to me. The +humming birds, which swarmed round the flowering cytisus and the beautiful +water-fall, once more delighted the eye and the ear. I took my usual +bath, as the sun was sinking below the mountain; and, finding the Hermit +still soundly sleeping, I threw myself on a seat, under the shelter of +some bamboos, fell asleep, and did not awake until late the next morning. + +When I arose, I found the good Brahmin up, and, though much weakened by +his disease, able to walk about. He told me that the Mirvoon, uneasy at +my not returning as usual in the evening, had sent in search of me, and +that the servant, finding me safe, was content to return without me. He +advised me, however, not to repeat the same cause of alarm. Sing Fou, on +hearing my explanation, readily forgave me for the uneasiness I had +caused him. After a few days, the Brahmin recovered his ordinary health +and strength; and having attended him at an earlier hour than usual, +according to his request on the previous evening, he thus addressed +me:-- + +"I have already told you, my dear Atterley, that I was born and educated +at Benares, and that science is there more thoroughly understood and +taught than the people of the west are aware of. We have, for many +thousands of years, been good astronomers, chymists, mathematicians, and +philosophers. We had discovered the secret of gunpowder, the magnetic +attraction, the properties of electricity, long before they were heard of +in Europe. We know more than we have revealed; and much of our knowledge +is deposited in the archives of the caste to which I belong; but, for +want of a language generally understood and easily learnt, (for these +records are always written in the Sanscrit, that is no longer a spoken +language,) and the diffusion which is given by the art of printing, +these secrets of science are communicated only to a few, and sometimes +even sleep with their authors, until a subsequent discovery, under more +favourable circumstances, brings them again to light. + +"It was at this seat of science that I learnt, from one of our sages, +the physical truth which I am now about to communicate, and which he +discovered, partly by his researches into the writings of ancient Pundits, +and partly by his own extraordinary sagacity. There is a principle of +repulsion as well as gravitation in the earth. It causes fire to rise +upwards. It is exhibited in electricity. It occasions water-spouts, +volcanoes, and earthquakes. After much labour and research, this principle +has been found embodied in a metallic substance, which is met with in the +mountain in which we are, united with a very heavy earth; and this +circumstance had great influence in inducing me to settle myself here. + +"This metal, when separated and purified, has as great a tendency to +fly off from the earth, as a piece of gold or lead has to approach it. +After making a number of curious experiments with it, we bethought +ourselves of putting it to some use, and soon contrived, with the aid +of it, to make cars and ascend into the air. We were very secret in +these operations; for our unhappy country having then recently fallen +under the subjection of the British nation, we apprehended that if we +divulged our arcanum, they would not only fly away with all our treasures, +whether found in palace or pagoda, but also carry off the inhabitants, +to make them slaves in their colonies, as their government had not then +abolished the African slave trade. + +"After various trials and many successive improvements, in which our +desires increased with our success, we determined to penetrate the +aerial void as far as we could, providing for that purpose an apparatus, +with which you will become better acquainted hereafter. In the course +of our experiments, we discovered that this same metal, which was repelled +from the earth, was in the same degree attracted towards the moon; for in +one of our excursions, still aiming to ascend higher than we had ever +done before, we were actually carried to that satellite; and if we had +not there fallen into a lake, and our machine had not been water-tight, +we must have been dashed to pieces or drowned. You will find in this +book," he added, presenting me with a small volume, bound in green +parchment, and fastened with silver clasps, "a minute detail of the +apparatus to be provided, and the directions to be pursued in making +this wonderful voyage. I have written it since I satisfied my mind that +my fears of British rapacity were unfounded, and that I should do more +good than harm by publishing the secret. But still I am not sure," +he added, with one of his faint but significant smiles, "that I am +not actuated by a wish to immortalize my name; for where is the mortal +who would be indifferent to this object, if he thought he could attain it? +Read the book at your leisure, and study it." + +I listened to this recital with astonishment; and doubted at first, +whether the Brahmin's late severe attack had not had the effect of +unsettling his brain: but on looking in his face, the calm self-possession +and intelligence which it exhibited, dispelled the momentary impression. +I was all impatience to know the adventures he met with in the moon, +asking him fifty questions in a breath, but was most anxious to learn +if it had inhabitants, and what sort of beings they were. + +"Yes," said he, "the moon has inhabitants, pretty much the same as the +earth, of which they believe their globe to have been formerly a part. +But suspend your questions, and let me give you a recital of the most +remarkable things I saw there." + +I checked my impatience, and listened with all my ears to the wonders +he related. He went on to inform me that the inhabitants of the moon +resembled those of the earth, in form, stature, features, and manners, +and were evidently of the same species, as they did not differ more than +did the Hottentot from the Parisian. That they had similar passions, +propensities, and pursuits, but differed greatly in manners and habits. +They had more activity, but less strength: they were feebler in mind as +well as body. But the most curious part of his information was, that a +large number of them were born without any intellectual vigour, and +wandered about as so many automatons, under the care of the government, +until they were illuminated with the mental ray from some earthly brains, +by means of the mysterious influence which the moon is known to exercise +on our planet. But in this case the inhabitant of the earth loses what +the inhabitant of the moon gains--the ordinary portion of understanding +allotted to one mortal being thus divided between two; and, as might be +expected, seeing that the two minds were originally the same, there is a +most exact conformity between the man of the earth and his counterpart in +the moon, in all their principles of action and modes of thinking. + +These Glonglims, as they are called, after they have been thus imbued +with intellect, are held in peculiar respect by the vulgar, and are +thought to be in every way superior to those whose understandings are +entire. The laws by which two objects, so far apart, operate on each +other, have been, as yet, but imperfectly developed, and the wilder +their freaks, the more they are the objects of wonder and admiration. +"The science of _lunarology_," he observed, "is yet in its infancy. +But in the three voyages I have made to the moon, I have acquired so +many new facts, and imparted so many to the learned men of that planet, +that it is, without doubt, the subject of their active speculations +at this time, and will, probably, assume a regular form long before the +new science of phrenology of which you tell me, and which it must, in +time, supersede. Now and then, though very rarely, the man of the earth +regains the intellect he has lost; in which case his lunar counterpart +returns to his former state of imbecility. Both parties are entirely +unconscious of the change--one, of what he has lost, and the other of +what he has gained." + +The Brahmin then added: "Though our party are the only voyagers of which +authentic history affords any testimony, yet it is probable, from obscure +hints in some of our most ancient writings in the Sanscrit, that the +voyage has been made in remote periods of antiquity; and the Lunarians +have a similar tradition. While, in the revolutions which have so changed +the affairs of mankind on our globe, (and probably in its satellite,) +the art has been lost, faint traces of its existence may be perceived +in the opinions of the vulgar, and in many of their ordinary forms of +expression. Thus it is generally believed throughout all Asia, that the +moon has an influence on the brain; and when a man is of insane mind, we +call him a lunatic. One of the curses of the common people is, 'May the +moon eat up your brains;' and in China they say of a man who has done +any act of egregious folly, 'He was gathering wool in the moon.'" + +I was struck with these remarks, and told the Hermit that the language +of Europe afforded the same indirect evidence of the fact he mentioned: +that my own language especially, abounded with expressions which could +be explained on no other hypothesis;--for, besides the terms "lunacy," +"lunatic," and the supposed influence of the moon on the brain, when we +see symptoms of a disordered intellect, we say the mind _wanders_, +which evidently alludes to a part of it rambling to a distant region, as +is the moon. We say too, a man is "_out of his head_," that is, his +mind being in another man's head, must of course be out of his own. +To "know no more than the man in the moon," is a proverbial expression +for ignorance, and is without meaning, unless it be considered to refer +to the Glonglims. We say that an insane man is "distracted;" by which we +mean that his mind is drawn two different ways. So also, we call a +lunatic _a man beside himself_, which most distinctly expresses the two +distinct bodies his mind now animates. There are, moreover, many other +analogous expressions, as "moonstruck," "deranged," "extravagant," and +some others, which, altogether, form a mass of concurring testimony that +it is impossible to resist. + +"Be that as it may," said he, "whether the voyage has been made in former +times or not, is of little importance: it is sufficient for us to know +that it has been effected in our time, and can be effected again. I am +anxious to repeat the voyage, for the purpose of ascertaining some facts, +about which I have been lately speculating; and I wish, besides, to +afford you ocular demonstration of the wonders I have disclosed; for, +in spite of your good opinion of my veracity, I have sometimes perceived +symptoms of incredulity about you, and I do not wonder at it." + +The love of the marvellous, and the wish for a change, which had long +slumbered in my bosom, were now suddenly awakened, and I eagerly caught +at his proposal. + +"When can we set out, father?" said I. + +"Not so fast," replied he; "we have a great deal of preparation to make. +Our apparatus requires the best workmanship, and we cannot here command +either first-rate articles or materials, without incurring the risk of +suspicion and interruption. While most of the simple villagers are +kindly disposed towards me, there are a few who regard me with distrust +and malevolence, and would readily avail themselves of an opportunity +to bring me under the censure of the priesthood and the government. +Besides, the governor of Mergui would probably be glad to lay hold of +any plausible evidence against you, as affording him the best chance of +avoiding any future reckoning either with you or his superiors. We must +therefore be very secret in our plans. I know an ingenious artificer +in copper and other metals, whose only child I was instrumental in curing +of scrofula, and in whose fidelity, as well as good will, I can safely +rely. But we must give him time. He can construct our machine at home, +and we must take our departure from that place in the night." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +_The Brahmin and Atterley prepare for their voyage--Description of their +machine--Incidents of the voyage--The appearance of the earth; Africa; +Greece--The Brahmin's speculations on the different races of men--National +character._ + + +Having thus formed our plan of operations, we the next day proceeded to +put them in execution. The coppersmith agreed to undertake the work +we wanted done, for a moderate compensation; but we did not think it +prudent to inform him of our object, which he supposed was to make some +philosophical experiment. It was forthwith arranged that he should +occasionally visit the Hermit, to receive instructions, as if for the +purpose of asking medical advice. During this interval my mind was +absorbed with our project; and when in company, I was so thoughtful +and abstracted, that it has since seemed strange to me that Sing Fou's +suspicions that I was planning my escape were not more excited. At +length, by dint of great exertion, in about three months every thing +was in readiness, and we determined on the following night to set out +on our perilous expedition. + +The machine in which we proposed to embark, was a copper vessel, that +would have been an exact cube of six feet, if the corners and edges +had not been rounded off. It had an opening large enough to receive +our bodies, which was closed by double sliding pannels, with quilted +cloth between them. When these were properly adjusted, the machine +was perfectly air-tight, and strong enough, by means of iron bars running +alternately inside and out, to resist the pressure of the atmosphere, +when the machine should be exhausted of its air, as we took the precaution +to prove by the aid of an air-pump. On the top of the copper chest +and on the outside, we had as much of the lunar metal (which I shall +henceforth call _lunarium_) as we found, by calculation and experiment, +would overcome the weight of the machine, as well as its contents, +and take us to the moon on the third day. As the air which the machine +contained, would not be sufficient for our respiration more than about +six hours, and the chief part of the space we were to pass through was +a mere void, we provided ourselves with a sufficient supply, by condensing +it in a small globular vessel, made partly of iron and partly of lunarium, +to take off its weight. On my return, I gave Mr. Jacob Perkins, who +is now in England, a hint of this plan of condensation, and it has +there obtained him great celebrity. This fact I should not have thought +it worth while to mention, had he not taken the sole merit of the +invention to himself; at least I cannot hear that in his numerous public +notices he has ever mentioned my name. + +But to return. A small circular window, made of a single piece of thick +clear glass, was neatly fitted on each of the six sides. Several pieces +of lead were securely fastened to screws which passed through the bottom +of the machine; as well as a thick plank. The screws were so contrived, +that by turning them in one direction, the pieces of lead attached +to them were immediately disengaged from the hooks with which they +were connected. The pieces of lunarium were fastened in like manner +to screws, which passed through the top of the machine; so that by +turning them in one direction, those metallic pieces would fly into +the air with the velocity of a rocket. The Brahmin took with him a +thermometer, two telescopes, one of which projected through the top +of the machine, and the other through the bottom; a phosphoric lamp, +pen, ink, and paper, and some light refreshments sufficient to supply +us for some days. + +The moon was then in her third quarter, and near the zenith: it was, of +course, a little after midnight, and when the coppersmith and his family +were in their soundest sleep, that we entered the machine. In about an hour +more we had the doors secured, and every thing arranged in its place, when, +cutting the cords which fastened us to the ground, by means of small steel +blades which worked in the ends of other screws, we rose from the earth +with a whizzing sound, and a sensation at first of very rapid ascent: but +after a short time, we were scarcely sensible of any motion in the machine, +except when we changed our places. + +The ardent curiosity I had felt to behold the wonderful things which the +Brahmin related, and the hope of returning soon to my children and native +country, had made me most impatient for the moment of departure; during +which time the hazards and difficulties of the voyage were entirely +overlooked: but now that the moment of execution had arrived, and I found +myself shut up in this small chest, and about to enter on a voyage so new, +so strange, and beset with such a variety of dangers, I will not deny that +my courage failed me, and I would gladly have compromised to return to +Mozaun, and remain there quietly all the rest of my days. But shame +restrained me, and I dissembled my emotions. + +At our first shock on leaving the earth, my fears were at their height; but +after about two hours, I had tolerably well regained my composure, to which +the returning light of day greatly contributed. By this time we had a full +view of the rising sun, pouring a flood of light over one half of the +circular landscape below us, and leaving the rest in shade. While those +natural objects, the rivers and mountains, land and sea, were fast receding +from our view, our horizon kept gradually extending as we mounted: but ere +10 o'clock this effect ceased, and the broad disc of the earth began +sensibly to diminish. + +It is impossible to describe my sensations of mingled awe and admiration at +the splendid spectacle beneath me, so long as the different portions of the +earth's surface were plainly distinguishable. The novelty of the situation +in which I found myself, as well as its danger, prevented me indeed at +first from giving more than a passing attention to the magnificent scene; +but after a while, encouraged by the Brahmin's exhortation, and yet more by +the example of his calm and assured air, I was able to take a more +leisurely view of it. At first, as we partook of the diurnal motion of the +earth, and our course was consequently oblique, the same portion of the +globe from which we had set out, continued directly under us; and as the +eye stretched in every direction over Asia and its seas, continents and +islands, they appeared like pieces of green velvet, the surrounding ocean +like a mirror, and the Ganges, the Hoogley, and the great rivers of China, +like threads of silver. + +About 11 o'clock it was necessary to get a fresh supply of air, when +my companion cautiously turned one of the two stop-cocks to let out +that which was no longer fit for respiration, requesting me, at the +same time, to turn the other, to let in a fresh supply of condensed +air; but being awkward in the first attempt to follow his directions, +I was so affected by the exhaustion of the air through the vent now +made for it, that I fainted; and having, at the same time, given freer +passage to the condensed air than I ought, we must in a few seconds +have lost our supply, and thus have inevitably perished, had not the +watchful Hermit seen the mischief, and repaired it almost as soon as +it occurred. This accident, and the various agitations my mind had +undergone in the course of the day, so overpowered me, that at an early +hour in the afternoon I fell into a profound sleep, and did not awake +again for eight hours. + +While I slept, the good Brahmin had contrived to manage both stop-cocks +himself. The time of my waking would have been about 11 o'clock at night, +if we had continued on the earth; but we were now in a region where there +was no alternation of day and night, but one unvarying cloudless sun. Its +heat, however, was not in proportion to its brightness; for we found that +after we had ascended a few miles from the earth, it was becoming much +colder, and the Brahmin had recourse to a chemical process for evolving +heat, which soon made us comfortable: but after we were fairly in the great +aerial void, the temperature of our machine showed no tendency to change. + +The sensations caused by the novelty of my situation, at first checked +those lively and varied trains of thought which the bird's-eye view of so +many countries passing in review before us, was calculated to excite: yet, +after I had become more familiar with it, I contemplated the beautiful +exhibition with inexpressible delight. Besides, a glass of cordial, as well +as the calm, confiding air of the Brahmin, contributed to restore me to my +self-possession. The reader will recollect, that although our motion, at +first, partook of that of the earth's on its axis, and although the +_positive_ effect was the same on our course, the _relative_ effect was +less and less as we ascended, and consequently, that after a certain +height, every part of the terraqueous globe would present itself to our +view in succession, as we rapidly receded from it. At 9 o'clock, the whole +of India was a little to the west of us, and we saw, as in a map, that +fertile and populous region, which has been so strangely reduced to +subjection, by a company of merchants belonging to a country on the +opposite side of the globe--a country not equal to one-fourth of it, in +extent or population. Its rivers were like small filaments of silver; the +Red Sea resembled a narrow plate of the same metal. The peninsula of India +was of a darker, and Arabia of a light and more grayish green. + +The sun's rays striking obliquely on the Atlantic, emitted an effulgence +that was dazzling to the eyes. For two or three hours the appearance +of the earth did not greatly vary, the wider extent of surface we could +survey, compensating for our greater distance; and indeed at that time +we could not see the whole horizon, without putting our eyes close to +the glass. + +When the Brahmin saw that I had overcome my first surprise, and had +acquired somewhat of his own composure, he manifested a disposition +to beguile the time with conversation. "Look through the telescope," +said he, "a little from the sun, and observe the continent of Africa, +which is presenting itself to our view." I took a hasty glance over +it, and perceived that its northern edge was fringed with green; then +a dull white belt marked the great Sahara, or Desert, and then it exhibited +a deep green again, to its most southern extremity. I tried in vain +to discover the pyramids, for our telescope had not sufficient power +to show them. + +I observed to him, that less was known of this continent than of the +others: that a spirit of lively curiosity had been excited by the +western nations of Europe, to become acquainted with the inhabited +parts of the globe; but that all the efforts yet made, had still left +a large portion almost entirely unknown. I asked if he did not think it +probable that some of the nations in the interior of Africa were more +advanced in civilization than those on the coast, whose barbarous custom +of making slaves of their prisoners, Europeans had encouraged and +perpetuated, by purchasing them. + +"No, no," said he; "the benefits of civilization could not have been so +easily confined, but would have spread themselves over every part of that +continent, or at least as far as the Great Desert, if they had ever +existed. The intense heat of a climate, lying on each side of the Line, +at once disinclines men to exertion, and renders it unnecessary. Vegetable +diet is more suited to them than animal, which favours a denser population. +Talent is elicited by the efforts required to overcome difficulties +and hardships; and their natural birth-place is a country of frost and +snow--of tempests--of sterility enough to give a spur to exertion, but +not enough to extinguish hope. Where these difficulties exist, and give +occasion to war and emulation, the powers of the human mind are most +frequently developed." + +"Do you think then," said I, "that there is no such thing as natural +inferiority and differences of races?" + +"I have been much perplexed by that question," said he. "When I regard +the great masses of mankind, I think there seems to be among them some +characteristic differences. I see that the Europeans have every where +obtained the ascendancy over those who inhabit the other quarters of +the globe. But when I compare individuals, I see always the same passions, +the same motives, the same mental operations; and my opinion is changed. +The same seed becomes a very different plant when sowed in one soil or +another, and put under this or that mode of cultivation." + +"And may not," said I, "the very nature of the plant be changed, after a +long continuance of the same culture in the same soil?" + +"Why, that is but another mode of stating the question. I rather think, +if it has generally degenerated, it may, by opposite treatment, be also +gradually brought back to its original excellence." + +"Who knows, then," said I, "what our missionaries and colonization +societies may effect in Africa." + +He inquired of me what these societies were; and on explaining their +history, observed: "By what you tell me, it is indeed a small beginning; +but if they can get this grain of mustard-seed to grow, there is no +saying how much it may multiply. See what a handful of colonists have +done in your own country. A few ship-loads of English have overspread +half a continent; and, from what you tell me, their descendants will +amount, in another century, to more than one hundred millions. There is +no rule," he continued, "that can be laid down on this subject, to which +some nations cannot be found to furnish a striking exception. If mere +difficulties were all that were wanting to call forth the intellectual +energies of man, they have their full share on the borders of the Great +Desert. There are in that whitish tract which separates the countries +on the southern shores of the Mediterranean from the rest of Africa, +thousands of human beings at this moment toiling over that dreary ocean +of sand, to whom a draught of fresh water would be a blessing, and the +simplest meal a luxury. + +"Perhaps, however, you will say they are so engrossed with the animal +wants of hunger and thirst, that they are incapable of attending to any +thing else. Be it so. But in the interior they are placed in parallel +circumstances with the natives of Europe: they are engaged in struggles +for territory and dominion--for their altars and their homes; and this +state of things, which has made some of them brave and warlike, has made +none poets or painters, historians or philosophers. There, poetry has not +wanted themes of great achievement and noble daring; but heroes have +wanted poets. Nor can we justly ascribe the difference to the enervating +influence of climate, for the temperature of the most southern parts of +Africa differs little from that of Greece. And the tropical nations, too, +of your own continent, the Peruvians, were more improved than those who +inhabited the temperate regions. Besides, though the climate had instilled +softness and feebleness of character, it might also have permitted the +cultivation of the arts, as has been the case with us in Asia. On the +whole, without our being able to pronounce with certainty on the subject, +it does seem probable that some organic difference exists in the various +races of mankind, to which their diversities of moral and intellectual +character may in part be referred."--By this time the Morea and the +Grecian Archipelago were directly under our telescope. + +"Does not Greece," said I, "furnish the clearest proof of the influence +of moral causes on the character of nations? Compare what that country +formerly was, with what it now is. Once superior to all the rest of the +habitable globe, (of which it did not constitute the thousandth part,) +in letters, arts, and arms, and all that distinguishes men from brutes; +not merely in their own estimation, (for all nations are disposed to rate +themselves high enough,) but by the general consent of the rest of the +world. Do not the most improved and civilized of modern states still take +them as their instructors and guides in every species of literature--in +philosophy, history, oratory, poetry, architecture, and sculpture? And +those too, who have attained superiority over the world, in arms, yield +a voluntary subjection to the Greeks in the arts. The cause of their +former excellence and their present inferiority, is no doubt to be found +in their former freedom and their present slavery, and in the loss of +that emulation which seems indispensable to natural greatness." + +"Nay," replied he, "I am very far from denying the influence of moral +causes on national character. The history of every country affords +abundant evidence of it. I mean only to say, that though it does much, +it does not do every thing. It seems more reasonable to impute the changes +in national character to the mutable habits and institutions of man, +than to nature, which is always the same. But if we look a little nearer, +we may perhaps perceive, that amidst all those mutations in the character +of nations, there are still some features that are common to the same +people at all times, and which it would therefore be reasonable to +impute to the great unvarying laws of nature. Thus it requires no +extraordinary acuteness of observation, no strained hypothesis, to +perceive a close resemblance between the Germans or the Britons of +antiquity and their modern descendants, after the lapse of eighteen +centuries, and an entire revolution in government, religion, language, +and laws. And travellers still perceive among the inhabitants of modern +Greece, deteriorated and debased as they are by political servitude, +many of those qualities which distinguished their predecessors: the +same natural acuteness--the same sensibility to pleasure--the same +pliancy of mind and elasticity of body--the same aptitude for the arts +of imitation--and the same striking physiognomy. That bright, serene +sky--that happy combination of land and water, constituting the perfection +of the picturesque, and that balmy softness of its air, which have proved +themselves so propitious to forms of beauty, agility, and strength, also +operate benignantly on the mind which animates them. Whilst the fruit +is still fair to the eye, it is not probable that it has permanently +degenerated in fragrance or flavour. The great diversities of national +character may, perhaps, be attributed principally to moral and accidental +causes, but partly also to climate, and to original diversities in the +different races of man." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +_Continuation of the voyage--View of Europe; Atlantic Ocean; America-- +Speculations on the future destiny of the United States--Moral reflections +--Pacific Ocean--Hypothesis on the origin of the Moon._ + + +By this time the whole Mediterranean Sea, which, with the Arabian Gulf, +was seen to separate Africa from Europe and Asia, was full in our view. +The political divisions of these quarters of the world were, of course, +undistinguishable; and few of the natural were discernible by the naked +eye. The Alps were marked by a white streak, though less bright than the +water. By the aid of our glass, we could just discern the Danube, the +Nile, and a river which empties itself into the Gulf of Guinea, and which +I took to be the Niger: but the other streams were not perceptible. The +most conspicuous object of the solid part of the globe, was the Great +Desert before mentioned. The whole of Africa, indeed, was of a lighter hue +than either Asia or Europe, owing, I presume, to its having a greater +proportion of sandy soil: and I could not avoid contrasting, in my mind, +the colour of these continents, as they now appeared, with the complexions +of their respective inhabitants. + +I was struck too, with the vast disproportion which the extent of the +several countries of the earth bore to the part they had acted in history, +and the influence they had exerted on human affairs. The British islands +had diminished to a speck, and France was little larger; yet, a few +years ago it seemed, at least to us in the United States, as if there +were no other nations on the earth. The Brahmin, who was well read in +European history, on my making a remark on this subject, reminded me that +Athens and Sparta had once obtained almost equal celebrity, although +they were so small as not now to be visible. As I slowly passed the +telescope over the face of Europe, I pictured to myself the fat, plodding +Hollander--the patient, contemplative German--the ingenious, sensual +Italian--the temperate Swiss--the haughty, superstitious Spaniard--the +sprightly, self-complacent Frenchman--the sullen and reflecting Englishman +--who monopolize nearly all the science and literature of the earth, +to which they bear so small a proportion. As the Atlantic fell under our +view, two faint circles on each side of the equator, were to be perceived +by the naked eye. They were less bright than the rest of the ocean. The +Brahmin suggested that they might be currents; which brought to my memory +Dr. Franklin's conjecture on the subject, now completely verified by this +circular line of vapour, as it had been previously rendered probable by +the floating substances, which had been occasionally picked up, at great +distances from the places where they had been thrown into the ocean. The +circle was whiter and more distinct, where the Gulf Stream runs parallel +to the American coast, and gradually grew fainter as it passed along the +Banks of Newfoundland, to the coast of Europe, where, taking a southerly +direction, the line of the circle was barely discernible. A similar circle +of vapour, though less defined and complete, was perceived in the South +Atlantic Ocean. + +When the coast of my own beloved country first presented itself to my +view, I experienced the liveliest emotions; and I felt so anxious to see +my children and friends, that I would gladly have given up all the +promised pleasures of our expedition. I even ventured to hint my feelings +to the Brahmin; but he, gently rebuking my impatience, said-- + +"If to return home had been your only object, and not to see what not one +of your nation or race has ever yet seen, you ought to have so informed +me, that we might have arranged matters accordingly. I do not wish you +to return to your country, until you will be enabled to make yourself +welcome and useful there, by what you may see in the lunar world. Take +courage, then, my friend; you have passed the worst; and, as the proverb +says, do not, when you have swallowed the ox, now choke at the tail. +Besides, although we made all possible haste in descending, we should, +ere we reached the surface, find ourselves to the west of your continent, +and be compelled then to choose between some part of Asia or the Pacific +Ocean." + +"Let us then proceed," said I, mortified at the imputation on my courage, +and influenced yet more, perhaps, by the last argument. The Brahmin then +tried to soothe my disappointment, by his remarks on my native land. + +"I have a great curiosity," said he, "to see a country where a man, by +his labour, can earn as much in a month as will procure him bread, and +meat too, for the whole year; in a week, as will pay his dues to the +government; and in one or two days, as will buy him an acre of good land: +where every man preaches whatever religion he pleases; where the priests +of the different sects never fight, and seldom quarrel; and, stranger +than all, where the authority of government derives no aid from an army, +and that of the priests no support from the law." + +I told him, when he should see these things in operation with his +own eyes, as I trusted he would, if it pleased heaven to favour our +undertakings, they would appear less strange. I reminded him of the +peculiar circumstances under which our countrymen had commenced their +career. + +"In all other countries," said I, "civilization and population have +gone hand in hand; and the necessity of an increasing subsistence +for increasing numbers, has been the parent of useful arts and of +social improvement. In every successive stage of their advancement, +such countries have equally felt the evils occasioned by a scanty and +precarious subsistence. In America, however, the people are in the full +enjoyment of all the arts of civilization, while they are unrestricted +in their means of subsistence, and consequently in their power of +multiplication. From this singular state of things, two consequences +result. One is, that the progress of the nation in wealth, power, and +greatness, is more rapid than the world has ever before witnessed. +Another is, that our people, being less cramped and fettered by their +necessities, and feeling, of course, less of those moral evils which +poverty and discomfort engender, their character, moral and intellectual, +will be developed and matured with greater celerity, and, I incline +to think, carried to a higher point of excellence than has ever yet +been attained. I anticipate for them the eloquence and art of Athens--the +courage and love of country of Sparta--the constancy and military prowess +of the Romans--the science and literature of England and France--the +industry of the Dutch--the temperance and obedience to the laws of the +Swiss. In fifty years, their numbers will amount to forty millions; in +a century, to one hundred and sixty millions; in two centuries, (allowing +for a decreasing rate of multiplication,) to three or four hundred +millions. Nor does it seem impossible that, from the structure of their +government, they may continue united for a few great national purposes, +while each State may make the laws that are suited to its peculiar habits, +character, and circumstances. In another half century, they will extend +the Christian religion and the English language to the Pacific Ocean. + +"To the south of them, on the same continent, other great nations will +arise, who, if they were to be equally united, might contend in terrible +conflicts for the mastery of this great continent, and even of the world. +But when they shall be completely liberated from the yoke of Spanish +dominion, and have for some time enjoyed that full possession of their +faculties and energies which liberty only can give, they will probably +split into distinct States. United, at first, by the sympathy of men +struggling in the same cause, and by similarity of manners and religion, +they will, after a while, do as men always have done, quarrel and fight; +and these wars will check their social improvement, and mar their +political hopes. Whether they will successively fall under the dominion +of one able and fortunate leader, or, like the motley sovereignties of +Europe, preserve their integrity by their mutual jealousy, time only can +show." + +"Your reasoning about the natives of Spanish America appears very +probable," said the Brahmin; "but is it not equally applicable to your +own country ?" + +I reminded him of the peculiar advantages of our government. He shook +his head. + +"No, Atterley," said he, "do not deceive yourself. The duration of every +species of polity is uncertain; the works of nature alone are permanent. +The motions of the heavenly bodies are the same as they were thousands +of years ago. But not so with the works of man. He is the identical animal +that he ever was. His political institutions, however cunningly devised, +have always been yet more perishable than his structures of stone and +marble. This is according to all past history: and do not, therefore, +count upon an exception in your favour, that would be little short of +the miraculous. But," he good-naturedly added, "such a miracle may take +place in your system; and, although I do not expect it, I sincerely +wish it." + +We were now able to see one half of the broad expanse of the Pacific, +which glistened with the brightness of quicksilver or polished steel. + +"Cast your eyes to the north," said he, "and see where your continent +and mine approach so near as almost to touch. Both these coasts are +at this time thinly inhabited by a rude and miserable people, whose +whole time is spent in struggling against the rigours of their dreary +climate, and the scantiness of its productions. Yet, perhaps the Indians +and the Kamtschadales will be gradually moulded into a hardy, civilized +people: and here may be the scene of many a fierce conflict between your +people and the Russians, whose numbers, now four times as great as yours, +increase almost as rapidly." + +He then amused me with accounts of the manners and mode of life of the +Hyperborean race, with whom he had once passed a summer. Glancing my eye +then to the south,--"See," said I, "while the Kamtschadale is providing +his supply of furs and of fish, for the long winter which is already +knocking at the door of his hut, the gay and voluptuous native of the +Sandwich and other islands between the tropics. How striking the contrast! +The one passes his life in ease, abundance, and enjoyment; the other in +toil, privation, and care. No inclemency of the seasons inflicts present +suffering on these happy islanders, or brings apprehensions for the +future. Nature presents them with her most delicious fruits spontaneously +and abundantly; and she has implanted in their breast a lively relish for +the favours she so lavishly bestows upon them." + +The Brahmin, after musing a while, replied: "The difference is far less +than you imagine. Perhaps, on balancing their respective pleasures and +pains, the superior gain of the islander will be reduced to nothing: for, +as to the simplest source of gratification, that of palatable food, if +nature produces it more liberally in the islands, she also produces there +more mouths to consume it. The richest Kamtschadale may, indeed, oftener +go without a dinner than the richest Otaheitan; but it may be quite the +reverse with the poorest. Then, as to quality of the food: if nature +has provided more delicious fruits for the natives of tropical climates, +she has given a sharper appetite and stronger digestion to the Hyperborean, +which equalizes the sum of their enjoyments. A dry crust is relished, when +an individual is hungry, more than the most savoury and delicate dainties +when he is in a fever; and water to one man, is a more delicious beverage +than the juice of the grape or of the palm to another. As to the necessity +for labour, which is ever pressing on the inhabitants of cold countries, +it is this consequent and incessant activity which gives health to their +bodies, and cheerful vigour to their minds; since, without such exercise, +man would have been ever a prey to disease and discontent. And, if no +other occupation be provided for the mind of man, it carves out employment +for itself in vain regrets and gloomy forebodings--in jealousy, envy, and +the indulgence of every hateful and tormenting passion: hence the +proverb,--'If you want corn, cultivate your soil; if you want weeds, let +it alone.' + +"But again: the native of those sunny isles is never sensible of the +bounty of Providence, till he is deprived of it. Here, as well as every +where else, desire outgoes gratification. Man sees or fancies much that +he cannot obtain; and in his regret for what he wants, forgets what he +already possesses. What is it to one with a tooth-ache, that a savoury +dish is placed before him? It is the same with the mind as the body: when +pain engrosses it in one way, it cannot relish pleasure in another. Every +climate and country too, have their own evils and inconveniences." + +"You think, then," said I, "that the native of Kamtschatka has the +advantage?" + +"No," he rejoined, "I do not mean to say that, for the evils of his +situation are likewise very great; but they are more manifest, and +therefore less necessary to be brought to your notice." + +It was now, by our time-pieces, about two o'clock in the afternoon--that +is, two hours had elapsed since we left terra firma; and, saving a few +biscuits and a glass of cordial a-piece, we had not taken any sort of +refreshment. The Brahmin proposed that we now should dine; and, opening +a small case, and drawing forth a cold fowl, a piece of dried goat's +flesh, a small pot of ghee, some biscuits, and a bottle of arrack +flavoured with ginger and spices, with a larger one of water, we ate as +heartily as we had ever done at the hermitage; the slight motion of our +machine to one side or the other, whenever we moved, giving us nearly +as much exercise as a vessel in a smooth sea. The animal food had been +provided for me, for the Brahmin satisfied his hunger with the ghee, +sweetmeats, and biscuit, and ate sparingly even of them. We each took +two glasses of the cordial diluted with water, and carefully putting +back the fragments, again turned our thoughts to the planet we had left. + +The middle of the Pacific now lay immediately beneath us. I had never +before been struck with the irregular distribution of land and water on +our globe, the expanse of ocean here being twice as large as in any +other part; and, on remarking this striking difference to the Brahmin, +he replied: + +"It is the opinion of some philosophers in the moon, that their globe +is a fragment of ours; and, as they can see every part of the earth's +surface, they believe the Pacific was the place from which the moon was +ejected. They pretend that a short, but consistent tradition of the +disruption, has regularly been transmitted from remote antiquity; and +they draw confirmation of their hypothesis from many words of the Chinese, +and other Orientals, with whom they claim affinity." + +"Ridiculous!" said I; "the moon is one-fourth the diameter of the earth; +and if the two were united in one sphere, the highest mountains must +have been submerged, and of course there would have been no human +inhabitants; or, if any part of the land was then bare, on the waters +retiring to fill up the chasm made by the separation of so large a body +as the moon, the parts before habitable would be, instead of two, three, +or at most four miles, as your Himalah mountains are said to be, some +twenty or thirty miles above the level of the ocean." + +"That is not quite so certain," said he: "we know not of what the interior +of the earth is composed, any more than we could distinguish the contents +of an egg, by penetrating one hundredth part of its shell. But we see, +that if one drop of water be united with another, they form one large +drop, as spherical as either of the two which composed it: and on the +separation of the moon from the earth, if they were composed of mingled +solids and fluids, or if the solid parts rested on fluid, both the +fragment and the remaining earth would assume the same globular appearance +they now present. + +"On this subject, however, I give no opinion. I only say, that it is not +contradicted by the facts you have mentioned. The fluid and the solid +parts settling down into a new sphere, might still retain nearly their +former proportion: or, if the fragment took away a greater proportion +of solid than of fluid, then the waters retiring to fill up the cavity, +would leave parts bare which they had formerly covered. There are some +facts which give a colour to this supposition; for most of the high +mountains of the earth afford evidence of former submersion; and those +which are the highest, the Himalah, are situated in the country to which +the origin of civilization, and even the human species itself, may be +traced. The moon too, we know, has much less water than the earth: and +all those appearances of violence, which have so puzzled cosmogonists, +the topsy-turvy position in which vegetable substances are occasionally +found beneath the soil on which they grew, and the clear manifestations +of the action of water, in the formation of strata, in the undulating +forms it has left, and in the correspondent salient and retiring angles +of mountains and opposite coasts, were all caused by the disruption; +and as the moon has a smaller proportion of water than the earth, she +has also the highest mountains." + +"But, father," said I, "the diameter of the earth being but four times +as large as that of the moon, how can the violent separation of so large +a portion of our planet be accounted for? Where is the mighty agent to +rend off such a mass, and throw it to thirty times the earth's diameter?" + +"Upon that subject," said he, "the Lunarian sages are much divided. +Many hypotheses have been suggested on the subject, some of which are +very ingenious, and all very fanciful: but the two most celebrated, and +into which all the others are now merged, are those of Neerlego and +Darcandarca; the former of whom, in a treatise extending to nine quarto +volumes, has maintained that the disruption was caused by a comet; and +the latter, in a work yet more voluminous, has endeavoured to prove, that +when the materials of the moon composed a part of the earth, this planet +contained large masses of water, which, though the particles cohered with +each other, were disposed to fly off from the earth; and that, by an +accumulation of the electric fluid, according to laws which he has +attempted to explain, the force was at length sufficient to heave the +rocks which encompassed these masses, from their beds, and to project +them from the earth, when, partaking of the earth's diurnal motion, they +assumed a spherical form, and revolved around it. And further, that +because the moon is composed of two sorts of matter, that are differently +affected towards the earth in its revolution round that planet, the same +parts of its surface always maintain some relative position to us, which +thus necessarily causes the singularity of her turning on her axis +precisely in the time in which she revolves round the earth." + +"I see," said I, "that doctors differ and dispute about their own fancies +every where." + +"That is," said he, "because they contend as vehemently for what they +imagine as for what they see; and perhaps more so, as their _perceptions_ +are like those of other men, while their _reveries_ are more exclusively +their own. Thus, in the present instance, the controversy turns upon the +mode in which the separation was effected, which affords the widest field +for conjecture, while they both agree that such separation has taken +place. As to this fact I have not yet made up my mind, though it must +be confessed that there is much to give plausibility to their opinion. +I recognise, for instance, a striking resemblance between the animal +and vegetable productions of Asia and those of the moon." + +"Do you think, father," said I, "that animal, or even vegetable life, +could possibly exist in such a disruption as is supposed?" + +"Why not?" said he: "you are not to imagine that the shock would be felt +in proportion to the mass that was moved. On the contrary, while it would +occasion, in some parts, a great destruction of life, it would, in others, +not be felt more than an earthquake, or rather, than a succession of +earthquakes, during the time that the different parts of the mass were +adjusting themselves to a spherical form; whilst a few pairs, or even a +single pair of animals, saved in some cavity of a mountain, would be +sufficient, in a few centuries, to stock the whole surface of the earth +with as many individuals as are now to be found on it. + +"After all," he added, "it is often difficult in science to distinguish +Truth from the plausibility which personates her. But let us not, however, +be precipitate; let us but hear both sides. In the east we have a saying, +that 'he who hears with but one ear, never hears well.'" + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +_The voyage continued--Second view of Asia--The Brahmin's speculations +concerning India--Increase of the Moon's attraction--Appearance of the +Moon--They land on the Moon._ + + +The dryness of the preceding discussion, which lay out of the course of +my studies, together with the effect of my dinner, began to make me a +little drowsy; whereupon the Brahmin urged me to take the repose which +it was clear I needed; remarking, that when I awoke, he would follow +my example. Reclining my head, then, on my cloak, in a few minutes my +senses were steeped in forgetfulness. + +I slept about six hours most profoundly; and on waking, found the good +Brahmin busy with his calculations of our progress. I insisted on his +now taking some rest. After requesting me to wake him at the end of three +hours, (or sooner, if any thing of moment should occur,) and putting up +a short prayer, which was manifested by his looks, rather than by his +words, he laid himself down, and soon fell into a quiet sleep. + +Left now to my own meditations, and unsupported by the example and +conversation of my friend, I felt my first apprehensions return, and +began seriously to regret my rashness in thus venturing on so bold an +experiment, which, however often repeated with success, must ever be +hazardous, and which could plead little more in its favour than a vain +and childish curiosity. I took up a book, but whilst my eye ran over the +page, I understood but little what I read, and could not relish even that. +I now looked down through the telescope, and found the earth surprisingly +diminished in her apparent dimensions, from the increased rapidity of our +ascent. The eastern coasts of Asia were still fully in view, as well as +the entire figure of that vast continent--of New Holland--of Ceylon, and +of Borneo; but the smaller islands were invisible. I strained my eye to +no purpose, to follow the indentations of the coast, according to the map +before me; the great bays and promontories could alone be perceived. The +Burman Empire, in one of the insignificant villages of which I had been +confined for a few years, was now reduced to a speck. The agreeable +hours I had passed with the Brahmin, with the little daughter of Sing Fou, +and my rambling over the neighbouring heights, all recurred to my mind, +and I almost regretted the pleasures I had relinquished. I tried, with +more success, to beguile the time by making notes in my journal; and after +having devoted about an hour to this object, I returned to the telescope, +and now took occasion to examine the figure of the earth near the Poles, +with a view of discovering whether its form favoured Captain Symmes's +theory of an aperture existing there; and I am convinced that that +ingenious gentleman is mistaken. Time passed so heavily during these +solitary occupations, that I looked at my watch every five minutes, and +could scarcely be persuaded it was not out of order. I then took up my +little Bible, (which had always been my travelling companion,) read a +few chapters in St. Matthew, and found my feelings tranquillized, and +my courage increased. The desired hour at length arrived; when, on waking +the old man, he alertly raised himself up, and at the first view of the +diminished appearance of the earth, observed that our journey was a third +over, as to time, but not as to distance. After a few moments, the Brahmin +again cast his eye towards his own natal soil; on beholding which, he +fetched a deep sigh, and, if I was not mistaken, I saw a rising tear. + +"Alas!" said he, "my country and my countrymen, how different you are in +many respects from what I should wish you to be! And yet I do not love +you the less. Perhaps I love you the more for your faults, as well as +for your misfortunes. + +"Our lot," continued he, "is a hard one. That quarter of the world has +sent letters, and arts, and religion abroad to adorn and benefit the +other four; and these, the chief of human blessings and glories, have +deserted us!" + +I told him that I had heard the honours, which he claimed for India, +attributed to Egypt. He contended, with true love of country, great +plausibility, and an intimate knowledge of Oriental history, that letters +and the arts had been first transplanted from Asia into Egypt. + +"No other part of Africa," said he, "saving Egypt, can boast of any +ancient monuments of the arts or of civilization. Even the pyramids, +the great boast of Egypt, are proofs of nothing more than ordinary patient +labour, directed by despotic power. Besides, look at that vast region, +extending five thousand miles from the Mediterranean to the Cape of Good +Hope, and four thousand from the Red Sea to the Atlantic. Its immense +surface contains only ignorant barbarians, who are as uncivilized now as +they were three thousand years ago. Is it likely that if civilization and +letters originated in Egypt, as is sometimes pretended, it would have +spread so extensively in one direction, and not at all in another? +I make no exception in favour of the Carthagenians, whose origin was +comparatively recent, and who, we know, were a colony from Asia." + +I was obliged to admit the force of this reasoning; and, when he proceeded +to descant on the former glories and achievements of Asiatic nations, +and their sad reverses of fortune--while he freely spoke of the present +degradation and imbecility of his countrymen, he promptly resisted every +censure of mine. It was easy, indeed, to see that he secretly cherished +a hope that the day would come, when the whole of Hindostan would be +emancipated from its European masters, and assume that rank among nations +to which the genius of its inhabitants entitled it. He admitted that the +dominion of the English was less oppressive than that of their native +princes; but said, that there was this great difference between foreign +and domestic despotism,--that the former completely extinguished all +national pride, which is as much the cause as the effect of national +greatness. + +I asked him whether he thought if his countrymen were to shake off the +yoke of the English, they could maintain their independence? + +"Undoubtedly," said he. "Who would be able to conquer us?" + +I suggested to him that they might tempt the ambition of Russia; and +cautiously inquired, whether the abstinence from animal food might not +render his country much less capable of resistance; and whether it might +not serve to explain why India had so often been the prey of foreign +conquest? Of this, however, he would hear nothing; but replied, with +more impatience than was usual with him-- + +"It is true, Hindostan was invaded by Alexander--but not conquered; and +that it has since submitted, in succession, to the Arabians, to the +Tartars, under Genghis Khan, and under Tamerlane; to the Persians, under +Nadir Shah, and, finally, to the British. But there are few countries +of Europe which have not been conquered as often. That nation from which +you are descended, and to which mine is now subject, furnishes no +exception, as it has been subjugated, in succession, by the Romans, the +Danes, the Saxons, the Normans. And, as to courage, we see no difference +between those Asiatics who eat animal food as you do, and those who +abstain from it as I do. I am told that the Scotch peasantry eat much +less animal food than the English, and the Irish far less than they; and +yet, that these rank among the best troops of the British. But surely a +nation ought not to be suspected of fearing death, whose very women show +a contempt of life which no other people have exhibited." + +This led us to talk of that strange custom of his country, which impels +the widow to throw herself on the funeral pile of her husband, and to be +consumed with him. I told him that it had often been represented as +compulsory--or, in other words, that it was said that every art and means +were resorted to, for the purpose of working on the mind of the woman, by +her relatives, aided by the priests, who would be naturally gratified by +such signal triumphs of religion over the strongest feelings of nature. He +admitted that these engines were sometimes put in operation, and that +they impelled to the sacrifice, some who were wavering; but insisted, that +in a majority of instances the _Suttee_ was voluntary. + +"Women," said he, "are brought up from their infancy, to regard our sex +as their superiors, and to believe that their greatest merit consists in +entire devotion to their husbands. Under this feeling, and having, at +the same time, their attention frequently turned to the chance of such a +calamity, they are better prepared to meet it when it occurs. How few of +the officers in your western armies, ever hesitate to march, at the head +of their men, on a forlorn hope? and how many even court the danger for +the sake of the glory? Nay, you tell me that, according to your code of +honour, if one man insults another, he who gives the provocation, and he +who receives it, rather than be disgraced in the eyes of their countrymen, +will go out, and quietly shoot at each other with firearms, till one of +them is killed or wounded; and this too, in many cases, when the injury +has been merely nominal. If you show such a contempt of death, in +deference to a custom founded in mere caprice, can it be wondered that +a woman should show it, in the first paroxysms of her grief for the +loss of him to whom was devoted every thought, word, and action of her +life, and who, next to her God, was the object of her idolatry? My dear +Atterley," he continued, with emotion, "you little know the strength of +woman's love!" + +Here he abruptly broke off the conversation; and, after continuing +thoughtful and silent for some time, he remarked: + +"But do not forget where we are. Nature demands her accustomed rest, and +let us prepare to indulge her. I feel little inclined to sleep at +present; yet, by the time you have taken some hours' repose, I shall +probably require the same refreshment." + +I would willingly have listened longer; but, yielding to his prudent +suggestion, again composed myself to rest, and left my good monitor to +his melancholy meditations. When I had slept about four hours, I was +awakened by the Brahmin, in whose arms I found myself, and who, feeble +as he was, handled me with the ease that a nurse does a child, or rather, +as a child does her doll. On looking around, I found myself lying on what +had been the ceiling of our chamber, which still, however, felt like the +bottom. My eyes and my feelings were thus in collision, and I could only +account for what I saw, by supposing that the machine had been turned +upside down. I was bewildered and alarmed. + +After enjoying my surprise for a moment, the Brahmin observed: "We have, +while you were asleep, passed the middle point between the earth's and the +moon's attraction, and we now gravitate less towards our own planet than +her satellite. I took the precaution to move you, before you fell by your +own gravity, from what was lately the bottom, to that which is now so, +and to keep you in this place until you were retained in it by the moon's +attraction; for, though your fall would have been, at this point, like +that of a feather, yet it would have given you some shock and alarm. The +machine, therefore, has undergone no change in its position or course; +the change is altogether in our feelings." + +The Brahmin then, after having looked through either telescope, but for +a longer time through the one at the bottom, and having performed his +customary devotions, soon fell into a slumber, but not into the same +quiet sleep as before, for he was often interrupted by sudden starts, +of so distressing a character, that I was almost tempted to wake him. +After a while, however, he seemed more composed, when I betook myself +to the telescope turned towards the earth. + +The earth's appearance I found so diminished as not to exceed four times +the diameter of the moon, as seen from the earth, and its whole face was +entirely changed. After the first surprise, I recollected it was the +moon I was then regarding, and my curiosity was greatly awakened. On +raising myself up, and looking through the upper telescope, the earth +presented an appearance not very dissimilar; but the outline of her +continents and oceans were still perceptible, in different shades, and +capable of being easily recognised; but the bright glare of the sun made +the surfaces of both bodies rather dim and pale. + +After a short interval, I again looked at the moon, and found not only +its magnitude very greatly increased, but that it was beginning to +present a more beautiful spectacle. The sun's rays fell obliquely on +her disc, so that by a large part of its surface not reflecting the light, +I saw every object on it, so far as I was enabled by the power of my +telescope. Its mountains, lakes, seas, continents, and islands, were +faintly, though not indistinctly, traced; and every moment brought +forth something new to catch my eye, and awaken my curiosity. The +whole face of the moon was of a silvery hue, relieved and varied by the +softest and most delicate shades. No cloud nor speck of vapour intercepted +my view. One of my exclamations of delight awakened the Brahmin, who +quickly arose, and looking down on the resplendent orb below us, observed +that we must soon begin to slacken the rapidity of our course, by +throwing out ballast. The moon's dimensions now rapidly increased; the +separate mountains, which formed the ridges and chains on her surface, +began to be plainly visible through the telescope; whilst, on the shaded +side, several volcanoes appeared upon her disc, like the flashes of +our fire-fly, or rather like the twinkling of stars in a frosty night. +He remarked, that the extraordinary clearness and brightness of the +objects on the moon's surface, was owing to her having a less extensive +and more transparent atmosphere than the earth: adding--"The difference +is so great, that some of our astronomical observers have been induced +to think she has none. If that, however, had been the case, our voyage +would have been impracticable." + +After gazing at the magnificent spectacle, with admiration and delight, +for half an hour, the Brahmin loosed one of the balls of the lunar metal, +for the purpose of checking our velocity. At this time he supposed we +were not more than four thousand miles, or about twice the moon's +diameter, from the nearest point of her surface. In about four hours +more, her apparent magnitude was so great, that we could see her by +looking out of either of the dark side-windows. Her disc had now lost +its former silvery appearance, and began to look more like that of the +earth, when seen at the same distance. It was a most gratifying spectacle +to behold the objects successively rising to our view, and steadily +enlarging in their dimensions. The rapidity with which we approached the +moon, impressed me, in spite of myself, with the alarming sensation of +falling; and I found myself alternately agitated with a sense of this +danger, and with impatience to take a nearer view of the new objects that +greeted my eyes. The Brahmin was wholly absorbed in calculations for the +purpose of adjusting our velocity to the distance we had to go, his +estimates of which, however, were in a great measure conjectural; and +ever and anon he would let off a ball of the lunar metal. + +After a few hours, we were so near the moon that every object was seen in +our glass, as distinctly as the shells or marine plants through a piece +of shallow sea-water, though the eye could take in but a small part of +her surface, and the horizon, which bounded our view, was rapidly +contracting. On letting the air escape from our machine, it did not now +rush out with the same violence as before, which showed that we were +within the moon's atmosphere. This, as well as ridding ourselves of the +metal balls, aided in checking our progress. By and bye we were within a +few miles of the highest mountains, when we threw down so much of our +ballast, that we soon appeared almost stationary. The Brahmin remarked, +that he should avail himself of the currents of air we might meet with, +to select a favourable place for landing, though we were necessarily +attracted towards the same region, in consequence of the same half of +the moon's surface being always turned towards the earth. + +"In our second voyage," said he, "we were glad to get foothold any where; +for, not having lightened our machine sufficiently, we came down, with a +considerable concussion, on a barren field, remote from any human +habitation, and suffered more from hunger and cold, for nearly three days, +than we had done from the perils and privations of the voyage. The next +time we aimed at landing near the town of Alamatua, which stands, as you +may see, a little to the right of us, upon an island in a lake, and looks +like an emerald set in silver. We came down very gently, it is true, but +we struck one of the numerous boats which ply around the island, and had +nearly occasioned the loss of our lives, as well as of theirs. In our +last voyage we were every way fortunate. The first part of the moon we +approached, was a level plain, of great extent, divided into corn-fields, +on which, having lowered our grapnel, we drew ourselves down without +difficulty. + +"We must now," continued he, "look out for some cultivated field, in one +of the valleys we are approaching, where we may rely on being not far +from some human abode, and on escaping the perils of rocks, trees, and +buildings." + +While the Brahmin was speaking, a gentle breeze arose, as appeared by our +horizontal motion, which wafted us at the rate of about ten miles an hour, +in succession, over a ridge of mountains, a lake, a thick wood, and a +second lake, until at length we reached a cultivated region, recognised +by the Brahmin as the country of the Morosofs, the place we were most +anxious to reach. + +"Let off two of the balls of lead to the earth," said he. I did so, and +we descended rapidly. When we were sufficiently near the ground to see +that it was a fit place for landing, we opened the door, and found the +air of the moon inconceivably sweet and refreshing. We now loosed one of +the lower balls, and somewhat checked our descent. In a few minutes more, +however, we were within twenty yards of the ground, when we let go the +largest ball of lunarium, which, having a cord attached to it, served us +in lieu of a grapnel. It descended with great force to the ground, while +the machine, thus lightened, was disposed to mount again. We, however, +drew ourselves down; and as soon as the machine touched the ground, +we let off some of our leaden balls to keep it there. We released +ourselves from the machine in a twinkling; and our first impulse was +to fall on our knees, and return thanks for our safe deliverance from +the many perils of the voyage. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +_Some account of Morosofia, and its chief city Alamatua--Singular +dresses of the Lunar ladies--Religious self denial--Glouglim miser and +spendthrift._ + + +My feelings, at the moment I touched the ground, repayed me for all I +had endured. I looked around with the most intense curiosity; but nothing +that I saw, surprised me so much as to find so little that was surprising. +The vegetation, insects and other animals, were all pretty much of the +same character as those I had seen before; but after I became better +acquainted with them, I found the difference to be much greater than I at +first supposed. Having refreshed ourselves with the remains of our stores, +and secured the door of our machine, we bent our course, by a plain road, +towards the town we saw on the side of a mountain, about three miles +distant, and entered it a little before the sun had descended behind the +adjacent mountain. + +The town of Alamatua seemed to contain about two thousand houses, and to +be not quite as large as Albany. The houses were built of a soft shining +stone, and they all had porticoes, piazzas, and verandas, suited to the +tropical climate of Morosofia. The people were tall and thin, of a pale +yellowish complexion; and their garments light, loose, and flowing, and +not very different from those of the Turks. The lower order of people +commonly wore but a single garment, which passed round the waist. One +half the houses were under ground, partly to screen them from the continued +action of the sun's rays, and partly on account of the earthquakes caused +by volcanoes. The windows of their houses were different from any I had +ever seen before. They consisted of openings in the wall, sloping so +much upwards, that while they freely admitted the light and air, the sun +was completely excluded: and although those who were within could readily +see what was passing in the streets, they were concealed from the gaze of +the curious. In their hot-houses, it was common to have mirrors in the +ceilings, which at once reflected the street passengers to those who were +on the floor, and enabled the ostentatious to display to the public eye +the decorations of their tables, whenever they gave a sumptuous feast. + +The inhabitants subsist chiefly on a vegetable diet; live about as long +as they do on the earth, notwithstanding the great difference of climate, +and other circumstances; and, in short, do not, in their manners, habits, +or character, differ more from the inhabitants of our planet, than some of +these differ from one another. Their government was anciently monarchical, +but is now popular. Their code of laws is said to be very intricate. Their +language, naturally soft and musical, has been yet further refined by the +cultivation of letters. They have a variety of sects in religion, +politics, and philosophy. The territory of Morosofia is about 150 miles +square. This brief sketch must content the reader for the present. I refer +those who are desirous of being more particularly informed, to the work +which I propose to publish on lunar geography; and, in the mean time, +some of the most striking peculiarities of this people, in opinions, +manners, and customs, will be developed in this, which must be considered +as my _personal narrative_. + +As soon as we were espied by the inhabitants, we were surrounded by a +troop of little boys, as well as all the idle and inquisitive near us. +The Brahmin had not gone far, before he was met by some persons of his +acquaintance, who immediately recognised him, and seemed very much pleased +to see him again in the moon. They politely conducted us to the house of +the governor, who received us very graciously. He appeared to be about +forty-five years of age, was dressed in a pearl-coloured suit, and had a +mild, amiable deportment. He began a course of interesting inquiry about +the affairs of the earth; but a gentleman, whom we afterwards understood +was one of the leaders of the popular party, coming in, he soon despatched +us; having, however, first directed an officer to furnish us with all +that was necessary for our accommodation, at the public expense--which +act of hospitality, we have reason to fear, occasioned him some trouble +and perplexity at the succeeding election. We very gladly withdrew, as +both by reason of our long walk, and the excitement produced by so many +new objects, we were greatly fatigued. The officer conducted us to +respectable private lodgings, in a lightsome situation, which overlooked +the chief part of the city. + +After a frugal, but not unpalatable repast, and a few hours' sleep, +the Brahmin took me round the city and a part of its environs, to make me +acquainted with the public buildings, streets, shops, and the appearance +of the inhabitants. I soon found that our arrival was generally known +and that we excited quite as much curiosity as we felt, though many of +the persons we met had seen the Brahmin before. I was surprised that we +saw none of their women; but the Brahmin told me that they were every +where gazing through their windows; and, on looking up, through these +slanting apertures I could often see their eyes peeping over the upper +edge of the window-sill. + +I shall now proceed to record faithfully what I deem most memorable; not +as many travellers have done, from their recollection, after their return +home, but from notes, which I regularly made, either at the moment of +observation, or very shortly afterwards. When we first visited the shops, +I was equally gratified and surprised with what was familiar and what was +new; but I was particularly amused with those of the tailors and milliners. +In the lower part of their dress, the Lunarians chiefly resemble the +Europeans; but in the upper part, the Asiatics--for they shave the head, +and wear turbans; from which fact the Brahmin drew another argument in +favour of the hypothesis, that the moon was originally a part of the +earth. Some of the female fashions were so extremely singular and +fanciful, as to deserve particular mention. + +One piece of their attire was formed of a long piece of light stiff +wood, covered with silk, and decorated with showy ornaments. It was +worn across the shoulders, beyond each of which it jutted out about half +a yard; and from either end a cord led to a ring running round the upper +part of the head, bearing no small resemblance to the yard of a ship's +mast, and the ropes used for steering it. Several other dresses I +saw, which I am satisfied would be highly disapproved by my modest +countrywomen. Thus, in some were inserted glasses like watch crystals, +adapted to the form and size of the female bosom. But, to do the Lunar +ladies justice, I understood that these dresses were condemned by the +sedate part of the sex, and were worn only by the young and thoughtless, +who were vain of their forms. I observed too, that instead of decorating +their heads with flowers, like the ladies of our earth, they taxed the +animal world for a correspondent ornament. Many of the head-dresses were +made of a stiff open gauze, occasionally stuck over with insects of the +butterfly and _coccinella_ species, and others of the gayest hues. At +other times these insects were alive; when their perpetual buzzing and +fluttering in their transparent cages, had a very animating effect. One +decoration for the head in particular struck my fancy: it was formed of a +silver tissue, containing fireflies, and intended to be worn in the night. + +But the most remarkable thing of all, was the whim of the ladies in +the upper classes, of making themselves as much like birds as possible; +in which art, it must be confessed, they were wonderfully successful. +The dress used for this purpose, consisted of a sort of thick cloak, +covered with feathers, like those of the South Sea islands, and was so +fashioned, by means of a tight thick quilting, as to make the wearer, at +a little distance, very much resemble an overgrown bird, except that the +legs were somewhat too thick. Their arms were concealed under the wings; +and the resemblance was yet further increased, by marks with beaks adapted +to the particular plumage: some personating doves, some magpies; others +again, hawks, parrots, &c., according to their natural figure, humour, +&c.; while the deception was still further assisted by their extraordinary +agility, compared with ours, by means of which they could, with ease, +hop eighteen or twenty feet. I told the Brahmin that some of the Indians +of our continent showed a similar taste in dress, by decorating themselves +with horns like the buffalo, and with tails like horses; which furnished +him with a further argument in favour of a common origin. + +We spent above an hour in examining these curious habiliments, and in +inquiring the purposes and uses of the several parts. Sometimes I was +induced, through the Brahmin, to criticise their taste and skill, having +been always an admirer of simplicity in female attire. But I remarked +on this occasion, as on several others, subsequently, that the people of +the moon were neither very thankful for advice, nor thought very highly +of the judgment of those who differ from them in opinion. + +After having rambled over the city about six hours, our appetites told +us it was time to return to our lodgings; and here I met with a new +cause of wonder. The family with whom we were domesticated, belonged +to a numerous and zealous sect of religionists, and were, in their way, +very worthy, as well as pious people. Their dinner consisted of several +dishes of vegetables, variously served up; of roots, stalks, seeds, +flowers, and fruits, some of which resembled the productions of the +earth; and in particular, I saw a dish of what I at first took to be +very fine asparagus, but supposed I was mistaken, when I saw them eat +the coarse fibrous part alone. On tasting it, however, in the ordinary +way, I found it to be genuine, good asparagus; but I perceived that the +family looked extremely shocked at my taste. After the other dishes were +removed, some large fruit, of the peach kind, were set on the table, +when the members of the family, having carefully paired off the skin, +ate it, and threw the rest away. They in like manner chewed the shells +of some small grayish nuts, and threw away the kernels, which to me were +very palatable. The younger children, consisting of two boys and a girl, +exchanged looks with each other at the selections I made, and I thought +I perceived in the looks of the mother, still more aversion than surprise. +I found too, that my friend the Brahmin abstained from all these things, +and partook only of those vegetables and fruits of which both they and I +ate alike. Some wine was offered us, which appeared to me to be neither +more nor less than vinegar; and, what added to my surprise, a bottle, +which they said was not yet fit to drink, seemed to me to be pretty good, +the Brahmin having passed it to me for my judgment, as soon as they +pronounced upon it sentence of condemnation. + +After we arose from this strange scene, and had withdrawn to our chamber, +I expressed my surprise to my companion at this contrariety in the tastes +of the Terrestrials and Lunarians: whereupon he told me, that the +difference was rather apparent than real. + +"These people," said he, "belong to a sect of Ascetics in this country, +who are persuaded that all pleasure received through the senses is sinful, +and that man never appears so acceptable in the sight of the Deity, as +when he rejects all the delicacies of the palate, as well as other +sensual gratifications, and imposes on himself that food to which he +feels naturally most repugnant. You may see that those peaches, which +were so disdainfully thrown into the yard, are often secretly picked up +by the children, who obey the impulses of nature, and devour them most +greedily. Even in the old people themselves, there is occasionally some +backsliding into the depravity of worldly appetite. You might have +perceived, that while the old man was abusing the wine you drank as +unripe, and making wry faces at it, he still kept tasting it; and if I +had not reached it to you, he would probably, before he had ceased his +meditations, have finished half the bottle. It must be confessed, that +although religion cherishes our best feelings, it also often proves a +cloak for the worst." + +I told him that our clergy were superior to this weakness, most of them +manifesting a proper sense of the bounty of Providence, by eating and +drinking of the best, (not very sparingly neither); and that in New-York, +we considered some of our preachers the best judges of wine among us. Soon +afterwards, we again sallied forth in quest of adventures, and bent our +course towards the suburbs. + +We had not gone far, before we saw several persons looking at a man +working hard at a forge, in a low crazy building. On approaching him, we +found he was engaged in making nails, an operation which he performed +with great skill and adroitness; and as soon as he had made as many +as he could take up in his hand at once, he carried them behind his +little hovel, and dropped them into a narrow deep well. Some of the +by-standers wished to beg a few of what he seemed to value so lightly, +and others offered to give him bread or clothes in exchange for his +nails, but he obstinately resisted all their applications; in fact, +little heeding them, although he was almost naked, had a starved, haggard +appearance, and evidently regarded the food they proffered with a +wishful eye. + +The lookers on told us the blacksmith had been for years engaged in this +business of nail-making; he worked with little intermission, scarcely +allowing himself time for necessary sleep or refreshment; that all the +fruits of his incessant labour were disposed of in the manner we had +just seen; and that he had already three wells filled with nails, which +he had carefully closed. He had, moreover, a large and productive farm, +the increase arising from which, was laid out in exchange for the metal +of which his nails were made. He had, we were informed, so much attachment +to these pieces of metal, that he was often on the point of starvation +before he would part with one. + +I observed to the Brahmin, that it was a singular, and somewhat +inexplicable, species of madness. + +"True," he replied; "this man's conduct cannot be explained upon any +rational principles--but he is one of the Glonglims, of which I have +spoken to you; and examples are not wanting on our planet, of conduct +as irreconcilable to reason. This man is making an article which is +scarce, as well as useful, in this country, where gravity is less than +it is with us: the force of the wind is very great, and the metal is +possessed but by a few. Now, if you suppose these nails to be pieces +of gold and silver, his conduct will be precisely that of some of our +misers, who waste their days and nights in hoarding up wealth which they +never use, nor mean to use; but, denying themselves every comfort of +life, anxiously and unceasingly toil for those who are to come after +them, though they are so far from feeling, towards these successors, +any peculiar affection, that they often regard them with jealousy and +hatred." + +While we thus conversed, there stepped up to us a handsome man, foppishly +dressed in blue trowsers, a pink vest, and a red and white turban; who, +after having shaken my companion by the ears, according to the custom of +the country among intimate friends, expressed his delight at seeing him +again in Morosofia. He then went on, in a lively, humorous strain, to +ridicule the nail-smith, and told us several stories of his singular +attachment to his nails. In the midst of these sallies, however, a harsh +looking personage in brown came up, upon which the countenance of our +lively acquaintance suddenly changed, and they walked off together. + +"I apprehend," said the Brahmin, "that my gay acquaintance yonder +continues as he formerly was. The man in brown, who so unseasonably +interrupted his pleasantry, is an officer of justice, and has probably +taken him before a magistrate, to answer some one of his numerous +creditors. You must know," added he, "that the people of the moon, +however irrational themselves, are very prompt in perceiving the +absurdities of others: and this lively wit, who, as you see, wants neither +parts nor address, acts as strangely as the wretch he has been ridiculing. +He inherited a large estate, which brought him in a princely revenue; +and yet his desires and expenses so far outgo his means, that he is +always in want. Both he and the nailmaker suffer the evils of poverty-- +of poverty created by themselves--which, moreover, they can terminate +when they please; but they must reach the same point by directly opposite +roads. The blacksmith will allow himself nothing--the beau will deny +himself nothing: the one is a slave to pleasure--the other, the victim +of fear. I told you that there were but few whose estates produced the +metal of which these nails are made; and this thoughtless youth happens +to be one. A few years since, he wanted some of the blacksmith's nails +to purchase the first rose of the season, and pledged his mines to pay, +at the end of the year, three times the amount he received in exchange; +and although, if he were to use but half his income for a single year, +the other half would discharge his debts. I apprehend, from what I have +heard, that he has, from that time to this, continued to pay the same +exorbitant interest. When I was here before, I prevailed on him to take +a ride with me into the country, and, under one pretext or another, +detained him ten days at a friend's house, where he had no inducement +to expense. When he returned, he found his debts paid off; but knowing +he was master of so ready and effectual an expedient, he, the next day, +borrowed double the sum at the old rate. Since that time his debts have +accumulated so rapidly, that he will probably now be compelled to +surrender his whole estate." + +"Is he also a Glonglim?" I asked. + +"Assuredly: what man, in his entire senses, could act so irrationally?" + +"There is nothing on earth that exceeds this," said I. + +"No," said the Brahmin; "human folly is every where the same." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +_Physical peculiarities of the Moon-Celestial phenomena--Further +description of the Lunarians--National prejudice--Lightness of bodies--The +Brahmin carries Atterley to sup with a philosopher--His character and +opinions_. + + +After we had been in the moon about forty eight hours, the sun had sunk +below the horizon, and the long twilight of the Lunarians had begun. I will +here take occasion to notice the physical peculiarities of this country, +which, though very familiar to those who are versed in astronomy, may not +be unacceptable to the less scientific portion of my readers. + +The sun is above the horizon nearly a fortnight, and below it as long; of +course the day here is equal to about twenty-seven of ours. The earth +answers the same purpose to half the inhabitants of the moon, that the moon +does to the inhabitants of the earth. The face of the latter, however, is +more than twelve times as large, and it has not the same silvery appearance +as the moon, but is rather of a dingy pink hue, like that of her iron when +beginning to lose its red heat. As the same part of the moon is always +turned to the earth, one half of her surface is perpetually illuminated by +a moon ten times as large to the eye as the sun; the other hemisphere is +without a moon. The favoured part, therefore, never experiences total +darkness, the earth reflecting to the Lunarians as much light as we +terrestrials have a little before sunrise, or after sunset. But our planet +presents to the Lunarians the same changes as the moon does to us, +according to its position in relation to the sun. It always, however, +appears to occupy nearly the same part of the heavens, when seen from the +same point on the moon's surface; but its altitude above the horizon is +greater or less, according to the latitude of the place from which it is +seen: so that there is not a point of the heavens which the earth may not +be seen permanently to occupy, according to the part of the moon from which +the planet is viewed. + +From the length of time that the sun is above the horizon, the continued +action of his rays, in those climates where they fall vertically, or nearly +so, would be intolerable, if it was not for the high mountains, from whose +snow-clad summits a perpetual breeze derives a refreshing coolness, and for +the deep glens and recesses, in which most animals seek protection from his +meridian beams. The transitions from heat to cold are less than one would +expect, from the length of their days and nights--the coolness of the one, +as well as the heat of the other, being tempered by a constant east wind. +The climate gradually becomes colder as we approach the Poles; but there is +little or no change of seasons in the same latitude. + +The inhabitants of the moon have not the same regularity in their meals, or +time for sleep, as we have, but consult their appetites and inclinations +like other animals. But they make amends for this irregularity, by a very +strict and punctilious observance of festivals, which are regulated by the +motions of the sun, at whose rising and setting they have their appropriate +ceremonies. Those which are kept at sunrise, are gay and cheerful, like the +hopes which the approach of that benignant luminary inspires. The others +are of a grave and sober character, as if to prepare the mind for serious +contemplation in their long-enduring night. When the earth is at the full, +which is their midnight, it is also a season of great festivity with them. + +_Eclipses of the sun_ are as common with the Lunarians as those of the +moon are with us--the same relative position of the three bodies producing +this phenomenon; but an _eclipse of the earth_ never takes place, as +the shadow of the moon passes over the broad disc of our planet, merely as +a dark spot. + +The inhabitants of the moon can always determine both their latitude and +longitude, by observing the quarter of the heavens in which the earth is +seen: and, as the sun invariably appears of the same altitude at their +noon, the inhabitants are denominated and classed according to the length +of their shadows; and the terms _long shadow_, or _short shadow_, are +common forms of national reproach among them, according to the relative +position of the parties. I found the climate of those whose shadows are +about the length of their own figure, the most agreeably to my own +feelings, and most like that of my own country. + +Such are the most striking natural appearances on one side of this +satellite. On the other there is some difference. The sun pursues the same +path in the corresponding latitudes of both hemispheres; but being without +any moon, they have a dull and dreary night, though the light from the +stars is much greater than with us. The science of astronomy is much +cultivated by the inhabitants of the dark hemisphere, and is indebted to +them for its most important discoveries, and its present high state of +improvement. + +If there is much rivalship among the natives of the same hemisphere, who +differ in the length of their shadows, they all unite in hatred and +contempt for the inhabitants of the opposite side. Those who have the +benefit of a moon, that is, who are turned towards the earth, are lively, +indolent, and changeable as the face of the luminary on which they pride +themselves; while those on the other side are more grave, sedate, and +industrious. The first are called the Hilliboos, and the last the +Moriboos--or bright nights, and dark nights. And this mutual animosity is +the more remarkable, as they often appeared to me to be the same race, and +to differ much less from one another than the natives of different +climates. It is true, that enlightened and well educated men do not seem to +feel this prejudice, or at least they do not show it: but those who travel +from one hemisphere to the other, are sure to encounter the prejudices of +the vulgar, and are often treated with great contempt and indignity. They +are pointed at by the children, who, according as they chance to have been +bred on one side or the other say, "There goes a man who never saw +Glootin," as they call the earth; or, "There goes a Booblimak," which means +a night stroller. + +All bodies are much lighter on the moon than on the earth; by reason of +which circumstance, as has been mentioned, the inhabitants are more active, +and experience much less fatigue in ascending their precipitous mountains. +I was astonished at first at this seeming increase in my muscular powers; +when, on passing along a street in Alamatua, soon after my arrival, and +meeting a dog, which I thought to be mad, I proposed to run out of his way, +and in leaping over a gutter, I fairly bounded across the street. I +measured the distance the next day, and found it to be twenty-seven feet +five inches; and afterwards frequently saw the school-boys, when engaged in +athletic exercises, make running leaps of between thirty and forty feet, +backwards and forwards. Another consequence of the diminished gravity here +is, that both men and animals carry much greater burdens than on the earth. + +The carriages are drawn altogether by dogs, which are the largest animals +they have, except the zebra, and a small buffalo. This diminution of +gravity is, however, of some disadvantage to them. Many of their tools are +not as efficient as ours, especially their axes, hoes, and hammers. On the +other hand, when a person falls to the ground, it is nearly the same thing +as if an inhabitant of the earth were to fall on a feather bed. Yet I saw +as many instances of fractured limbs, hernia, and other accidents there, as +I ever saw on the earth; for when they fall from great heights, or miscarry +in the feats of activity which they ambitiously attempt, it inflicts the +same injury upon them, as a fall nearer the ground does upon us. + +After we had been here sufficiently long to see what was most remarkable in +the city, and I had committed the fruit of my observations to paper, the +Brahmin proposed to carry me to one of the monthly suppers of a philosopher +whom he knew, and who had obtained great celebrity by his writings and +opinions. + +We accordingly went, and found him sitting at a small table, and apparently +exhausted with the labour of composition, and the ardour of intense +thought. He was a small man, of quick, abrupt manners, occasionally very +abstracted, but more frequently voluble, earnest, and disputatious. He +frankly told us he was sorry to see us, as he was then putting the last +finish to a great and useful work he was about to publish: that we had thus +unseasonably broken the current of his thoughts, and he might not be able +to revive it for some days. Upon my rising to take my leave, he assured me +that it would be adding to the injury already done, if we then quitted him. +He said he wished to learn the particulars of our voyage; and that he, in +turn, should certainly render us service, by disclosing some of the results +of his own reflections. He further remarked, that he expected six or eight +friends--that is, (correcting himself,) "enlightened and congenial minds," +to supper, on the rising of a constellation he named, which time, he +remarked, would soon arrive. Finding his frankness to be thus seasoned with +hospitality, we resumed our seats. It soon appeared that he was more +disposed to communicate information than to seek it; and I became a patient +listener. If the boldness and strangeness of his opinions occasionally +startled me, I could not but admire the clearness with which he stated his +propositions, the fervour of his elocution, and the plausibility of his +arguments. + +The expected guests at length arrived; and various questions of morals and +legislation were started, in which the disputants seemed sometimes as if +they would have laid aside the character of philosophers, but for the +seasonable interposition of the Brahmin. Wigurd, our host, often laboured +with his accustomed zeal, to prove that every one who opposed him, was +either a fool, or biassed by some petty interest, or the dupe of blind +prejudice. + +After about two hours of warm, and, as it seemed to me, unprofitable +discussion, we were summoned to our repast in the adjoining room. But +before we rose from our seats, our host requested to know of each of us if +we were hungry; and, whether it were from modesty, perverseness, or really +because they had no appetite, I know not, but a majority of the company, in +which I was included, voted that their hour of eating was not yet come: +upon which Wigurd remarked that his own vote, as being at home, and the +Brahmin's, as being at once a philosopher and a stranger, should each count +for two; and by this mode of reckoning there was a casting vote in favour +of going to supper. + +We found the table covered with tempting dishes, served up in a costly and +tasteful style, and a sprightly, well-looking female prepared to do the +honours of the feast. She reproved our host for his delay, and told him the +best dish was spoiled, by being cold. I was fearful of a discussion; but he +sat down without making a reply, and immediately addressing the company, +descanted on the various qualities of food, and their several adaptations +to different ages, constitutions, and temperaments. He condemned the absurd +practice which prevailed, for the master or mistress of the house to lavish +entreaties on their guests to eat that which they might be better without; +and insisted, at the same time, that the guests ought not to consult their +own tastes exclusively. He maintained, that the only course worthy of +rational and benevolent beings, was for every man to judge for his +neighbour as well as for himself; and, should any collision arise between +the different claimants, then, if any one were guided by that decision, +which an honest and unbiassed judgment would tell him was right, they would +all come to the same just and harmonious result. + +"But," added he, "you have not yet been sufficiently prepared for this +disinterested operation. As ye have proved this night that ye are not yet +purged of the feelings and prejudices of a vicious education, I will +perform this office for you all, and set you an example, by which ye may +hereafter profit. To begin, then, with you--(addressing himself to a +corpulent man, of a florid complexion, at the lower end of the table:)--As +you already have a redundancy of flesh and blood, I assign the _soupe +maîgre_ to you; while to our mathematical friend on this side, whose +delicate constitution requires nourishment, I recommend the smoking ragoût. +This cooling dish will suit your temperament," said he to a third; "and +this stimulating one, yours," to a fourth. "Those little birds, which cost +me five pieces, I shall divide between my terrestrial friend here (looking +at the Brahmin) and myself, we being the most meritorious of the company, +and it being of the utmost importance to society, that food so wholesome +should give nourishment to our bodies, and impart vigour and vivacity to +our minds." + +From this decision there was no appeal, and no other dissent than what was +expressed by a look or a low murmur. But I perceived the corpulent +gentleman and the wan mathematician slily exchange their dishes, by which +they both seemed to consider themselves gainers. The dish allotted to me, +being of a middling character, I ate of it without repining; though, from +the savoury fumes of my right-hand neighbour's plate, I could not help +wishing I had been allowed to choose for myself. + +This supper happening near the middle of the night, (at which time it was +always pretty cool,) a cheerful fire blazed in one side of the room and I +perceived that our host and hostess placed themselves so as to be at the +most agreeable distance, the greater part of the guests being either too +near or too far from it. + +After we had finished our repast, various subjects of speculation were +again introduced and discussed, greatly to my amusement. Wigurd displayed +his usual ingenuity and ardour, and baffled all his antagonists by his +vehemence and fluency. He had two great principles by which he tested the +good or evil of every thing; and there were few questions in which he could +not avail himself of one or the other. These were, general _utility_ +and _truth_. + +By a skilful use of these weapons of controversy, he could attack or defend +with equal success. If any custom or institution which he had denounced, +was justified by his adversaries, on the ground of its expediency, he +immediately retorted on them its repugnancy to sincerity, truth, and +unsophisticated nature; and if they, at any time, resorted to a similar +justification for our natural feelings and propensities, he triumphantly +showed that they were inimical to the public good. Thus, he condemned +gratitude as a sentiment calculated to weaken the sense of justice, and to +substitute feeling for reason. He, on the other hand, proscribed the little +forms and courtesies, which are either founded in convenience, or give a +grace and sweetness to social intercourse, as a direct violation of honest +nature, and therefore odious and mean. He thus was able to silence every +opponent. I was very desirous of hearing the Brahmin's opinion; but, while +he evidently was not convinced by our host's language, he declined engaging +in any controversy. + +After we retired, my friend told me that Wigurd was a good man in the main, +though he had been as much hated by some as if his conduct had been +immoral, instead of his opinions merely being singular. "He not long ago," +added the Brahmin "wrote a book against marriage, and soon afterwards +wedded, in due form, the lady you saw at his table. She holds as strange +tenets as he, which she supports with as much zeal, and almost as much +ability. But I predict that the popularity of their doctrines will not +last; and if ever you visit the moon again, you will find that their glory, +now at its height, like the ephemeral fashions of the earth, will have +passed away." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +_A celebrated physician: his ingenious theories in physics: his mechanical +inventions--The feather-hunting Glonglim._ + + +On returning to our lodgings, we, acting under the influence of long habit, +went to bed, though half the family were up, and engaged in their ordinary +employments. One consequence of the length of the days and nights here is, +that every household is commonly divided into two parts, which watch and +sleep by turns: nor have they any uniformity in their meals, except in +particular families, which are regulated by clocks and time-pieces. The +vulgar have no means of measuring smaller portions of time than a day or +night, (each equal to a fortnight with us,) except by observing the +apparent motion of the sun or the stars, in which, considering that it is +nearly thirty times as slow as with us, they attain surprising accuracy. +They have the same short intervals of labour and rest in their long night +as their day--the light reflected from the earth, being commonly sufficient +to enable them to perform almost any operation; and, ere our planet is in +her second quarter, one may read the smallest print by her light. + +To compensate their want of this natural advantage, the inhabitants of +Moriboozia are abundantly supplied with a petroleum, or bituminous liquid, +which is found every where about their lakes, or on their mountains, and +which they burn in lamps, of various sizes, shapes, and constructions. They +have also numerous volcanoes, each of which sheds a strong light for many +miles around. + +We slept unusually long; and, owing in part to Wigurd's good cheer, I awoke +with a head-ache. I got up to take a long walk, which often relieves me +when suffering from that malady; and, on ascending the stairs, I met our +landlord's eldest daughter, a tall, graceful girl of twenty. I found she +was coming down backwards, which I took to be a mere girlish freak, or +perhaps a piece of coquetry, practised on myself: but I afterwards found, +that about the time the earth is at the full, the whole family pursued the +same course, and were very scrupulous in making their steps in this awkward +and inconvenient way, because it was one of the prescribed forms of their +church. + +As my head-ache became rather worse, than better, from my walk, the Brahmin +proposed to accompany me to the house of a celebrated physician, called +Vindar, who was also a botanist, chemist, and dentist, to consult him on my +case; and thither we forthwith proceeded. I found him a large, unwieldy +figure, of a dull, heavy look, but by no means deficient in science or +natural shrewdness. He confirmed my previous impression that I ought to +lose blood, and plausibly enough accounted for my present sensation of +fulness, from the inferior pressure of the lunar atmosphere to that which I +had been accustomed. He proposed, however, to return to my veins a portion +of thinner blood in place of what he should take away, and offered me the +choice of several animals, which he always kept by him for that purpose. +There were two white animals of the hog kind, a male and a female lama, +three goats, besides several birds, about the size of a turkey, some +tortoises, and other amphibious animals. He professed himself willing, in +case I had any foolish scruples against mixing my blood with that of +brutes, to purify my own, and put it back; but I obstinately declined both +expedients; whereupon he opened a vein in my arm, and took from it about +fourteen ounces of blood. Finding myself, weakened as well as relieved, by +the operation, he invited me to rest myself; and while I was recovering my +strength, he discoursed with the Brahmin and myself on several of his +favourite topics. On returning home, I committed to paper some of the most +remarkable of his opinions, which it may be as well to notice, that those +who have since propounded, or may hereafter propound, the same to the +world, may not claim the merit of originality. + +He maintained that the number of our senses was greater than that commonly +assigned to us. That we had, for example, a sense of acids, of alkalies, of +weight, and of heat. That acid substances acted upon our bodies by a +peculiar set of nerves, or through some medium of their own, was evident +from this, that they set the teeth on edge, though these, from their hard +and bony nature, are insensible to the touch. That astringents shrivelled +up the flesh and puckered the mouth, even when their taste was not +perceived. That when the skin shrunk on the application of vinegar, could +it be said that it had not a peculiar sense of this liquid, or rather of +its acidity, since the existence of the senses was known only by effects +which external matter produced on them? That the senses, like that of +touch, were seated in most parts of the body, but were most acute in the +mouth, nose, ears, and eyes. He showed some disposition to maintain the +popular notions of the Greeks and Romans, that the rivers and streams are +endowed with reason and volition; and endeavoured to prove that some of +their windings and deviations from a straight line, cannot be explained +upon mechanical principles. + +Vindar is, moreover, a projector of a very bold character; and not long ago +petitioned the commanding general of an army, suddenly raised to repel an +incursion of one of their neighbours, to march his troops into +Goolo-Tongtoia, for the purpose of digging a canal from one of their +petroleum lakes into Morosofia, and conducting it, by smaller streams, over +that country, for the purpose of warming it during their long cool nights. + +He has, too, a large grist and saw mill, which are put in motion by the +explosion of gunpowder. This is conveyed, by a sufficiently ingenious +machine, in very small portions, to the bottom of an upright cylinder, +which is immediately shut perfectly close. A flint and steel are at the +same time made to strike directly over it, and to ignite the powder. The +air that is thus generated, forces up a piston through a cylinder, which +piston, striking the arm of a wheel, puts it in motion, and with it the +machinery of the mills. A complete revolution of the wheel again prepares +the cylinder for a fresh supply of gunpowder, which is set on fire, and +produces the same effect as before. + +He told me he had been fifteen years perfecting this great work, in which +time it had been twice blown up by accidents, arising from the carelessness +or mismanagement of the workmen; but that he now expected it would repay +him for the time and money he had expended. He had once, he said, intended +to use the expansive force of congelation for his moving power; but he +found, after making a full and accurate calculation, that the labourers +required to keep the machine supplied with ice, consumed something more +than twice as much corn as the mill would grind in the same time. He then +was about to move it to a fine stream of water in the neighbourhood, which, +by being dammed up, so as to form a large pond, would afford him a +convenient and inexhaustible supply of ice. But the millwright, after the +dam was completed, having artfully obtained his permission to use the waste +water, and fraudulently erected there a common water-mill, which soon +obtained all the neighbouring custom, he had sold out that property, and +resorted to the agency of gunpowder, which is quite as philosophical a +process as that of congelation, and much less expensive. In answer to an +inquiry of the Brahmin's, he admitted, that though he had been able, by the +force of congelation, to burst metallic tubes several inches thick, he had +never succeeded in making it put the lightest machinery into a continued +motion. + +Having now nearly recovered, and being, I confess, somewhat bewildered by +the variety and complexity of these ingenious projects, I felt disposed to +take my leave; but Vindar insisted on conducting us into an inner +apartment, to see his _poetry box_. This was a large piece of furniture, +profusely decorated with metals of various colours, curiously and +fantastically inlaid. It contained a prodigious number of drawers, +which were labelled after the manner of those in an apothecary's shop, +(from whence he denied, however, that he first took the hint,) and the +labels were arranged in alphabetical order. + +"Now," says he, "as the excellence of poetry consists in bringing before +the mind's eye what can be brought before the corporeal eye, I have here +collected every object that is either beautiful or pleasing in nature, +whether by its form, colour, fragrance, sweetness, or other quality, as +well as those that are strikingly disagreeable. When I wish to exhibit +those pictures which constitute poetry, I consult the appropriate cabinet, +and I take my choice of those various substances which can best call up the +image I wish to present to my reader. For example: suppose I wish to speak +of any object that is white, or analogous to white, I open the drawer that +is thus labelled, and I see silver, lime, chalk, and white enamel, ivory, +paper, snow-drops, and alabaster, and select whichever of these substances +will best suit the measure and the rhyme, and has the most soft-sounding +name. If the colour be yellow, then there are substances of all shades of +this hue, from saffron and pickled salmon to brimstone and straw. I have +sixty-two red substances, twenty-seven green ones, and others in the same +proportion. It is astonishing what labour this box has saved me, and how +much it has added to the beauty and melody of my verse. + +"You perceive," he added, "the drawer missing. That contained substances +offensive to the sight or smell, which my maid, conducted to it by her +nose, conceived to be some animal curiosities I had been collecting, in a +state of putrefaction and decay, and did not hesitate to throw them into +the fire. I afterwards found myself very much at a loss, whenever my +subject led me to the mention of objects of this character, and I therefore +spoke of them as seldom as possible." After bestowing that tribute of +admiration and praise which every great author or inventor expects, in his +own house, and not omitting his customary medical fee, we took our leave. + +We had not long left Vindar's house, before we saw a short fat man in the +suburbs, preparing to climb to the top of a plane tree, on which there was +one of the tail feathers of a sort of flamingo. He was surrounded by +attendants and servants, to whom he issued his commands with great rapidity +and decision, occasionally intermingling with his orders the most +threatening language and furious gesticulations. Some offered to get a +ladder, and ascend, and others to cut down the tree; all of which he +obstinately rejected. He swore he would get the feather--he would get it by +climbing--and he would climb but one way, which way was on the shoulders of +his men. His plan was to make a number of them form a solid square, and +interlock their arms; then a smaller number to mount upon their shoulders, +on whom others were in like manner placed, and so on till the pyramid was +sufficiently high, when he himself was to mount, and from the shoulders of +the highest pluck the darling object of his wishes. He had in this way, I +afterwards learnt, gathered some of the richest flowers of the bignonia +scarlatina, as well as such fruits as had tempted him by their luscious +appearance, and at the same time frightening all the birds from their +nests, which he commonly destroyed: and although some of his attendants +were occasionally much hurt and bruised in this singular amusement, he +still persevered in it. He had continued it for several years, with no +intermission, except a short one, when he was engaged in breaking a young +llana in the place of an old one, which had been many years a favourite, +but was now in disgrace, because, as he said, he did not think it so safe +for going down hill, but in reality, because he liked the figure and +movements of the young one better. + +I could not see this rash Glonglim attempt to climb that dangerous ladder, +without feeling alarm for his safety. At first all seemed to go on very +well; but just as he was about to lay hold of the gaudy prize, there arose +a sudden squall, which threw both him and his supporters into confusion, +and the whole living pyramid came to the ground together. Many were +killed--some were wounded and bruised. Polenap himself, by lighting on his +men, who served him as cushions, barely escaped with life. But he received +a fracture in the upper part of his head, and a dislocation of the hip, +which will not only prevent him from ever climbing again, but probably make +him a cripple for life. + +The Brahmin and I endeavoured to give the sufferers some assistance; but +this was rendered unnecessary, by the crowd which their cries and +lamentations brought to their relief. I thought that the author of so much +mischief would have been stoned on the spot; but, to my surprise, his +servants seemed to feel as much for his honour as their own safety, and +warmly interfered in his behalf, until they had somewhat appeased the rage +of the surrounding multitude. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +_The fortune-telling philosopher, who inspected the finger nails: his +visiters--Another philosopher, who judged of the character by the +hair--The fortune-teller duped--Predatory warfare._ + + +As we returned to our lodgings, we saw a number of persons, some of whom +were entering and some leaving a neat small dwelling; and on joining the +throng, we learnt that a famous fortune-teller lived there, who, at +stated periods, opened his house to all that were willing to pay for +being instructed in the events of futurity, or for having the secrets of +the present or past revealed to them. On entering the house, and +descending a flight of steps, we found, at the farther end of a dark +room, lighted with a chandelier suspended from the ceiling, an elderly +man, with a long gray beard, and a thin, pale countenance, deeply +furrowed with thought rather than care. He received us politely, and +then resumed the duties of his vocation. His course of proceeding was to +examine the finger nails, and, according to their form, colour, +thickness, surface, and grain, to determine the character and destinies +of those who consulted him. I was at once pleased and surprised at the +minuteness of his observation, and the infinite variety of his +distinctions. Besides the qualities of the nails that I have mentioned, +he noticed some which altogether eluded my senses, such as their +milkiness, flintiness, friability, elasticity, tenacity, and +sensibility; whether they were aqueous, unctious, or mealy; with many +more, which have escaped my recollection. + +A modest, pensive looking girl, apparently about seventeen, was timidly +holding forth her hand for examination, at the time we entered. +Avarabet, (for that was the name of this philosopher,) uttered two or +three words, with a significant shake of his head, upon which I saw the +rising tear in her eyes. She withdrew her hand, and had not courage to +let him take another look. + +A fat woman, of a sanguine temperament, holding a little girl by the +hand, then stepped up and showed her fingers. He pronounced her amorous, +inconstant, prone to anger, and extravagant; that she had made one man +miserable, and would probably make another. She also abruptly withdrew, +giving manifest signs of one of the qualities ascribed to her. + +An elderly matron then approached, holding forth one trembling, palsied +hand, with a small volume in the other. Avarabet hesitated for some +time; examined the edges as well as the surface of the nails; drew his +finger slowly over them, and then said,--"You have a susceptible heart; +you are in sorrow, but your affliction will soon have an end." It was +easy to see, in the look of the applicant, signs of pious resignation, +and a lively hope of another and a better state of existence. + +I thought I perceived in the scene that was passing before us, an +exhibition that is not uncommon on our earth, of cunning knavery +imposing on ignorance and credulity; and I expressed my opinion to the +Brahmin; but he assured me that the class of persons in the moon, who +were resorted to on account of their supposed powers of divination, was +very different from the similar class in Asia or Europe, and that +oracular art was here regularly studied and professed as a branch of +philosophy. "You would be surprised," said he, "to find how successful +they have been in investing their craft with the forms and trappings of +science, the parade of classification, and the mystery imparted by +technical terms. By these means they have given plausibility enough to +their theories, to leave many a one in doubt, whether it is really a new +triumph of human discovery, or merely a later form of empiricism. Its +professors are commonly converts to their own theories, at least in a +great degree; for, strange as it may seem, there can mingle with the +disposition to deceive others, the power of deceiving one's self; and +while they exercise much acuteness and penetration in discovering, by +the air, look, dress, and manner of those who consult them, the leading +points in the history or character of persons of whom they have no +previous knowledge, they at the same time persuade themselves that they +see something indicative of their circumstances in their finger nails. +Such is the equivocal character of the greater part of their sect: but +there are some who are mere honest dupes to the pretensions of the +science; and others again, who have not one tittle of credulity to +extenuate their impudent pretensions. + +"When I was here before, I remember a physician, who acquired great +celebrity by affecting to cure diseases by examining a lock of the +patient's hair; and, not content with merely pronouncing on the nature +of the disease, and suggesting the remedy, he would enter into an +elaborate, and often plausible course of reasoning, in defence of his +system. That system was briefly this: that the hair derived its length, +strength, hue, and other properties, from the brain; which opinion he +supported by a reference to acknowledged facts--as, that it changes its +hue with the difference of the mental character in the different stages +of life; that violent affections of the mind, such as grief or fear, +have been known to change it in a single night. Science on this, as on +other occasions, is merely augmenting and methodizing facts that the +mass of mankind had long observed--as, that red hair had always been +considered indicative of warm temperament; that affliction, and even +love, were believed to create baldness; and that in great terror, the +hair stands on end. The different ages too, are distinguished as much by +their hair as their complexion, their facial angle, or in any other way. +He was led to this theory first, by observing at school that a boy of a +stiff, bristly head of hair, was remarkably cruel. He professed to have +been able, from a long course of observation, to assign to every +different colour and variety of hair, its peculiar temperament and +character. One mental quality was indicated by its length, another by +its fineness, and others again as it chanced to be greasy, or lank, or +curled. He would also blow on it with a bellows, to see how the parts +arranged themselves: hold it near the fire, and watch the operation of +its crisping by the heat: and although he had often been mistaken in his +estimates of character, by the rules of his new science, he did not lose +the confidence of his disciples on that account--some of them refusing +to believe the truth, rather than to admit themselves mistaken; and +others insisting that, if his science was not infallible, it very rarely +deceived." + +It was now our turn to submit our hands to Avarabet for examination. He +discovered signs of the loftiest virtues and most heroic enterprise in +the Brahmin; and, near the bottom of one of his nails, a deep-rooted +sorrow, which would leave him only with his life. A transient shade of +gloom on the Brahmin's countenance was soon succeeded by a piercing, +inquisitive glance cast on the diviner. He saw the other's eyes directed +on the miniature which he always wore, and which discovered itself to +Avarabet as he stooped forward. A smile of contempt now took the place +of his first surprise, and he seemed in a state of abstraction, during +the continued rhapsodies of the oracle. + +My hand was next examined; but little was said of me, except that I had +been a great traveller, and should be so again; that I should encounter +many dangers and difficulties; that I possessed more intelligence than +sensibility, and more prudence than generosity. Thus he discovered in me +great courage, enterprise, and constancy of purpose. + +A hale, robust, well-set man, now bursting through the crowd, and +thrusting out his hand, abruptly asked the wise man to tell him, if he +could, in what part of the country he lived. Avarabet mentioned a +distant district on the coast of Morosofia. + +"Good," said the other; "and what is my calling?" + +After a slight pause, he replied, that he got his living on the water. + +"Good again. Shall I ever be rich?" + +"No, not very:--never." + +"Better and better," rejoined the inquirer, at the same time giving vent +to a loud and hearty laugh. Surely, thought I, sailors are every where +the same sort of beings, rough and boisterous as the elements they +roam over. + +"And what is your opinion of me farther?" + +"You are bold, frank, improvident, credulous and good-natured." + +"Excellent, indeed! Now, what will you say, old sham wisdom, when I tell +you that I never made a voyage in my life; was never two days' journey +from this spot, and am seldom off my own dominion? That I own the forest +of Tongloo, where I sometimes hunt, from morning till night, and from +night till morning, twelve out of the thirteen days in the year? That my +wealth, which was considerable when I came to my estate, has, by my +habits of life, greatly increased, and that I am bent upon adding to it +yet more? I drink nothing but water; and have come here only to win a +wager, that you were not as knowing as you pretended to be, and that I +could impose on you. You thus have a specimen of my candour, +improvidence, and credulity." So saying, he leaped on his zebra, gave a +sort of huntsman's shout, and was off in a twinkling. + +This adventure created great tumult in the crowd, a few enjoying the +jest, but the greater number manifesting ill-will and resentment towards +the sportsman. The Brahmin and I took advantage of the confusion, to +withdraw unnoticed by the bystanders. After remaining at our lodgings +long enough to take rest and refreshment, and to make minutes of what we +had seen, we proposed to spend the remainder of the night in the +country, the weather being more pleasant at this time in that climate, +than when the sun is above the horizon. + +We accordingly set out when the earth was in her second quarter, and it +was about two of our days before sunrise. After walking about three +miles, the freshness of the morning air, the fragrance of the flowers, +and the music of innumerable birds, whose unceasing carols testified +their joy and delight at the approach of a more genial month, we came to +a large, well cultivated farm, in which a number of coarse looking men +were employed, with the aid of dogs, cross-bows, and other martial +weapons, in hunting down llamas, and a small kind of buffalo, which, in +one of our former walks, we had seen quietly feeding on a rich and +extensive pasture. We inquired of some stragglers from the throng, the +meaning of what we saw; but they were too much occupied with their sport +to afford us any satisfaction. We walked on, indulging our imaginations +in conjecture; but had not proceeded more than a quarter of a mile, +before we beheld a similar scene going on to our left, by the same +ill-looking crew. Our curiosity was now redoubled, and we resolved to +wait a while on the highway, for the chance of some passenger more at +leisure to answer our inquiries, and more courteously inclined than +these fierce marauders. We had not stopped many minutes, before a +well-dressed man, wearing the appearance of authority, having ridden up, +we asked him to explain the cause of their violent, and seemingly +lawless proceedings. + +"You are strangers, I see, or you would have understood that I am +exercising my baronial privilege of doing myself justice. These cattle +belong to the owners of a neighbouring estate, by whom I and my tenants +have been injured and insulted; and, according to the usage in such +cases, I have given the signal to my people to lay hold on what they can +of his flocks and herds, and, to quicken their exertions, I give them +half of what they catch." + +"And how does your neighbour bear this in the mean time?" said the +Brahmin. + +"Oh, for that matter," said the other, "he is not at all behindhand, and +I lose nearly as many cattle as I get. But it gives me much more +pleasure to kill one of his buffaloes or llamas, than it does pain me +when he kills one of mine. I consider how much it will vex him, and that +some of his vassals are thereby deprived of their sustenance. I have +upwards of thirty strong men employed in ranging this plain and wood, +and during the last year they took for me four hundred head." + +"Indeed!--and how many did you lose in the same time? + +"Not above three hundred and eighty." + +"But very inferior?" said the Brahmin. + +"Why, no," replied he: "as my pastures are richer and more luxuriant +than his, two of my cattle are worth perhaps three of his." + +"Is this custom," asked the Brahmin, "an advantage or a tax on your +estate?" + +"A tax, indeed! Why it is worth from four to five hundred head a-year." + +"And how much is it worth to your neighbour?" + +"I presume nearly as much." + +"Do your vassals get rich by the bounty you give them?" + +"As to that matter, some who are lucky succeed very well, and the rest +make a living by it." + +"And what do they give you for the privilege of hunting your neighbour's +cattle?" + +"Nothing at all: I even lose my customary rent from those who engage in +it." + +"And it is the same case with your neighbour?" + +"Certainly," said he. + +"Then," said the Brahmin, "it seems to me, if you would agree to lay +aside this old custom, you would both be considerable gainers. I see you +look incredulous, but listen a moment. Each one would, in that case, +instead of having half his neighbour's cattle, have all his own; and, +being kept in their native pastures, they would be less likely to stray +away, and you could therefore slay and eat as you wanted them; whereas, +in your hunting matches many more are either killed or maimed than are +wanted for present use, and they are consequently consumed in waste. You +would, moreover, be a gainer by the amount of the labour of these thirty +boors, whom you keep in this employment, and who very probably acquire +habits of ferocity, licentiousness, and waste, which are not very +favourable to their obedience or fidelity." + +The proprietor, having pondered a while upon my friend's remarks, in a +tone of exultation said,--"Do you think, then, I could ever prevail on +my people to forbear, when they saw a likely flock, from laying violent +hands on it; or could I resist so favourable an opportunity of revenge? +Nay, more; if we were then tamely to tie up our hands, do you think that +Bulderent and his men would consent to do the same? No, no, old man," he +continued, with great self-complacency, "your arguments appear plausible +at first, but when closely considered, they will not stand the lest of +experience. They are the fancies of a stranger--of one who knows more of +theory than practice. Had you lived longer among us, you would have +known that your ingenious project could never be carried into execution. +If I observed it, Bulderent would not; and if he observed it, I verily +believe I could not--and thus, you see, the thing is altogether +impracticable." As one soon tires of preaching to the winds, the Brahmin +contented himself with asking his new acquaintance to think more on the +subject at his leisure; and we proceeded on our walk. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +_The travellers visit a gentleman farmer, who is a great projector: his +breed of cattle: his apparatus for cooking: he is taken +dangerously ill._ + + +After we had gone about half a mile farther, our attention was arrested +by a gate of very singular character. It was extremely ingenious in its +structure, and, among other peculiarities, it had three or four latches, +for children, for grown persons, for those who were tall and those who +were short, and for the right hand as well as the left. In the act of +opening, it was made to crush certain berries, and the oil they yielded, +was carried by a small duct to the hinge, which was thus made to turn +easily, and was prevented from creaking. While we were admiring its +mechanism, an elderly man, rather plainly dressed, on a zebra in low +condition, rode up, and showed that he was the owner of the mansion to +which the gate belonged, and that he was not displeased with the +curiosity we manifested. We found him both intelligent and obliging. He +informed us that he was an experimental farmer; and when he learnt that +we were strangers, and anxious to inform ourselves of the state of +agriculture in the country, he very civilly invited us to take our next +meal with him. Our walk having now made us hungry and fatigued, we +gladly accepted of his hospitality; whereupon he alighted, and walked +with us to his lodgings. + +He was very communicative of his modes of cultivation and management, +but chiefly prided himself on his success in improving the size of his +cattle. He informed us that he had devoted sixteen years of his life to +this object, and had then in his farm-yard a buffalo nearly as heavy as +three of the ordinary size. His practice was to kill all the young +animals which were not uncommonly large and thrifty; to cram those he +kept, with as much food as they would eat, and to tempt their appetites +by the variety of their nourishment, as well as of the modes of +preparing it. + +"All this," said he, "costs a great deal, it is true; but I am paid for +it by the additional price." I was struck with this notable triumph of +industry and skill in the goodly art of husbandry--that art which I +venerate above every other; and I was all anxiety to receive from him +some instructions which I might, in case I should have the good fortune +to get safely back, communicate to my friends on Long-Island, who had +never been able even to double the common size, and who boasted greatly +of that: but a hesitating look, and a few inquiries on the part of my +sly friend, checked my enthusiasm. + +"Have you always," he asked, "had the same number of acres in grain and +grass under your new and old system?" + +"Pretty nearly," says the other. "My new breed, however, though fewer, +consume more than their predecessors." + +"How many head did you formerly sell in a year?" + +"About thirty." + +"How many do you now sell?" + +"Though for some years I have not sold more than nine or ten, I expect +to exceed that number in another year." + +"Which you expect will yield you more than the thirty did formerly?" + +"Certainly; because such meat as mine commands an extraordinary price." + +"So long," replied the Brahmin, "as this is novelty, you may receive a +part of the price which men are ever ready to pay for it; but as soon as +others profit by your example, your meat falls to the ordinary rate, and +then, if I understand you aright, as you will have somewhat less in +quantity than you formerly had, your gross receipts will be less, to say +nothing of your additional labour and expense." + +"But who has the skill," quickly rejoined the other, "of which I can +boast? and who would take the same trouble, although they had +the skill?" + +"But stop here a moment," said our host, "till I go to see how my last +improved oil-cake is relished by my cattle." + +The Brahmin then turning to me, said,--"This gentleman may, indeed, +improve his fortune by the business of a grazier; but the same pains and +unremitting attention would always be sure of a liberal reward, though +the system on which they were exerted was not among the best. Nothing, +my dear Atterley, is more true than the saying of your wise book--_that +all flesh is grass;_ and it always takes the same quantity of one to +make a given quantity of the other, whether that given quantity may be +in the form of a single individual, or two or three. But in the former +case, great labour is required to force nature beyond her ordinary +limits, and the same labour must be unceasingly kept up, or she will +certainly relapse to her original dimensions. This system may do, as our +host here tells us it actually does, for the moon, but it is not suited +to our earth. If, however, you are ambitious of a name among the +speculative men of your country, this little stone," added he, stooping, +and picking up a small stone from the ground, "will answer your purpose +quite as well as any improvement in husbandry. It is precisely of the +same species as those which we threw over in our aerial voyages, and +which, though correctly called moon-stones by the vulgar, (who are +oftener right than the learned suppose,) some of the western +philosophers declared to have been gravitated in the atmosphere." + +"And is this really the origin," said I, "of that strange phenomenon, +which has furnished so much matter of speculation to the sages both of +Europe and America?" + +"Nothing is more true," replied he. "These stones are common to the +earth and to the moon; and some of those which have been so carefully +analyzed by your most celebrated chemists, and pronounced different from +any known mineral production of the earth, were small fragments of a +very common rock in the mountains of Burma. In our first voyages we had +taken some of them with us as ballast; and those which we first threw +over, we afterwards learnt from the public journals, fell in France, +some of the others fell in India, but the greater number in the ocean. +Those which have fallen at other times, have been real fossils of the +moon, and either such stones as this I hold in my hand, or such metallic +substances as are repelled from that body, and attracted towards the +earth; and it is the force with which they strike the earth, which first +suggested the idea of a thunder-bolt. + +"Our party were greatly amused at the disputations of a learned society +in Europe, in which they undertook to give a mathematical demonstration +that they could not be thrown from a volcano of the earth, nor from the +moon, but were suddenly formed in the atmosphere. I should as soon +believe that a loaf of bread could be made and baked in the atmosphere." + +Finding that our landlord prided himself on his interior management, as +well as on that without doors, we expressed a wish to see some of his +household improvements. He readily consented, and conducted us at once +into his kitchen, and showed us inventions and contrivances out of +number, for saving fuel, and meat, and labour; in short, for saving +every thing but money. The large room into which he carried us, appeared +as a vast laboratory, from the infinite variety of pots, pans, skillets, +knives, forks, ladles, mortars, sieves, funnels, and other utensils of +metal, glass, pottery, and wood. The steam which he used for cooking, +was carried along a pipe under a succession of kettles and boilers, +descending in regular gradation, by which a great saving of fuel was +effected; and, to perfect this part of the apparatus, the pipe could be +removed, to give place to one of the size suited to the occasion. + +His seven-guest pipe was now in use. The wood, which was all cut to the +same length, and channelled out to admit the free passage of the air, +was then duly placed in the stove, and set on fire; but the heat not +passing very readily through all the sinuosities of the pipe, he ordered +his head cook to screw on his exhauster. The man, in less than ten +minutes, unscrewed a plate at the farther end, and fixed on an air-pump, +made for the purpose, on which the door of the stove suddenly slammed +to. Our host saw the accident, and hurrying to open the stove, fell over +a heap of channelled logs, and cut a gash in his forehead. The cook ran +to help him up; and after he was on his legs, and his forehead wiped, +the stove was opened, when the fire, which had been deprived of its +aliment, was entirely extinguished. I thought he was hardly sorry for +the accident, as it afforded him an occasion of showing how ingeniously +he kindled a fire. He had an electric machine brought to him, by means +of which he set fire to a few grains of gunpowder; this lighted some +tinder, which again ignited spirits, whose blaze reached the lower +extremity of his lamp. Taking the precaution of keeping the stove open +this time, the air was again exhausted at the farther end of the pipe, +and in a little time the flame was seen to ascend even to the air-pump, +and to scorch the parts made of wood; whereupon I saw a glow of triumph +on his face, which amply compensated him for his wound and vexation. +There was a grand machine for roasting, that carried the fire round the +meat, the juices of which, he said, by a rotary motion, would be thrown +to the surface, and either evaporate or be deteriorated. Here was also +his digestor, for making soup of rams' horns, which he assured me +contained a good deal of nourishment, and the only difficulty was in +extracting it. He next showed us his smoke-retractor, which received the +smoke near the top of the chimney, and brought it down to be burnt over +again, by which he computed that he saved five cords and a half of wood +in a year. The fire which dressed his victuals, pumped up, by means of a +steam engine, water for the kitchen turned one or more spits, as well as +two or three mills for grinding pepper, salt, &c.; and then, by a +spindle through the wall, worked a churn in the dairy, and cleaned the +knives: the forks, indeed, were still cleaned by hand; but he said he +did not despair of effecting this operation in time, by machinery. I +mentioned to him our contrivance of silver forks, to lessen this labour; +but he coldly remarked, that he imagined science was in its infancy +with us. + +He informed us that he had been ten years in completing this ingenious +machine; and certainly, when it was in full operation, I never saw +exultation and delight so strongly depicted in any human face. The +various sounds and sights, that met the ear and eye, in rapid +succession, still farther worked on his feelings, and heightened his +raptures. There was such a simmering, and hissing, and bubbling of +boiled, and broiled, and fried--such a whirling, and jerking, and +creaking of wheels, and cranks, and pistons--such clouds of steam, and +vapours, and even smoke, notwithstanding all of the latter that was +burnt,--that I almost thought myself in some great manufactory. + +After having suffered as much as we could well bear, from the heat and +confined air of this laboratory of eatables, and passed the proper +number of compliments on the skill and ingenuity they displayed, we +ascended to his hall, to partake of that feast, to prepare which we had +seen all the elements and the mechanical powers called into action. +There were a few of his city acquaintances present, besides ourselves: +but whether it was owing to the effect of the steam from the dishes on +our stomachs, or that this scientific cookery was not suited to our +unpractised palates, I know not, but we all made an indifferent repast, +except our host, who tasted every dish, and seemed to relish them all. + +After sitting some time at table, conversing on the progress of science, +its splendid achievements, and the pleasing prospects which it yet dimly +showed in the future, our hospitable entertainer, perceiving we were +fatigued with the labours of the day, invited us to take our next +_lallaneae_, or sleep, with him, for which hospitality we felt very +grateful. We were then shown to a room, in which there were marks of the +same fertile invention, in saving labour and promoting convenience; but +we were too sleepy to take much notice of them. Our beds were filled +with air, which is quite as good as feathers, except that when the +leather covering gets a hole in it, from ripping, or other accidents, it +loses its elasticity with its air--an accident which happened to me this +very night; for a mouse having gnawed the leather where the housemaid's +greasy fingers had left a mark, I sunk gently down, not to soft repose, +but on the hard planks, where I uncomfortably lay until the bell warned +us to rise for breakfast. + +As soon as I was dressed, I walked out into a large garden, and, as the +sun was not yet so high as to make it sultry, was enjoying the balmy +sweetness of the air, and the flowering shrubs, which in beauty and +fragrance almost exceeded those of India, when I saw a servant run by +the garden wall, enter the stable, and bring out a zebra. On inquiring +the cause, I was made to understand that our noble host was taken +suddenly ill. I immediately returned to the house, and found the +domestics running to and fro, and manifesting the greatest anxiety, as +well as hurry, in their looks. I went into the Brahmin's room, and found +him dressed. He went out, and after some time, informed me that our kind +host had a violent _cholera morbus_, in consequence of the various kinds +of food with which he had overloaded his stomach at dinner; that he +considered himself near his last end, and was endeavouring to arrange +his affairs for the event. + +I could not help meditating on the melancholy uncertainty of human life, +when I contrasted the comforts, the pleasures, the pride of conscious +usefulness and genius felt by this gentleman a short time since, with +the agony which that trying and bitter hour brings to the stoutest and +most callous heart--when it must quit this state of being for another, +of which it knows so little, and over which fear and doubt throw a gloom +that hope cannot entirely dispel. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +_Lunarian physicians: their consultation--While they dispute the patient +recovers--The travellers visit the celebrated teacher Lozzi Pozzi._ + + +While I indulged in these sad meditations, and felt for my host while I +felt no less for myself, I saw the physician approach who had been sent +for. He was a tall, thin man, with a quick step, a lively, piercing eye, +a sallow complexion, and very courteous manners, and always willing to +display the ready flow of words for which he was remarkable. I felt +great curiosity to witness the skill of this Lunar Aesculapius, and he +was evidently pleased with the interest I manifested. It turned out that +he was well acquainted with the Brahmin; and learning from the latter my +wish, he conducted me into the room of our sick host. We found him lying +on a straw bed, and strangely altered within a few hours. The physician, +after feeling his pulse, (which, as every country has its peculiar +customs, is done here about the temples and neck, instead of the +wrist)--after examining his tongue, his teeth, his water, and feces, +proposed bleeding. We all walked to the door, and ventured to oppose the +doctor's prescription, suggesting that the copious evacuations he had +already experienced, might make bleeding useless, if not dangerous. + +"How little like a man of sense you speak," said the other; "how readily +you have chimed in with the prejudices of the vulgar! I should have +expected better things from you: but the sway of empiricism is destined +yet to have a long struggle before it receives its final overthrow. I +have attacked it with success in many quarters; but when it has been +prostrated in one place, it soon rises up in another. Have you, my good +friend, seen my last essay on morbid action?" + +The Brahmin replied, that he had not yet had an opportunity of meeting +with it. + +"I am sorry you have not," said the other. "I have there completely +demonstrated that disease is an unit, and that it is the extreme of +folly to divide diseases into classes, which tend but to produce +confusion of ideas, and an unscientific practice. Sir," continued he, in +a more animated tone, "there is a beautiful simplicity in this theory, +which gives us assurance of its conformity to nature and truth. It needs +but to be seen to be understood--but to be understood, to be approved, +and carried into successful operation." + +The Brahmin asked him if this unit did not present different symptoms on +different occasions. + +"Certainly," he replied: "from too much or too little action, in this +set of vessels or that, it is differently modified, and must be treated +accordingly." + +"This unit, then," said my friend, "assumes different forms, and +requires various remedies? Is there not, then, a convenience in +separating these modifications (or _forms_, if you prefer it) from one +another, by different names?" + +"Stop, my friend; you do not apprehend the matter. I will explain." At +this moment two other gentlemen, of a grave aspect and demeanour, +entered the room. They also were physicians of great reputation in the +city. They appeared to be formal and reserved towards one another, but +they each manifested still more shyness and coldness towards the learned +Shuro. They entered the sick chamber, and having informed themselves of +the state of the patient, all three withdrew to a consultation. + +They had not been long together, before their voices grew, from a +whisper, so loud, that we could distinctly hear all they said. "Sir," +says Dr. Shakrack, "the patient is in a state of direct debility: we +must stimulate, if we would restore a healthy action. Pour in the +_stimulantia_ and _irritentia_, and my life for it, the patient +is saved." + +"Will you listen to me for one moment?" says Dr. Dridrano, the youngest +of the three gentlemen. "It may be presumption for one of my humble +pretensions to set myself in opposition to persons of your age, +experience, and celebrity; but I am bound, by the sacred duties of the +high functions I have undertaken to perform, to use my poor abilities in +such a way as I can, to advance the noble science of medicine, and, in +so doing, to give strength to the weak, courage to the disheartened, and +comfort to the afflicted. Gentlemen, I say, I hope if my simple views +should be found widely different from yours, you will not impute it to a +presumption which is as foreign to my nature as it would be unsuited to +your merits. I consider the human body a mere machine, whose parts are +complicated, whose functions are various, and whose operations are +liable to be impeded and frustrated by a variety of obstacles. There is, +you know, one set of tubes, or vessels, for the blood; another for the +lymph; another for the sweat; and so on. Now, although each of these +fluids has its several channels, yet, if by any accident any one of them +is obstructed, and there is so great an accumulation of the obstructed +fluid that it cannot find vent by its natural channel, or duct, then you +must carry off the redundancy by some other; for you well know, that +that which can be carried off by one, can be carried off by all. +Gentlemen, I beg you not to turn away; hear me for a moment. Then, if +the current of the blood be obstructed, I make large draughts of urine, +or sweat or saliva, or of the liquor amnii; and I find it matters little +which of these evacuants I resort to. This system, to which, with +deference to your longer experience, I have had the honour of giving +some celebrity in Morosofia, explains how it is that such various +remedies for the same disease have been in vogue at different times. +They have all had in town able advocates. I could adduce undeniable +testimonials of their efficacy, because, in fact, they are all +efficacious; and it seems to me a mere matter of earthshine, whether we +resort to one or the other mode of restoring the equilibrium of the +human machine; all that we have to do, being to know when and to what +extent it is proper to use either. Determine, then, gentlemen,--you, for +whose maturer judgment and years I feel profound respect,--whether we +shall blister, or sweat, or bleed, or salivate." + +Dr. Shuro, who had manifested his impatience at this long harangue, by +frequent interruptions, and which Dridrano's show of deference could +scarcely keep down, hastily replied: "You have manifestly taken the hint +of your theory from me; and because I have advanced the doctrine that +disease is an unit, you come forward now, and insist that remedy is an +unit too." + +"You do me great honour, learned sir," said Dridrano. "Surely it would +be very unbecoming, in one of my age and standing, to set up a theory in +opposition to yours, but it would be yet more discreditable to be a +plagiarist; and, with all due respect for your superior wisdom, it does +seem to my feeble intellect, that no two theories can be more different. +You use several remedies for one disease: I admit several diseases, and +use one remedy." + +"And does not darkness remind us of light," replied Shuro, "by the +contrast? heat of cold--north of south?" + +"Gentlemen," then said Shakrack, who had been walking to and fro, during +the preceding controversy, "as you seem to agree so ill with each other, +I trust you will unite in adopting my course. Let us begin with this +cordial; we will then vary the stimulus, if necessary, by means of the +elixir, and you will see the salutary effects immediately. A loss of +blood would still farther increase the debility of the patient; and I +appeal to your candour, Dr. Shuro, whether you ever practised +venesection in such a case?" + +"In such a case? ay, in what _you_ would call much worse. I was not long +since called in to a man in a dropsy. I opened a vein. He seemed from +that moment to feel relief; and he so far recovered, that after a short +time I bled him again. I returned the next day, and had I arrived half +an hour sooner, I should have bled him a third time, and in all human +probability have saved his life." + +"If you had stimulated him, you might have had an opportunity of making +your favourite experiment a little oftener," said Shakrack. + +"You are facetious, sir; I imagine you have been using your own panacea +somewhat too freely to-day." + +"Not so," said his opponent, angrily; "but if you are not more guarded +in your expressions, I shall make use of yours, in a way you +won't like." + +Upon which they proceeded to blows, Dridrano all the while bellowing, "I +beg, my worthy seniors, for the honour of science, that you +will forbear!" + +The noise of the dispute had waked the patient, who, learning the cause +of the disturbance, calmly begged they would give themselves no concern +about him, but let him die in peace. The domestics, who had been for +some time listening to the dispute, on hearing the scuffle, ran in and +parted the angry combatants, who, like an abscess just lanced, were +giving vent to all the malignant humours that had been so long silently +gathering. + +In the mean while, the smooth and considerate Dr. Dridrano stept into +the sick room, with the view of offering an apology for the unmannerly +conduct of his brethren, and of tendering his single services, as the +other sages of the healing art could not agree in the course to be +pursued; when he found that the patient, profiting by the simple +remedies of the Brahmin, and an hour's rest, had been so much refreshed, +that he considered himself out of danger, and that he had no need of +medical assistance; or, at any rate, he was unwilling to follow the +prescriptions of one physician, which another, if not two others, +unhesitatingly condemned. Each one then received his fee, and hurried +home, to publish his own statement of the case in a pamphlet. + +The Brahmin, who had never left the sick man's couch during his sleep, +now that he was out of danger, was greatly diverted at the dispute. But +he good-naturedly added, that, notwithstanding the ridiculous figure +they had that day made, they were all men of genius and ability, but had +done their parts injustice by their vanity, and the ambition of +originating a new theory. "With all the extravagance," said he, "to +which they push their several systems, they are not unsuccessful in +practice, for habitual caution, and an instinctive regard for human +life, which they never can extinguish, checks them in carrying their +hypotheses into execution: and if I might venture to give an opinion on +a subject of which I know so little, and there is so much to be known, I +would say, that the most common error of theorists is to consider man as +a machine, rather than an animal, and subject to one set of the laws of +matter, rather than as subject to them all. + +"Thus," he continued, "we have been regarded by one class of theorists +as an hydraulic engine, composed of various tubes fitted with their +several fluids, the laws and functions of which have been deduced from +calculations of velocities, altitudes, diameters, friction, &c. Another +class considered man as a mere chemical engine, and his stomach as an +alembic. The doctrine of affinities, attractions, and repulsions, now +had full play. Then came the notion of sympathies and antipathies, by +which name unknown and unknowable causes were sought to be explained, +and ignorance was cunningly veiled in mystery. But the science will +never be in the right tract of improvement, until we consider, +conjointly, the mechanical operations of the fluids, the chemical agency +of the substances taken into the stomach, and the animal functions of +digestion, secretion, and absorption, as evinced by actual observation." +I told him that I believed that was now the course which was actually +pursued in the best medical schools, both of Europe and America. + +Our worthy host, though very feeble, had so far recovered as to dress +himself, and receive the congratulations of his household, who had all +manifested a concern for his situation, that was at once creditable to +him and themselves. Expressing our gratitude for his kind attentions, +and promising to renew our visit if we could, we bade him adieu. + +We took a different road home from the way we had come, and had not +walked far, before we met a number of small boys, each having a bag on +his back, as large as he could stagger under. Surprised at seeing +children of their tender years, thus prematurely put to severe labour, I +was about to rail at the absurd custom of this strange country, when my +friend checked me for my hasty judgment, and told me that these boys +were on their way to school, after their usual monthly holiday. We +attended them to their schoolhouse, which stood in sight, on the side of +a steep chalky hill. The Brahmin told me that the teacher's name was +Lozzi Pozzi, and that he had acquired great celebrity by his system of +instruction. When the boys opened their bags, I found that instead of +books and provisions, as I had expected, they were filled with sticks, +which they told us constituted the arithmetical lessons they were +required to practise at home. These sticks were of different lengths and +dimensions, according to the number marked on them; so that by looking +at the inscription, you could tell the size, or by seeing or feeling the +size, you could tell the number. + +The master now made his appearance, and learning our errand, was very +communicative. He descanted on the advantages of this manual, and ocular +mode of teaching the science of numbers, and gave us practical +illustrations of its efficacy, by examining his pupils in our presence. +He told the first boy he called up, and who did not seem to be more than +seven or eight years of age, to add 5, 3, and 7 together, and tell him +the result. The little fellow set about hunting, with great alacrity, +over his bag, until he found a piece divided like three fingers, then a +piece with five divisions, and lastly, one with seven, and putting them +side by side, he found the piece of a correspondent length, and thus, in +less than eight minutes and a half, answered, "fifteen." The ingenious +master then exercised another boy in subtraction, and a third in +multiplication: but the latter was thrown into great confusion, for one +of the pieces having lost a division, it led him to a wrong result. + +The teacher informed us that he taught geometry in the same way, and had +even extended it to grammar, logic, rhetoric, and the art of +composition. The rules of syntax were discovered by pieces of wood, +interlocking with each other in squares, dovetails, &c., after the +manner of geographical cards; and as they chanced to fit together, so +was the concordance between the several parts of speech ascertained. The +machine for composition occupied a large space; different sets of +synonymes were arranged in compartments of various sizes. When the +subject was familiar, a short piece was used; when it was stately or +heroic, then the longest slips that could be found were resorted to. +Those that were rounded at the ends were mellifluous; the jagged ones +were harsh; the thick pieces expressed force and vigour. Where the +curves corresponded at one end, they served for alliteration; and when +at the other, they answered for rhyme. By way of proving its progress, +he showed us a composition by a man who was deaf and dumb, in praise of +Morosofia, who, merely by the use of his eyes and hands, had made an +ingenious and high-sounding piece of eloquence, though I confess that +the sense was somewhat obscure. We went away filled with admiration for +the great Lozzi Pozzi's inventions. + +Having understood that there was an academy in the neighbourhood, in +which youths of maturer years were instructed in the fine arts, we were +induced to visit it; but there being a vacation at that time, we could +see neither the professors nor students, and consequently could gain +little information of the course of discipline and instruction pursued +there. We were, however, conducted to a small _menagerie_ attached to +the institution, by its keeper, where the habits and accomplishments of +the animals bore strong testimony in favour of the diligence and skill +of their teachers. + +We there saw two game-cocks, which, so far from fighting, (though they +had been selected from the most approved breed,) billed and cooed like +turtle-doves. There was a large zebra, apparently ill-tempered, which +showed his anger by running at and butting every animal that came in his +way. Two half-grown llamas, which are naturally as quiet and timid as +sheep, bit each other very furiously, until they foamed at the mouth. +And, lastly, a large mastiff made his appearance, walking in a slow, +measured gait, with a sleek tortoise-shell cat on his back; and she, in +turn, was surmounted by a mouse, which formed the apex of this +singular pyramid. + +The keeper, remarking our unaffected surprise at the exhibition, asked +us if we could now doubt the unlimited force of education, after such a +display of the triumph of art over nature. While he was speaking, the +mastiff, being jostled by the two llamas still awkwardly worrying each +other, turned round so suddenly, that the mouse was dislodged from his +lofty position, and thrown to the ground; on seeing which, the cat +immediately sprang upon it, with a loud purring noise, which being heard +by the dog, he, with a fierce growl, suddenly seized the cat. The +llamas, alarmed at this terrific sound, instinctively ran off, and +having, in their flight, approached the heels of the zebra, he gave a +kick, which killed one of them on the spot. + +The keeper, who was deeply mortified at seeing the fabric he had raised +with such indefatigable labour, overturned in a moment, protested that +nothing of the sort had ever happened before. To which we replied, by +way of consolation, that perhaps the same thing might never happen +again; and that, while his art had achieved a conquest over nature, this +was only a slight rebellion of nature against art. We then thanked him +for his politeness, and took our leave. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +_Election of the Numnoonce, or town-constable--Violence +of parties--Singular institution of the Syringe Boys--The +prize-fighters--Domestic manufactures._ + + +When we got back to the city, we found an unusual stir and bustle among +the citizens, and on inquiring the cause, we understood they were about +to elect the town-constable. After taking some refreshment at our +lodgings, where we were very kindly received, we again went out, and +were hurried along with the crowd, to a large building near the centre +of the city. The multitude were shouting and hallooing with great +vehemence. The Brahmin remarking an elderly man, who seemed very quiet +in the midst of all this ferment, he thought him a proper person to +address for information. + +"I suppose," says he, "from the violence of these partisans, they are on +different sides in religion or politics?" + +"Not at all," said the other; "those differences are forgotten at the +present, and the ground of the dispute is, that one of the candidates is +tall, and the other is short--one has a large foretop, and the other is +bald. Oh, I forgot; one has been a schoolmaster, and the other +a butcher." + +Curiosity now prompted me to enter into the thickest of the throng; and +I had never seen such fury in the maddest contests between old George +Clinton and Mr. Jay, or De Witt Clinton and Governor Tompkins, in my +native State. They each reproached their adversaries in the coarsest +language, and attributed to them the vilest principles and motives. Our +guide farther told us that the same persons, with two others, had been +candidates last year, when the schoolmaster prevailed; and, as the +supporters of the other two unsuccessful candidates had to choose now +between the remaining two, each party was perpetually reproaching the +other with inconsistency. A dialogue between two individuals of opposite +sides, which we happened to hear, will serve as a specimen of the rest. + +"Are you not a pretty fellow to vote for Bald-head, whom you have so +often called rogue and blockhead?" + +"It becomes you to talk of consistency, indeed! Pray, sir, how does it +happen that you are now against him, when you were so lately sworn +friends, and used to eat out of the same dish?" + +"Yes; but I was the butcher's friend too. I never abused him. You'll +never catch me supporting a man I have once abused." + +"But I catch you abusing the man you once supported, which is rather +worse. The difference between us is this:--you professed to be friendly +to both; I professed to be hostile to both: you stuck to one of your +friends, and cast the other off; and I acted the same towards my +enemies." A crowd then rushed by, crying "Huzza for the Butcher's +knives! Damn pen and ink--damn the books, and all that read in them! +Butchers' knives and beef for ever!" + +We asked our guide what these men were to gain by the issue of the +contest. + +"Nineteenths of them nothing. But a few hope to be made deputies, if +their candidates succeed, and they therefore egg on the rest." + +We drew near to the scaffold where the candidates stood, and our ears +were deafened with the mingled shouts and exclamations of praise and +reproach. "You cheated the corporation!" says one. "You killed two black +sheep!" says another. "You can't read a warrant!" "You let Dondon cheat +you!" "You tried to cheat Nincan!" "You want to build a watch-house!" +"You have an old ewe at home now, that you did not come honestly by!" +"You denied your own hand!"--with other ribaldry still more gross and +indecent. But the most singular part of the scene was a number of little +boys, dressed in black and white, who all wore badges of the parties to +which they belonged, and were provided with a syringe, and two canteens, +one filled with rose-water, and the other with a black liquid, of a very +offensive smell, the first of which they squirted at their favourite +candidates and voters, and the last on those of the opposite party. They +were drawn up in a line, and seemed to be under regular discipline; for, +whenever the captain of the band gave the word, "Vilti Mindoc!" they +discharged the dirty liquid from their syringes; and when he said "Vilti +Goulgoul!" they filled the air with perfume, that was so overpowering as +sometimes to produce sickness. The little fellows would, between whiles, +as if to keep their hands in, use the black squirts against one another; +but they often gave them a dash of the rose-water at the same time. + +I wondered to see men submit to such indignity; but was told that the +custom had the sanction of time; that these boys were brought up in the +church, and were regularly trained to this business. "Besides," added my +informer, "the custom is not without its use; for it points out the +candidates at once to a stranger, and especially him who is successful, +those being always the most blackened who are the most popular." But it +was amusing to see the ludicrous figure that the candidates and some of +the voters made. If you came near them on one side, they were like roses +dripping with the morning dew; but on the other, they were as black as +chimney sweeps, and more offensive than street scavengers. As these +Syringe Boys, or Goulmins, are thus protected by custom, the persons +assailed affected to despise them; but I could ever and anon see some of +the most active partisans clapping them on the back, and saying, "Well +done, my little fellows! give it to them again! You shall have a +ginger-cake--and you shall have a new cap," &c. Surely, thought I, our +custom of praising and abusing our public men in the newspapers, is far +more rational than this. After the novelty of the scene was over, I +became wearied and disgusted with their coarseness, violence, and want +of decency, and we left them without waiting to see the result of +the contest. + +In returning to our lodgings, the Brahmin took me along a quarter of the +town in which I had never before been. In a little while we came to a +lofty building, before the gate of which a great crowd were assembled. +"This," said my companion, "is one of the courts of justice." Anxious to +see their modes of proceeding in court, I pushed through the crowd, +followed by the Brahmin, and on entering the building, found myself in a +spacious amphitheatre, in the middle of which I beheld, with surprise, +several men engaged, hand to hand, in single combat. On asking an +explanation of my friend, he informed me that these contests were +favourite modes of settling private disputes in Morosofia: that the +prize-fighters I saw, hired themselves to any one who conceived himself +injured in person, character, or property. "It seems a strange mode of +settling legal disputes," I remarked, "which determines a question in +favour of a party, according to the strength and wind of his champion." + +"Nor is that all," said the Brahmin, "as the judges assign the victory +according to certain rules and precedents, the reasons of which are +known only to themselves, if known at all, and which are often +sufficiently whimsical--as sometimes a small scratch in the head avails +more than a disabling blow in the body. The blows too, must be given in +the right time, as well as in the right place, or they pass for nothing. +In short, of all those spectators who are present to witness the powers +and address of the prize-fighters, not one in a hundred can tell who has +gained the victory, until the judges have proclaimed it." + +"I presume," said I, "that the champions who thus expose their persons +and lives in the cause of another, are Glonglims?" + +"There," said he, "you are altogether mistaken. In the first place, the +prize-fighters seldom sustain serious injury. Their weapons do not +endanger life; and as each one knows that his adversary is merely +following his vocation, they often fight without animosity. After the +contest is over, you may commonly see the combatants walking and talking +very sociably together: but as this circumstance makes them a little +suspected by the public, they affect the greater rage when in conflict, +and occasionally quarrel and fight in downright earnest. No," he +continued, "I am told it is a very rare thing to see one of these +prize-fighters who is a Glonglim; but most of their employers belong to +this unhappy race." + +On looking more attentively, I perceived many of these beings among the +spectators, showing, by their gestures, the greatest anxiety for the +issue of the contest. They each carried a scrip, or bag, the contents of +which they ever and anon gave to their respective champions, whose wind, +it is remarked, is very apt to fail, unless thus assisted. + +Having learnt some farther particulars respecting this singular mode of +litigation, which would be uninteresting to the general reader, I took +my leave, not without secretly congratulating myself on the more +rational modes in which justice is administered on earth. + +When we had nearly reached our lodgings, we heard a violent altercation +in the house, and on entering, we found our landlord and his wife +engaged in a dispute respecting their domestic economy, and they both +made earnest appeals to my companion for the correctness of their +respective opinions. The old man was in favour of their children making +their own shoes and clothes; and his wife insisted that it would be +better for them to stick to their garden and dairy, with the proceeds of +which they could purchase what they wanted. She asserted that they could +readily sell all the fruits and vegetables they could raise; and that +whilst they would acquire greater skill by an undivided attention to one +thing, they who followed the business of tailors, shoemakers, and +seamstresses, would, in like manner, become more skilful in their +employments, and consequently be able to work at a cheaper rate. She +farther added, that spinning and sewing were unhealthy occupations; they +would give the girls the habit of stooping, which would spoil their +shapes; and that their thoughts would be more likely to be running on +idle and dangerous fancies, when sitting at their needles, than when +engaged in more active occupations. + +This dame was a very fluent, ready-witted woman, and she spoke with the +confidence that consciousness of the powers of disputation commonly +inspires. She went on enlarging on the mischiefs of the practice she +condemned, and, by insensible gradations, so magnified them, that at +last she clearly made out that there was no surer way of rendering their +daughters sickly, deformed, vicious, and unchaste, than to set them +about making their own clothes. + +After she had ceased, (which she did under a persuasion that she had +anticipated and refuted every argument that could be urged in opposition +to her doctrine,) the husband, with an emotion of anger that he could +not conceal, began to defend his opinion. He said, as to the greater +economy of his plan, there could be no doubt; for although they might, +at particular times, make more by gardening than they could save by +spinning or sewing, yet there were other times when they could not till +the ground, and when, of course, if they did not sew or spin, they would +be idle; but if they did work, the proceeds would be clear gain. He said +he did not wish his daughters to be constantly employed in making +clothes, nor was it necessary that they should be. A variety of other +occupations, equally indispensable, claimed their attention, and would +leave but a comparatively small portion of time for needlework: that in +thus providing themselves with employment at home, they at least saved +the time of going backwards and forwards, and were spared some trips to +market, for the sale of vegetables to pay, as would then be necessary, +for the work done by others. Besides, the tailor who was most convenient +to them, and who, it was admitted, was a very good one, was insolent and +capricious; would sometimes extort extravagant prices, or turn them into +ridicule; and occasionally went so far as to set his water-dogs upon +them, of which he kept a great number. He declared, that for his part he +would incur a little more expense, rather than he would be so imposed +upon, and subjected to so much indignity and vexation. + +He denied that sewing would affect his daughters' health, unless, +perhaps, they followed it exclusively as an occupation; but, as they +would have it in their power to consult their inclinations and +convenience in this matter, they might take it up when the occasion +required, and lay it down whenever they found it irksome or fatiguing: +that as they themselves were inclined to follow this course, it was a +plain proof that the occupation was not unhealthy. He maintained that +they would stoop just as much in gardening, and washing and nursing +their children, as in sewing; and that we were not such frail or +unpliant machines as to be seriously injured, unless we persisted in one +set of straight, formal notions, but that we were adapted to variety, +and were benefited by it. That as to the practice being favourable to +wantonness and vice, while he admitted that idleness was productive of +these effects, he could not see how one occupation encouraged them more +than another. That the tailor, for example, whom he had been speaking +of, though purse-proud, overbearing, and rapacious, was not more immoral +or depraved than his neighbours, and had probably less of the libertine +than most of them. He admitted that evil thoughts would enter the mind +in any situation, and could not reasonably be expected to be kept out of +his daughters' heads (being, as he said, but women): yet he conceived +such a result as far less probable, if they were suffered to ramble +about in the streets, and to chaffer with their customers, than if they +were kept to sedate and diligent employment at home. + +Having, with great warmth and earnestness, used these arguments, he +concluded, by plainly hinting to his wife that she had always been the +apologist of the tailor, in all their disputes; and that she could not +be so obstinately blind to the irrefragable reasoning he had urged, if +she were not influenced by her old hankering after this fellow, and did +not consult his interests in preference to those of her own family. Upon +this remark the old woman took fire, and, in spite of our presence, they +both had recourse to direct and the coarsest abuse. + +The Brahmin did not, as I expected, join me in laughing at the scene we +had just witnessed; but, after some musing, observed: "There is much +truth in what each of these parties say. I blame them only for the +course they take towards each other. Their dispute is, in fact, of a +most frivolous and unmeaning character; for, if the father was to carry +his point, the girls would occasionally sell the productions of their +garden, and pay for making their clothes, or even buy them ready made. +Were the mother, on the other hand, to prevail, they would still +occasionally use their needles, and exercise their taste and skill in +sewing, spinning, knitting, and the like. Nay," added he, "if you had +not been so much engrossed with this angry and indecorous altercation, +you might have seen two of them at their needles, in an adjoining +apartment, while one was busy at work in the garden, and another up to +the elbows in the soap-suds--all so closely engaged in their several +pursuits, that they hardly seemed to know they were the subject of +discussion." + +I told the Brahmin that a dispute, not unlike this, had taken place in +my own country, a few years since; some of our politicians contending +that agricultural labour was most conducive to the national wealth, +whilst others maintained that manufacturing industry was equally +advantageous, wherever it was voluntarily pursued;--but that the +controversy had lately assumed a different character--the question now +being, not whether manufactures are as beneficial as agriculture, but +whether they deserve extraordinary encouragement, by taxing those who do +not give them a preference. + +"That is," said the Brahmin, "as if our landlady, by way of inducing her +daughters to give up gardening for spinning, were to tell them, if they +did not find their new occupation as profitable as the old, she would +more than make up the difference out of her own pocket, which, though it +might suit the daughters very well, would be a losing business to +the family." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +_Description of the Happy Valley--The laws, customs, and manners of the +Okalbians--Theory of population--Rent--System of government._ + + +The Brahmin, who was desirous of showing me what was most remarkable in +this country, during the short time we intended to stay, thought this a +favourable time to visit Okalbia, or the Happy Valley. The Okalbians are +a tribe or nation, who live separated from the rest of the Lunar world, +and whose wise government, prudence, industry, and integrity, are very +highly extolled by all, though, by what I can learn, they have few +imitators. They dwell about three hundred miles north of the city of +Alamatua, in a fertile valley, which they obtained by purchase about two +hundred years since, and which is about equal to twenty miles square, +that is, to four hundred square miles. A carriage and four well-broke +dogs, was procured for us, and we soon reached the foot of the mountain +that encloses the fortunate valley, in about fifty-two hours. We then +ascended, for about three miles, with far fatigue than I formerly +experienced in climbing the Catskill mountains of my native State, and +found ourselves on the summit of an extensive ridge, which formed the +margin of a vast elliptical basin, the bottom of which presented a most +beautiful landscape. The whole surface was like a garden, interspersed +with patches of wood, clumps of trees, and houses standing singly or in +groupes. A lake, about a mile across, received several small streams, +and on its edge was a town, containing about a thousand houses. After +enjoying the beauties of the scene for some minutes, we descended by a +rough winding road, and entered this Lunar Paradise, in about four +hours. Along the sides of the highway we travelled, were planted rows of +trees, not unlike our sycamores, which afforded a refreshing shade to +the traveller; and commonly a rivulet ran bubbling along one side or the +other of the road. + +After journeying about eight miles, we entered a neat, well built town, +which contained, as we were informed, about fifteen thousand +inhabitants. The Brahmin informed me, that in a time of religious +fervour, about two centuries ago, a charter was granted to the founder +of a new sect, the Volbins, who had chanced to make converts of some of +the leading men in Morosofia, authorising him and his followers to +purchase this valley of the hunting tribe to whom it belonged, and to +govern themselves by their own laws. They found no difficulty in making +the purchase. It was then used as a mere hunting ground, no one liking +to settle in a place that seemed shut out from the rest of the world. At +first, the new settlers divided the land equally among all the +inhabitants, one of their tenets being, that as there was no difference +of persons in the next world, there should be no difference in sharing +the good things of this. They tried at first to preserve this equality; +but finding it impracticable, they abandoned it. It is said that after +about thirty years, by reason of a difference in their industry and +frugality, and of some families spending less than they made, and some +more, the number of land owners was reduced to four hundred, and that +fifty of these held one half of the whole; since which time the number +of landed proprietors has declined with the population, though not in +the same proportion. As the soil is remarkably fertile, the climate +healthy, and the people temperate and industrious, they multiplied very +rapidly until they reached their present numbers, which have been long +stationary, and amount to 150,000, that is, about four hundred to a +square mile; of these, more than one half live in towns and villages, +containing from one hundred to a thousand houses. + +They have little or no commerce with any other people, the valley +producing every vegetable production, and the mountains every mineral, +which they require; and in fact, they have no foreign intercourse +whatever, except when they visit, or are visited from curiosity. Though +they have been occasionally bullied and threatened by lawless and +overbearing neighbours; yet, as they can be approached by only a single +gorge in the mountain, which is always well garrisoned, (and they +present no sufficient object to ambition, to compensate for the scandal +of invading so inoffensive and virtuous a people,) they have never yet +been engaged in war. + +I felt very anxious to know how it was that their numbers did not +increase, as they were exempt from all pestilential diseases, and live +in such abundance, that a beggar by trade has never been known among +them, and are remarkable for their moral habits. + +"Let us inquire at the fountain-head," said the Brahmin; and we went to +see the chief magistrate, who received us in a style of unaffected +frankness, which in a moment put us at our ease. After we had explained +to him who we were, and answered such inquiries as he chose to make: + +"Sir," said I, through the Brahmin, who acted as interpreter, "I have +heard much of your country, and I find, on seeing it, that it exceeds +report, in the order, comfort, contentment, and abundance of the people. +But I am puzzled to find out how it is that your numbers do not +increase. I presume you marry late in life?" + +"On the contrary," said he; "every young man marries as soon as he +receives his education, and is capable of managing the concerns of a +family. Some are thus qualified sooner, and some later." + +"Some occasionally migrate, then?" + +"Never. A number of our young men, indeed, visit foreign countries, but +not one in a hundred settles abroad." + +"How, then, do your associates continue stationary?" + +"Nothing is more easy. No man has a larger family than his land or +labour can support, in comfort; and as long as that is the case with +every individual, it must continue to be the case with the whole +community. We leave the matter to individual discretion. The prudential +caution which is thus indicated, has been taught us by our own +experience. We had gone on increasing, under the encouraging influence +of a mild system of laws, genial climate, and fruitful soil, until, +about a century ago, we found that our numbers were greater than our +country, abundant as it is, could comfortably support; and our seasons +being unfavourable for two successive years, many of our citizens were +obliged to banish themselves from Okalbia; and their education not +fitting them for a different state of society, they suffered severely, +both in their comforts and morals. It is now a primary moral duty, +enforced by all our juvenile instructors with every citizen, to adapt +his family to his means; and thus a regard which each individual has for +his offspring, is the salvation of the State." + +"And can these prudential restraints be generally practised? What a +virtuous people! Love for one another brings the two sexes +together--love for their offspring makes them separate!" + +"I see," said the magistrate, smiling, "you are under an error. No +separation takes place, and none is necessary." + +"How, then, am I to believe.....?" + +"You are to believe nothing," said he, with calm dignity, "which is +incompatible with virtue and propriety. I see that the most important of +all sciences--that one on which the well-being and improvement of +society mainly depends,--is in its infancy with you. But whenever you +become as populous as we are, and unite the knowledge of real happiness +with the practice of virtue, you will understand it. It is one of our +maxims, that heaven gives wisdom to man in such portions as his +situation requires it; and no doubt it is the same with the people of +your earth." + +I did not, after this, push my inquiries farther; but remarked, aside to +the Brahmin,--"I would give a good deal to know this secret, provided it +would suit our planet." + +"It is already known there," replied he, "and has been long practised by +many in the east: but in the present state of society with you, it might +do more harm than good to be made public, by removing one of the checks +of licentiousness, where women are so unrestrained as they are +with you." + +Changing now the subject, I ventured to inquire how they employed their +leisure hours, and whether many did not experience here a wearisome +sameness, and a feeling of confinement and restraint. + +"It is true," said the magistrate, "men require variety; but I would not +have you suppose he cannot find it here. He may cultivate his lands, +improve his mind, educate his children; these are his serious +occupations, affording every day some employment that is, at once, new +and interesting: and, by way of relaxation, he has music, painting, and +sculpture; sailing, riding, conversation, storytelling, and reading the +news of what is passing, both in the valley and out of it." + +I asked if they had newspapers. He answered in the affirmative; and +added, that they contained minute details of the births, deaths, +marriages, accidents, state of the weather and crops, arbitrations, +public festivals, inventions, original poetry, and prose compositions. +In addition to which, they had about fifty of their most promising young +men travelling abroad, who made observations on all that was remarkable +in the countries they passed through, which they regularly transmitted +once a month to Okalbia. I inquired if they travelled at the public +expense or their own? + +"They always pursue some profession or trade, by the profits of which +they support themselves. We have nothing but intellect and ingenuity to +export; for though our country produces every thing, there is no +commodity that we can so well spare. Their talents find them employment +every where; and the necessity they are under of a laborious exertion of +these talents, and of submitting to a great deal from those whose +customs and manners are not to their taste, and whom they feel inferior +to themselves, is a considerable check to the desire to go abroad, so +much so, that we hold out the farther inducement of political +distinction when they return." + +"What, then! you have ambition among you?" + +"Certainly; our institutions have only tempered it, and not vainly +endeavoured to extinguish it; and we find it employment in this way: Of +our youthful travellers, those who are most diligent in their vocation; +who give the most useful information, and communicate it in the happiest +manner, are made magistrates, on their return, and sometimes have +statues decreed to them. Besides, the name which their conduct or +talents procure them abroad, is echoed back to the valley, long before +their return, and has much influence in the general estimate of their +character. + +"But have you not many more competitors, than you have public offices?" + +"There are, without doubt, many who desire office; but to manifest their +wish, would be one of the surest means of defeating it. We require +modesty, (at least in appearance,) moderation and disinterestedness, and +of course, the less pains a candidate takes to show himself off, +the better." + +"But have they no friends, who can at once render them this service, and +relieve them from the odium of it?" + +"There is, indeed, somewhat of this; but you must remember, that the +highest of our magistrates has comparatively little power. He has no +army, no treasury, no patronage; he merely executes the laws. But, as a +farther check on the immoderate zeal of friends, the expense of doing +this, as well as of maintaining him in office, is defrayed by those who +vote for him. There seems, at first view, but little justice in this +regulation; but we think, that as every one cannot have his way, those +who carry their point, and have the power, should also bear the burden: +besides, in this way the voices of the most generous and disinterested +prevail. We have," he added, "found this the most difficult part of our +government. We once thought that the very lively interest excited in the +electioneering contests, particularly for that of Gompoo, or chief +magistrate, was to be ascribed to the power he possessed; and we +resorted to various expedients to lessen it--such as dividing it among a +greater number--requiring a quick rotation of office--abridging the +powers themselves: but we discovered, that however small the power, the +distinction it gave to those who possessed it, was always an object of +lively interest with the ambitious, and indeed with the public in +general. We have, therefore, enlarged the power, and the term of holding +it, and make him who would attain it, purchase it by previous exertion +and self-denial: and we farther compel those who favour him, to lose as +well as gain. We array the love of money against the love of power; or +rather, one love of power to another. Moreover, as it is only by the +civic virtues that our citizens recommend themselves to popular favour, +there is nothing of that enthusiasm which military success excites among +the natives." + +Our Washington then presented himself to my mind, and for a moment I +began to question his claim to the unexampled honours bestowed on him by +his countrymen, until I recollected that he was as distinguished by his +respect for the laws, and his sound views of national policy, as for his +military services. + +I then inquired into the occupations and condition of those who were +without land; and was told that they were either cultivators of the +soil, or practised some liberal or mechanical art; and, partly owing to +the education they receive, and partly from the active competition that +exists among them, they are skilful, diligent, and honest. Now and then +there are some exceptions, according to the proverb, that _in the best +field of grain there will be some bad ears_. The land-owners sometimes +cultivate the soil with their own hands--sometimes with hired +labourers--and sometimes they rent them for about a third of their +produce. The smallest proprietors commonly adopt the first course; the +middling, the second; and the great landholders the third." + +"But I thought," said I, "that all the land in the valley was of equal +fertility." + +"So it is; but what has that to do with rent?" + +"Sir," said I, "our ablest writers on this subject have lately +discovered that there can be no rent where there is not a gradation of +soils, such as exists in every country of the earth." + +"I see not," said he, "what could have led them into that error. It is +true, if there was inferior land, there would be a difference of rent in +proportion to the difference of fertility; and if it was so poor as +merely to repay the expense of cultivation, it would yield no rent at +all. But surely, if one man makes as much as several consume, (and this +he can easily do with us,) he will be able to get much of their labour +in exchange for this surplus, which is so indispensable to them, and to +get more and more, until the greatest number has come into existence +which such surplus can support. What they thus give, if the proprietor +retains the land himself, you may regard as the extraordinary profits of +agricultural labour, or rent, if paid to any one to whom he transfers +this benefit. This is precisely our present situation." + +There was no denying this statement of facts: but I could not help +exclaiming,--"Surely there is nothing certain in the universe; or +rather, truth is one thing in the moon, and another thing on the earth." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +_Farther account of Okalbia--The Field of Roses--Curious superstition +concerning that flower--The pleasures of smell traced to association, by +a Glonglim philosopher._ + + +Though I felt some reluctance to abuse the patience of this polite and +intelligent magistrate, I could not help making some inquiry about the +jurisprudence of his country, and first, what was their system of +punishment. + +"We have no capital punishment," says he; "for, from all we learn, it is +not more efficacious in preventing crime, than other punishments which +are milder; and we prefer making the example to offenders a lasting one. +But we endeavour to prevent offences, not so much by punishment as by +education; and the few crimes committed among us, bring certain censure +on those who have the early instruction of the criminal. Murders are +very rare with us; thefts and robbery perhaps still more so. Our +ordinary disputes about property, are commonly settled by arbitration, +where, as well as in court, each party is permitted to state his case, +to examine what witnesses and to ask what questions he pleases." + +"You do not," said I, "examine witnesses who are interested?" + +"Why not? The judges even examine the parties themselves." + +I then told him that the smallest direct interest in the issue of the +controversy, disqualified a witness with us, from the strong bias it +created to misrepresent facts, and even to misconceive them. + +He replied with a smile,--"It seems to me that your extreme fear of +hearing falsehood, must often prevent you from ascertaining the truth. +It is true, that wherever the interest of a witness is involved, it has +an immediate tendency to make him misstate facts: but so would personal +ill-will--so would his sympathies--so would any strong feeling. What, +then, is your course in these cases?" + +I told him that these objections applied to the credibility, and not to +the competency, of witnesses, which distinctions of the lawyers I +endeavoured to explain to him. + +"Then I think you often exclude a witness who is under a small bias, and +admit another who is under a great one. You allow a man to give +testimony in a case in which the fortune or character of his father, +brother or child is involved, but reject him in a case in which he is +not interested to the amount of a greater sum than he would give to the +first beggar he met. Is it not so?" + +"That, indeed, may be the operation of the rule. But cases of such +flagrant inconsistency are very rare; and this rule, like every other, +must be tried by its general, and not its partial effects." + +"True; but your rule must at least be a troublesome one, and give rise +to a great many nice distinctions, that make it difficult in the +application. All laws are sufficiently exposed to this evil, and we do +not wish unnecessarily to increase it. We have, therefore, adopted the +plan of allowing either party to ask any question of any witness he +pleases, and leave it to the judges to estimate the circumstances which +may bias the witness. We, in short, pursue the same course in +investigating facts in court that we pursue out of it, when no one forms +a judgment until he has first heard what the parties and their friends +say on the subject." + +On my return home, I repeated this conversation to a lawyer of my +acquaintance, who told me that such a rule of evidence might do for the +people in the moon, but it certainly would not suit us. I leave the +matter to be settled by more competent heads than mine, and return to my +narrative. + +I farther learnt from this intelligent magistrate, that the territory of +the Happy Valley, or Okalbia, is divided into forty-two counties, and +each county into ten districts. In each district are three magistrates, +who are appointed by the legislature. Causes of small value are decided +by the magistrates of the district; those of greater importance, by the +county courts, composed of all the magistrates of the ten districts; a +few by the court of last court, consisting of seven judges. The +legislature consists of two houses, of which the members are elected +annually, three from each county for one branch, and one member for the +other. No qualification of property is required either to vote, or to be +eligible to either house of the legislature, as they believe that the +natural influence of property is sufficient, without adding to that +influence by law; and that the moral effects of education among them, +together with a few provisions in their constitution, are quite +sufficient to guard against any improper combination of those who have +small property. Besides, there are no odious privileges exclusively +possessed by particular classes of men, to excite the envy or resentment +of the other classes, and induce them to act in concert. + +"Have you, then, no parties?" said I. + +"Oh yes; we are not without our political parties and disputes; and we +sometimes wrangle about very small matters--such as, what amount of +labour shall be bestowed on the public roads--the best modes of +conducting our schools and colleges--the comparative merits of the +candidates for office, or the policy of some proposed change in the +laws. Man is made, you know, of very combustible materials, and may be +kindled as effectually by a spark falling at the right time, in the +right place, as when within reach of a great conflagration." + +The women appeared here to be under few restraints. I understood that +they were taught, like our sex, all the speculative branches of +knowledge, but that they were more especially instructed, by professed +teachers, in cookery, needlework, and every sort of domestic economy; as +were the young men in the occupations which require strength and +exposure. They have a variety of public schools, and some houses for +public festivals, but no public hospitals or almshouses whatever, the +few cases of private distress or misfortune being left for relief to the +merits of the sufferer and the compassion of individuals. + +After passing a week among this singular and fortunate people, whom we +every where found equally amiable, intelligent, and hospitable, we +returned to Alamatua in the same way that we had come; that is, in a +light car, drawn by four large mastiffs. When we had recovered from the +fatigues of the journey, and I had carefully committed to paper all that +I had learnt of the Okalbians, the Brahmin and I took a walk towards a +part of the suburbs which I had not yet seen, and where some of the +literati of his acquaintance resided. The sun appeared to be not more +than two hours high (though, in fact, it was more than fifty); the sky +was without a cloud, and a fresh breeze from the mountains contributed +to make it like one of the most delightful summer evenings of a +temperate climate. + +We carelessly rambled along, enjoying the balmy freshness of the air, +the picturesque scenery of the neighbouring mountains, the beauty or +fragrance of some vegetable productions, and the oddity of others, +until, having passed through a thick wood, we came to an extensive +plain, which was covered with rose-bushes. The queen of flowers here +appeared under every variety of colour, size, and species--red, white, +black, and yellow--budding, full-blown, and half-blown;--some with +thorns, and some without; some odourless, and others exhaling their +unrivalled perfume with an overpowering sweetness. I was about to pluck +one of these flowers, (of which I have always been particularly fond,) +when a man, whom I had not previously observed, stepping up behind me, +seized my arm, and asked me if I knew what I was doing. He told us that +the roses of this field, which is called Gulgal, were deemed sacred, and +were not allowed to be gathered without the special permission of the +priests, under a heavy penalty; and that he was one of those whose duty +it was to prevent the violation of the law, and to bring the offenders +to punishment. + +The Brahmin, having diverted himself a while with my surprise and +disappointment, then informed me, that the rose had ever been regarded +in Morosofia, as the symbol of female purity, delicacy, and sweetness; +which notion had grown into a popular superstition, that whenever a +marriage is consummated on the earth, one of these flowers springs up in +the moon; and that in colour, shape, size, or other property, it is a +fit type of the individual whose change of state is thus commemorated. + +"What, father," said I, "could have given rise to so strange an +opinion?" + +"I know not," said he; "but I have heard it thus explained:--That the +roses generally spring up, as well as blow, in the course of their long +nights, during which the earth's resplendent disc is the most +conspicuous object in the heavens; which two facts stand, in the opinion +of the multitude, in the relation of cause and effect. Attributing, +then, the symbolical character of the rose to its tutelary planet, they +regard the earth in the same light as the ancients did the chaste Diana, +and believe that she plants this her favourite flower in the moon, +whenever she loses a votary. The priesthood encourage this superstition, +as they have grafted on it some mystical rites, which add to their power +and profit, and which one of our Pundits thinks has a great resemblance +to the Eleusinian mysteries. There is, however, my dear Atterley, little +satisfaction in tracing the origin of vulgar superstitions. They grow up +like a strange plant in a forest, without our being able to tell how the +seed found its way there. It is generally believed in the east, that the +moon, at particular periods of her revolution round the earth, has a +great influence in causing rain; though every one must see, that, +notwithstanding such influence must be the same in every part of the +earth, it is invariably fair in one place, at the very time that it is +rainy in another. Nay, we may safely aver that there is not a day, nor +an hour, in the year, in which it is not dry and rainy, cloudy and +clear, windy and calm, in hundreds of places at once." + +I told the Brahmin that the same opinion prevailed in my country. That +the vulgar also believe the moon, according to its age, to have +particular effects on the flesh of slaughtered animals; and that all +sailors distinguish between a wet and a dry day, according to the +position of the crescent. + +We then inquired of the warden of this flowery plain, if he had ever +remarked any difference in the number of roses which sprung up in a +given period of time. He said he thought they were more numerous about +five and twenty or thirty years ago, than he had ever seen them before +or since. With that exception, he said, the number appeared to be nearly +the same every year. + +The Brahmin happening to be in one of those pleasant moods which are +occasionally experienced by amiable tempers, even when under the +pressure of sorrow and age, now amused himself in pointing out the +flowers which probably represented the different nations of the earth; +and when he saw any one remarkably small, pale and delicate, he insisted +that it belonged to his own country; which point, however, I, not +yielding to him in nationality, warmly contested. I would here remark, +that as the rose is called _gul_ in the Persian language and the ancient +Sanscrit, the name of this field furnished another argument in support +of the Brahmin's hypothesis of the origin of the moon. + +While thus oblivious of the past, and reckless of the future, we were +enjoying the present moment in this _badinage_, and I was extolling the +odour of the rose, as beyond every other grateful to the olfactory +nerves of man, a lively, flippant little personage came up, and accosted +the Brahmin with the familiarity of an acquaintance. My companion +immediately introduced me to him, and at the same time gave me to +understand that this was the great Reffei, one of the most distinguished +literati of the country. Although his eye was remarkably piercing, I +perceived in it somewhat of the wildness which always characterizes a +Glonglim. He was evidently impatient for discussion; and having informed +himself of the subject of my rhapsody when he joined our party, he +vehemently exclaimed,--"I am surprised at your falling in with that +popular prejudice; while it is easy to show, that but for some feeling +of love, or pity, or admiration, with which the rose happens to be +associated--some past pleasure which it brings to your recollection, or +some future pleasure which it suggests,--any other flower would be +equally sweet. You see the rose a very beautiful flower; and you have +been accustomed, whenever you saw and felt its beauty, to perceive, at +the same time, a certain odour. The beauty and the odour thus become +associated in your mind, and the smell brings along with it the pleasure +you feel in looking at it. But the chief part of the gratification you +receive from smelling a rose, arises from some past scene of delight of +which it reminds you; as, of the days of your innocence and childhood, +when you ran about the garden--or when you were decorated with +nosegays--or danced round a may-pole, (this is rather a free +translation)--or presented a bunch of flowers to some little favourite." +He said a great deal more on the subject, and spoke so prettily and +ingeniously, as almost to make a convert of me; when, on bringing my +nose once more to the flower, I found in it the same exquisite +fragrance as ever. + +"Why do we like," he continued, "the smell of a beef-steak, or of a cup +of tea, except for the pleasure we receive from their taste?" + +I mentioned, as an exception to his theory, the codfish, which is +esteemed a very savoury dish by my countrymen, but which no one ever +regarded as very fragrant. But he repelled my objection by an ingenious +hypothesis, grounded on certain physiological facts, to show that this +supposed disagreeable smell was also the effect of some early +associations. I then mentioned to him assafoetida, the odour of which I +believed was universally odious. He immediately replied, that we are +always accustomed to associate with this drug, the disagreeable ideas of +sickness, female weakness, hysterics, affectation, &c. Unable to +continue the argument, I felt myself vanquished. I again stooped to the +flower, and as I inhaled its perfume, "Surely," said I to myself, "this +rose would be sweet if I were to lose my memory altogether:" but +recollecting the great Reffei's argument, I mentally added thanks to +divine philosophy, which always corrects our natural prejudices. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +_Atterley goes to the great monthly fair--Its various exhibitions; +difficulties--Preparations to leave the Moon--Curiosities procured by +Atterley--Regress to the Earth._ + + +The philosopher, not waiting to enjoy the triumph of victory, abruptly +took his leave, and we, refreshed and delighted with our walk, returned +home. Our landlord informed us that we had arrived in good time to +attend the great fair, or market, which regularly takes place a little +before the sun sinks below the horizon. Having taken a short repast, +while the Brahmin called on one of his acquaintance, I sallied forth +into the street, and soon found myself in the bustling throng, who were +hastening to this great resort of the busy, the idle, the knavish, and +the gay; some in pursuit of gain, and some of pleasure; whilst others +again, without any settled purpose, were carried along by the vague +desire of meeting with somewhat to relieve them from the pain +of idleness. + +The fair was held in a large square piece of ground in one of the +suburbs, set apart for that purpose; and on each of its four sides a +long low building, or rather roof, supported on massy white columns, +extended about six hundred yards in length, and was thirty yards wide. +Immediately within this arcade were arranged the finer kinds of +merchandise, fabrics of cotton or silk, and articles of jewelry, +cutlery, porcelain, and glass. On the outside were provisions of every +kind, vegetable and animal, flesh, fish, and fowl, as well as the +coarser manufactures. At no great distance from this hollow square, +(which was used exclusively for buying and selling,) might be seen an +infinite variety of persons, collected in groupes, all engaged in some +occupation or amusement, according to their several tastes and humours. +Here a party of young men were jumping, or wrestling, or shooting at a +mark with cross-bows. There, girls and boys were dancing to the sound of +a pipe, or still smaller children were playing at marbles, or amusing +themselves with the toys they had just purchased. Not far from these, a +quack from one scaffold was descanting on the virtues of his medicines, +whilst a preacher from another was holding forth to the graver part of +the crowd, the joys and terrors of another life; and yet farther on, a +motley groupe were listening to a blind beggar, who was singing to the +music of a sort of rude guitar. Here and there curtains, hanging from a +slight frame of wood-work, veiled a small square from the eyes of all, +except those who paid a nail for admittance. Some of these curtained +boxes contained jugglers--some tumblers--some libidinous pictures--and +others again, strange birds, beasts, and other animals. I observed that +none of the exhibitions were as much frequented as these booths; and I +was told that the corporation of the city derived from them a +considerable revenue. Amidst such an infinite variety of objects, my +attention was so distracted that it could not settle down upon any one, +and I strolled about without object or design. + +When I had become more familiar with this mixed multitude of sights and +sounds, I endeavoured to take a closer survey of some of the objects +composing the medley. The first thing which attracted my particular +notice, was a profusion of oaths and imprecations, which proceeded from +one of the curtained booths. I paid the admittance money to a +well-dressed man, of smooth, easy manners, and entered. I found there +several parties paired off, and engaged at different games; but, like +the rest of the bystanders, I felt myself most strongly attracted +towards the two who were betting highest. One of these was an elderly +man, of a tall stature, in a plain dress; the other was a short man, in +very costly apparel, and some years younger. For a long time the scales +of victory seemed balanced between them; but at length the tall man, who +had great self-possession, and who played with consummate skill, won the +game: soon after which he rose up, and making a graceful, respectful bow +to the rest of the company, he retired. Not being able to catch his eye, +so intent was he on his game, I felt some curiosity to know whether he +was a Glonglim; but could not ascertain the fact, as some of whom the +Brahmin inquired, said that he was, while others maintained that he was +not. His adversary, however, evidently belonged to that class, and, when +flushed with hope, reminded me of the feather-hunter. At first he +endeavoured, by forced smiles, to conceal his rage and disappointment. +He then bit his lips with vexation, and challenged one of the bystanders +to play for a smaller stake. Fortune seemed about to smile on him on +this occasion; but one of the company, who appeared to be very much +respected by the rest, detected the little man in some false play, and +publicly exposing him, broke up the game. I understood afterwards, that +before the fair was over, the gamester avenged himself for this injury +in the other's blood: that he then returned to the fair, secretly +entered another gambling booth, where he betted so rashly, that he soon +lost not only his patrimonial estate, which was large, but his acquired +wealth, which was much larger. Having lost all his property, and even +his clothes, he then staked and lost his liberty, and even his teeth, +which were very good; and he will thus be compelled to live on soups for +the rest of his life. + +I saw several other matches played, in which great sums were betted, +great skill was exhibited, and occasionally much unfairness practised. +There was one man in the crowd, whose extraordinary good fortune I could +not but admire. He went about from table to table, sometimes betting +high and sometimes low, but was generally successful, until he had won +as much as he could fairly carry; after which he went out, and amused +himself at a puppet-show, and the stall of a cake-woman, with whom he +had formerly quarrelled, but who now, when she learnt his success, was +obsequiously civil to him. I did not see that he manifested superior +skill, but still he was successful; and in his last great stake with a +young, but not inexpert player, he won the game, though the chances were +three to two against him. "Surely," thought I, "fortune rules the +destinies of man in the moon as well as on the earth." + +On looking now at my watch, I found that I had been longer a witness of +these trials of skill and fortune, than I had been aware; and on leaving +the booth, perceived that the sun had sunk behind the western mountains, +and that the earth began to beam with her nocturnal splendour. Those who +had come from a distance, were already hurrying back with their carts; +and here and there light cars, of various forms and colours, and drawn +by dogs, were conveying those away whose object had been amusement. Some +were snatching a hasty meal; and a few, by their quiet air, seemed as if +they meant to continue on the spot as long as the regulations permit, +after sunset, which is about twenty of our hours. I found the Brahmin at +home when I returned, and I felt as much pleased to see him, as if we +had not seen each other for many months. + +As the shades of night approached, my anxiety to return to my native +planet increased, and I urged my friend to lose no time in preparing for +our departure. We were soon afterwards informed that a man high in +office, and renowned for his political sagacity, proposed to detain us, +on the ground that when such voyages as ours were shown to be +practicable, the inhabitants of the earth, who were so much more +numerous than those of the moon, might invade the latter with a large +army, for the purposes of rapine and conquest. We farther learnt that +this opinion, which was at first cautiously circulated in the higher +circles, had become more generally known, and was producing a strong +sensation among the people. + +The Brahmin immediately presented himself before the council of state, +to remove the impression. He pointed out to them the insurmountable +obstacles to such an invasion, physical and moral. He urged to them that +the nations of the earth felt so much jealousy and ill-will towards one +another, that they never cordially co-operated in any enterprise for +their common interest or glory; and that if any one nation were to send +an army into the moon, such a scheme of ambition would afford at once a +temptation and pretext for its neighbours to invade it. That his country +had not the ability, and mine had not the inclination, to attack the +liberties of any other: so far from that, he informed them, on my +authority, that we were in the habit of sending teachers abroad, to +instruct other nations in the duties of religion, morals, and humanity. +He entered into some calculations, to show that the project was also +impracticable on account of its expense; and, lastly, insisted that if +all other difficulties were removed, we should find it impossible to +convince the people of the earth that we had really been to the moon. I +have since found that the Brahmin was more right in his last argument, +than I then believed possible. + +I am not able to say what effect these representations of the Brahmin +would have produced, if they had not been taken up and enforced by the +political rival of him who had first opposed our departure; but by his +powerful aid they finally triumphed, and we obtained a formal permission +to leave the moon whenever, we thought proper. + +As we meant to return in the same machine in which we came, we were not +long in preparing for our voyage. We proposed to set out about the +middle of the night; and we passed the chief part of the interval in +making visits of ceremony, and in calling on those who had shown us +civility. I endeavoured also, to collect such articles as I thought +would be most curious and rare in my own country, and most likely to +produce conviction with those who might be disposed to question the fact +of my voyage. I was obliged, however, to limit myself to such things as +were neither bulky nor weighty, the Brahmin thinking that after we had +taken in our instruments and the necessary provisions, we could not +safely take more than twenty or thirty pounds in addition. + +Some of my lunar curiosities, which I thought would be most new and +interesting to my countrymen, have proved to be very familiar to our men +of science. This has been most remarkably the case with my mineral +specimens. Of the leaves and flowers of above seventy plants, which I +brought, more than forty are found on the earth, and several of these +grow in my native State. With the insects I have been more successful; +but some of these, as well as of the plants, I am assured, are found on +the coasts of the Pacific, or in the islands of that ocean; which fact, +by the way, gives a farther support to the Brahmin's hypothesis. + +Besides the productions of nature that I have mentioned, I procured some +specimens of their cloth, a few light toys, a lady's turban decorated +with cantharides, a pair of slippers with heavy metallic soles, which +are used there for walking in a strong wind, and by the dancing girls to +prevent their jumping too high. As this metal, which gravitates to the +moon, is repelled from the earth, these slippers assist the wearer here +in springing from the ground as much as they impeded it in the moon, and +therefore I have lent them to Madame ----, of the New-York Theatre, who +is thus enabled to astonish and delight the spectators with her +wonderful lightness and agility. + +But there is nothing that I have brought which I prize so highly as a +few of their manuscripts. The Lunarians write as we do, from left to +right; but when their words consist of more than one syllable, all the +subsequent syllables are put over the first, so that what we call _long +words_, they call _high_ ones: which mode of writing makes them more +striking to the eye. This peculiarity has, perhaps, had some effect in +giving their writers a magniloquence of style, something like that which +so laudably characterises our Fourth of July Orations and Funeral +Panegyrics: that composition being thought the finest in which the words +stand highest. Another advantage of this mode of writing is, that they +can crowd more in a small page, so that a long discourse, if it is also +very eloquent, may be compressed in a single page. I have left some of +the manuscripts with the publisher of this work, for the gratification +of the public curiosity. + +Having taken either respectful or affectionate leave of all, and got +every thing in readiness, on the 20th day of August, 1825, about +midnight we again entered our copper balloon, if I may so speak, and +rose from the moon with the same velocity as we had formerly ascended +from the earth. Though I experienced somewhat of my former sensations, +when I again found myself off the solid ground, yet I soon regained my +self-possession; and, animated with the hope of seeing my children and +country, with the past success of our voyage, and (I will not disguise +it,) with the distinction which I expected it would procure me from my +countrymen, I was in excellent spirits. The Brahmin exhibited the same +mild equanimity as ever. + +As the course of our ascent was now less inclined from the vertical line +than before, in proportion as the motion of the moon on its axis, is +slower than that of the earth, we for some hours could see the former, +only by the light reflected from our planet; and although the objects on +the moon's surface were less distinct, they appeared yet more beautiful +in my eyes than they had done in the glare of day. The difference, +however, may be in part attributed to my being now in a better frame of +mind for enjoying the scene. As our distance increased, the face of the +moon became of a lighter and more uniform tint, until at length it +looked like one vast lake of melted silver, with here and there small +pieces of greyish dross floating on it. After contemplating this lovely +and magnificent spectacle for about an hour, I turned to the Brahmin, +and reminded him of his former promise to give me the history of his +early life. He replied, "as you have seen all that you can see of the +moon, and the objects of the earth are yet too indistinct to excite much +interest, I am not likely to have a more suitable occasion;" and after a +short pause, he began in the way that the reader may see in the +next chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +_The Brahmin gives Atterley a history of his life._ + + +"I have already informed you that I was born at Benares, which, as you +know, is a populous city on the banks of the Ganges, and the most +celebrated seat of Hindoo science and literature. My father was a priest +of Vishun, of a high rank; and as his functions required him to live +within the precincts of the Pagoda, he was liberally maintained out of +its ample revenues. I was his only son, and according to the usage of +our country, was destined to the same holy calling. At an early age I +was put under a private tutor, and then sent to one of the schools +attached to the Pagoda. Upon what little matters, my dear Atterley, do +our fortunes, and even our characters depend! Had I been sent to another +school, the whole destiny of my life would have been changed. + +"I was in my twelfth year when I entered this school, which contained +from thirty to forty boys about my age. The cleverest of these was Balty +Mahu, who, like myself, belonged to the higher order of Brahmins. He +took the lead, not only in the exercises within the school, but in all +the sports and pastimes out of it. Nature, however, had not been equally +kind to him in temper and disposition. He was restless, ambitious, +proud, vindictive, and implacable. He could occasionally, too, practise +cunning and deception; although anger and violence were more congenial +to his nature. + +"It soon appeared that I was to be his rival in the school, and from +that moment he cordially hated me. The praises that had previously been +lavished on him by the teacher, were now shared by me, and most of the +boys secretly rejoiced to see his proud spirit humbled. In our sports I +was also his successful competitor. Nature had given me an excellent +constitution; and though I had not a very robust frame, I could boast of +great agility and flexibility of limbs. When the sun had descended +behind the mountain which screened our play-ground from his evening +rays, we commonly amused ourselves in foot-races, and other pastimes, of +which running was an important part. In this exercise I had no equal. I +could also jump higher and farther than any boy in school, except one, +and that one was not Balty Mahu. + +"His ill-will was not slow in manifesting itself. He took every occasion +of contradicting me: sometimes indulged in sly sneers at my expense, and +now and then even attempted to turn me into open ridicule. I always +replied with spirit; but I found such contests as disagreeable to me as +they were new. One evening, under the pretext that I had purposely +jostled him in running, he struck me, and we fought. Although he was +probably stronger than I, as he was heavier and older, my suppleness +enabled me to get the better of him in a wrestle; and I got him under +me, when the master, attracted by the shouts of the boys, made his +appearance. He separated and reproved us, and sent us off in disgrace to +our respective rooms. From that time Balty Mahu treated me with more +outward respect than before; but I believe he hated me with more rancour +than ever. + +"I had now become the general favourite of the boys. The school was, +indeed, divided into parties, but mine was much the strongest; and of +those who adhered to my rival, very few seemed cordially to dislike me. +Though this state of things was very annoying to me, it proved +advantageous in one respect, as it made me more diligent in my studies, +lest I should furnish my rival with an occasion of triumphing ever me; +so that I owe a part of what I gained to the enmity of my rival. + +"When I had reached my sixteenth year, I was removed to the college in +Benares. This is commonly a very interesting event in the life of a +youth, as it reminds him that he is drawing near the period of manhood, +and leaves him more a master of his actions. But on the present occasion +my pleasure had two drawbacks: I could not but feel the contrast between +the warm and confiding attachment of my late school-fellows, and the +coldness and reserve of my new companions. Yet the most disagreeable +circumstance was, that I here met with my former rival, Balty Mahu. He +had entered the college about a month before me, and, aware of my +intention, had spared no pains, as I afterwards learnt, of prejudicing +the students against me. + +"After a few months, however, our relative standing was the same here as +it had been at the school. I gradually overcame the prejudices of the +students, and gained their good will, while he was always giving offence +by his meddlesome disposition and overbearing manners: yet his talents +and force of character always procured him a few followers, whom he +managed as he pleased. Of their aid he made use to gratify his +malevolence towards me, for this feeling had grown with his growth, and +now seemed to be the master passion of his breast. I was able to trace +the result of their machinations every where. Sometimes it was intimated +to the teachers that I had been assisted in my exercises; at others, +that I had infringed the college rules, or had put false reports in +circulation, or had neglected some of the many ceremonies required by +our religion. This was their favourite, as well as the most efficient +mode of attack, as in these respects there was some colour for their +accusation. + +"In my early childhood I had been spared, by the tenderest of mothers, +from many of the ablutions practised by the Hindoos, under the belief +that they would be injurious to my constitution, which, though healthy, +had never been robust. A foundation was thus laid with me for habitual +remissness in these ceremonies; and after I grew up, I persuaded myself +that they were of less importance than they were deemed by my +countrymen. My chief delight had ever been in books; and although, when +engaged in active pursuits, I took a lively interest in them for the +time, I always returned to my first love with unabated ardour. + +"Some of these accusations, being utterly groundless, I was able to +disprove; but the few that were true I endeavoured to excuse, and thus, +by their admission, credit was procured for their most unfounded +calumny. These petty transgressions, (for I cannot even now regard them +as sins,) industriously reported and artfully exaggerated, did me +lasting injury with all the most pious of our caste. The charitable +portion, indeed, were merely estranged from me; but the more bigoted +part began to regard me with aversion and horror. + +"In one of our vacations, my father allowed me to visit a brother of +his, who lived in the country, about thirty miles from Benares. My uncle +had two sons, of nearly my own age, and several daughters. With the +former I rode, played chess, and engaged in such sports as are not +forbidden to my profession; but my female cousins I seldom saw, as they +rarely left their Zenana, into which I was not permitted to enter. I was +of an age to be desirous of becoming better acquainted with my female +cousins, especially after I learnt that they then had as guests, a lady +and her daughter, who had come to pass some weeks here during the +absence of her husband, then employed in some public mission to +Calcutta. But it was only now and then that I had been able to catch a +transient and distant view of these females, during the first week after +my arrival; and the little I saw, served but to increase my curiosity. +Chance, however, soon afforded me the means of gratifying it. + +"An important festival in our calendar was now approaching, and +preparations were made to celebrate it in various modes, and, amongst +others, by a fight between a _royal_ tiger and an elephant. For several +days all was bustle and confusion in my uncle's family. Howdahs, newly +gilded and painted, were provided for the elephants--new caparisons for +the horses--new liveries for the attendants--cloth and silk, of the +richest dyes and hues, united with a profusion of gold and silver +ornaments, to dazzle the eye with their varied splendour. This was one +of those exhibitions, which those who were intended for the priesthood, +were prohibited from attending. I confess, when I witnessed these showy +and costly preparations, and pictured to myself the magnificent scene +for which they were intended--those formidable animals contending in +mortal conflict--the thousands of gaily dressed spectators, gazing in +breathless anxiety,--I repined at my lot, and regretted I had not been +born in a condition which, though of less dignity, would not have cut me +off from some of the most exquisite pleasures of life. At length the +important day arrived, and I found my mortification so acute, that I +determined to withdraw myself, as much as I could, from a scene that I +could not witness without pain. Among my acquirements at college, was a +knowledge of your language; and I had now begun to take the liveliest +interest in its beautiful fictions, which I greatly preferred to ours, +as being more true to nature, and as exhibiting women in characters at +once lovely, pure, and elevated. I was then reading "The Vicar of +Wakefield," and had reached the middle of that interesting tale, on the +morning of the festival, when my tranquillity was interrupted in the way +I have mentioned. Accordingly, taking my book and English dictionary, I +retired to a small summer-house at the foot of the garden, and +determined to remain there till the cavalcade had set out. It was some +time before I could fix my attention on what I read; but after a while, +the interest the book had previously excited returned, and I became at +length so engrossed by the incidents of the story, as to forget the +festival, the procession, the tiger, and the elephant, as much as if +they had never before entered my head. + +"After some hours passed in this intellectual banquet, I waked from my +day dream, and I thought again of the spectacle with a feeling bordering +on indifference. I walked towards the house, where all appeared to be +still and silent as a desert. I entered it, and of the forty or fifty +menials belonging to it, not one was to be seen. Those who were not in +attendance on the family, had sought some respite from their ordinary +labours. The Zenana then caught my eye, and I felt irresistibly impelled +to enter it. I used great caution, however, looking around me in every +direction as I proceeded there. I found the same silence and desertion +as in the other parts of the mansion. I passed through a sitting-room +into a long gallery, with which the bed-chambers of the ladies +communicated. The doors were all open, and the whole interior of their +apartments exhibited so strange a medley of unseemly objects, and such +utter disorder, as materially to affect my opinion of female delicacy, +and to damp my desire of becoming acquainted with my cousins. I passed +on, with a feeling of disappointment bordering on disgust, when I came +to a room which went far to redeem the character of the sex in my +estimation. Here all was neatness and propriety: every thing was either +in place, or only enough out of it to indicate the recent occupation of +the room, or to show the taste or talent of the occupant; such as a book +left half open at one end of an ottoman, and a piece of embroidery at +the other. The flowers too, which decorated the room, showed by their +freshness that they had not long left their beds. I could not help +stopping to survey a scene which accorded so well with my previous +notions of female refinement. At the end of the gallery was a veranda, +facing the east, and surrounded by lattices. In this were a number of +flower-pots, arranged with the same air of neatness and taste as had +been conspicuous in the chamber. I entered it, for the purpose of +looking into the flower-garden, with which it communicated; and on +approaching the lattice, I saw, seated in an alcove not far from the +veranda, a face and form that struck me as being the most beautiful I +had ever beheld. I remained for some time riveted to the spot, but soon +found myself irresistibly impelled to get a nearer view of the lovely +object. With as light a step and as little noise as possible, I +descended into the garden from the veranda, and approaching the alcove +on the side where its foliage was thickest, I found that the beauty, of +which I had before thought so highly, did not appear less on a closer +survey. The vision on which I gazed in silent rapture, a maiden, who, +though she had apparently attained her full stature, did not seem to be +more than thirteen or fourteen years of age. Her eyes had the brightness +and fulness of the antelope's, but, owing to their long silken lashes, +were yet more expressive of softness than of spirit; and at this time +they evinced more than usual languor. She was in a rich undress, and was +apparently an invalid. Her long raven locks hung with careless grace, +partly behind, and partly over, a neck that might have served as a model +for the sculptor. She was looking wistfully on a bunch of flowers in her +hand, which I felt pleasure in recognising to be the same I had seen on +the piece of embroidery. I feared to advance, lest I should give +offence; but I felt also unable to retreat. I fancied I saw one of those +lovely and dignified females which the writers in your language describe +so well. But a sudden movement of the fair damsel to get up, bringing me +full in her view, she started back with alarm and surprise, and in a +moment afterwards her cheek, which had been before pale, almost to +European whiteness, was deeply suffused. I respectfully approached her, +and inquired if she was one of my cousins. She answered in the negative; +said she was on a visit to the family, to whom she was related: added +that she had not expected to see any one in the garden; but this was +said as if she meant rather to apologise for her undress, than to +reproach me for my intrusion. These remarks were uttered with a +propriety and sweetness that won upon me yet more than her beauty. I +then, in return, assured her that I had not supposed any of the family +had remained at home, when I strolled to this part of the mansion. I +begged she would not regard me with the formality of a stranger; and +insisted that, as she was the cousin of my relation, she was also mine. +To this ingenious argument she answered with so much good sense, and at +the same time, so much gentleness and artlessness, that I thought I +could have listened to her for ever. While I spoke, she continued to +move on. I entreated to know if she was satisfied with my apology; +repeated that I had not meant to intrude on her privacy. She mildly +replied that she was. I then asked permission to call her cousin. She +said she should not object, if it would gave me pleasure. It was, my +dear Atterley, her ineffable sweetness of disposition, and of manners so +entirely free from pride, coquetry, or affectation, in which this lovely +creature excelled all other women, yet more than in beauty and grace. I +then inquired when I should again see my lovely cousin. She replied, "I +walk in the great garden sometimes with my companions, when their +brothers are away; but the girls will not think it proper to walk when +you are there." Perceiving that I looked chagrined, she added: "It is +said, you know, that the light from mens' eyes is yet worse for womens' +faces than the light of the sun;" and she blushed as if she had said +something wrong. I stammered out I know not what extravagant compliment +in reply, and entreated that I might have an opportunity of seeing and +conversing with her sometimes: to which she promptly answered that she +should not object, if her mother approved it. I inquired why she had not +attended the exhibition; when I learnt from her, that, as she had been +slightly indisposed the day before, and her mother being unwilling she +should expose herself to the heat of the weather and the crowd, she had +been left under the care of her nurse; but that finding herself better, +she had permitted her attendants to walk over the grounds, while she +amused herself in embroidery; and that she had come into the garden to +get a fresh supply of the flowers she was working. + +"She had by this time approached a small gate, which communicated with +the apartments on the ground-floor of the Zenana; when, turning to me, +she said, "You can return the way you came, but I must leave you here;" +and, making a slight bow, she sprung like a young fawn through the gate, +and was out of sight in a moment. + +"You may wonder, my dear Atterley, that I should remember all these +minute circumstances, after the lapse of more than forty years; but +every incident of that day is as fresh in my memory as the occurrence of +yesterday. To this single green spot in my existence, my mind is never +tired of returning. + +"I continued for some time in a sort of dreaming ecstasy; but as soon as +I collected my thoughts, I began to devise some scheme by which I could +again have the happiness of seeing and conversing with the lovely +Veenah. My brain had before that time teemed with ambitious projects of +distinguishing myself; sometimes as a priest--sometimes as a writer; and +occasionally I thought I would bend all my efforts to rouse my +countrymen to throw off the ignominious yoke of Great Britain. But this +short interview had changed the whole current of my thoughts. I had now +a new set of feelings, opinions, and wishes. My mind dwelt solely upon +the pleasures of domestic life--the surpassing bliss of loving and of +being beloved. + +"When the cavalcade returned in the evening, its gaudy magnificence, +which I would not permit myself even to see in the morning, I now +regarded with cold indifference; nay, more, I congratulated myself on +having missed the exhibition, though a few hours before I had deemed +this privation one of the misfortunes of my life. + +"The next day I went to the garden betimes; and as it communicated with +the shrubbery and grounds attached to the Zenana, and the males of the +family occasionally entered it when the ladies were not present, I +prevailed on the gardener to grant me admission, under the pretext of +gathering some uncommonly fine mangoes, which were then ripe. I went to +the several spots where I had first seen Veenah--where I had conversed +with her--where I had parted from her; and they each had some secret and +indescribable charm for me. I fear, Atterley, I fatigue you. The +feelings of which I speak, are fully known only to the natives of warm +climates, and to those but once in their lives." + +I assured him that he was mistaken; that the emotions he described, were +the same in all countries, and at all times, and begged him to proceed. + +"I repeated my visit," he continued, "several times the same day, under +any pretext I could invent--to gather an orange, or other fruit--to +pluck a rose--to frighten away mischievous birds--to catch the +unobstructed breeze, or sit in a cooler shade; in which artifices I +played a part that had before been foreign to my nature. I was +disappointed, however, in my wishes. I thought, indeed, I once saw some +one in the veranda, looking through the lattice into the garden, but the +figure soon disappeared. + +"On the following day I had the satisfaction to hear my young companions +propose to go on a fishing party, an amusement in which, by the rules of +my caste, I was not allowed to partake. They had scarcely left the house +before I flew to the garden with a book in my hand, and passing as +before to the shrubbery, I buried myself in a close thicket at one end +of it. I remained there from the morning till late in the afternoon, +without refreshment of any kind; and such was the intensity of my +emotion, that I did not feel the want of it. At length, a little before +sunset, I saw Veenah and her three cousins enter the garden. I soon +contrived to show myself, with my book in my hand. I approached, bowed +to them all, but to Veenah last; and although my cousins showed surprise +at seeing me in their garden, at this time, they did not seem +displeased. I felt very desirous, I could not tell why, to conceal my +feelings from every person except her who was the object of them. I +forced a conversation with my two eldest cousins, who were modest +pleasing girls, and then with an embarrassed air addressed a few words +to Veenah and her companion, the youngest of my cousins. Occasionally I +would stray off from them as if I was about to leave them, and then +suddenly return. In one of these movements, I perceived that Veenah and +her associate had separated from the others, and strolled to a distant +part of the garden. I soon joined them as if it were by accident, +entered into conversation with them alternately, and of course only one +half of that which I either heard or said proceeded from the heart or +found its way thither. I know not if Veenah expected to see me, but she +was dressed with unusual care. We had not been conversing many minutes +before the eldest sister beckoning to them, they bid me good night and +returned to the house. + +"To the same sort of management I had recourse every day, and seldom +failed to see and converse with Veenah, sometimes in company with all +her cousins, but oftener with Fatima, the youngest. By dividing my +attentions among them all, I succeeded for a while in concealing from +them the object of my preference; but the sex are too sharp-sighted to +be long deceived in these matters. As soon as I perceived that my secret +was discovered, I endeavoured to make a friend of Fatima, in which I was +successful. After this our meetings were more frequent, and what was of +greater importance, they were uninterrupted. Fatima, who was one of the +most generous and amiable girls in the world, would often take Veenah +out to walk, when her sisters were otherwise engaged; at which times she +was perpetually contriving, under some little pretext, to leave us +alone. We were not long in understanding each other; and when I urged +our early marriage, she ingenuously replied, that I had her consent +whenever I had her father's, and that she hoped I could obtain that; but +added, (and she trembled while she spoke) she did not know his views +respecting her. In the first raptures of requited affection, what lover +thinks of difficulties? In obtaining Veenah's heart I believed that all +mine were at an end, and my time was passed in one dream of unmixed +delight. Oh! what happiness I enjoyed in these interviews--in seeing +Veenah--in gazing on her lovely features--in listening to her +sentiments, that were sometimes gay and thoughtless, sometimes serious +and melancholy, but always tender and affectionate,--and now and then, +when not perceived, in venturing to take her hand. These fleeting joys +are ever recurring to my imagination, to show me what my lot might have +been, and to contrast it with its sad reverse! + +"The time now approached for Veenah and her mother to return to Benares. +On the evening before they set out, Fatima contrived for us a longer +interview than usual. It was as melancholy as it was tender. But in the +midst of my grief, at the prospect of our separation, I recollected that +we were soon to meet again in the city; while Veenah's tears, for she +did not attempt to disguise or suppress her feelings, seemed already to +forebode that our happiness was here to terminate. + +"When about to part, we exchanged amaranths I took her hand to bid her +adieu, and, without seeming to intend it, our lips met, and the first +kiss of love was moistened with a tear. Pardon me, Atterley, nature will +have her way."--And here the venerable man wept aloud. + +I availed myself of this interruption to the narrative, to propose to my +venerable friend to take some refreshment. Having partaken of a frugal +repast, and invigorated ourselves, each with about four hours sleep, the +Brahmin thus resumed his story. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +_The Brahmin's story continued--The voyage concluded--Atterley and the +Brahmin separate--Atterley arrives in New--York._ + + +"I was not slow to follow Veenah to the city, and as had been agreed +upon, had to ask the consent of her father to our union, as soon as I +had obtained the approbation of my own. Here I met with a difficulty +which I had not expected. My partial father had formed very high hopes +of my future advancement, and thought that an early marriage, though not +incompatible with my profession, or a successful discharge of its +duties, would put an end to my ambition, or at all events, lessen my +exertions. He first urged me to postpone my wishes, till I had completed +my college course, and had by travelling seen something of the world. +But finding me immoveable on this point, he then suggested that I might +meet with serious obstacles from Veenah's father, whom he represented as +remarkable both for his avarice and his bigotry; that consequently he +was likely to dispose of his daughter to the son-in-law who could pay +most liberally for her; and that the imputations which had been cast on +my religious creed, would reach his ears, if they had not already done +so, and be sure to prejudice him against me. + +"These last considerations prevailed on me to defer my application to +Shunah Shoo, until the suspicions regarding my faith had either died +away, or been falsified by my scrupulous observance of all religious +duties. My excellent mother, who at first had entered into my feelings +and seconded my views, readily acquiesced in the good sense of my +father's advice. + +"My next object was to communicate this to Veenah. I accordingly sat +down, and wrote a full account of all that had occurred, and folding up +the packet, hurried to the opposite quarter of the town where Shunah +Shoo lived. It was then in the dusk of the evening, and I was fearful it +was too late for me to be recognised; but after I had taken two or three +turns in the street, I saw the white amaranth I had given Veenah, +suspended by a thread from the lattice of an upper window. I immediately +held up the packet, and soon afterwards a cord was let down from the +same lattice to the ground. To this I hastily fastened the paper, and +passed on to avoid observation. The next evening you may be sure I was +at the same spot. The little amaranth again announced that I was +recognised; and as soon as we were satisfied that no one was observing +us, the cord let down one letter and took up another. Veenah's pen had +given an expression to her feelings, that her tongue had never ventured +to do before. She moreover commended my course--besought me to be +prudent--and above all, to do nothing to offend her father. + +"The first letter which a lover receives from his mistress, is a new era +in his life. Again and again I kissed the precious paper, and almost +wore it out in my bosom. We afterwards improved in this mode of +intercourse, and, by various preconcerted signals, were able to carry on +our correspondence altogether in the night. Not a day passed that we did +not exchange letters, which, though they contained few facts, and always +expressed the same sentiments, still repeated what we were never tired +of hearing. To the moment at which I was to receive a letter from +Veenah, my thoughts were continually and anxiously turned: and it now +seems to me as if our passion was inflamed yet more by this sort of +intercourse, than by our personal interviews. I am convinced it wrought +more powerfully upon our imaginations. In the mean time I continued my +daily attendance at college, though my studies were utterly neglected, +one single object absorbing all my thoughts and feelings. + +"I know not whether the evident change in my habits induced my old +enemy, Balty Mahu, to observe my motions. But so it was, that one +moonlight night I thought I was watched by some person; and on the +following night an individual of the same figure, and whom I now +suspected to be Balty Mahu, came suddenly from a cross street, and +passed near me. A few evenings afterwards, instead of a letter, I +received a scrap of paper from Veenah, on which was written the +following words:-- + +"We are discovered. Balty Mahu, who is my relative and your enemy, has +been here. He has persuaded my father that you are an unbeliever. I am +denied pen and ink. If you cannot convince my father of his error, O! +pity, and try to forget, your unhappy VEENAH." + +"This writing was indistinctly traced with a burnt stick, on a blank +leaf torn out of a book. In the first moment of indignation, I felt +disposed to seek Balty Mahu, the great enemy of my life, and wreak my +vengeance on him for all his persecutions; but the conviction that such +a course would extinguish the last spark of hope, restrained me. I then +determined to see Shunah Shoo, and endeavour to remove his prejudices. I +accordingly called on him at his own house: but after he had heard my +vindication, (to which he evidently gave no credit,) he coolly told me +that he meant to dispose of his daughter in another way. The words fell +like ice upon my heart. I expostulated; and, offensive as was his +haughty air, even had recourse to entreaty. But he, in a yet harsher +manner, told me that he must be permitted to manage his own affairs in +his own way; and added, that he did not wish to be longer prevented from +attending to them. I was compelled to retire, with my heart almost as +full of hatred for the father, as of love for the child. + +"On the same night, I again betook myself to the street in which Shunah +Shoo lived, but not by the ordinary route. I cautiously approached his +house. All was stillness and quiet: no light appeared to be burning in +Veenah's room, nor indeed in any other part of the house. I hence +concluded that they had now deprived her of light, as well as of pen and +ink. I continued in the street until near morning, straining my eyes and +ears in the hope of catching something that would give me intelligence +concerning her. Often, in the course of that painful suspense, did I +fancy I heard a noise at the lattice in Veenah's apartment, or in some +other part of the mansion; and once I persuaded myself I saw a light: +but these illusions served only to aggravate my disappointment. The next +morning, before I had left my room, my father informed me that Shunah +Shoo, with his family, had left Benares early the preceding evening; but +whither they had gone, he had not learnt. + +"I rose, and immediately set about discovering their course; but all I +could learn was, that they had embarked in one of the passage-boats +which ply on the Ganges, and that Shunah had taken his palanquins and +many of his servants with him: and, as Balty Mahu had suddenly absented +himself from college at the same time, I did not doubt that he had aided +in executing the plan which he had also probably formed. My father, who +saw what I suffered, spared no pains to discover the place of their +retreat; but our endeavours were all ineffectual. + +"At the end of three months, in which time my anxiety increased rather +than diminished, the mystery was dispelled. It was now trumpeted through +the city, that Shunah Shoo had returned to Benares in great pomp, +accompanied by a wealthy Omrah of a neighbouring district, to whom he +had given, or rather sold, his daughter. The news came upon me like a +clap of thunder. My previous state of suspense was happiness compared +with what I now felt, when I knew she was in the arms of another. In the +first transports of my grief and rage, I could have freely put to death +the father, daughter, husband, and myself. I was particularly desirous +of seeing Veenah, and venting on her the bitterest reproaches. Unjust +that I was! Her sufferings were not inferior to mine; but she had not, +like me, the privilege of making them known. I soon found that +Hircarrahs, in the pay of Balty Mahu, watched all my motions; and if I +had attempted any scheme of vengeance, its execution would have been +impracticable. + +"After my first transports had subsided into deep and settled grief, my +love and tenderness for Veenah returned in full force. I endeavoured to +get a sight of her, and thought I should be comparatively happy if I +could converse with her, as formerly, though she was the wife of +another. After a short time, my uncle's family came to Benares, on a +visit to my father and to Shunah Shoo. By the aid of my indulgent +mother, who was seriously alarmed for what she saw I suffered, I was +able to see Fatima, and to make her the bearer of a letter to Veenah, +complaining of her breach of faith, and soliciting an interview. She +verbally replied to it through Fatima; and stated, in her justification, +that she was hurried from Benares to a town on the river, whence she was +rapidly transported to the castle of Omrah, who had not long before lost +his wife, and who was more than four times her age. That notwithstanding +the notions of filial obedience in which she had been brought up, and +the severity with which her father had ever exercised his authority, she +had resisted his commands on this occasion, and would have preferred +death to marrying the Omrah--nay, would have inflicted it on herself; +but that finding her unyielding after all their exertions, they had +effected their purpose by a deception which they had practised on her, +wherein it seemed that I had unconsciously concurred; for, by means of +an intercepted letter of mine to Fatima, in which, hopeless of learning +the place of Veenah's retreat, I had expressed an intention of visiting +England; and, by the farther aid of some dexterous forgeries, calculated +to impose on more experienced minds than hers, they succeeded in +persuading her that I had actually set out for Europe, with an intention +of never returning. That entertaining no doubt of this intelligence +--hopeless of ever seeing me again, and indifferent to every +thing besides, she had been led an unresisting victim to the altar. + +"Such was the vindication which she considered it just to make me. But +all the entreaties of Fatima--all my letters, impassioned as they were, +appealing at once to her generosity, humanity, and love,--could not +prevail on her to grant me an interview. + +"'Tell him,' said she, 'that heaven has forbid it, and to its decrees we +are bound to submit. I am now the wife of another, and it is our duty to +forget all that is past. But if this be possible, my heart tells me it +can be only by our never meeting!' + +"In saying this, she wept bitterly; but at the same time exacted a +promise from Fatima, that she would never mention the subject to her +again. Finding her thus inexorable, I fell into a settled melancholy, +and my health was visibly declining. The Europeans consider the natives +of Hindostan to be feeble and effeminate; but the soul, that which +distinguishes man from brutes, acts with an intensity and constancy of +purpose of which they can furnish no examples. + +"How long I could have withstood the corrosive effects of my hopeless +passion, irritated as it was by my being in the vicinity of its +object--by hearing perpetually of her beauty, and sometimes catching a +glimpse of it,--I know not; but the Omrah, after a few months spent with +his father-in-law, returned with his bride to his castle in the country. +Yielding now to the wishes of my anxious parents, I consented to travel. +I was at first benefited by the exercise and change of scene; but after +a while, my melancholy returned, and my health grew worse. Though +indifferent to life itself, and all that it now promised, I exerted +myself for the sake of my parents, especially of my mother, who suffered +so acutely on my account: but I carried a barbed arrow in my heart, and +the greater the efforts to extract it, the more they rankled the wound. + +"After spending more than a year in travelling, first through the +mountainous district of our country, and then along the coast, and +finding no change for the better, I determined to try the effect of a +sea voyage. I accordingly embarked at Calcutta, in a coasting vessel +that was bound to Madras. At this time I had wasted away to a mere +skeleton, and no one who saw me, believed I could live a month. Such, +indeed, were my own impressions. In the letter which I wrote to my +parents, I endeavoured to prepare them for the worst. When, after a long +voyage, we reached Madras, my health was evidently improved; but a piece +of intelligence I here received, had perhaps a still greater effect I +learnt that Balty Mahu, who had kept himself concealed from me before I +left Benares, had lately visited Madras, on a travelling tour. This news +operated on me like a charm. The idea of avenging myself on the author +of all my calamities, infused new life into my exhausted frame, and from +the moment that I determined to pursue him, I felt like another man. + +"You must not, however, suppose that I even then entertained the purpose +of taking away my enemy's life. No, I could not bring my mind exactly to +that; but I had a vague, undefined hope, that if we met, some new +provocation on his part would afford me just occasion for avenging +myself on all; so ingenious, my dear friend, is the sophistry of +the passions. + +"I lost no time in setting out on the track of Balty Mahu, and, ere many +days, overtook him at a small town which he had left just as I entered +it, but not before he had received, through his servant, notice of my +arrival. My wary enemy, who had little expected to see me here, and who +had travelled as much to keep out of my way as to see the country, +conjectured my purpose, from the consciousness of what he had done to +provoke it. Thus, while we both appeared to others to be merely making a +tour of Hindostan, it was soon known to both of us, that my chief +purpose was to pursue him, and his to elude my pursuit. In the ardour, +as well as exercise of the chase, my health mended rapidly, but I was no +nearer the object of my pursuit; for, although I travelled somewhat +faster than Bally Mahu, as he wished to avoid the appearance of flying +from me, he sometimes contrived to put me on a wrong track. In this way +I was once led to travel towards the coast, while he proceeded in an +opposite direction to Benares, where he considered he would be most safe +from my vengeance, and where the restraints both of religion and law +would be more likely to operate on me than in a foreign district. + +"My usual practice, on arriving at any town, was to endeavour to learn +if Balty Mahu had passed through it; if so, when and in what direction; +and to get the information, if possible, without seeming to seek it. On +one of these occasions, I heard from a party of merchants that the Omrah +Addaway, whose health had been declining for some time, had gone to +Benares, for the benefit of medical advice; that his disease, however, +had become more serious; and that it was generally thought it would soon +occasion his death. What a train of new thoughts, hopes, and desires, +did this intelligence excite in me! At first, influenced by the custom +of my country, which prohibits widows from marrying again, I thought +only of the pleasure of Veenah's society, which I should, of course, be +permitted to enjoy, when duty no longer forbade it; but my imagination +kindling in its course, I soon pictured her to myself as my wife. The +usages which stood in the way of our union, appeared to me barbarous and +absurd, and I thought that, banishment from my country, with Veenah, +would be infinitely better than any other condition of life without her. +These new-born visions so entirely absorbed me, that Balty Mahu was +entirely forgotten, or remembered only as we think of an insect which +had stung us an hour before. I travelled on at a yet more rapid rate +than I had done; and, without stopping on the road to make inquiries, I +heard enough to satisfy me that the Omrah could not long survive. When +within something more than ten leagues of Benares, I called, about +twilight, at a small inn, and meant, after refreshing myself with a few +hours' rest, to proceed on my journey. Two travellers were there, who +had just left Benares, and had taken up their quarters for the night. +They soon fell into conversation about the place they had left, when the +mention of Shunah Shoo's name excited my attention. + +"'What a shame,' said one, 'that he should have sacrificed that +beautiful young creature to the rich old Omrah, when she had so good an +offer as Gurameer, the Brahmin Gafawad's only son.' + +"'And is it not strange,' said the other, 'that a woman so young and +beautiful, should be content to follow to the grave one who is old +enough to be her grandfather, and whom she once loathed? But I suppose +that that old miser, Shunah Shoo, is at the bottom of it; and, as he +deprived her of the man she loved, he has compelled her to sacrifice +herself to the one she hates, that he may have her jewels and wealth.' + +"'For that matter,' said the first, 'though Shunah Shoo is bad enough +for any thing where money is in the way, yet it is said that Veenah goes +to the funeral pile of her own accord. She has never seemed to set any +value on life since her marriage; and after she heard of Gurameer's +death, she has never been seen to smile. Poor young man!'--And here they +launched out into a strain of panegyric, which is often bestowed on the +dead; but I heeded only the first part of their discourse. Had it not +been nearly dark, they must have discovered the force of the feelings +which then agitated me. I trembled from head to foot, and, though +burning with impatience to obtain from them farther particulars, it was +some moments before I could trust myself to speak. At length I asked +them when the Suttee would take place; and was answered by one of them, +that it would certainly be performed on the following day; and that he +had seen the funeral pile himself. Without any farther delay, I set out +immediately for the city, and reached it in as short a time as a jaded +horse could carry me. + +"I came in sight of Benares the next morning, from a hill which +overlooks it from the east. The sun was just rising, and pouring a flood +of light ever the city, the river, and the surrounding country. Never +was contrast greater than between my present feelings, and those which +the same spectacle had formerly excited. I now sickened at the prospect, +which once would have set my heart bounding with joy. I pressed on in +desperate haste, scarcely, however, knowing what I did, being at once +overpowered with fatigue, loss of sleep, and harassing emotions. I still +had to travel a circuitous course of some two or three miles; and when I +reached the city, its crowded population was already in motion: a great +multitude of women, of the lower order, with alarm and expectation +strongly depicted in their faces, were to be seen mingling in the crowd, +and pressing on in the same direction. I would have proceeded +immediately to my father's house, but for the fear of being too late. +Alighting, therefore, from my horse, I gave him in charge to my servant, +whom I sent to inform my parents of my arrival, and to request my father +to meet me at the Suttee. I then joined the mixed multitude, which now +thronged the streets. Occupied, as my thoughts were, with the scene I +was about to witness, and with fears for its issue, they were often +interrupted with remarks made in the crowd, in which Veenah's name or +mine were mentioned--some lamenting her cruel fate, others pitying mine; +but all condemning and execrating Shunah Shoo. Fortunately I was not +recognised by any whom I saw. When we reached the spot selected for the +sacrifice, the crowd that had there assembled, was not so great as to +prevent our getting near the funeral pile; but the numbers continued to +augment, until nothing could be seen from the slight eminence on which I +stood, but one dense mass of heads, all looking one way, and expressing +the intense interest they felt. At length a murmur, like that of distant +thunder, ran through the crowd: a passage was, with some difficulty, +effected through the multitude by the officers in attendance, and the +wretched Veenah made her appearance, supported by her own father on one +side, and an uncle on the other--pale enough to be taken for an +European--emaciated indeed, but still retaining the same exquisite beauty +of features and symmetry of form. She moved with the air of one who was +utterly indifferent to the concerns of this world, and to the awful fate +which awaited her. She turned her head on hearing the sound of my voice, +and, seeing me, shrieked out, "He lives! he lives!" but immediately +afterwards fainted in the arms of her supporters: at the same moment I +was forcibly held back by some of the attendants, and a number of the +bystanders rushed in between us, and intercepted my view. I heard my +name now repeated in every direction by the multitude--some calling out +to the priests to desist, and others to proceed. I struggled to +extricate myself, and passion lent me momentary strength; but it was +insufficient. After a short interval, I distinctly heard Veenah +imploring them to spare her. I called to the Brahmins who held her, to +leave her to herself. I endeavoured to rouse the multitude; but they +took the precaution to drown our voices, by the musical instruments +which are used on these occasions. Four of these monsters I saw +profaning the name of religion, by forcibly placing their victim on the +pile, under the show of assisting her to mount it; and there held her +down, beside the dead body of her husband, until, by cords provided for +the purpose, she was prevented from rising. I besought--I threatened--I +raved;--but all thoughts and minds were engrossed by the premature fate +of one so young and beautiful, and I was unheeded. + +"Among the relatives who pressed around the funeral pile, I saw Balty +Mahu; and indignation for a moment got the better of grief. The pile was +now lighted, and in a moment all was hidden in smoke. I sickened at the +sight, and was obliged to turn away. Even then I heard, or thought I +heard, the dying shrieks of the victim, amid the groans and cries, and +the thousand shouts that rent the air! The pile and its contents being +now enveloped in flame, my keepers set me free, when, by an impulse of +frenzy, I rushed' to the pile, to make a last vain effort to rescue +Veenah, or to share her fate; but was stopped by some of the bystanders, +who called my act a profanation. + +"'Yes,' said Balty Mahu, 'he has always been a scoffer of our religion.' +As soon as these words reached my ears, with the quickness of thought I +snatched a cimeter from the hands of one of the guards, and plunged it +in his breast. Of all that happened afterwards, my recollection is very +confused. I was rudely seized, and hurried to prison. My father was +coming to meet me, when he was informed of the fatal deed. I remember +that my coolness, or rather stupor, was in strong contrast with the +violence of his emotion. He accompanied me to prison, and continued with +me that night. + +"It is not easy to take the life of one of my caste in India; and, by +dint of the exertions of my friends, in spite of the influence of Shunah +Shoo, and the family of the Omrah, I was pardoned, on condition of doing +penance, which was, that I should never live in a country in which the +religion of Brahmin prevailed, and should not again look at, or converse +with, any woman for two minutes together. Ere this took place, my +excellent mother, unable to withstand the shocks she had received from +my supposed death, my misfortunes, and my crime, died a martyr to +maternal affection. Wishing to conform to the sentence, and to be as +near my father as I could, I removed to the kingdom of Ava, where, you +know, they are followers of Buddha. Here I continued as long as my +father lived, which was about six years. In this period, time had so +alleviated my grief, that I began to take pleasure in the cultivation of +science, which constituted my chief employment. + +"After my father's death, I indulged a curiosity I had felt in my youth, +of seeing foreign countries; and I visited China, Japan, and England. +During my residence in Asia, I had discovered lunarium ore in the +mountain near Mogaun; and this circumstance, many years afterwards, when +I determined to rest from my labours, induced me to settle in that +mountain, as I have before stated. I have occasionally used the metal to +counterbalance the gravity of a small car, by which I have profited, by +a favourable wind, to indulge the melancholy satisfaction of looking +down on the tombs of my parents, and of the ill-fated Veenah: +approaching the earth near enough, in the night, to see the sacred +spots, but not enough to violate the religious injunctions of my caste; +to avoid which, however, it was sometimes necessary for me to go across +Hindostan to Arabia or Persia, and there wait for a change of wind +before I could return: and it was these excursions which suggested to +the superstitious Burmans that my form had undergone a temporary +transformation. When such have been the woes of my life, you can no +longer think it strange, Atterley, that I delayed their painful recital; +or that, after having endured so much, all common dangers and +misfortunes should appear to me insignificant." + + * * * * * + +The venerable Brahmin here concluded his narrative, and we both remained +thoughtful and silent for some time; he, apparently absorbed in the +recollections of his eventful life; and I, partly in the reflections +awakened by his story, and partly in the intense interest of revisiting +my native earth, and beholding once more all who were dear to me. +Already the extended map beneath us was assuming a distinct and varied +appearance; and the Brahmin, having applied his eye to the telescope, +and made a brief calculation of our progress, considered that +twenty-four hours more, if no accident interrupted us, would end our +voyage; part of which interval I passed in making notes in my journal, +and in contemplating the different sections of our many-peopled globe, +as they presented themselves successively to the eye. It was my wish to +land on the American continent, and, if possible, in the United States. +But the Brahmin put an end to that hope, by reminding me that we should +be attracted towards the Equator, and that we had to choose between +Asia, Africa, and South America; and that our only course would be, to +check the progress of our car over the country of greatest extent, +through which the equinoctial circle might pass. Saying which, he +relapsed into his melancholy silence, and I betook myself once more to +the telescope. With a bosom throbbing with emotion, I saw that we were +descending towards the American continent. When we were about ten or +twelve miles from the earth, the Brahmin arrested the progress of the +car, and we hovered over the broad Atlantic. Looking down on the ocean, +the first object which presented itself to my eye, was a small +one-masted shallop, which was buffeting the waves in a south-westerly +direction. I presumed it was a New England trader, on a voyage to some +part of the Republic of Colombia: and, by way of diverting my friend +from his melancholy reverie, I told him some of the many stories which +are current respecting the enterprise and ingenuity of this portion of +my countrymen, and above all, their adroitness at a bargain. + +"Methinks," says the Brahmin, "you are describing a native of Canton or +Pekin. But," added he, after a short pause, "though to a superficial +observer man appears to put on very different characters, to a +philosopher he is every where the same--for he is every where moulded by +the circumstances in which he is placed. Thus; let him be in a situation +that is propitious to commerce, and the habits of traffic produce in him +shrewdness and address. Trade is carried on chiefly in towns, because it +is there carried on most advantageously. This situation gives the trader +a more intimate knowledge of his species--a more ready insight into +character, and of the modes of operating on it. His chief purpose is to +buy as cheap, and to sell as dear, as he can; and he is often able to +heighten the recommendations or soften the defects of some of the +articles in which he deals, without danger of immediate detection; or, +in other words, his representations have some influence with his +customers. He avails himself of this circumstance, and thus acquires the +habit of lying; but, as he is studious to conceal it, he becomes wary, +ingenious, and cunning. It is thus that the Phenicians, the +Carthagenians, the Dutch, the Chinese, the New-Englanders, and the +modern Greeks, have always been regarded as inclined to petty frauds by +their less commercial neighbours." I mentioned the English nation. + +"If the English," said he, interrupting me, "who are the most commercial +people of modern times, have not acquired the same character, it is +because they are as distinguished for other things as for traffic: they +are not merely a commercial people--they are also agricultural, warlike, +and literary; and thus the natural tendencies of commerce are mutually +counteracted." + +We afterwards descended slowly; the prospect beneath us becoming more +beautiful than my humble pen can hope to describe, or will even attempt +to portray. In a short time after, we were in sight of Venezuela. We met +with the trade-winds, and were carried by them forty or fifty miles +inland, where, with some difficulty, and even danger, we landed. The +Brahmin and myself remained together two days, and parted--he to explore +the Andes, to obtain additional light on the subject of his hypothesis, +and I, on the wings of impatience, to visit once more my long-deserted +family and friends. But before our separation, I assisted my friend in +concealing our aerial vessel, and received a promise from him to visit, +and perhaps spend with me the evening of his life. Of my journey home, +little remains to be said. From the citizens of Colombia, I experienced +kindness and attention, and means of conveyance to Caraccas; where, +embarking on board the brig Juno, captain Withers, I once more set foot +in New York, on the 18th of August, 1826, after an absence of four +years, resolved, for the rest of my life, to travel only in books, and +persuaded, from experience, that the satisfaction which the wanderer +gains from actually beholding the wonders and curiosities of distant +climes, is dearly bought by the sacrifice of all the comforts and +delights of home. + +THE END. + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX + +Anonymous Review of _A Voyage to the Moon_ + +Reprinted from the American Quarterly Review No. 5 (March 1828), 61-88. + +ART. III.--_A Voyage to the Moon: with some account of the Manners +and Customs, Science and Philosophy, of the People of Morosofia and +other Lunarians_: By JOSEPH ATTERLEY. New-York: Elam Bliss, 1827. +12mo. pp. 264. + + +It is somewhat remarkable, that perhaps the _only_ "Voyages to +the Moon," which have been published in the English tongue, should +have been the productions of English bishops:--the first forming a +tract, re-published in the Harleian Miscellany, and said to have been +written by Dr. Francis Goodwin, Bishop of Landaff, (who died in 1633,) +and entitled "_The Man in the Moon, or the discourse of a voyage +thither_, by Domingo Gonsales,"--and the second written in 1638, by +Dr. John Wilkins, Bishop of Chester, under the title of "_The +Discovery of a New World, or a Discourse tending to prove, that 'tis +probable there may be another habitable world in the Moon, with a +discourse concerning the possibility of a passage thither."_ These +two works differ in several essential particulars:--in Dr. Goodwin's, +we have men of enormous stature and prodigious longevity, with a +flying chariot, and some other slight points of resemblance to the +Travels of Gulliver:--whilst Bishop Wilkins's is intended honestly and +scientifically to prove, "that it is possible for some of our +posterity to find out a conveyance to this other world; and, if there +be inhabitants there, (which the Bishop, satisfactorily to himself, +settles,) to have commerce with them!" From the first of these, Swift +has derived many hints in his voyage to Laputa, and improved them into +those humorous and instructive allusions, which have caused the +reputation of the author of the _"Travels of Gulliver"_ to be +extended to every portion of the civilized globe. Since the appearance +of this celebrated satire, no one sufficiently comprehensive to lash +the follies of the age--the _quicquid agunt homines_--has made +its appearance: we have had numerous ephemeral productions, inflicting +severe castigations upon particular vices or absurdities; but the +visionary conceits of the many, constantly promulgated in the +progressive advancement of human knowledge, although legitimate +objects of censure, have not, since the time of Swift, been embodied +into one publication. + +The evident aim of the author of the Satirical Romance before us, is +to fulfil for the present age, what _Swift_ so successfully +accomplished for that which has passed by:--to attack, by the weapons +of ridicule, those votaries of knowledge, who may have sought to avail +themselves of the universal love of novelty amongst mankind, to acquire +celebrity; or who may have been misled by their own ill-regulated +imaginations, to obtrude upon the world their crude and imperfect +theories and systems, to the manifest retardation of knowledge:--an +effect, too, liable to be induced in a direct ratio with the degree +of talent and ingenuity by which their views may have been supported. +Several of these may always be more successfully attacked by ridicule +than by reason; inasmuch as they are, in this way, more likely to become +the subjects of popular animadversion; and many, who could withstand +the serious arguments of their fraternity, cannot placidly endure their +ridicule. Satire has, indeed, often done more service to the cause of +religion and morality than a sermon, since the remedy is agreeable, +whilst it at the same time communicates indignation or fear:-- + + "Of all the ways that wisest men could find, + To mend the age and mortify mankind, + Satire, well writ, has most successful prov'd. + And cures, because the remedy is lov'd." + +To produce, however, the full effect, satire must possess a certain +degree of impartiality, and be levelled in all instances at the vices +or follies, and not at the man. The first sketch of Gulliver's Travels +occurs in the proposed Travels of Martinus Scriblerus, devised in that +pleasing society where most of Swift's miscellanies were planned. Had +the work, however, been executed under the same auspices, it would +probably, as Sir Walter Scott has suggested,[1] "have been occupied by +that personal satire, upon obscure and unworthy contemporaries, to +which Pope was but too much addicted. But when the Dean mused in +solitude over the execution of his plan, it assumed at once a more +grand and a darker complexion. The spirit of indignant hatred and +contempt with which he regarded the mass of humanity; his quiet and +powerful perception of their failings, errors, and crimes; his zeal +for liberty and freedom of thought, tended at once to generalize, +while it embittered, his satire, and to change traits of personal +severity for that deep shade of censure which Gulliver's Travels throw +upon mankind universally." Most of the sentiments which impressed +Swift, seem also to have been felt by the unknown author of the work +before us: it is not, however, free from personal allusions; but they +are all conveyed in so good natured a manner, as to satisfy the reader +that the author has been solicitous to animadvert only on the vices of +the individual; and in no part of the work is there the slightest +evidence of prejudice or venom. + +The pseudo _Joseph Atterley_, the hero of the narrative, was born +in Huntingdon, Long-Island, on the 11th of May, 1786. He was the son +of a seafaring individual, who, by means of the portion he received by +his wife, together with his own earnings, was enabled to quit that +laborious occupation, and to enter into trade; and, after the death of +his father-in-law, by whose will he received a handsome accession to +his property, he sought, in the city of New-York, a theatre better +adapted to his enlarged capital. "He here engaged in foreign trade, +and partaking of the prosperity which then attended American commerce, +gradually extended his business, and finally embarked in the then new +branch of traffic to the East Indies and China; he was now generally +respected both for his wealth and fair dealing; was several years a +director in one of the insurance offices; was president of the society +for relieving the widows and orphans of distressed seamen; and, it is +said, might have been chosen alderman, if he had not refused, on the +ground that he did not think himself qualified." + +Our hero was, at an early age, put to a grammar school of good repute, +in his native village, and, at seventeen, was sent to Princeton, to +prepare himself for some profession; during his third year at that +place, in one of his excursions to Philadelphia, he became enamoured +"with one of those faces and forms, which, in a youth of twenty, to +see, admire, and love, is one and the same thing;" and was united to +the object of his affections, on the anniversary of his twenty-first +year. This event gave him a distaste for serious study; and, long +before this, he had felt a sentiment, bordering on contempt, for +mercantile pursuits; he therefore prevailed upon his father to +purchase him a neat country seat in the vicinity of Huntingdon. Here, +seventeen happy years glided away swiftly and imperceptibly, when +death, by depriving him of the partner of his felicity, prostrated all +his hopes and enjoyments. For the purpose of seeking for that relief +to the feelings, which variety can best afford, he now determined to +make a voyage; and, as one of his father's vessels was about to sail +for Canton, embarked on board of her, and left Sandyhook on the 5th +day of June, 1822. From this period, until the 24th of October, their +voyage was comparatively agreeable; but when off the mouths of the +Ganges, one of those hurricanes, well known to the experienced +navigators of the eastern seas, struck the ship, and rendered her so +leaky, that the captain considered it advisable to make for the +nearest port; the leak, however, increasing rapidly, and finding +themselves off a coast, which the captain, by his charts, pronounced +to be a part of the Burman empire, and in the neighbourhood of Mergui, +on the Martaban coast, they hastily threw their clothes, papers, and +eight casks of silver, into the long-boat; and, before they were fifty +yards from the ship, had the melancholy satisfaction to see her go +down. + + "It was a little after mid-day when we reached the town, which is + perched on a high bluff, overlooking the coasts, and contains about a + thousand houses, built of bamboo, and covered with palm leaves. Our + dress, appearance, language, and the manner of our arrival, excited + great surprise among the natives, and the liveliest curiosity; but + with these sentiments some evidently mingled no very friendly + feelings. The Burmese were then on the eve of a rupture with the East + India Company, a fact which we had not before known; and mistaking us + for English, they supposed, or affected to suppose, that we belonged + to a fleet which was about to invade them, and that our ship had been + sunk before their eyes, by the tutelar divinity of the country. We + were immediately carried before their governor, or chief magistrate, + who ordered our baggage to be searched, and finding that it consisted + principally of silver, he had no doubt of our hostile intentions. He + therefore sent all of us, twenty-two in number, to prison, separating, + however, each one from the rest. My companions were released the + following spring, as I have since learnt, by the invading army of + Great Britain; but it was my ill fortune (if, indeed, after what has + since happened, I can so regard it) to be taken for an officer of high + rank, and to be sent, the third day afterwards, far into the interior, + that I might be more safely kept, and either used as a hostage or + offered for ransom, as circumstances should render advantageous." + +Our hero was transported very rapidly in a palanquin, for thirteen +successive days, when he reached Mozaun, a small village delightfully +situated in the mountainous district between the Irawaddi and Saloon +rivers, where he was placed under the care of an inferior magistrate, +who there exercised the chief authority. By submissive and respectful +behaviour, he succeeded in ingratiating himself so completely with his +keeper, that he was regarded more as one of his family, than as a +prisoner; and was allowed every indulgence, consistently with his safe +custody. It had been one of his favourite recreations, to ascend a +part of the western ridge of mountains, which rose in a cone, about a +mile and a half from the village, for the purpose of enjoying the +enchanting scenery that lay before him, and the evening breeze, which +possesses so delicious a degree of freshness in tropical climates. +Here he became acquainted with a personage, of whom, as he exerted an +important influence over the future conduct of our hero, it is of +consequence that the reader should acquire early information:-- + + "In a deep sequestered nook, formed by two spurs of this mountain, + there lived a venerable Hindoo, whom the people of the village called + the Holy Hermit. The favourable accounts I received of his character, + as well as his odd course of life, made me very desirous of becoming + acquainted with him; and, as he was often visited by the villagers, I + found no difficulty in getting a conductor to his cell. His character + for sanctity, together with a venerable beard, might have discouraged + advances towards an acquaintance, if his lively piercing eye, a + countenance expressive of great mildness and kindness of disposition, + and his courteous manners, had not yet more strongly invited it. He + was indeed not averse to society, though he had seemed thus to fly + from it; and was so great a favourite with his neighbours, that his + cell would have been thronged with visiters, but for the difficulty of + the approach to it. As it was, it was seldom resorted to, except for + the purpose of obtaining his opinion and counsel on all the serious + concerns of his neighbours. He prescribed for the sick, and often + provided the medicine they required--expounded the law--adjusted + disputes--made all their little arithmetical calculations--gave them + moral instruction--and, when he could not afford them relief in their + difficulties, he taught them patience, and gave them consolation. He, + in short, united, for the simple people by whom he was surrounded, the + functions of lawyer, physician, schoolmaster, and divine, and richly + merited the reverential respect in which they held him, as well as + their little presents of eggs, fruit, and garden stuff. + + "From the first evening that I joined the party which I saw clambering + up the path that led to the Hermit's cell, I found myself strongly + attached to this venerable man, and the more so, from the mystery + which hung around his history. It was agreed that he was not a + Burmese. None deemed to know certainly where he was born, or why he + came thither. His own account was, that he had devoted himself to the + service of God, and in his pilgrimage over the east, had selected this + as a spot particularly favourable to the life of quiet and seclusion + he wished to lead. + + "There was one part of his story to which I could scarcely give + credit. It was said that in the twelve or fifteen years he had resided + in this place, he had been occasionally invisible for months together, + and no one could tell why he disappeared, or whither he had gone. At + these times his cell was closed; and although none ventured to force + their way into it, those who were the most prying could hear no sound + indicating that he was within. Various were the conjectures formed on + the subject. Some supposed that he withdrew from the sight of men for + the purpose of more fervent prayer and more holy meditation; others, + that he visited his home, or some other distant country. The more + superstitious believed that he had, by a kind of metempsychosis, taken + a new shape, which, by some magical or supernatural power, he could + assume and put off at pleasure This opinion was perhaps the most + prevalent, as it gained a colour with these simple people, from the + chemical and astronomical instruments he possessed In these he + evidently took great pleasure, and by then means he acquired some of + the knowledge by which he so often excited their admiration. + + "He soon distinguished me from the rest of his visiters, by addressing + questions to me relative to my history and adventures, and I, in turn, + was gratified to have met with one who took an interest in my + concerns, and who alone, of all I had here met with, could either + enter into my feelings or comprehend my opinions. Our conversations + were earned on in English, which he spoke with facility and + correctness We soon found ourselves so much to each other's taste, + that there was seldom an evening that I did not make him a visit, and + pass an hour or two in his company + + "I learned from him that he was born and bred at Benares, in + Hindostan, that he had been intended for the priesthood, and had been + well instructed in the literature of the east That a course of + untoward circumstances, upon which he seemed unwilling to dwell, had + changed his destination, and made him a wanderer on the face of the + earth That in the neighbouring kingdom of Siam he had formed an + intimacy with a learned French Jesuit, who had not only taught him his + language, but imparted to him a knowledge of much of the science of + Europe, its institutions and manners That after the death of this + friend, he had renewed his wanderings, and having been detained in + this village by a fit of sickness for some weeks, he was warned that + it was time to quit his rambling life. This place being recommended to + him, both by its quiet seclusion, and the unsophisticated manners of + its inhabitants, he determined to pass the remnant of his days here, + and, by devoting them to the purposes of piety, charity, and science, + to discharge his duty to his Creator, his species, and himself, 'for + the love of knowledge,' he added, 'has long been my chief source of + selfish enjoyment'" + +The acquaintance between Atterley and the Brahmin, ripened by degrees, +into that close friendship, which a congeniality of tastes and +sentiments, under proper opportunities, never fails to engender. +Atterley's visits to the hermitage, became more and more frequent, for +upwards of three years, during which period, the Brahmin had +occasionally thrown out obscure hints, that the time would come, when +our hero should be restored to liberty, and that he had an important +secret which he would one day communicate. About this period, one +afternoon in the month of March, when Atterley repaired, as usual, to +the hermitage, he found the Brahmin dangerously ill of a pleuritic +affection, and apprehensive that the attack might prove fatal-- + + "Sit down," said he, "on that block, and listen to what I shall say to + you Though I shall quit this state of being for another and a better, + I confess that I was alarmed at the thought of expiring, before I had + an opportunity of seeing and conversing with you I am the depository + of a secret, that I believe is known to no other living mortal I once + determined that it should die with me, and had I not met with you, it + certainly should But from our first acquaintance, my heart has been + strongly attracted towards you, and as soon as I found you possessed + of qualities to inspire esteem as well as regard, I felt disposed to + give you this proof of my confidence Still I hesitated I first wished + to deliberate on the probable effects of my disclosure upon the + condition of society I saw that it might produce evil, as well as + good, but on weighing the two together, I have satisfied myself that + the good will preponderate, and have determined to act accordingly + Take this key, (stretching out his feverish hand,) and after waiting + two hours, in which time the medicine I have taken will have either + produced a good effect or put an end to my sufferings, you may then + open that blue chest in the corner It has a false bottom On removing + the paper which covers it, you will find the manuscript containing the + important secret, together with some gold pieces, which I have saved + for the day of need--because--(and he smiled in spite of his + sufferings)--because hoarding is one of the pleasures of old men. Take + them both, and use them discreetly." + +Atterley quitted the cell, and waited with feverish expectation for +the termination of the allotted two hours, when, to his inexpressible +delight, he found, on re-entering the cell, that not only did the +Brahmin breathe, but that he slept soundly; and, in the course of an +hour, he awoke, almost restored to health. This event, however, was +the occasion of a more early disclosure of the Brahmin's important +secret, but not until he had recovered his ordinary health and +vigour:-- + + "I have already told you, my dear Atterley, that I was born and + educated at Benares, and that science is there more thoroughly + understood and taught than the people of the west are aware of. We + have, for many thousands of years, been good astronomers, chymists, + mathematicians, and philosophers. We had discovered the secret of + gunpowder, the magnetic attraction, the properties of electricity, + long before they were heard of in Europe. We know more than we have + revealed, and much of our knowledge is deposited in the archives of + the castle to which I belong, but, for want of language generally + understood and easily learnt, (for these records are always written in + the Sanscrit, that is no longer a spoken language,) and the diffusion + which is given by the art of printing, these secrets of science are + communicated only to a few, and sometimes even sleep with their + authors, until a subsequent discovery, under more favourable + circumstances, brings them again to light. + + "It was at this seat of science that I learned, from one of our sages, + the physical truth which I am now about to communicate, and which he + discovered, partly by his researches into the writings of ancient + Pundits, and partly by his own extraordinary sagacity. There is a + principle of repulsion as well as gravitation in the earth. It causes + fire to rise upwards. It is exhibited in electricity. It occasions + water-spouts, volcanoes, and earthquakes. After much labour and + research, this principle has been found embodied in a metallic + substance, which is met with in the mountain in which we are, united + with a very heavy earth, and this circumstance had great influence in + inducing me to settle myself here. + + "This metal, when separated and purified, has as great a tendency to + fly off from the earth, as a piece of gold or lead has to approach it. + After making a number of curious experiments with it, we bethought + ourselves of putting it to some use, and soon contrived, with the aid + of it, to make cars and ascend into the air. We were very secret in + these operations, for our unhappy country having then recently fallen + under the subjection of the British nation, we apprehended that if we + divulged our arcanum, they would not only fly away with all our + treasures, whether found in palace or pagoda, but also carry off the + inhabitants, to make them slaves in their colonies, as their + government had not then abolished the African slave trade. + + "After various trials and many successive improvements, in which our + desires increased with our success, we determined to penetrate the + aerial void as far as we could, providing for that purpose an + apparatus, with which you will become better acquainted hereafter. In + the course of our experiments, we discovered that this same metal, + which was repelled from the earth, was in the same degree attracted + towards the moon, for in one of our excursions, still aiming to ascend + higher than we had ever done before, we were actually carried to that + satellite, and if we had not there fallen into a lake, and our machine + had not been water-tight, we must have been dashed to pieces or + drowned. You will find in this book," he added, presenting me with a + small volume, bound in green parchment, and fastened with silver + clasps, "a minute detail of the apparatus to be provided, and the + directions to be pursued in making this wonderful voyage. I have + written it since I satisfied my mind that my fears of British rapacity + were unfounded, and that I should do more good than harm by publishing + the secret. But still I am not sure," he added, with one of his faint + but significant smiles, "that I am not actuated by a wish to + immortalize my name; for where is the mortal who would be indifferent + to this object, if he thought he could attain it? Read the book at + your leisure, and study it." + +Here, by the way, we may remark, that the kind of vehicle best adapted +for conveyance through the aerial void, has been a weighty stumbling +block to authors, from the time of the eagle-mounted Ganymede, to that +of Daniel O'Rourke; or of the wing furnished Daedalus and Icarus, to +that of the flying Turk in Constantinople, referred to by Busbequius; +or of the flying artist of the happy valley, in Rasselas. When +Trygaeus was desirous of reaching the Gods, he erected, we are told, a +series of small ladders--[Greek: epeita lepta klimakia]--but receiving +a severe contusion on the head, from their downfall, he ingeniously +had recourse to a scheme of flying through the air, on a colossal +variety of those industrious but not over-delicate insects, the +_Scarabaeus Carnifex_--the only insect, notwithstanding, according +to Aesop, privileged to ascend to the habitations of the gods-- + + [Greek: monos peteinoon eis theous aphigmenos.[2]] + +Most of the stories of Pegasi and Hippogriffs, and of flying chariots, +from that of Phaeton downwards to Astolfo's,[3] were evidently +intended by their authors as mythical; not so, however, with Bishop +Wilkins;--he boldly avers, for several reasons which he keeps to +himself, and for others not very comprehensible to us, which he +details "seriously and on good grounds," "that it is possible to make +a flying chariot, in which a man may sit, and give such a motion unto +it, as shall convey him through the air; and this perhaps might be +made large enough to carry divers men at the same time, together with +food for their _viaticum_, and commodities for traffic." "It is +not," lucidly continues the Bishop, "the bigness of any thing in this +kind, that can hinder its motion, if the motive faculty be answerable +thereunto. We see a great ship swims as well as a small cork; and an +eagle flies in the air, as well as a little gnat. This engine may be +contrived from the same principles by which Archytas made a wooden +dove, and Regiomontanus a wooden eagle. I conceive it were no +difficult matter, (if a man had leisure,) to show more particularly +the means of composing it"!--which want of leisure in the credulous +Bishop, our readers will regret with us, especially those inventive +geniuses, who, like the projector in the reign of George I., published +a scheme for manufacturing pine plank from pine saw-dust, or the still +more ingenious undertaker of later times, who proposed to make _pine +plank_ out of _oak_ saw-dust, by the mere addition of a little +turpentine! + +Again, Swift's flying Island of Laputa is a phenomenon so opposed to +all scientific probability, and so directly at variance with natural +laws, that it loses in interest in a direct ratio with the violence it +does to our feelings. Nor is the mode of conveyance imagined by +Voltaire less incongruous than that of Swift. When Micromegas, ah +inhabitant of Sirius, whose adventures were evidently suggested by +those of Gulliver, accompanied by an inhabitant of Saturn, leaves the +latter planet, they are, in the first place, made to leap upon the +Ring of Saturn, which they find tolerably flat, "comme l'a fort bien +deviné un illustre habitant de notre petit globe:" thence they go from +moon to moon, and a comet passing close to one of these, they throw +themselves upon it, with their attendants and instruments. In their +course, they fall in with the satellites of Jupiter, and pass on to +Jupiter itself, where they remain for a year; but what becomes of the +comet in the mean time, we are not informed! Leaving Jupiter, they +"coast" along the planet Mars, and finally reach the earth, where they +resolve to disembark. Accordingly "ils passèrent sur la queue de la +comète; et trouvant une aurore boréale toute prête, ils se mirent +dedans, et arrivèrent à terre sur le bord septentrional de la Mer +Baltique"![4] + +The vehicle, however, has not formed the sole obstacle to those +projectors:--the _viaticum_, especially the food, has been a +difficulty not readily got over. Before Bishop Wilkins alludes to his +flying chariot, he remarks, that even if men could fly, the swiftest +of them would probably be half a year in reaching the end of his +journey; and hence a problem would arise, "how it were possible to +tarry so long without sleep or diet?" Of the former obstacle, however, +he quickly disposes,--"seeing we do not then spend ourselves in any +labour, we shall not, it may be, _need_ the refreshment of sleep: +but if we do, we cannot desire a softer bed than the air, where we may +repose ourselves firmly and safely as in our chambers"! Of the latter +he finds somewhat more difficulty in disposing,--"and here it is +considerable, that, since our bodies will then be devoid of gravity +and other impediments of motion, we shall not at all spend ourselves +in any labour, and so, consequently, not much need the reparation of +diet, but may perhaps live altogether without it, as those creatures +have done, who, by reason of their sleeping for many days together, +have not spent any spirits, and so not wanted any food; which is +commonly related of serpents, crocodiles, bears, cuckoos, swallows, +and such like. To this purpose, Mendoca reckons up divers strange +relations, as that of Epimenides, who is storied to have slept +seventy-five years; and another of a rustic in Germany, who, being +accidentally covered with a hay-rick, slept there for all the autumn +and the winter following, without any nourishment Or, if we must needs +feed upon something else, why may not smells nourish us? Plutarch, and +Pliny, and divers other ancients, tell us of a nation in India, that +lived only upon pleasing odours; and it is the common opinion of +physicians, that these do strangely both strengthen and repair the +spirits. Hence was it that Democritus was able, for divers days +together, to feed himself with the mere smell of hot bread.[5] Or, if +it be necessary that our stomachs must receive the food, why then it +is not impossible that the purity of the etherial air, being not mixed +with any improper vapours, may be so agreeable to our bodies, as to +yield us sufficient nourishment," with many other arguments of the +like nature. The Bishop ultimately, however, severs the knot, by the +suggestion of his flying chariot, which he makes large enough (for, +_ce n'est que le premier pas qui coute!_) to carry not only food +for the _viaticum_ of the passengers, but also commodities for +their traffic! + +Infinitely more ingenuity did the great comic poet of antiquity +display, when he selected the _Scarabaeus;_ as the food which had +already served the purposes of digestion with the Rider, was still +capable of affording nutrition to the animal:-- + + [Greek: + nun d'att'an autos kataphagoo ta sitia. + toutoisi tois autoisi touton chortasoo[6]] + +Now all these schemes, ingenious as they may be, are objectionable for +the same reasons as the flying Island of Laputa--their glaring +violation of verisimilitude, and many of them of possibility. In these +respects, that of the author of the work before us is liable to less +objection: he only resorts to an extension of avowed physical +principles; and if we could suppose a substance, which, instead of +gravitating towards the earth, is repelled from it and attracted +towards the moon, (certainly a difficult "_premier pas_,") the +remainder of the machinery, for reaching that luminary, would not be +inconsistent with probability or the known laws of physics. + +But, to return to the narrative:--The Brahmin having given Atterley a +description of some of the remarkable objects which he met with, in +his voyage to the moon; expressed his anxiety to repeat it, for the +purpose of ascertaining some facts about which he had been +speculating, as well as of removing the incredulity with which, he +could not but perceive, his story had impressed his hearer, +notwithstanding his belief in the Hermit's integrity; when Atterley +eagerly caught at the proposal. Their preparations, however, required +time as well as considerable skill, not only for the construction of +the vehicle, but also to avoid suspicion and interruption from the +Governor of Mergui,--and the priesthood, who possessed the usual +Oriental superstition and intolerance. + +For the construction of their apparatus they had recourse to an +ingenious artificer in copper and other metals, whose child the +Brahmin had been instrumental in curing of a chronic disease, and in +whose fidelity as well as good will they could securely rely. + + "The coppersmith agreed to undertake the work we wanted done, for a + moderate compensation, but we did not think it prudent to inform him + of our object, which he supposed was to make some philosophical + experiment. It was forthwith arranged that he should occasionally + visit the Hermit, to receive instructions, as if for the purpose of + asking medical advice. During this interval my mind was absorbed with + our project; and when in company, I was so thoughtful and abstracted, + that it has since seemed strange to me that Sing Fou's suspicions that + I was planning my escape were not more excited. At length, by dint of + great exertion, in about three months every thing was in readiness, + and we determined on the following night to set out on our perilous + expedition. + + "The machine in which we proposed to embark, was a copper vessel, that + would have been an exact cube of six feet, if the corners and edges + had not been rounded off. It had an opening large enough to receive + our bodies, which was closed by double sliding pannels, with quilted + cloth between them. When these were properly adjusted, the machine was + perfectly air-tight, and strong enough, by means of iron bars running + alternately inside and out, to resist the pressure of the atmosphere, + when the machine should be exhausted of its air, as we took the + precaution to prove by the aid of an air pump. On the top of the + copper chest and on the outside, we had as much of the lunar metal + (which I shall henceforth call _lunarium_) as we found by + calculation and experiment, would overcome the weight of the machine, + as well as its contents, and take us to the moon on the third day. As + the air which the machine contained, would not be sufficient for our + respiration more than about six hours, and the chief part of the space + we were to pass through was a mere void, we provided ourselves with a + sufficient supply, by condensing it in a small globular vessel, made + partly of iron and partly of lunarium, to take off its weight. On my + return, I gave Mr. Jacob Perkins, who is now in England, a hint of + this plan of condensation, and it has there obtained him great + celebrity. This fact I should not have thought it worth while to + mention, had he not taken the sole merit of the invention to himself, + at least I cannot hear that in his numerous public notices he has ever + mentioned my name. + + "But to return. A small circular window, made of a single piece of + thick clear glass, was neatly fitted on each of the six sides. Several + pieces of lead were securely fastened to screws which passed through + the bottom of the machine as well as a thick plank. The screws were so + contrived, that by turning them in one direction, the pieces of lead + attached to them were immediately disengaged from the hooks with which + they were connected. The pieces of lunarium were fastened in like + manner to screws, which passed through the top of the machine; so that + by turning them in one direction, those metallic pieces would fly into + the air with the velocity of a rocket. The Brahmin took with him a + thermometer, two telescopes, one of which projected through the top of + the machine, and the other through the bottom; a phosphoric lamp, pen, + ink, and paper, and some light refreshments sufficient to supply us + for some days. + + "The moon was then in her third quarter, and near the zenith: it was, + of course, a little after midnight, and when the coppersmith and his + family were in their soundest sleep, that we entered the machine. In + about an hour more we had the doors secured, and every thing arranged + in its place, when, cutting the cords which fastened us to the ground, + by means of small steel blades which worked in the ends of other + screws, we rose from the earth with a whizzing sound, and a sensation + at first of very rapid ascent, but after a short time, we were + scarcely sensible of any motion in the machine, except when we changed + our places." + +After the apprehensions of Atterley, occasioned by the novelty and +danger of his situation, had partly subsided, he was enabled, with +mingled awe and admiration, to contemplate the magnificent spectacle +beneath him. As the earth turned round its axis, during their ascent, +every part of its surface came successively under view. At nine +o'clock, the whole of India was to the west of them; its rivers +resembling small filaments of silver, and the Red Sea a narrow plate +of the same metal. The peninsula of India was of a dark, and Arabia of +a light, grayer green, and the sun's rays striking on the Atlantic, +emitted an effulgence dazzling to the eyes. On looking, some time +afterwards, through the telescope, they observed the African +Continent, at its northern edge; fringed, as it were, with green; +"then a dull white belt marked the great Sahara or Desert, and then it +exhibited a deep green to its most southern extremity." The Morea and +Grecian Archipelago now fell under their telescope, and gradually the +whole Mediterranean, and Arabian Gulf--the great media separating +Africa from Europe and Asia; "the political divisions of these +quarters of the world were of course undistinguishable, and few of the +natural were discernible by the naked eye. The Alps were marked by a +white streak, though less bright than the water." By the aid of the +glass they could just discern the Danube, the Nile, and "a river which +empties itself into the Gulf of Guinea," and which Atterley took to be +the Niger; but the other streams were not perceptible. The most +conspicuous object of the solid part of the globe was the great +Desert; the whole of Africa, however, appeared of a brighter hue than +either Asia or Europe. + + "I was struck too, with the vast disproportion which the extent of the + several countries of the earth bore to the part they had acted in + history, and the influence they had exerted on human affairs. The + British islands had diminished to a speck, and France was little + larger, yet, a few years ago it seemed, at least to us in the United + States, as if there were no other nations on the earth. The Brahmin, + who was well read in European history, on my making a remark on this + subject, reminded me that Athens and Sparta had once obtained almost + equal celebrity, although they were so small as not now to be visible. + As I slowly passed the telescope over the face of Europe, I pictured + to myself the fat, plodding Hollander--the patient, contemplative + German--the ingenious, sensual Italian--the temperate Swiss--the + haughty, superstitious Spaniard--the sprightly, self-complacent + Frenchman--the sullen and reflecting Englishman--who monopolise nearly + all the science and literature of the earth, to which they bear so + small a proportion. As the Atlantic fell under our view, two faint + circles on each side of the equator, were to be perceived by the naked + eye. They were less bright than the rest of the ocean. The Brahmin + suggested that they might be currents; which brought to my memory Dr. + Franklin's conjecture on the subject, now completely verified by this + circular line of vapour, as it had been previously rendered probable + by the floating substances, which had been occasionally picked up, at + great distances from the places where they had been thrown into the + ocean. The circle was whiter and more distinct, where the Gulf Stream + runs parallel to the American coast, and gradually grew fainter as it + passed along the Banks of Newfoundland, to the coast of Europe, where, + taking a southerly direction, the line of the circle was barely + discernible. A similar circle of vapour, though less defined and + complete, was perceived in the South Atlantic Ocean." + +By degrees the travellers saw one half of the broad expanse of the +Pacific, which glistened like quicksilver or polished steel, and +subsequently the middle of the Pacific lay immediately beneath them; +the irregular distribution of land and water on the globe, the expanse +of Ocean here, being twice as large as in any other part, gives +occasion to some amusing discussions on the various theories of +cosmogony, to which we can only refer the reader; wearied, however, by +these and other discussions, Atterley slept for six hours, and on +awaking, found the Brahmin busy in calculating their progress; after +which the latter lay down and soon fell into a tranquil sleep, having +previously requested that he might be awakened at the expiration of +three hours, or sooner if any thing of moment should occur. Atterley +now looked down again through the telescope, and found the earth +surprisingly diminished in its apparent dimensions, from the increased +rapidity of their ascent; the eastern coasts of Asia were still full +in view, as well as the whole figure of that extensive continent--of +New-Holland, of Ceylon and of Borneo; but the smaller islands were +invisible. + + "I strained my eye to no purpose, to follow the indentations of the + coast, according to the map before me, the great bays and promontories + could alone be perceived. The Burman Empire, in one of the + insignificant villages of which I had been confined for a few years, + was now reduced to a speck. The agreeable hours I had passed with the + Brahmin, with the little daughter of Sing Fou, and my rambling over + the neighbouring heights, all recurred to my mind, and I almost + regretted the pleasures I had relinquished. I tried with more success + to beguile the time by making notes in my journal, and after having + devoted about an hour to this object, I returned to the telescope, and + now took occasion to examine the figure of the earth near the Poles, + with a view of discovering whether its form favoured Captain Symmes's + theory of an aperture existing there, and I am convinced that that + ingenious gentleman is mistaken. Time passed so heavily during these + solitary occupations, that I looked at my watch every five minutes, + and could scarcely be persuaded it was not out of order. I then took + up my little Bible, (which had always been my travelling companion,) + read a few chapters in St. Matthew, and found my feelings + tranquillized, and my courage increased. The desired hour at length + arrived; when, on waking the old man, he alertly raised himself up, + and at the first view of the diminished appearance of the earth, + observed that our journey was a third over, as to time, but not as to + distance." + +After having again composed himself to rest for about four hours, +Atterley was awakened by the Brahmin, in whose arms he found himself, +and, on looking around, discovered that he was lying on what had been +the ceiling of the chamber, which still, however, felt like the +bottom. The reason of this phenomenon was thus explained to him by the +Brahmin--"we have, while you were asleep, passed the middle point +between the earth's and the moon's attraction; and we now gravitate +less towards our own planet than (to) her satellite. I took the +precaution to move you, before you fell by your own gravity, from what +was lately the bottom, to that which is now so, and to keep you in +this place until you were retained in it by the moon's attraction; for +though your fall would have been, at this point, like that of a +feather, yet it would have given you some shock and alarm. The +machine, therefore, has undergone no change in its position or +course;--the change is altogether in our feelings." + +The whole face of the moon, Atterley now found to be entirely changed, +and on looking through the upper telescope, the earth presented an +appearance not very dissimilar; but the outline of her continents and +oceans was still perceptible in different shades, and capable of being +readily recognised; the bright glare of the sun, however, made the +surfaces of both bodies somewhat dim and pale. + + "After a short interval, I again looked at the moon, and found not + only its magnitude very greatly increased, but that it was beginning + to present a more beautiful spectacle. The sun's rays fell obliquely + on her disc, so that by a large part of its surface not reflecting the + light, I saw every object on it, so far as I was enabled by the power + of my telescope. Its mountains, lakes, seas, continents, and islands, + were faintly, though not indistinctly, traced; and every moment + brought forth something new to catch my eye, and awaken my curiosity. + The whole face of the moon was of a silvery hue, relieved and varied + by the softest and most delicate shades. No cloud nor speck of vapour + intercepted my view. One of my exclamations of delight awakened the + Brahmin, who quickly arose, and looking down on the resplendent orb + below us, observed that we must soon begin to slacken the rapidity of + our course, by throwing out ballast. The moon's dimensions now rapidly + increased; the separate mountains, which formed the ridges and chains + on her surface, began to be plainly visible through the telescope; + whilst, on the shaded side, several volcanoes appeared upon her disc, + like the flashes of our fire-fly, or rather like the twinkling of + stars in a frosty night. He remarked, that the extraordinary clearness + and brightness of the objects on the moon's surface, was owing to her + having a less extensive and more transparent atmosphere than the + earth: adding--'The difference is so great, that some of our + astronomical observers have been induced to think she has none. If + that, however, had been the case, our voyage would have been + impracticable.'" + +After gazing for some time on this magnificent spectacle, with +admiration and delight, one of their balls of _lunarium_ was let +off for the purpose of checking their velocity. At this time the +Brahmin supposed they were not more than four thousand miles from the +nearest point of the moon's surface. In about four hours more, her +apparent magnitude was so great, that they could see her by looking +out of either of the side windows. + + "Her disc had now lost its former silvery appearance, and began to + look more like that of the earth, when seen at the same distance. It + was a most gratifying spectacle to behold the objects successively + rising to our view, and steadily enlarging in their dimensions. The + rapidity with which we approached the moon, impressed me, in spite of + myself, with the alarming sensation of falling; and I found myself + alternately agitated with a sense of this danger, and with impatience + to take a nearer view of the new objects that greeted my eyes. The + Brahmin was wholly absorbed in calculations for the purpose of + adjusting our velocity to the distance we had to go, his estimates of + which, however, were in a great measure conjectural; and ever and anon + he would let off a ball of the lunar metal. + + "After a few hours, we were so near the moon that every object was + seen in our glass, as distinctly as the shells or marine plants + through a piece of shallow sea-water, though the eye could take in but + a small part of her surface, and the horizon, which bounded our view, + was rapidly contracting. On letting the air escape from our machine, + it did not now rush out with the same violence as before, which showed + that we were within the moon's atmosphere. This, as well as ridding + ourselves of the metal balls, aided in checking our progress. By and + by we were within a few miles of the highest mountains, when we threw + down so much of our ballast, that we soon appeared almost stationary. + The Brahmin remarked, that he should avail himself of the currents of + air we might meet with, to select a favourable place for landing, + though we were necessarily attracted towards the same region, in + consequence of the same half of the moon's surface being always turned + towards the earth." + +The Brahmin now pointed out the necessity of looking out for some +cultivated field, in one of the valleys they were approaching, where +they might rely on being not far distant from some human habitation, +and on escaping the perils necessarily attendant on a descent amongst +rocks, trees, and buildings. A gentle breeze now arising, as appeared +by their horizontal motion, which wafted them at the rate of about ten +miles an hour, over a ridge of mountains, a lake, a thick wood, &c. +they at length reached a cultivated region, which the Brahmin +recognised as the country of the Morosofs, the place they were anxious +to visit. By now letting off two balls of lead to the _Earth_, +they descended rapidly; and when they were sufficiently near the +ground to observe that it was a fit place for landing, opened the door +of their Balloon, and found the air of the moon inconceivably sweet +and refreshing. They now let loose one of their lower balls, which +somewhat retarded their descent; and in a few minutes more, being +within twenty yards of the ground, they let go the largest ball of +lunarium, which, having a cord attached to it, served in lieu of a +grapnel; by this they drew themselves down, were disengaged from the +machine in a twinkling, and landed "safe and sound" on, we presume, +"_luna firma!_" + +Having seen our travellers securely deposited in the moon, we may +remark, that in the passage from the earth, various topics of an +interesting and important character were canvassed by the Brahmin and +his companion; one, _on the causes of national superiority_, +suggested by the views of Africa, and a comparison between that +benighted country and others more illuminated, is especially worthy of +attention, as containing a condensed and philosophical view of the +subject; eloquently and perspicuously conveyed. + +The view of America, suggests some remarks on the _political +peculiarities of the United States_, with speculations on their +future destiny. + +A lively description of the contrast between the circumstances of the +Kamtschadale-- + + "The shuddering tenant of the frigid zone," + +and the gay, voluptuous native of the Sandwich, and other isles within +the tropics--the one passing his life in toil, privation, and care--the +other in ease, abundance, and enjoyment--leads to a similar conclusion +to that expressed by Goldsmith:-- + + "And yet, perhaps, if countries we compare, + And estimate the blessings which they share, + Though patriots flatter, still shall wisdom find + An equal portion dealt to all mankind." + +A disquisition also takes place--_whether India or Egypt were the +parent of the Arts?_ + +This leads them to refer to the strange custom in the country of the +Brahmin, which impels the widow to throw herself on the funeral pile, +and be consumed with her husband:-- + + "I told him," says Atterley, "that it had often been represented as + compulsory--or, in other words, that it was said that every art and + means were resorted to, for the purpose of working on the mind of the + woman, by her relatives, aided by the priests, who would be naturally + gratified by such signal triumphs of religion over the strongest + feelings of nature. He admitted that these engines were sometimes put + in operation, and that they impelled to the sacrifice, some who were + wavering; but insisted, that in a majority of instances, the + _Suttee_ was voluntary. + + "'Women,' said he, 'are brought up from their infancy, to regard our + sex as their superiors, and to believe that their greatest merit + consists in entire devotion to their husbands. Under this feeling, and + having, at the same time, their attention frequently turned to the + chance of such a calamity, they are better prepared to meet it when it + occurs. How few of the officers in your western armies, ever hesitate + to march, at the head of their men, on a forlorn hope? and how many + even court the danger for the sake of the glory? Nay, you tell me + that, according to your code of honour, if one man insults another, he + who gives the provocation, and he who receives it, rather than be + disgraced in the eyes of their countrymen, will go out, and quietly + shoot at each other with fire-arms, till one of them is killed or + wounded; and this too, in many cases, when the injury has been merely + nominal. If you show such a contempt of death, in deference to a + custom founded in mere caprice, can it be wondered that a woman should + show it, in the first paroxysms of her grief for the loss of him to + whom was devoted every thought, word, and action of her life, and who, + next to her God, was the object of her idolatry? My dear Atterley,' he + continued, with emotion, 'you little know the strength of woman's + love!'" + +Other topics of interest are also discussed with the like ingenuity. + +After this episode, it is time for us to return to our travellers, +whose feelings, the moment they touched the ground, repayed them for +all they had endured. Atterley looked around with the most intense +curiosity; but nothing he saw, "surprised him so much, as to find so +little that was surprising:"--vegetation, insects, and other animals, +were pretty much of the same character as those he had before seen; +but, on better acquaintance, he found the difference greater than he +had at first supposed. Having refreshed themselves with the remains of +their stores, and secured the door of the machine, they bent their +course to the town of Alamatua, about three miles distant, which +seemed to contain about two thousand houses, and to be not quite as +large as Albany; the people were tall and thin, and of a pale, +yellowish complexion; their garments light, loose, and flowing, and +not very different from those of the Turks; they subsist chiefly on a +vegetable diet, live about as long as we do on the earth, +notwithstanding the great difference of climate, and other +circumstances; and do not, in their manners, habits, or character, +differ more from the inhabitants of this globe, than some of the +latter do from one another; their government, anciently monarchical, +is now popular; their code of laws very intricate; their language, +naturally soft and musical, has been yet further refined by the +cultivation of letters; and they have a variety of sects in religion, +politics, and philosophy. + +The lunarians do not, as Butler has it-- + + "When the sun shines hot at noon, + Inhabit cellars under ground, + Of eight miles deep and eighty round." + +But, one half of their houses is beneath the surface, partly for the +purpose of screening them from the continued action of the sun's rays, +and partly on account of the earthquakes caused by volcanoes. The +windows of the houses consisted of openings in the wall, sloping so +much upwards, that, whilst they freely admitted the light and air, the +sun was completely excluded. As soon as they were espied by the +natives, great curiosity was of course excited; not, however, to so +troublesome an extent, as might have been, from the circumstance of +the Brahmin's having visited the moon before. Hence he was soon +recognised by some of his acquaintances, and conducted to the house of +the governor, by whom they were graciously received, and who "began a +course of interesting inquiries regarding the affairs of the earth;" +but a gentleman, whom they afterwards understood to be one of the +leaders of the popular party, coming in, he soon despatched them; +having, however, first directed an officer to furnish them with all +that was necessary for their accommodation, at the public expense; +"which act of hospitality, they had reason to fear, occasioned him +some trouble and perplexity at the succeeding election." + +A more minute description follows, of the dress of the male and female +lunarians, especially of that of the latter, to which we can merely +refer the reader. There is one portion, however, of the inhabitants, +with whom the reader must be made acquainted, inasmuch as they form +some of the author's most prominent characters. A large number of +lunarians, it seems, are born without any intellectual vigour, and +wander about like so many automatons, under the care of the +government, until illumined by the mental ray, from some terrestrial +brain, through the mysterious influence which the moon is known to +exercise on our planet. But, in this case, the inhabitant of the earth +loses what he of the moon gains, the ordinary portion of understanding +being divided between two; and, "as might be expected, there is a most +exact conformity between the man of the earth, and his counterpart in +the moon, in all their principles of action, and modes of thinking:"-- + + "These Glonglims, as they are called, after they have been thus imbued + with intellect, are held in peculiar respect by the vulgar, and are + thought to be in every way superior to those whose understandings are + entire. The laws by which two objects, so far apart, operate on each + other, have been, as yet, but imperfectly developed, and the wilder + their freaks, the more they are the objects of wonder and admiration." + +"Now and then, though very rarely, the man of the earth regains the +intellect he has lost; in which case, his lunar counterpart returns to +his former state of imbecility. Both parties are entirely unconscious +of the change--one, of what he has lost, and the other, of what he has +gained."[7] + +The belief of the influence of the moon on the human intellect, the +Brahmin remarks, may be perceived in the opinions of the vulgar, and +in many of the ordinary forms of expression; and he takes occasion to +remark, that these very opinions, as well as some obscure hints in the +Sanscrit, give countenance to the idea, that they were not the only +voyagers to the moon; but that, on the contrary, the voyage had been +performed in remote antiquity; and the Lunarians, we are told, have a +similar tradition. Many ordinary forms of expression are adduced in +support of these ideas. + +"Thus," says the Brahmin, "it is generally believed, throughout all +Asia, that the moon has an influence on the brain: and when a man is +of insane mind, we call him a lunatic. One of the curses of the common +people is, 'May the moon eat up your brains!' and in China, they say +of a man who has done any act of egregious folly, 'He was gathering +wool in the moon.'" I was struck with these remarks; and told the +hermit that the language of Europe afforded the same indirect evidence +of the fact he mentioned,--that my own language, especially, abounded +with expressions which could be explained on no other hypothesis: for, +besides the terms "lunacy," "lunatic," and the supposed influence of +the moon on the brain, when we see symptoms of a disordered intellect, +we say the mind _wanders_, which evidently alludes to a part of +it rambling to a distant region, as is the moon. We say too, a man is +"_out of his head_," that is, his mind being in another man's +head, must of course be out of his own. To "know no more than the man +in the moon," is a proverbial expression for ignorance, and is without +meaning, unless it be considered to refer to the Glonglims.[8] + +"We say that an insane man is 'distracted,' by which we mean that his +mind is drawn two different ways. So also, we call a lunatic _a man +beside himself_, which most distinctly expresses the two distinct +bodies his mind now animates. There are, moreover, many other +analogous expressions, as 'moonstruck,' 'deranged,' 'extravagant,' and +some others, which, altogether, form a mass of concurring testimony +that it is impossible to resist." + +Leaving this ingenious _badinage_ with the defence of the serious +and sentimental Schiller, + + "Hoher Sinn liegt oft in Kindischen Spiele," + +we return to our travellers, who, at their lodgings, meet with an +instance of _lunar puritanism_--the family eating those portions +of fruits, vegetables, &c., which are thrown away by us, and _vice +versa_, "from a persuasion that all pleasure received through the +senses is sinful, and that man never appears so acceptable in the sight +of the Deity, as when he rejects all the delicacies of the palate, as +well as other sensual gratifications, and imposes on himself that food +to which he feels naturally most repugnant." + +_Avarice_ is satirized by the story of one of these Glonglims, who +is occupied in making nails, and then dropping them into a well--refusing +to exchange them for bread or clothes, notwithstanding his starved, +haggard appearance, and evident desire for the food proffered:-- + + "Mettant toute sa gloire et son souverain bien + A grossir un trésor qui ne lui sert de rien." + +And this is followed by a picture of _reckless prodigality_ in +another Glonglim. + +We pass over the description of the physical peculiarities of the +moon, which seem to be according to the received opinions of +astronomers, as well as the satire on _National Prejudices_, in +the persons of the Hilliboos and Moriboos, and that on the Godwinian +system of morals. + +An indisposition experienced by Atterley, occasions his introduction +to Vindar,[9] a celebrated physician, botanist, &c., on whose opinions +we have a keen satire. + +On leaving Vindar's house, they observed a short man, (Napoleon,) +preparing to climb to the top of a plane tree, on which there was one +of the tail feathers of a flamingo; and this he would only mount in +one way--on the shoulders of his men:-- + + "I could not see this rash Glonglim attempt to climb that dangerous + ladder, without feeling alarm for his safety. At first all seemed to + go on very well; but just as he was about to lay hold of the gaudy + prize, there arose a sudden squall, which threw both him and his + supporters into confusion, and the whole living pyramid came to the + ground together. Many were killed--some were wounded and bruised. + Polenap himself, by lighting on his men, who served him as cushions, + barely escaped with life. But he received a fracture in the upper part + of his head, and a dislocation of the hip, which will not only prevent + him from ever climbing again, but probably make him a cripple for + life. + + "The Brahmin and I endeavoured to give the sufferers some assistance; + but this was rendered unnecessary, by the crowd which their cries and + lamentations brought to their relief. I thought that the author of so + much mischief would have been stoned on the spot; but, to my surprise, + his servants seemed to feel as much for his honour as their own + safety, and warmly interfered in his behalf, until they had somewhat + appeased the rage of the surrounding multitude." + +The _absurdities_ of the _physiognomical system_ of Lavater, +and of the _craniological system_ of MM. Gall and Spurzheim, were +not likely to escape animadversion, in a work of general satire, +fruitful as they have already been in such themes. The representative +of the former, is a fortune-telling philosopher, Avarabet, (Lavater,) +whose course of proceeding was, to examine the finger nails, and, +according to their form, colour, thickness, surface, grain, and other +properties, to determine the character and destinies of those who +consulted him; and that of the latter, a physician, who judged of the +character of disposition or disease, by the examination of a lock of +the hair. The upshot of the story is, as might be anticipated, that +the fortune-telling philosopher is caught, and exposed in his own +toils. + +The _impolicy of privateers, and of letters of marque and +reprisals_, is next animadverted on, by the story of two +neighbours, who are at variance, and whose dependants are occupied in +laying hold of what they can of each other's flocks and herds, and +doing as much mischief as possible, by which both parties, of +necessity, suffer. + +A visit to a projector in building, husbandry, and cookery, introduces +us to some inventions not unworthy of the occupation, of the courtiers +of _La Reine Quinte_, or of the Professors of the Academy of +Lagado. + +The doctrine of the aerial formation of meteoric stones, receives, +too, a passing notice from our author, who is clearly no supporter of +it. It was a long time before the ancients received credit for their +stories of showers of stones; and all were ready to joke with Butler, +at the story of the Thracian rock, which fell in the river Aegos:-- + + "For Anaxagoras, long agon, + Saw hills, as well as you i'th' moon, + And held the sun was but a piece + Of red hot iron as big as Greece. + Believ'd the heavens were made of stone, + Because the sun had voided one: + And, rather than he would recant + Th' opinion, suffered banishment." + +A difficulty surrounds the subject, however we view it. +_Aerolites_, as they have been designated, have now been found in +almost every region and climate of the globe--from Arabia to the +farthest point of Baffin's Bay; and this very circumstance would seem +to be opposed to their aerial origin, unless we are to suppose that +they can be formed in every state, and in the opposite extremes of the +atmosphere. The Brahmin assigns them a lunar origin, and adds, "our +party were greatly amused at the disputations of a learned society in +Europe, in which they undertook to give a mathematical demonstration, +that they could not be thrown from a volcano of the earth, nor from +the moon, but were suddenly formed in the atmosphere. I should as soon +believe, that a loaf of bread could be made and baked in the +atmosphere." + +The "gentleman farmer and projector," being attacked, during their +visit, with cholera morbus, and considering himself _in extremis_, +a consultation of physicians takes place, in which one portrait +will be obvious--that of Dr. Shuro, who asserts disease to be +a unit; and that it is the extreme of folly, to divide diseases into +classes, which tend but to produce confusion of ideas, and an +unscientific practice. The enthusiasm of the justly celebrated +individual--the original of this portrait, was so great, that the +slightest data were sufficient for the formation of some of his most +elaborate _hypotheses_--for _theories_ they could not properly +be called; and, accordingly, many of his beautiful and ingenious +superstructures are now prostrated, leaving, in open day, the +insufficiency of their foundation. One of the most striking +examples of this nature, was his belief that the black colour of +the negro is a disease, which depletion, properly exercised, might +be capable of remedying--a scheme not a whit more feasible, than +that of the courtiers of _La Reine Quinte_, referred to by +Rabelais, "who made blackamoors white, as fast as hops, by just +rubbing their stomachs with the bottom of a pannier." + +The satire here is not so fortunately displayed, as in other +instances, owing probably to the difficulty of saying any thing new on +so hackneyed a subject; for it has ever happened, that,-- + + "The Galenist and Paracelsian, + Condemn the way each other deals in." + +The affair concludes, by the Doctors quarrelling; and, in the mean +time, the patient, profiting by some simple remedies administered by +the Brahmin, and an hour's rest, was so much refreshed, that he +considered himself out of danger, and had no need of medical +assistance. + +_Pestolozzi's system of education_, is with justice satirized; +since, instead of affording facilities to the student, as the +superficial observer might fancy, it retards his acquisition of +knowledge, by teaching him to exercise his external senses, rather +than his reflection.[10] + +In a _menagerie_ attached to an academy, in which youths of +maturer years were instructed in the fine arts, the travellers had an +opportunity of observing the vain attempts of education, to control +the natural or instinctive propensities. + + "Naturam expellas furca tamen usque recurret." + + "For nature driven out, with proud disdain, + All powerful goddess, will return again." + +The election of a town constable, exhibits the violence of _Lunar +Politics_ to be much the same as the terrestrial, and seems to have +some allusion to an existing and important controversy amongst +ourselves. The _prostitution of the press_ is satirized by the +story of a number of boys dressed in black and white--wearing the +badges of the party to which they respectively belong, and each +provided with a syringe and two canteens, the one filled with rose +water, and the other with a black, offensive, fluid: the rose water +being squirted at the favourite candidates and voters--the other fluid +on the opposite party. All these were under regular discipline, and at +the word of command discharged their syringes on friend or foe, as the +case might be. + +The "_glorious uncertainty of the law_" (proverbial with us,) +falls also under notice. In Morosofia, it seems, a favourite mode of +settling private disputes, whether concerning person, character, or +property, is by the employment of prize fighters who hire themselves +to the litigants:-- + + "And out of foreign controversies + By aiding both sides, fill their purses: + But have no int'rest in the cause + For which th' engage and wage the laws + Nor farther prospect than their pay + Whether they lose or win the day." + +The chapter concludes with a discussion between an old man and his +wife, in which the _policy of encouraging manufactures_, is +argued. + +In an account of Okalbia--a happy valley--similar only in name to that +in _Rasselas_, the author seems to sketch his views of a _perfect +commonwealth_, and glances at some important questions of +_politics_ and _political economy_. Prudential restraints are +considered sufficient to obviate a _redundancy of population_--and +on _Ricardo's theory of rent_, the author holds the same opinions +as those already expressed in this Journal. + +Some useful hints are also afforded on the subject of _legislation +and jurisprudence_. + +After having passed a week amongst the singular and happy Okalbians, +whom our travellers found equally amiable, intelligent, and +hospitable, they returned to Alamatua. + +Jeffery's _theory of beauty_, as developed in the article +_beauty_, of the _supplement to the Encyclopaedia Britannica_, +in which he denies the existence of original beauty and refers +it to association, is ridiculed by an extension of a similar kind +of reasoning to the smell. + +A description of a _Lunar fair_ follows, which, like a +terrestrial, is the resort of the busy, the idle, the knavish, and the +gay: some in pursuit of pleasure; others again, without any settled +purpose, carried along by the vague desire of meeting with something +to relieve them from the pain of idleness. _Political contests_ +are here represented under the character of gambling transactions, and +if we mistake not, there is a distinct allusion to more than one +important contest in the annals of this country. + +Having now satisfied his curiosity, Atterley became anxious to return +to his native planet, and accordingly urged the Brahmin to lose no +time in preparing for their departure. They were soon, however, +informed that a man high in office, by way of affecting political +sagacity, had proposed to detain them, on the ground that when such +voyages as their's were shown to be practicable, the inhabitants of +the earth, who were so much more numerous than those of the moon, +might invade the latter with a large army, for the purpose of rapine +and contest; but notwithstanding the influence of this sapient +politician, they finally obtained leave to quit the moon whenever they +thought proper. + +Having taken a "respectful or affectionate" leave of all their +lunarian friends, and got every thing in readiness,--at midnight of +the twentieth of August, they again entered their copper +_balloon_, and after they had ascended until the face of the moon +looked like one vast lake of melted silver, with here and there small +pieces of grayish dross floating on it, Atterley reminded the Brahmin +of a former promise to detail the history of his early life, to which +he assented:--of this, perhaps the most interesting part of the book, +to the general reader, we regret that our limits will only admit of +our giving a very condensed and imperfect narrative. + +Gurameer, the Brahmin, was born at Benares. He was the only son of a +priest of Vishnu, of rank, and was himself intended for the +priesthood. At school, he meets with a boy of the name of _Balty +Mahu_, between whom and himself a degree of rivalry, and +subsequently the most decided enmity, existed--a circumstance that +decided the character of Gurameer's subsequent life. They afterwards +met at college, where a more extended theatre was afforded for the +exercise of Balty Mahu's malignity. During a vacation, Gurameer, being +on a visit to an uncle in the country, one day, when the family had +gone to witness a grand spectacle in honour of an important festival +in their calendar, which he could not himself attend consistently with +the rules of his caste, was tempted to visit the deserted Zenana, or +ladies' apartment, where he accidentally meets with a beautiful young +female. The acquaintance, thus begun, soon ripened into intimacy, by +means of walks in the garden, contrived by Fatima, one of his female +cousins. At length they are constrained to separate. Veenah (for so +the young lady is named) returns to Benares, whither Gurameer soon +follows her. On making his father acquainted with his attachment, the +latter endeavours to persuade him to overcome it, and informs him that +Veenah's father is avaricious, and a bigot, and hence, that he would +probably be prejudiced against him, owing to some imputations which +had been cast on Gurameer's religious creed, and industriously +circulated by his old enemy, Balty Mahu, who proves to be the cousin +of Veenah These considerations prevail upon Gurameer to defer any +application to Veenah's father, until the suspicions regarding his +faith had either died away or been falsified by his scrupulous +observance of all religious duties. This resolution he determines to +communicate to his mistress. Accordingly, in the evening, he betakes +himself to the quarter of the city where Veenah's father lives; and, +walking to and fro before the house, soon discovers that he is +recognised. By a cord, let down from the window, he conveys a letter +to her, which, the following evening, she answers; and thus a regular +correspondence was kept up, which, by the exercise it afforded to +their imaginations, and the difficulties attendant upon it, inflamed +their passion to the highest pitch. He had, however, soon the +misfortune to be discovered by Balty Mahu, and, in consequence, Veenah +is debarred from pen and ink, but contrives to acquaint her lover that +their intercourse has been discovered, by a short note, written with a +burnt stick. Gurameer now goes in despair to Veenah's father, from +whom he experiences a haughty repulse, and who, in the following +night, secretly leaves the city, with his daughter, embarking on the +Ganges, and taking measures to prevent the discovery of the place of +his retreat. At the expiration of two or three months, an end is put +to Gurameer's doubts and apprehensions, by his return, with his +daughter and son-in-law--a rich Omrah, four times her age. After the +first ebullitions of rage have subsided, his love returns; but he is +never able to succeed in obtaining an interview with Veenah. By his +cousin Fatima, he learns the circumstances of Veenah's marriage, and +the deceptions which had been practised on her, aided by the unbounded +authority which parents exercise in eastern countries. The unhappy +Veenah, as firm in her principles as she was gentle in disposition, +refuses to see him. "Tell him," said she, "that Heaven has forbidden +it, and to its decrees we are bound to submit I am now the wife of +another, and it is our duty to forget all that is past. But if this be +possible, my heart tells me it can be only by our never meeting!" + +Gurameer now fell into a state of settled melancholy, and consented to +travel, more for the purpose of pleasing his parents, than from any +concern for his own health; but travelling had little effect--"he +carried a barbed arrow in his heart; and the greater the efforts to +extract it, the more they rankled the wound." When so much emaciated +that he was not expected to live a month, he took a voyage, coastwise, +to Madras; and, on his arrival there, learned that Balty Mahu had +recently left that place. This intelligence operated like a charm; the +desire of revenge roused all his energies and became his master +passion. He immediately set off in pursuit; but, although often near, +could never overtake him. His health rapidly improves; and at length +he hears that the old Omrah's health is rapidly declining. This +information awakens new thoughts and hopes, and Balty Mahu is +forgotten. He hastens hack to Benares; and when near the city, hears +two merchants, in conversation, remark that the Omrah is dead, and +that his widow was the next day to perform the _Suttee_. He +immediately mounts his horse, and reaches the city the next morning at +sunrise. In the street he mixes with the throng;--hears Veenah pitied, +her father blamed, and himself lamented. He now sees Veenah approach +the funeral pile, who, at the well known sound of his voice, shrieked +out, "he lives! he lives!" and would have attempted to save herself +from the flames; but the shouts of the surrounding multitude, and the +sound of the instruments, drowned her voice. He now attempts to +approach the pile for the purpose of rescuing her, but is forcibly +held back until the wretched Veenah is enveloped in flames. On his +again attempting to reach the pile, he was charged with profanation; +and, on Balty Mahu's making his appearance and encouraging the charge, +in frantic desperation he seizes a scymetar from one of the guards, +and plunges it in his breast. The influence of his friends, and the +sacred character of persons of his caste, saved the Brahmin from +capital punishment; but he was banished from Hindostan. He now removed +to the kingdom of Ava, where he continued so long as his parents +lived, after which he visited several countries, both of Asia and +Europe; and in one of his journeys, having discovered Lunarium Ore in +the mountain near Mogaun, he determined to pass the remainder of his +days in that secluded retreat.--"So ends this strange, eventful +history." + +When the Brahmin terminated his narrative, the extended map beneath +them was already assuming a distinct and varied appearance:-- + + "The Brahmin, having applied his eye to the telescope, and made a + brief calculation of our progress, considered that twenty-four hours + more, if no accident interrupted us, would end our voyage; part of + which interval I passed in making notes in my journal, and in + contemplating the different sections of our many peopled globe, as + they presented themselves successively to the eye. It was my wish to + land on the American continent, and, if possible, in the United + States. But the Brahmin put an end to that hope, by reminding me that + we should be attracted towards the Equator, and that we had to choose + between Asia, Africa, and South America; and that our only course + would be, to check the progress of our car over the country of + greatest extent, through which the equinoctial circle might pass. + Saying which, he relapsed into his melancholy silence, and I betook + myself once more to the telescope. With a bosom throbbing with + emotion, I saw that we were descending towards the American continent. + When we were about ten or twelve miles from the earth, the Brahmin + arrested the progress of the car, and we hovered over the broad + Atlantic. Looking down on the ocean, the first object which presented + itself to my eye, was a small one-masted shallop, which was buffetting + the waves in a south-westerly direction. I presumed it was a + New-England trader, on a voyage to some part of the Republic of + Colombia: and, by way of diverting my friend from his melancholy + reverie, I told him some of the many stories which are current + respecting the enterprise and ingenuity of this portion of my + countrymen, and above all, their adroitness at a bargain. + + "'Methinks,' says the Brahmin, 'you are describing a native of Canton + or Pekin. But,' added he, after a short pause, 'though to a + superficial observer man appears to put on very different characters, + to a philosopher he is every where the same--for he is every where + moulded by the circumstances in which he is placed. Thus; let him be + in a situation that is propitious to commerce, and the habits of + traffic produce in him shrewdness and address. Trade is carried on + chiefly in towns, because it is there carried on most advantageously. + This situation gives the trader a more intimate knowledge of his + species--a more ready insight into character, and of the modes of + operating on it. His chief purpose is to buy as cheap, and to sell as + dear, as he can; and he is often able to heighten the recommendations + or soften the defects of some of the articles in which he deals, + without danger of immediate detection; or, in other words, big + representations have some influence with his customers. He avails + himself of this circumstance, and thus acquires the habit of lying; + but, as he is studious to conceal it, he becomes wary, ingenious, and + cunning. It is thus that the Phenicians, the Carthagenians, the Dutch, + the Chinese, the New-Englanders, and the modern Greeks, have always + been regarded as inclined to petty frauds by their less commercial + neighbours.' I mentioned the English nation. + + "'If the English,' said he, interrupting me; 'who are the most + commercial people of modern times, have not acquired the same + character, it is because they are as distinguished for other things as + for traffic: they are not merely a commercial people--they are also + agricultural, warlike, and literary; and thus the natural tendencies + of commerce are mutually counteracted.' + + "We afterwards descended slowly; the prospect beneath us becoming more + beautiful than my humble pen can hope to describe, or will even + attempt to portray. In a short time after, we were in sight of + Venezuela. We met with the trade winds and were carried by them forty + or fifty miles inland, where, with some difficulty, and even danger, + we landed. The Brahmin and myself remained together two days, and + parted--he to explore the Andes, to obtain additional light on the + subject of his hypothesis, and I, on the wings of impatience, to visit + once more my long-deserted family and friends. But before our + separation, I assisted my friend in concealing our aerial vessel, and + received a promise from him to visit, and perhaps spend with me the + evening of his life. Of my journey home, little remains to be said. + From the citizens of Colombia, I experienced kindness and attention, + and means of conveyance to Caraccas; where, embarking on board the + brig Juno, captain Withers, I once more set foot in New-York, on the + 18th of August, 1826, after an absence of four years, resolved, for + the rest of my life, to travel only in books, and persuaded, from + experience, that the satisfaction which the wanderer gains from + actually beholding the wonders and curiosities of distant climes, is + dearly bought by the sacrifice of all the comforts and delights of + home." + +We have thus placed before the reader an analysis of this interesting +Satirical Romance. The time and space we have occupied sufficiently +indicate the favourable sentiments respecting it with which we have +been impressed. Of the execution of the satires, from the several +extracts we have given, the reader will himself be enabled to judge. +This is of course unequal, but generally felicitous. In the personal +allusions which occur through the work, the author exhibits, as we +have before noticed, a freedom from malice and all uncharitableness, +and in many of them has attained that happy _desideratum_ which +Dryden considered a matter of so much difficulty:-- + + "How easy is it," he observes, "to call rogue and villain, and that + wittily! But how hard to make a man appear a fool, a blockhead, or a + knave, without using any of those opprobrious terms! To spare the + grossness of the names, and to do the thing yet more severely, is to + draw a full face, and to make the nose and cheeks stand out, and yet + not to employ any depth of shadowing. This is the mystery of that + noble trade, which yet no master can teach to his apprentice; he may + give the rules, but the scholar is never the nearer in his practice; + neither is it true, that this fineness of raillery is offensive. A + witty man is tickled, while he is hurt, in this manner, and a fool + feels it not: the occasion of an offence may possibly be given, but he + cannot take it. If it be granted, that, in effect, this way does more + mischief--that a man is secretly wounded, and, though he be not + sensible himself, yet the malicious world will find it out for him, + yet, there is still a vast difference betwixt the slovenly butchering + of a man, and the fineness of a stroke that separates the head from + the body, and leaves it standing in its place. A man may be capable, + as Jack Ketch's wife said of his servant, of a plain piece of work, a + bare hanging; but to make a malefactor die sweetly, was only belonging + to her husband."[11] + +In conclusion, we must express our regret, that the author should not +have added notes to the work--the want of them will be seriously felt +by every one; some of the satires, indeed, must escape the reader, +unless he pay a degree of attention, which notes would have rendered +unnecessary. In his next edition, we trust that this deficiency may be +supplied; and we anticipate as much instruction and entertainment, +from the wide scope which such an undertaking will afford, as we have +derived from the perusal of the text. Cheerfully would we extend to +him, if required, the leisure claimed by Spenser, after he had +composed the first six books of his "_Faerie Queene_," provided +he would promise us similar conditions:-- + + "After so long a race as I have run + Through Faery Land, which those six books compile, + Give leave to rest me, being half foredonne, + And gather to myself new breath awhile; + + "Then, as a steed refreshed after toyle, + Out of my prison will I break anew, + And stoutly will that second work assoyle, + With strong endeavour, and attention due." + + + * * * * * + + +[APPENDIX FOOTNOTES] + + +[Footnote 1: Scott's Swift, vol. xi. p. 4] + + +[Footnote 2: Aristoph. in Pace. 130.] + + +[Footnote 3: Orlando furioso, Canto xxxiv. St. 68 and 69.] + + +[Footnote 4: Micromègas, Histoire Philosophique, chap. 8.] + + +[Footnote 5: Fuller, a learned contemporary of the Bishop, has given +us an amusing case of litigation, originating from this nourishing +character of odours.-- + +"A poor man, being very hungry, staid so long in a cook's shop, who +was dishing up meat, that his stomach was satisfied with only the +smell thereof. The choleric cook demanded of him to pay for his +breakfast, the poor man denied having had any; and the controversy was +referred to the deciding of the next man that should pass by, who +chanced to be the most notorious idiot in the whole city be, on the +relation of the matter, determined that the poor man's money should be +put betwixt two empty dishes, and the cook should be recompensed with +the jingling of the poor man's money, as he was satisfied with the +smell of the cook's meat."--_Fuller's Holy State_, lib. iii. c. +12.] + + +[Footnote 6: Aristophan. in pace. 137.] + + +[Footnote 7: The idea of the Glonglims is the author's. Ariosto makes +the lost intellect, of those who become insane upon the earth, ascend +to the moon, where it is kept _bottled_.-- + + "Era come un liquor suttile e molle, + Atto a esalar, se non si tien ben chiuso; + E si vedea raccolto in varie ampolle, + Qual più, qual men capace, atte a quell' uso." + + _Orlando furioso_, Cant. 34. St. 83.] + + +[Footnote 8: Our author might also have alluded to the old apology for +every thing inane or contemptible--"It is a tale of the man in the +moon." When that arch flatterer, John Lylie, published (in 1591) his +"_Endymion_, or _the man in the moon_"--a _court comedy_, as it +was afterwards called; in other words, intended for the gratification +of Queen Elizabeth, and in which her personal charms and attractions +are grossly lauded--he pleads guilty to its defect in plot, in the +following exquisite apologetic prologue:-- + +"Most high and happy Princess, we must tell you a tale of the man in +the moon; which, if it seem ridiculous for the method, or superfluous +for the matter, or for the means incredible, for three faults we can +make but one excuse,--it is a tale of the man of the moon." + +"It was forbidden in old time to dispute of Chymera, because it was a +fiction: we hope in our times none will apply pastimes, because they +are fancies: for there liveth none under the sun that knows what to +make of the man in the moon. We present neither comedy, nor tragedy, +nor story, nor any thing, but that whosoever heareth may say this:-- +'Why, here is a tale of the man in the moon.' Yet this is the man +designated by Blount, who re-published his plays in 1632, as the '_only +rare poet of that time, the witie, comicall, facetiously-quicke, and +unparallel'd John Lylie, Master of Arts!'"] + + +[Footnote 9: It is to be regretted that the author has not followed +the good example set him by Johnson, in his _Debates in the Senate +of Magna Lilliputia_, published in the Gentlemen's Magazine for +1738: the denominations of the speakers being formed of the letters of +their real names, so that they might be easily deciphered. This +neglect has obscured many of the author's most interesting satires. +Who could suppose from the letters alone, that _Wigurd_, _Vindar_, +and _Avarabet_, were respectively intended for _Godwin_, _Darwin_, +and _Lavater_?] + + +[Footnote 10: It is a curious circumstance, that Swift, in his +description of the Academy of Lagado, should have so completely +anticipated the Pestalozzian invention.] + + +[Footnote 11: Dryden's Essay on Satire] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Voyage to the Moon, by George Tucker + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10005 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..762c8c3 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #10005 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10005) diff --git a/old/10005-8.txt b/old/10005-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..42339bd --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10005-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7313 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Voyage to the Moon, by George Tucker + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Voyage to the Moon + +Author: George Tucker + +Release Date: November 7, 2003 [EBook #10005] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VOYAGE TO THE MOON *** + + + + +Produced by Christine De Ryck, Stig M. Valstad, Suzanne L. Shell +and PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + A + VOYAGE TO THE MOON: + WITH + SOME ACCOUNT + OF THE + MANNERS AND CUSTOMS, SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY, + OF THE + PEOPLE OF MOROSOFIA, + AND + OTHER LUNARIANS. + + + + BY GEORGE TUCKER (JOSEPH ATTERLEY) + + + + + "It is the very error of the moon, + She comes more near the earth than she was wont, + And makes men mad."--_Othello_. + + + + 1827 + + + CONTENTS. + + + + CHAPTER I. + +Atterley's birth and education--He makes a voyage-- + Founders off the Burman coast--Adventures in + that Empire--Meets with a learned Brahmin from + Benares. + + CHAPTER II. + +The Brahmin's illness--He reveals an important secret + to Atterley--Curious information concerning the + Moon--The Glonglims--They plan a voyage to + the Moon. + + CHAPTER III. + +The Brahmin and Atterley prepare for their voyage-- + Description of their travelling machine--Incidents + of the voyage--The appearance of the earth; + Africa; Greece--The Brahmin's speculations on + the different races of men--National character. + + CHAPTER IV. + +Continuation of the voyage--View of Europe; Atlantic + Ocean; America--Speculations on the future + destiny of the United States--Moral reflections-- + Pacific Ocean--Hypothesis on the origin of the + Moon. + + CHAPTER V. + +The voyage continued--Second view of Asia--The + Brahmin's speculations concerning India--Increase + of the Moon's attraction--Appearance of the Moon + --They land on the Moon. + + CHAPTER VI. + +Some account of Morosofia, and its chief city, Alamatua + --Singular dresses of the Lunar ladies--Religious + self-denial--Glonglim miser and spendthrift. + + CHAPTER VII. + +Physical peculiarities of the Moon--Celestial phenomena + --Farther description of the Lunarians--National + prejudice--Lightness of bodies--The Brahmin + carries Atterley to sup with a philosopher-- + His character and opinions. + + CHAPTER VIII. + +A celebrated physician: his ingenious theories in physics: + his mechanical inventions--The feather-hunting Glonglim. + + CHAPTER IX. + +The fortune-telling philosopher, who inspected the + finger nails: his visiters--Another philosopher, + who judged of the character by the hair--The + fortune-teller duped--Predatory warfare. + + CHAPTER X. + +The travellers visit a gentleman farmer, who is a great + projector: his breed of cattle: his apparatus for + cooking--He is taken dangerously ill. + + CHAPTER XI. + +Lunarian physicians: their consultation--While they + dispute the patient recovers--The travellers visit + the celebrated teacher Lozzi Pozzi. + + CHAPTER XII. + +Election of the Numnoonce, or town-constable-- + Violence of parties--Singular institution of the Syringe + Boys--The prize-fighters--Domestic manufactures. + + CHAPTER XIII. + +Description of the Happy Valley--The laws, customs, + and manners of the Okalbians--Theory of population + --Rent--System of government. + + CHAPTER XIV. + +Further account of Okalbia--The Field of Roses-- + Curious superstition concerning that flower--The + pleasures of smell traced to association, by a + Glonglim philosopher. + + CHAPTER XV. + +Atterley goes to the great monthly fair--Its various + exhibitions; difficulties--Preparations to leave the + Moon--Curiosities procured by Atterley--Regress + to the Earth. + + CHAPTER XVI. + +The Brahmin gives Atterley a history of his life. + + CHAPTER XVII. + +The Brahmin's story continued--The voyage concluded + --Atterley and the Brahmin separate--Atterley + arrives in New-York. + + + Appendix: Anonymous Review of _A Voyage to the + Moon,_ reprinted from _The American Quarterly + Review_ No. 5 (March 1828) + + + + +APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC. + + +Having, by a train of fortunate circumstances, accomplished a voyage, of +which the history of mankind affords no example; having, moreover, exerted +every faculty of body and mind, to make my adventures useful to my +countrymen, and even to mankind, by imparting to them the acquisition +of secrets in physics and morals, of which they had not formed the +faintest conception,--I flattered myself that both in the character +of traveller and public benefactor, I had earned for myself an immortal +name. But how these fond, these justifiable hopes have been answered, +the following narrative will show. + +On my return to this my native State, as soon as it was noised abroad +that I had met with extraordinary adventures, and made a most wonderful +voyage, crowds of people pressed eagerly to see me. I at first met their +inquiries with a cautious silence, which, however, but sharpened their +curiosity. At length I was visited by a near relation, with whom I felt +less disposed to reserve. With friendly solicitude he inquired "how much +I had made by my voyage;" and when he was informed that, although I had +added to my knowledge, I had not improved my fortune, he stared at me a +while, and remarking that he had business at the Bank, as well as an +appointment on 'Change, suddenly took his leave. After this, I was not +much interrupted by the tribe of inquisitive idlers, but was visited +principally by a few men of science, who wished to learn what I could +add to their knowledge of nature. To this class I was more communicative; +and when I severally informed them that I had actually been to the +Moon, some of them shrugged their shoulders, others laughed in my face, +and some were angry at my supposed attempt to deceive them; but all, +with a single exception, were incredulous. + +It was to no purpose that I appealed to my former character for veracity. +I was answered, that travelling had changed my morals, as it had changed +other people's. I asked what motives I could have for attempting to +deceive them. They replied, the love of distinction--the vanity of being +thought to have seen what had been seen by no other mortal; and they +triumphantly asked me in turn, what motives Raleigh, and Riley, and +Hunter, and a hundred other travellers, had for their misrepresentations. +Finding argument thus unavailing, I produced visible and tangible proofs +of the truth of my narrative. I showed them a specimen of moonstone. +They asserted that it was of the same character as those meteoric stones +which had been found in every part of the world, and that I had merely +procured a piece of one of these for the purpose of deception. I then +exhibited some of what I considered my most curious Lunar plants: but +this made the matter worse; for it so happened, that similar ones were +then cultivated in Mr. Prince's garden at Flushing. I next produced +some rare insects, and feathers of singular birds: but persons were +found who had either seen, or read, or heard of similar insects and +birds in Hoo-Choo, or Paraguay, or Prince of Wales's Island. In short, +having made up their minds that what I said was not true, they had an +answer ready for all that I could urge in support of my character; and +those who judged most christianly, defended my veracity at the expense +of my understanding, and ascribed my conduct to partial insanity. + +There was, indeed, a short suspension to this cruel distrust. An old +friend coming to see me one day, and admiring a beautiful crystal which +I had brought from the Moon, insisted on showing it to a jeweller, who +said that it was an unusually hard stone, and that if it were a diamond, +it would be worth upwards of 150,000 dollars. I know not whether the +mistake that ensued proceeded from my friend, who is something of a wag, +or from one of the lads in the jeweller's shop, who, hearing a part of +what his master had said, misapprehended the rest; but so it was, that +the next day I had more visiters than ever, and among them my kinsman, +who was kind enough to stay with me, as if he enjoyed my good fortune, +until both the Exchange and the Banks were closed. On the same day, +the following paragraph appeared in one of the morning prints: + + "We understand that our enterprising and intelligent traveller, + JOSEPH ATTERLEY, Esquire, has brought from his Lunar Expedition, + a diamond of extraordinary size and lustre. Several of the most + experienced jewellers of this city have estimated it at from + 250,000 to 300,000 dollars; and some have gone so far as to say + it would be cheap at half a million. We have the authority of a + near relative of that gentleman for asserting, that the satisfactory + testimonials which he possesses of the correctness of his narrative, + are sufficient to satisfy the most incredulous, and to silence + malignity itself." + +But this gleam of sunshine soon passed away. Two days afterwards, another +paragraph appeared in the same paper, in these words: + + "We are credibly informed, that the supposed diamond of the _famous_ + traveller to the Moon, turns out to be one of those which are found + on Diamond Island, in Lake George. We have heard that Mr. A----y + means to favour the public with an account of his travels, under + the title of 'Lunarian Adventures;' but we would take the liberty + of recommending, that for _Lunarian_, he substitute _Lunatic_." + +Thus disappointed in my expectations, and assailed in my character, +what could I do but appeal to an impartial public, by giving them a +circumstantial detail of what was most memorable in my adventures, that +they might judge, from intrinsic evidence, whether I was deficient either +in soundness of understanding or of moral principle? But let me first +bespeak their candour, and a salutary diffidence of themselves, by one +or two well-authenticated anecdotes. + +During the reign of Louis the XIVth, the king of Siam having received +an ambassador from that monarch, was accustomed to hear, with wonder +and delight, the foreigner's descriptions of his own country: but the +minister having one day mentioned, that in France, water, at one time +of the year, became a solid substance, the Siamese prince indignantly +exclaimed,--"Hold, sir! I have listened to the strange things you have +told me, and have hitherto believed them all; but now when you wish to +persuade me that water, which I know as well as you, can become hard, I +see that your purpose is to deceive me, and I do not believe a word you +have uttered." + +But as the present patriotic preference for home-bred manufactures, may +extend to anecdotes as well as to other productions, a story of domestic +origin may have more weight with most of my readers, than one introduced +from abroad. + +The chief of a party of Indians, who had visited Washington during +Mr. Jefferson's presidency, having, on his return home, assembled his +tribe, gave them a detail of his adventures; and dwelling particularly +upon the courteous treatment the party had received from their "Great +Father," stated, among other things, that he had given them ice, though +it was then mid-summer. His countrymen, not having the vivacity of our +ladies, listened in silence till he had ended, when an aged chief stepped +forth, and remarked that he too, when a young man, had visited their +Great Father Washington, in New-York, who had received him as a son, and +treated him with all the delicacies that his country afforded, but had +given him no ice. "Now," added the orator, "if any man in the world could +have made ice in the summer, it was Washington; and if he could have made +it, I am sure he would have given it to me. Tustanaggee is, therefore, a +liar, and not to be believed." + +In both these cases, though the argument seemed fair, the conclusion was +false; for had either the king or the chief taken the trouble to satisfy +himself of the fact, he might have found that his limited experience had +deceived him. + +It is unquestionably true, that if travellers sometimes impose on the +credulity of mankind, they are often also not believed when they speak +the truth. Credulity and scepticism are indeed but different names for +the same hasty judgment on insufficient evidence: and, as the old woman +readily assented that there might be "mountains of sugar and rivers +of rum," because she had seen them both, but that there were "fish +which could fly," she never would believe; so thousands give credit +to Redheiffer's patented discovery of perpetual motion, because they +had beheld his machine, and question the existence of the sea-serpent, +because they have not seen it. + +I would respectfully remind that class of my readers, who, like the +king, the Indian, or the old woman, refuse to credit any thing which +contradicts the narrow limits of their own observation, that there are +"more secrets in nature than are dreamt of in their philosophy;" and +that upon their own principles, before they have a right to condemn me, +they should go or send to the mountains of Ava, for some of the metal +with which I made my venturous experiment, and make one for themselves. + +As to those who do not call in question my veracity, but only doubt my +sanity, I fearlessly appeal from their unkind judgment to the sober and +unprejudiced part of mankind, whether, what I have stated in the following +pages, is not consonant with truth and nature, and whether they do not +there see, faithfully reflected from the Moon, the errors of the learned +on Earth, and "the follies of the wise?" + +JOSEPH ATTERLEY. + +_Long-Island, September_, 1827. + + + + +VOYAGE TO THE MOON. + + +CHAPTER I. + +_Atterley's birth and education--He makes a voyage--Founders off the +Burman coast--Adventures in that Empire--Meets with a learned Brahmin +from Benares._ + + +Being about to give a narrative of my singular adventures to the world, +which, I foresee, will be greatly divided about their authenticity, +I will premise something of my early history, that those to whom I am +not personally known, may be better able to ascertain what credit is +due to the facts which rest only on my own assertion. + +I was born in the village of Huntingdon, on Long-Island, on the 11th day +of May, 1786. Joseph Atterley, my father, formerly of East Jersey, as it +was once called, had settled in this place about a year before, in +consequence of having married my mother, Alice Schermerhorn, the only +daughter of a snug Dutch farmer in the neighbourhood. By means of the +portion he received with my mother, together with his own earnings, +he was enabled to quit the life of a sailor, to which he had been bred, +and to enter into trade. After the death of his father-in-law, by whose +will he received a handsome accession to his property, he sought, in the +city of New-York, a theatre better suited to his enlarged capital. He +here engaged in foreign trade; and, partaking of the prosperity which +then attended American commerce, he gradually extended his business, and +finally embarked in our new branch of traffic to the East Indies and +China. He was now very generally respected, both for his wealth and fair +dealing; was several years a director in one of the insurance offices; +was president of the society for relieving the widows and orphans of +distressed seamen; and, it is said, might have been chosen alderman, +if he had not refused, on the ground that he did not think himself +qualified. + +My father was not one of those who set little value on book learning, +from their own consciousness of not possessing it: on the contrary, he +would often remark, that as he felt the want of a liberal education +himself, he was determined to bestow one on me. I was accordingly, at +an early age, put to a grammar school of good repute in my native village, +the master of which, I believe, is now a member of Congress; and, at the +age of seventeen, was sent to Princeton, to prepare myself for some +profession. During my third year at that place, in one of my excursions +to Philadelphia, and for which I was always inventing pretexts, I became +acquainted with one of those faces and forms which, in a youth of twenty, +to see, admire, and love, is one and the same thing. My attentions were +favourably received. I soon became desperately in love; and, in spite of +the advice of my father and entreaties of my mother, who had formed other +schemes for me nearer home, I was married on the anniversary of my +twenty-first year. + +It was not until the first trance of bliss was over, that I began to +think seriously on the course of life I was to pursue. From the time +that my mind had run on love and matrimony, I had lost all relish for +serious study; and long before that time, I had felt a sentiment bordering +on contempt for the pursuits of my father. Besides, he had already taken +my two younger brothers into the counting-house with him. I therefore +prevailed on my indulgent parent, with the aid of my mother's intercession, +to purchase for me a neat country-seat near Huntingdon, which presented a +beautiful view of the Sound, and where, surrounded by the scenes of my +childhood, I promised myself to realise, with my Susanna, that life of +tranquil felicity which fancy, warmed by love, so vividly depicts. + +If we did not meet with all that we had expected, it was because we had +expected too much. The happiest life, like the purest atmosphere, has +its clouds as well as its sunshine; and what is worse, we never fully +know the value of the one, until we have felt the inconvenience of the +other. In the cultivation of my farm--in educating our children, a son +and two daughters, in reading, music, painting--and in occasional visits +to our friends in New-York and Philadelphia, seventeen years glided +swiftly and imperceptibly away; at the end of which time death, in +depriving me of an excellent wife, made a wreck of my hopes and enjoyments. +For the purpose of seeking that relief to my feelings which change of +place only could afford, I determined to make a sea voyage; and, as one +of my father's vessels was about to sail for Canton, I accordingly +embarked on board the well-known ship the _Two Brothers_, captain +Thomas, and left Sandy-hook on the 5th day of June, 1822, having first +placed my three children under the care of my brother William. + +I will not detain the reader with a detail of the first incidents of +our voyage, though they were sufficiently interesting at the time they +occurred, and were not wanting in the usual variety. We had, in singular +succession, dead calms and fresh breezes, stiff gales and sudden squalls; +saw sharks, flying-fish, and dolphins; spoke several vessels: had a +visit from Neptune when we crossed the Line, and were compelled to +propitiate his favour with some gallons of spirits, which he seems +always to find a very agreeable change from sea water; and touched at +Table Bay and at Madagascar. + +On the whole, our voyage was comparatively pleasant and prosperous, until +the 24th of October; when, off the mouths of the Ganges, after a fine +clear autumnal day, just about sunset, a small dark speck was seen in +the eastern horizon by our experienced and watchful captain, who, after +noticing it for a few moments, pronounced that we should have a hurricane. +The rapidity with which this speck grew into a dense cloud, and spread +itself in darkness over the heavens, as well as the increasing swell of +the ocean before we felt the wind, soon convinced us he was right. No +time was lost in lowering our topmasts, taking double reefs, and making +every thing snug, to meet the fury of the tempest. I thought I had +already witnessed all that was terrific on the ocean; but what I had +formerly seen, had been mere child's play compared with this. Never can +I forget the impression that was made upon me by the wild uproar of the +elements. The smooth, long swell of the waves gradually changed into an +agitated frothy surface, which constant flashes of lightning presented +to us in all its horror; and in the mean time the wind whistled through +the rigging, and the ship creaked as if she was every minute going to +pieces. + +About midnight the storm was at its height, and I gave up all for lost. +The wind, which first blew from the south-west, was then due south, and +the sailors said it began to abate a little before day: but I saw no +great difference until about three in the afternoon; soon after which +the clouds broke away, and showed us the sun setting in cloudless majesty, +while the billows still continued their stupendous rolling, but with a +heavy movement, as if, after such mighty efforts, they were seeking +repose in the bosom of their parent ocean. It soon became almost calm; +a light western breeze barely swelled our sails, and gently wafted us +to the land, which we could faintly discern to the north-east. Our ship +had been so shaken in the tempest, and was so leaky, that captain Thomas +thought it prudent to make for the first port we could reach. + +At dawn we found ourselves in full view of a coast, which, though not +personally known to the captain, he pronounced by his charts to be a +part of the Burmese Empire, and in the neighbourhood of Mergui, on the +Martaban coast. The leak had now increased to an alarming extent, so +that we found it would be impossible to carry the ship safe into port. +We therefore hastily threw our clothes, papers, and eight casks of +silver, into the long-boat; and before we were fifty yards from the +ship, we saw her go down. Some of the underwriters in New York, as I +have since learnt, had the conscience to contend that we left the ship +sooner than was necessary, and have suffered themselves to be sued for +the sums they had severally insured. It was a little after midday when +we reached the town, which is perched on a high bluff, overlooking +the coasts, and contains about a thousand houses, built of bamboo, +and covered with palm leaves. Our dress, appearance, language, and +the manner of our arrival, excited great surprise among the natives, +and the liveliest curiosity; but with these sentiments some evidently +mingled no very friendly feelings. The Burmese were then on the eve +of a rupture with the East India Company, a fact which we had not before +known; and mistaking us for English, they supposed, or affected to +suppose, that we belonged to a fleet which was about to invade them, +and that our ship had been sunk before their eyes, by the tutelar divinity +of the country. We were immediately carried before their governor, +or chief magistrate, who ordered our baggage to be searched, and finding +that it consisted principally of silver, he had no doubt of our hostile +intentions. He therefore sent all of us, twenty-two in number, to prison, +separating, however, each one from the rest. My companions were released +the following spring, as I have since learnt, by the invading army of +Great Britain; but it was my ill fortune (if, indeed, after what has +since happened, I can so regard it) to be taken for an officer of high +rank, and to be sent, the third day afterwards, far into the interior, +that I might be more safely kept, and either used as a hostage or offered +for ransom, as circumstances should render advantageous. + +The reader is, no doubt, aware that the Burman Empire lies beyond the +Ganges, between the British possessions and the kingdom of Siam; and +that the natives nearly assimilate with those of Hindostan, in language, +manners, religion, and character, except that they are more hardy and +warlike. + +I was transported very rapidly in a palanquin, (a sort of decorated +litter,) carried on the shoulders of four men, who, for greater despatch, +were changed every three hours. In this way I travelled thirteen days, +in which time we reached a little village in the mountainous district +between the Irawaddi and Saloon rivers, where I was placed under the +care of an inferior magistrate, called a Mirvoon, who there exercised +the chief authority. + +This place, named Mozaun, was romantically situated in a fertile valley, +that seemed to be completely shut in by the mountains. A small river, +a branch of the Saloon, entered it from the west, and, after running +about four miles in nearly a straight direction, turned suddenly round +a steep hill to the south, and was entirely lost to view. The village +was near a gap in the mountain, through which the river seemed to have +forced its way, and consisted of about forty or fifty huts, built of +the bamboo cane and reeds. The house of my landlord was somewhat larger +and better than the rest. It stood on a little knoll that overlooked +the village, the valley, the stream that ran through it, and commanded +a distant view of the country beyond the gap. It was certainly a lovely +little spot, as it now appears to my imagination; but when the landscape +was new to me, I was in no humour to relish its beauties, and when my +mind was more in a state to appreciate them, they had lost their novelty. + +My keeper, whose name was Sing Fou, and who, from a long exercise of +magisterial authority, was rough and dictatorial, behaved to me somewhat +harshly at first; but my patient submission so won his confidence and +good will, that I soon became a great favourite; was regarded more as +one of his family than as a prisoner, and was allowed by him every +indulgence consistent with my safe custody. But the difficulties in the +way of my escape were so great, that little restraint was imposed on +my motions. The narrow defile in the gap, through which the river rushed +like a torrent, was closed with a gate. The mountains, by which the +valley was hemmed in, were utterly impassable, thickly set as they were +with jungle, consisting of tangled brier, thorn and forest trees, of +which those who have never been in a tropical climate can form no adequate +idea. In some places it would be difficult to penetrate more than a +mile in the day; during which time the traveller would be perpetually +tormented by noxious insects, and in constant dread of beasts of prey. + +The only outlet from this village was by passing down the valley along +the settlements, and following the course of the stream; so that there +was no other injunction laid on me, than not to extend my rambles far +in that direction. Sing Fou's household consisted of his wife, whom I +rarely saw, four small children, and six servants; and here I enjoyed +nearly as great a portion of happiness as in any part of my life. + +It had been one of my favourite amusements to ramble towards a part of +the western ridge, which rose in a cone about a mile and a half from the +village, and there ascending to some comparatively level spot, or point +projecting from its side, enjoy the beautiful scenery which lay before +me, and the evening breeze, which has such a delicious freshness in a +tropical climate. + +Nor was this all. In a deep sequestered nook, formed by two spurs of this +mountain, there lived a venerable Hindoo, whom the people of the village +called the Holy Hermit. The favourable accounts I received of his +character, as well as his odd course of life, made me very desirous +of becoming acquainted with him; and, as he was often visited by the +villagers, I found no difficulty in getting a conductor to his cell. His +character for sanctity, together with a venerable beard, might have +discouraged advances towards an acquaintance, if his lively piercing eye, +a countenance expressive of great mildness and kindness of disposition, +and his courteous manners, had not yet more strongly invited it. He was +indeed not averse to society, though he had seemed thus to fly from it; +and was so great a favourite with his neighbours, that his cell would +have been thronged with visitors, but for the difficulty of the approach +to it. As it was, it was seldom resorted to, except for the purpose of +obtaining his opinion and counsel on all the serious concerns of his +neighbours. He prescribed for the sick, and often provided the medicine +they required--expounded the law--adjusted disputes--made all their little +arithmetical calculations--gave them moral instruction--and, when he +could not afford them relief in their difficulties, he taught them +patience, and gave them consolation. He, in short, united, for the simple +people by whom he was surrounded, the functions of lawyer, physician, +schoolmaster, and divine, and richly merited the reverential respect in +which they held him, as well as their little presents of eggs, fruit, and +garden stuff. + +From the first evening that I joined the party which I saw clambering up +the path that led to the Hermit's cell, I found myself strongly attached +to this venerable man, and the more so, from the mystery which hung +around his history. It was agreed that he was not a Burmese. None deemed +to know certainly where he was born, or why he came thither. His own +account was, that he had devoted himself to the service of God, and in +his pilgrimage over the east, had selected this as a spot particularly +favourable to the life of quiet and seclusion he wished to lead. + +There was one part of his story to which I could scarcely give credit. +It was said that in the twelve or fifteen years he had resided in this +place, he had been occasionally invisible for months together, and no +one could tell why he disappeared, or whither he had gone. At these +times his cell was closed; and although none ventured to force their +way into it, those who were the most prying could hear no sound indicating +that he was within. Various were the conjectures formed on the subject. +Some supposed that he withdrew from the sight of men for the purpose +of more fervent prayer and more holy meditation; others, that he visited +his home, or some other distant country. The more superstitious believed +that he had, by a kind of metempsychosis, taken a new shape, which, by +some magical or supernatural power, he could assume and put off at +pleasure. This opinion was perhaps the most prevalent, as it gained a +colour with these simple people, from the chemical and astronomical +instruments he possessed. In these he evidently took great pleasure, +and by their means he acquired some of the knowledge by which he so +often excited their admiration. + +He soon distinguished me from the rest of his visitors, by addressing +questions to me relative to my history and adventures; and I, in turn, +was gratified to have met with one who took an interest in my concerns, +and who alone, of all I had here met with, could either enter into my +feelings or comprehend my opinions. Our conversations were carried on +in English, which he spoke with facility and correctness. We soon found +ourselves so much to each other's taste, that there was seldom an evening +that I did not make him a visit, and pass an hour or two in his company. + +I learnt from him that he was born and bred at Benares, in Hindostan; +that he had been intended for the priesthood, and had been well instructed +in the literature of the east. That a course of untoward circumstances, +upon which he seemed unwilling to dwell, had changed his destination, +and made him a wanderer on the face of the earth. That in the neighbouring +kingdom of Siam he had formed an intimacy with a learned French Jesuit, +who had not only taught him his language, but imparted to him a knowledge +of much of the science of Europe, its institutions and manners. That after +the death of this friend, he had renewed his wanderings; and having been +detained in this village by a fit of sickness for some weeks, he was +warned that it was time to quit his rambling life. This place being +recommended to him, both by its quiet seclusion, and the unsophisticated +manners of its inhabitants, he determined to pass the remnant of his days +here, and, by devoting them to the purposes of piety, charity, and +science, to discharge his duty to his Creator, his species, and himself; +"for the love of knowledge," he added, "has long been my chief source of +selfish enjoyment." + +Our tastes and sentiments accorded in so many points, that our acquaintance +ripened by degrees into the closest friendship. We were both +strangers--both unfortunate; and were the only individuals here who had any +knowledge of letters, or of distant parts of the world. These are, indeed, +the main springs of that sympathy, without which there is no love among +men. It is being overwise, to treat with contempt what mankind hold in +respect: and philosophy teaches us not to extinguish our feelings, but to +correct and refine them. My visits to the hermitage were frequently renewed +at first, because they afforded me the relief of variety, whilst his +intimate knowledge of men and things--his remarkable sagacity and good +sense--his air of mingled piety and benignity,--cheated me into +forgetfulness of my situation. As these gradually yielded to the lenitive +power of time, I sought his conversation for the positive pleasure it +afforded, and at last it became the chief source of my happiness. Day after +day, and month after month, glided on in this gentle, unvarying current, +for more than three years; during which period he had occasionally thrown +out dark hints that the time would come when I should be restored to +liberty, and that he had an important secret, which he would one day +communicate. I should have been more tantalized with the expectations that +these remarks were calculated to raise, had I not suspected them to be a +good-natured artifice, to save me from despondency, as they were never made +except when he saw me looking serious and thoughtful. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +_The Brahmin's illness--He reveals an important secret to Atterley-- +Curious information concerning the Moon--The Glonglims--They plan a +voyage to the Moon._ + + +About this period, one afternoon in the month of March, when I repaired +to the hermitage as usual, I found my venerable friend stretched on his +humble pallet, breathing very quickly, and seemingly in great pain. He +was labouring under a pleurisy, which is not unfrequent in the mountainous +region, at this season. He told me that his disease had not yielded to +the ordinary remedies which he had tried when he first felt its approach, +and that he considered himself to be dangerously ill. "I am, however," +he added, "prepared to die. Sit down on that block, and listen to what +I shall say to you. Though I shall quit this state of being for another +and a better, I confess that I was alarmed at the thought of expiring, +before I had an opportunity of seeing and conversing with you. I am the +depository of a secret, that I believe is known to no other living mortal. +I once determined that it should die with me; and had I not met with you, +it certainly should. But from our first acquaintance, my heart has been +strongly attracted towards you; and as soon as I found you possessed +of qualities to inspire esteem as well as regard, I felt disposed to +give you this proof of my confidence. Still I hesitated. I first wished +to deliberate on the probable effects of my disclosure upon the condition +of society. I saw that it might produce evil, as well as good; but on +weighing the two together, I have satisfied myself that the good will +preponderate, and have determined to act accordingly. Take this key, +(stretching out his feverish hand,) and after waiting two hours, in +which time the medicine I have taken will have either produced a good +effect, or put an end to my sufferings, you may then open that blue +chest in the corner. It has a false bottom. On removing the paper which +covers it, you will find the manuscript containing the important secret, +together with some gold pieces, which I have saved for the day of +need--because--(and he smiled in spite of his sufferings)--because +hoarding is one of the pleasures of old men. Take them both, and use +them discreetly. When I am gone, I request you, my friend, to discharge +the last sad duties of humanity, and to see me buried according to the +usages of my caste. The simple beings around me will then behold that +I am mortal like themselves. And let this precious relic of female +loveliness and worth, (taking a small picture, set in gold, from his +bosom,) be buried with me. It has been warmed by my heart's blood for +twenty-five years: let it be still near that heart when it ceases +to beat. I have yet more to say to you; but my strength is too much +exhausted." + +The good old man here closed his eyes, with an expression of patient +resignation, and rather as if he courted sleep than felt inclined to it: +and, after shutting the door of his cell, I repaired to his little +garden, to pass the allotted two hours. Left to my meditations, when +I thought that I was probably about to be deprived for ever of the +Hermit's conversation and society, I felt the wretchedness of my situation +recur with all its former force. I sat down on a smooth rock under a +tamarind tree, the scene of many an interesting conference between the +Brahmin and myself; and I cast my eyes around--but how changed was every +thing before me! I no longer regarded the sparkling eddies of the little +cascade which fell down a steep rock at the upper end of the garden, and +formed a pellucid basin below. The gay flowers and rich foliage of this +genial climate--the bright plumage and cheerful notes of the birds--were +all there; but my mind was not in a state to relish them. I arose, and in +extreme agitation rambled over this little Eden, in which I had passed so +many delightful hours. + +Before the allotted time had elapsed--shall I confess it?--my fears for +the Hermit were overcome by those that were purely selfish. It occurred +to me, if he should thus suddenly die, and I be found alone in his cell, +I might be charged with being his murderer; and my courage, which, from +long inaction, had sadly declined of late, deserted me at the thought. +After the most torturing suspense, the dial at length showed me that the +two hours had elapsed, and I hastened to the cell. + +I paused a moment at the door, afraid to enter, or even look in; made one +or two steps, and hearing no sound, concluded that all was over with the +Hermit, and that my own doom was sealed. My delight was inexpressible, +therefore, when I perceived that he still breathed, and when, on drawing +nearer, I found that he slept soundly. In a moment I passed from misery +to bliss. I seated myself by his side, and there remained for more than +an hour, enjoying the transition of my feelings. At length he awoke, and +casting on me a look of placid benignity, said,--"Atterley, my time is +not yet come. Though resigned to death, I am content to live. The worst +is over. I am already almost restored to health." I then administered to +him some refreshments, and, after a while, left him to repose. On again +repairing to the garden, every object assumed its wonted appearance. The +fragrance of the orange and the jasmine was no longer lost to me. The +humming birds, which swarmed round the flowering cytisus and the beautiful +water-fall, once more delighted the eye and the ear. I took my usual +bath, as the sun was sinking below the mountain; and, finding the Hermit +still soundly sleeping, I threw myself on a seat, under the shelter of +some bamboos, fell asleep, and did not awake until late the next morning. + +When I arose, I found the good Brahmin up, and, though much weakened by +his disease, able to walk about. He told me that the Mirvoon, uneasy at +my not returning as usual in the evening, had sent in search of me, and +that the servant, finding me safe, was content to return without me. He +advised me, however, not to repeat the same cause of alarm. Sing Fou, on +hearing my explanation, readily forgave me for the uneasiness I had +caused him. After a few days, the Brahmin recovered his ordinary health +and strength; and having attended him at an earlier hour than usual, +according to his request on the previous evening, he thus addressed +me:-- + +"I have already told you, my dear Atterley, that I was born and educated +at Benares, and that science is there more thoroughly understood and +taught than the people of the west are aware of. We have, for many +thousands of years, been good astronomers, chymists, mathematicians, and +philosophers. We had discovered the secret of gunpowder, the magnetic +attraction, the properties of electricity, long before they were heard of +in Europe. We know more than we have revealed; and much of our knowledge +is deposited in the archives of the caste to which I belong; but, for +want of a language generally understood and easily learnt, (for these +records are always written in the Sanscrit, that is no longer a spoken +language,) and the diffusion which is given by the art of printing, +these secrets of science are communicated only to a few, and sometimes +even sleep with their authors, until a subsequent discovery, under more +favourable circumstances, brings them again to light. + +"It was at this seat of science that I learnt, from one of our sages, +the physical truth which I am now about to communicate, and which he +discovered, partly by his researches into the writings of ancient Pundits, +and partly by his own extraordinary sagacity. There is a principle of +repulsion as well as gravitation in the earth. It causes fire to rise +upwards. It is exhibited in electricity. It occasions water-spouts, +volcanoes, and earthquakes. After much labour and research, this principle +has been found embodied in a metallic substance, which is met with in the +mountain in which we are, united with a very heavy earth; and this +circumstance had great influence in inducing me to settle myself here. + +"This metal, when separated and purified, has as great a tendency to +fly off from the earth, as a piece of gold or lead has to approach it. +After making a number of curious experiments with it, we bethought +ourselves of putting it to some use, and soon contrived, with the aid +of it, to make cars and ascend into the air. We were very secret in +these operations; for our unhappy country having then recently fallen +under the subjection of the British nation, we apprehended that if we +divulged our arcanum, they would not only fly away with all our treasures, +whether found in palace or pagoda, but also carry off the inhabitants, +to make them slaves in their colonies, as their government had not then +abolished the African slave trade. + +"After various trials and many successive improvements, in which our +desires increased with our success, we determined to penetrate the +aerial void as far as we could, providing for that purpose an apparatus, +with which you will become better acquainted hereafter. In the course +of our experiments, we discovered that this same metal, which was repelled +from the earth, was in the same degree attracted towards the moon; for in +one of our excursions, still aiming to ascend higher than we had ever +done before, we were actually carried to that satellite; and if we had +not there fallen into a lake, and our machine had not been water-tight, +we must have been dashed to pieces or drowned. You will find in this +book," he added, presenting me with a small volume, bound in green +parchment, and fastened with silver clasps, "a minute detail of the +apparatus to be provided, and the directions to be pursued in making +this wonderful voyage. I have written it since I satisfied my mind that +my fears of British rapacity were unfounded, and that I should do more +good than harm by publishing the secret. But still I am not sure," +he added, with one of his faint but significant smiles, "that I am +not actuated by a wish to immortalize my name; for where is the mortal +who would be indifferent to this object, if he thought he could attain it? +Read the book at your leisure, and study it." + +I listened to this recital with astonishment; and doubted at first, +whether the Brahmin's late severe attack had not had the effect of +unsettling his brain: but on looking in his face, the calm self-possession +and intelligence which it exhibited, dispelled the momentary impression. +I was all impatience to know the adventures he met with in the moon, +asking him fifty questions in a breath, but was most anxious to learn +if it had inhabitants, and what sort of beings they were. + +"Yes," said he, "the moon has inhabitants, pretty much the same as the +earth, of which they believe their globe to have been formerly a part. +But suspend your questions, and let me give you a recital of the most +remarkable things I saw there." + +I checked my impatience, and listened with all my ears to the wonders +he related. He went on to inform me that the inhabitants of the moon +resembled those of the earth, in form, stature, features, and manners, +and were evidently of the same species, as they did not differ more than +did the Hottentot from the Parisian. That they had similar passions, +propensities, and pursuits, but differed greatly in manners and habits. +They had more activity, but less strength: they were feebler in mind as +well as body. But the most curious part of his information was, that a +large number of them were born without any intellectual vigour, and +wandered about as so many automatons, under the care of the government, +until they were illuminated with the mental ray from some earthly brains, +by means of the mysterious influence which the moon is known to exercise +on our planet. But in this case the inhabitant of the earth loses what +the inhabitant of the moon gains--the ordinary portion of understanding +allotted to one mortal being thus divided between two; and, as might be +expected, seeing that the two minds were originally the same, there is a +most exact conformity between the man of the earth and his counterpart in +the moon, in all their principles of action and modes of thinking. + +These Glonglims, as they are called, after they have been thus imbued +with intellect, are held in peculiar respect by the vulgar, and are +thought to be in every way superior to those whose understandings are +entire. The laws by which two objects, so far apart, operate on each +other, have been, as yet, but imperfectly developed, and the wilder +their freaks, the more they are the objects of wonder and admiration. +"The science of _lunarology_," he observed, "is yet in its infancy. +But in the three voyages I have made to the moon, I have acquired so +many new facts, and imparted so many to the learned men of that planet, +that it is, without doubt, the subject of their active speculations +at this time, and will, probably, assume a regular form long before the +new science of phrenology of which you tell me, and which it must, in +time, supersede. Now and then, though very rarely, the man of the earth +regains the intellect he has lost; in which case his lunar counterpart +returns to his former state of imbecility. Both parties are entirely +unconscious of the change--one, of what he has lost, and the other of +what he has gained." + +The Brahmin then added: "Though our party are the only voyagers of which +authentic history affords any testimony, yet it is probable, from obscure +hints in some of our most ancient writings in the Sanscrit, that the +voyage has been made in remote periods of antiquity; and the Lunarians +have a similar tradition. While, in the revolutions which have so changed +the affairs of mankind on our globe, (and probably in its satellite,) +the art has been lost, faint traces of its existence may be perceived +in the opinions of the vulgar, and in many of their ordinary forms of +expression. Thus it is generally believed throughout all Asia, that the +moon has an influence on the brain; and when a man is of insane mind, we +call him a lunatic. One of the curses of the common people is, 'May the +moon eat up your brains;' and in China they say of a man who has done +any act of egregious folly, 'He was gathering wool in the moon.'" + +I was struck with these remarks, and told the Hermit that the language +of Europe afforded the same indirect evidence of the fact he mentioned: +that my own language especially, abounded with expressions which could +be explained on no other hypothesis;--for, besides the terms "lunacy," +"lunatic," and the supposed influence of the moon on the brain, when we +see symptoms of a disordered intellect, we say the mind _wanders_, +which evidently alludes to a part of it rambling to a distant region, as +is the moon. We say too, a man is "_out of his head_," that is, his +mind being in another man's head, must of course be out of his own. +To "know no more than the man in the moon," is a proverbial expression +for ignorance, and is without meaning, unless it be considered to refer +to the Glonglims. We say that an insane man is "distracted;" by which we +mean that his mind is drawn two different ways. So also, we call a +lunatic _a man beside himself_, which most distinctly expresses the two +distinct bodies his mind now animates. There are, moreover, many other +analogous expressions, as "moonstruck," "deranged," "extravagant," and +some others, which, altogether, form a mass of concurring testimony that +it is impossible to resist. + +"Be that as it may," said he, "whether the voyage has been made in former +times or not, is of little importance: it is sufficient for us to know +that it has been effected in our time, and can be effected again. I am +anxious to repeat the voyage, for the purpose of ascertaining some facts, +about which I have been lately speculating; and I wish, besides, to +afford you ocular demonstration of the wonders I have disclosed; for, +in spite of your good opinion of my veracity, I have sometimes perceived +symptoms of incredulity about you, and I do not wonder at it." + +The love of the marvellous, and the wish for a change, which had long +slumbered in my bosom, were now suddenly awakened, and I eagerly caught +at his proposal. + +"When can we set out, father?" said I. + +"Not so fast," replied he; "we have a great deal of preparation to make. +Our apparatus requires the best workmanship, and we cannot here command +either first-rate articles or materials, without incurring the risk of +suspicion and interruption. While most of the simple villagers are +kindly disposed towards me, there are a few who regard me with distrust +and malevolence, and would readily avail themselves of an opportunity +to bring me under the censure of the priesthood and the government. +Besides, the governor of Mergui would probably be glad to lay hold of +any plausible evidence against you, as affording him the best chance of +avoiding any future reckoning either with you or his superiors. We must +therefore be very secret in our plans. I know an ingenious artificer +in copper and other metals, whose only child I was instrumental in curing +of scrofula, and in whose fidelity, as well as good will, I can safely +rely. But we must give him time. He can construct our machine at home, +and we must take our departure from that place in the night." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +_The Brahmin and Atterley prepare for their voyage--Description of their +machine--Incidents of the voyage--The appearance of the earth; Africa; +Greece--The Brahmin's speculations on the different races of men--National +character._ + + +Having thus formed our plan of operations, we the next day proceeded to +put them in execution. The coppersmith agreed to undertake the work +we wanted done, for a moderate compensation; but we did not think it +prudent to inform him of our object, which he supposed was to make some +philosophical experiment. It was forthwith arranged that he should +occasionally visit the Hermit, to receive instructions, as if for the +purpose of asking medical advice. During this interval my mind was +absorbed with our project; and when in company, I was so thoughtful +and abstracted, that it has since seemed strange to me that Sing Fou's +suspicions that I was planning my escape were not more excited. At +length, by dint of great exertion, in about three months every thing +was in readiness, and we determined on the following night to set out +on our perilous expedition. + +The machine in which we proposed to embark, was a copper vessel, that +would have been an exact cube of six feet, if the corners and edges +had not been rounded off. It had an opening large enough to receive +our bodies, which was closed by double sliding pannels, with quilted +cloth between them. When these were properly adjusted, the machine +was perfectly air-tight, and strong enough, by means of iron bars running +alternately inside and out, to resist the pressure of the atmosphere, +when the machine should be exhausted of its air, as we took the precaution +to prove by the aid of an air-pump. On the top of the copper chest +and on the outside, we had as much of the lunar metal (which I shall +henceforth call _lunarium_) as we found, by calculation and experiment, +would overcome the weight of the machine, as well as its contents, +and take us to the moon on the third day. As the air which the machine +contained, would not be sufficient for our respiration more than about +six hours, and the chief part of the space we were to pass through was +a mere void, we provided ourselves with a sufficient supply, by condensing +it in a small globular vessel, made partly of iron and partly of lunarium, +to take off its weight. On my return, I gave Mr. Jacob Perkins, who +is now in England, a hint of this plan of condensation, and it has +there obtained him great celebrity. This fact I should not have thought +it worth while to mention, had he not taken the sole merit of the +invention to himself; at least I cannot hear that in his numerous public +notices he has ever mentioned my name. + +But to return. A small circular window, made of a single piece of thick +clear glass, was neatly fitted on each of the six sides. Several pieces +of lead were securely fastened to screws which passed through the bottom +of the machine; as well as a thick plank. The screws were so contrived, +that by turning them in one direction, the pieces of lead attached +to them were immediately disengaged from the hooks with which they +were connected. The pieces of lunarium were fastened in like manner +to screws, which passed through the top of the machine; so that by +turning them in one direction, those metallic pieces would fly into +the air with the velocity of a rocket. The Brahmin took with him a +thermometer, two telescopes, one of which projected through the top +of the machine, and the other through the bottom; a phosphoric lamp, +pen, ink, and paper, and some light refreshments sufficient to supply +us for some days. + +The moon was then in her third quarter, and near the zenith: it was, of +course, a little after midnight, and when the coppersmith and his family +were in their soundest sleep, that we entered the machine. In about an hour +more we had the doors secured, and every thing arranged in its place, when, +cutting the cords which fastened us to the ground, by means of small steel +blades which worked in the ends of other screws, we rose from the earth +with a whizzing sound, and a sensation at first of very rapid ascent: but +after a short time, we were scarcely sensible of any motion in the machine, +except when we changed our places. + +The ardent curiosity I had felt to behold the wonderful things which the +Brahmin related, and the hope of returning soon to my children and native +country, had made me most impatient for the moment of departure; during +which time the hazards and difficulties of the voyage were entirely +overlooked: but now that the moment of execution had arrived, and I found +myself shut up in this small chest, and about to enter on a voyage so new, +so strange, and beset with such a variety of dangers, I will not deny that +my courage failed me, and I would gladly have compromised to return to +Mozaun, and remain there quietly all the rest of my days. But shame +restrained me, and I dissembled my emotions. + +At our first shock on leaving the earth, my fears were at their height; but +after about two hours, I had tolerably well regained my composure, to which +the returning light of day greatly contributed. By this time we had a full +view of the rising sun, pouring a flood of light over one half of the +circular landscape below us, and leaving the rest in shade. While those +natural objects, the rivers and mountains, land and sea, were fast receding +from our view, our horizon kept gradually extending as we mounted: but ere +10 o'clock this effect ceased, and the broad disc of the earth began +sensibly to diminish. + +It is impossible to describe my sensations of mingled awe and admiration at +the splendid spectacle beneath me, so long as the different portions of the +earth's surface were plainly distinguishable. The novelty of the situation +in which I found myself, as well as its danger, prevented me indeed at +first from giving more than a passing attention to the magnificent scene; +but after a while, encouraged by the Brahmin's exhortation, and yet more by +the example of his calm and assured air, I was able to take a more +leisurely view of it. At first, as we partook of the diurnal motion of the +earth, and our course was consequently oblique, the same portion of the +globe from which we had set out, continued directly under us; and as the +eye stretched in every direction over Asia and its seas, continents and +islands, they appeared like pieces of green velvet, the surrounding ocean +like a mirror, and the Ganges, the Hoogley, and the great rivers of China, +like threads of silver. + +About 11 o'clock it was necessary to get a fresh supply of air, when +my companion cautiously turned one of the two stop-cocks to let out +that which was no longer fit for respiration, requesting me, at the +same time, to turn the other, to let in a fresh supply of condensed +air; but being awkward in the first attempt to follow his directions, +I was so affected by the exhaustion of the air through the vent now +made for it, that I fainted; and having, at the same time, given freer +passage to the condensed air than I ought, we must in a few seconds +have lost our supply, and thus have inevitably perished, had not the +watchful Hermit seen the mischief, and repaired it almost as soon as +it occurred. This accident, and the various agitations my mind had +undergone in the course of the day, so overpowered me, that at an early +hour in the afternoon I fell into a profound sleep, and did not awake +again for eight hours. + +While I slept, the good Brahmin had contrived to manage both stop-cocks +himself. The time of my waking would have been about 11 o'clock at night, +if we had continued on the earth; but we were now in a region where there +was no alternation of day and night, but one unvarying cloudless sun. Its +heat, however, was not in proportion to its brightness; for we found that +after we had ascended a few miles from the earth, it was becoming much +colder, and the Brahmin had recourse to a chemical process for evolving +heat, which soon made us comfortable: but after we were fairly in the great +aerial void, the temperature of our machine showed no tendency to change. + +The sensations caused by the novelty of my situation, at first checked +those lively and varied trains of thought which the bird's-eye view of so +many countries passing in review before us, was calculated to excite: yet, +after I had become more familiar with it, I contemplated the beautiful +exhibition with inexpressible delight. Besides, a glass of cordial, as well +as the calm, confiding air of the Brahmin, contributed to restore me to my +self-possession. The reader will recollect, that although our motion, at +first, partook of that of the earth's on its axis, and although the +_positive_ effect was the same on our course, the _relative_ effect was +less and less as we ascended, and consequently, that after a certain +height, every part of the terraqueous globe would present itself to our +view in succession, as we rapidly receded from it. At 9 o'clock, the whole +of India was a little to the west of us, and we saw, as in a map, that +fertile and populous region, which has been so strangely reduced to +subjection, by a company of merchants belonging to a country on the +opposite side of the globe--a country not equal to one-fourth of it, in +extent or population. Its rivers were like small filaments of silver; the +Red Sea resembled a narrow plate of the same metal. The peninsula of India +was of a darker, and Arabia of a light and more grayish green. + +The sun's rays striking obliquely on the Atlantic, emitted an effulgence +that was dazzling to the eyes. For two or three hours the appearance +of the earth did not greatly vary, the wider extent of surface we could +survey, compensating for our greater distance; and indeed at that time +we could not see the whole horizon, without putting our eyes close to +the glass. + +When the Brahmin saw that I had overcome my first surprise, and had +acquired somewhat of his own composure, he manifested a disposition +to beguile the time with conversation. "Look through the telescope," +said he, "a little from the sun, and observe the continent of Africa, +which is presenting itself to our view." I took a hasty glance over +it, and perceived that its northern edge was fringed with green; then +a dull white belt marked the great Sahara, or Desert, and then it exhibited +a deep green again, to its most southern extremity. I tried in vain +to discover the pyramids, for our telescope had not sufficient power +to show them. + +I observed to him, that less was known of this continent than of the +others: that a spirit of lively curiosity had been excited by the +western nations of Europe, to become acquainted with the inhabited +parts of the globe; but that all the efforts yet made, had still left +a large portion almost entirely unknown. I asked if he did not think it +probable that some of the nations in the interior of Africa were more +advanced in civilization than those on the coast, whose barbarous custom +of making slaves of their prisoners, Europeans had encouraged and +perpetuated, by purchasing them. + +"No, no," said he; "the benefits of civilization could not have been so +easily confined, but would have spread themselves over every part of that +continent, or at least as far as the Great Desert, if they had ever +existed. The intense heat of a climate, lying on each side of the Line, +at once disinclines men to exertion, and renders it unnecessary. Vegetable +diet is more suited to them than animal, which favours a denser population. +Talent is elicited by the efforts required to overcome difficulties +and hardships; and their natural birth-place is a country of frost and +snow--of tempests--of sterility enough to give a spur to exertion, but +not enough to extinguish hope. Where these difficulties exist, and give +occasion to war and emulation, the powers of the human mind are most +frequently developed." + +"Do you think then," said I, "that there is no such thing as natural +inferiority and differences of races?" + +"I have been much perplexed by that question," said he. "When I regard +the great masses of mankind, I think there seems to be among them some +characteristic differences. I see that the Europeans have every where +obtained the ascendancy over those who inhabit the other quarters of +the globe. But when I compare individuals, I see always the same passions, +the same motives, the same mental operations; and my opinion is changed. +The same seed becomes a very different plant when sowed in one soil or +another, and put under this or that mode of cultivation." + +"And may not," said I, "the very nature of the plant be changed, after a +long continuance of the same culture in the same soil?" + +"Why, that is but another mode of stating the question. I rather think, +if it has generally degenerated, it may, by opposite treatment, be also +gradually brought back to its original excellence." + +"Who knows, then," said I, "what our missionaries and colonization +societies may effect in Africa." + +He inquired of me what these societies were; and on explaining their +history, observed: "By what you tell me, it is indeed a small beginning; +but if they can get this grain of mustard-seed to grow, there is no +saying how much it may multiply. See what a handful of colonists have +done in your own country. A few ship-loads of English have overspread +half a continent; and, from what you tell me, their descendants will +amount, in another century, to more than one hundred millions. There is +no rule," he continued, "that can be laid down on this subject, to which +some nations cannot be found to furnish a striking exception. If mere +difficulties were all that were wanting to call forth the intellectual +energies of man, they have their full share on the borders of the Great +Desert. There are in that whitish tract which separates the countries +on the southern shores of the Mediterranean from the rest of Africa, +thousands of human beings at this moment toiling over that dreary ocean +of sand, to whom a draught of fresh water would be a blessing, and the +simplest meal a luxury. + +"Perhaps, however, you will say they are so engrossed with the animal +wants of hunger and thirst, that they are incapable of attending to any +thing else. Be it so. But in the interior they are placed in parallel +circumstances with the natives of Europe: they are engaged in struggles +for territory and dominion--for their altars and their homes; and this +state of things, which has made some of them brave and warlike, has made +none poets or painters, historians or philosophers. There, poetry has not +wanted themes of great achievement and noble daring; but heroes have +wanted poets. Nor can we justly ascribe the difference to the enervating +influence of climate, for the temperature of the most southern parts of +Africa differs little from that of Greece. And the tropical nations, too, +of your own continent, the Peruvians, were more improved than those who +inhabited the temperate regions. Besides, though the climate had instilled +softness and feebleness of character, it might also have permitted the +cultivation of the arts, as has been the case with us in Asia. On the +whole, without our being able to pronounce with certainty on the subject, +it does seem probable that some organic difference exists in the various +races of mankind, to which their diversities of moral and intellectual +character may in part be referred."--By this time the Morea and the +Grecian Archipelago were directly under our telescope. + +"Does not Greece," said I, "furnish the clearest proof of the influence +of moral causes on the character of nations? Compare what that country +formerly was, with what it now is. Once superior to all the rest of the +habitable globe, (of which it did not constitute the thousandth part,) +in letters, arts, and arms, and all that distinguishes men from brutes; +not merely in their own estimation, (for all nations are disposed to rate +themselves high enough,) but by the general consent of the rest of the +world. Do not the most improved and civilized of modern states still take +them as their instructors and guides in every species of literature--in +philosophy, history, oratory, poetry, architecture, and sculpture? And +those too, who have attained superiority over the world, in arms, yield +a voluntary subjection to the Greeks in the arts. The cause of their +former excellence and their present inferiority, is no doubt to be found +in their former freedom and their present slavery, and in the loss of +that emulation which seems indispensable to natural greatness." + +"Nay," replied he, "I am very far from denying the influence of moral +causes on national character. The history of every country affords +abundant evidence of it. I mean only to say, that though it does much, +it does not do every thing. It seems more reasonable to impute the changes +in national character to the mutable habits and institutions of man, +than to nature, which is always the same. But if we look a little nearer, +we may perhaps perceive, that amidst all those mutations in the character +of nations, there are still some features that are common to the same +people at all times, and which it would therefore be reasonable to +impute to the great unvarying laws of nature. Thus it requires no +extraordinary acuteness of observation, no strained hypothesis, to +perceive a close resemblance between the Germans or the Britons of +antiquity and their modern descendants, after the lapse of eighteen +centuries, and an entire revolution in government, religion, language, +and laws. And travellers still perceive among the inhabitants of modern +Greece, deteriorated and debased as they are by political servitude, +many of those qualities which distinguished their predecessors: the +same natural acuteness--the same sensibility to pleasure--the same +pliancy of mind and elasticity of body--the same aptitude for the arts +of imitation--and the same striking physiognomy. That bright, serene +sky--that happy combination of land and water, constituting the perfection +of the picturesque, and that balmy softness of its air, which have proved +themselves so propitious to forms of beauty, agility, and strength, also +operate benignantly on the mind which animates them. Whilst the fruit +is still fair to the eye, it is not probable that it has permanently +degenerated in fragrance or flavour. The great diversities of national +character may, perhaps, be attributed principally to moral and accidental +causes, but partly also to climate, and to original diversities in the +different races of man." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +_Continuation of the voyage--View of Europe; Atlantic Ocean; America-- +Speculations on the future destiny of the United States--Moral reflections +--Pacific Ocean--Hypothesis on the origin of the Moon._ + + +By this time the whole Mediterranean Sea, which, with the Arabian Gulf, +was seen to separate Africa from Europe and Asia, was full in our view. +The political divisions of these quarters of the world were, of course, +undistinguishable; and few of the natural were discernible by the naked +eye. The Alps were marked by a white streak, though less bright than the +water. By the aid of our glass, we could just discern the Danube, the +Nile, and a river which empties itself into the Gulf of Guinea, and which +I took to be the Niger: but the other streams were not perceptible. The +most conspicuous object of the solid part of the globe, was the Great +Desert before mentioned. The whole of Africa, indeed, was of a lighter hue +than either Asia or Europe, owing, I presume, to its having a greater +proportion of sandy soil: and I could not avoid contrasting, in my mind, +the colour of these continents, as they now appeared, with the complexions +of their respective inhabitants. + +I was struck too, with the vast disproportion which the extent of the +several countries of the earth bore to the part they had acted in history, +and the influence they had exerted on human affairs. The British islands +had diminished to a speck, and France was little larger; yet, a few +years ago it seemed, at least to us in the United States, as if there +were no other nations on the earth. The Brahmin, who was well read in +European history, on my making a remark on this subject, reminded me that +Athens and Sparta had once obtained almost equal celebrity, although +they were so small as not now to be visible. As I slowly passed the +telescope over the face of Europe, I pictured to myself the fat, plodding +Hollander--the patient, contemplative German--the ingenious, sensual +Italian--the temperate Swiss--the haughty, superstitious Spaniard--the +sprightly, self-complacent Frenchman--the sullen and reflecting Englishman +--who monopolize nearly all the science and literature of the earth, +to which they bear so small a proportion. As the Atlantic fell under our +view, two faint circles on each side of the equator, were to be perceived +by the naked eye. They were less bright than the rest of the ocean. The +Brahmin suggested that they might be currents; which brought to my memory +Dr. Franklin's conjecture on the subject, now completely verified by this +circular line of vapour, as it had been previously rendered probable by +the floating substances, which had been occasionally picked up, at great +distances from the places where they had been thrown into the ocean. The +circle was whiter and more distinct, where the Gulf Stream runs parallel +to the American coast, and gradually grew fainter as it passed along the +Banks of Newfoundland, to the coast of Europe, where, taking a southerly +direction, the line of the circle was barely discernible. A similar circle +of vapour, though less defined and complete, was perceived in the South +Atlantic Ocean. + +When the coast of my own beloved country first presented itself to my +view, I experienced the liveliest emotions; and I felt so anxious to see +my children and friends, that I would gladly have given up all the +promised pleasures of our expedition. I even ventured to hint my feelings +to the Brahmin; but he, gently rebuking my impatience, said-- + +"If to return home had been your only object, and not to see what not one +of your nation or race has ever yet seen, you ought to have so informed +me, that we might have arranged matters accordingly. I do not wish you +to return to your country, until you will be enabled to make yourself +welcome and useful there, by what you may see in the lunar world. Take +courage, then, my friend; you have passed the worst; and, as the proverb +says, do not, when you have swallowed the ox, now choke at the tail. +Besides, although we made all possible haste in descending, we should, +ere we reached the surface, find ourselves to the west of your continent, +and be compelled then to choose between some part of Asia or the Pacific +Ocean." + +"Let us then proceed," said I, mortified at the imputation on my courage, +and influenced yet more, perhaps, by the last argument. The Brahmin then +tried to soothe my disappointment, by his remarks on my native land. + +"I have a great curiosity," said he, "to see a country where a man, by +his labour, can earn as much in a month as will procure him bread, and +meat too, for the whole year; in a week, as will pay his dues to the +government; and in one or two days, as will buy him an acre of good land: +where every man preaches whatever religion he pleases; where the priests +of the different sects never fight, and seldom quarrel; and, stranger +than all, where the authority of government derives no aid from an army, +and that of the priests no support from the law." + +I told him, when he should see these things in operation with his +own eyes, as I trusted he would, if it pleased heaven to favour our +undertakings, they would appear less strange. I reminded him of the +peculiar circumstances under which our countrymen had commenced their +career. + +"In all other countries," said I, "civilization and population have +gone hand in hand; and the necessity of an increasing subsistence +for increasing numbers, has been the parent of useful arts and of +social improvement. In every successive stage of their advancement, +such countries have equally felt the evils occasioned by a scanty and +precarious subsistence. In America, however, the people are in the full +enjoyment of all the arts of civilization, while they are unrestricted +in their means of subsistence, and consequently in their power of +multiplication. From this singular state of things, two consequences +result. One is, that the progress of the nation in wealth, power, and +greatness, is more rapid than the world has ever before witnessed. +Another is, that our people, being less cramped and fettered by their +necessities, and feeling, of course, less of those moral evils which +poverty and discomfort engender, their character, moral and intellectual, +will be developed and matured with greater celerity, and, I incline +to think, carried to a higher point of excellence than has ever yet +been attained. I anticipate for them the eloquence and art of Athens--the +courage and love of country of Sparta--the constancy and military prowess +of the Romans--the science and literature of England and France--the +industry of the Dutch--the temperance and obedience to the laws of the +Swiss. In fifty years, their numbers will amount to forty millions; in +a century, to one hundred and sixty millions; in two centuries, (allowing +for a decreasing rate of multiplication,) to three or four hundred +millions. Nor does it seem impossible that, from the structure of their +government, they may continue united for a few great national purposes, +while each State may make the laws that are suited to its peculiar habits, +character, and circumstances. In another half century, they will extend +the Christian religion and the English language to the Pacific Ocean. + +"To the south of them, on the same continent, other great nations will +arise, who, if they were to be equally united, might contend in terrible +conflicts for the mastery of this great continent, and even of the world. +But when they shall be completely liberated from the yoke of Spanish +dominion, and have for some time enjoyed that full possession of their +faculties and energies which liberty only can give, they will probably +split into distinct States. United, at first, by the sympathy of men +struggling in the same cause, and by similarity of manners and religion, +they will, after a while, do as men always have done, quarrel and fight; +and these wars will check their social improvement, and mar their +political hopes. Whether they will successively fall under the dominion +of one able and fortunate leader, or, like the motley sovereignties of +Europe, preserve their integrity by their mutual jealousy, time only can +show." + +"Your reasoning about the natives of Spanish America appears very +probable," said the Brahmin; "but is it not equally applicable to your +own country ?" + +I reminded him of the peculiar advantages of our government. He shook +his head. + +"No, Atterley," said he, "do not deceive yourself. The duration of every +species of polity is uncertain; the works of nature alone are permanent. +The motions of the heavenly bodies are the same as they were thousands +of years ago. But not so with the works of man. He is the identical animal +that he ever was. His political institutions, however cunningly devised, +have always been yet more perishable than his structures of stone and +marble. This is according to all past history: and do not, therefore, +count upon an exception in your favour, that would be little short of +the miraculous. But," he good-naturedly added, "such a miracle may take +place in your system; and, although I do not expect it, I sincerely +wish it." + +We were now able to see one half of the broad expanse of the Pacific, +which glistened with the brightness of quicksilver or polished steel. + +"Cast your eyes to the north," said he, "and see where your continent +and mine approach so near as almost to touch. Both these coasts are +at this time thinly inhabited by a rude and miserable people, whose +whole time is spent in struggling against the rigours of their dreary +climate, and the scantiness of its productions. Yet, perhaps the Indians +and the Kamtschadales will be gradually moulded into a hardy, civilized +people: and here may be the scene of many a fierce conflict between your +people and the Russians, whose numbers, now four times as great as yours, +increase almost as rapidly." + +He then amused me with accounts of the manners and mode of life of the +Hyperborean race, with whom he had once passed a summer. Glancing my eye +then to the south,--"See," said I, "while the Kamtschadale is providing +his supply of furs and of fish, for the long winter which is already +knocking at the door of his hut, the gay and voluptuous native of the +Sandwich and other islands between the tropics. How striking the contrast! +The one passes his life in ease, abundance, and enjoyment; the other in +toil, privation, and care. No inclemency of the seasons inflicts present +suffering on these happy islanders, or brings apprehensions for the +future. Nature presents them with her most delicious fruits spontaneously +and abundantly; and she has implanted in their breast a lively relish for +the favours she so lavishly bestows upon them." + +The Brahmin, after musing a while, replied: "The difference is far less +than you imagine. Perhaps, on balancing their respective pleasures and +pains, the superior gain of the islander will be reduced to nothing: for, +as to the simplest source of gratification, that of palatable food, if +nature produces it more liberally in the islands, she also produces there +more mouths to consume it. The richest Kamtschadale may, indeed, oftener +go without a dinner than the richest Otaheitan; but it may be quite the +reverse with the poorest. Then, as to quality of the food: if nature +has provided more delicious fruits for the natives of tropical climates, +she has given a sharper appetite and stronger digestion to the Hyperborean, +which equalizes the sum of their enjoyments. A dry crust is relished, when +an individual is hungry, more than the most savoury and delicate dainties +when he is in a fever; and water to one man, is a more delicious beverage +than the juice of the grape or of the palm to another. As to the necessity +for labour, which is ever pressing on the inhabitants of cold countries, +it is this consequent and incessant activity which gives health to their +bodies, and cheerful vigour to their minds; since, without such exercise, +man would have been ever a prey to disease and discontent. And, if no +other occupation be provided for the mind of man, it carves out employment +for itself in vain regrets and gloomy forebodings--in jealousy, envy, and +the indulgence of every hateful and tormenting passion: hence the +proverb,--'If you want corn, cultivate your soil; if you want weeds, let +it alone.' + +"But again: the native of those sunny isles is never sensible of the +bounty of Providence, till he is deprived of it. Here, as well as every +where else, desire outgoes gratification. Man sees or fancies much that +he cannot obtain; and in his regret for what he wants, forgets what he +already possesses. What is it to one with a tooth-ache, that a savoury +dish is placed before him? It is the same with the mind as the body: when +pain engrosses it in one way, it cannot relish pleasure in another. Every +climate and country too, have their own evils and inconveniences." + +"You think, then," said I, "that the native of Kamtschatka has the +advantage?" + +"No," he rejoined, "I do not mean to say that, for the evils of his +situation are likewise very great; but they are more manifest, and +therefore less necessary to be brought to your notice." + +It was now, by our time-pieces, about two o'clock in the afternoon--that +is, two hours had elapsed since we left terra firma; and, saving a few +biscuits and a glass of cordial a-piece, we had not taken any sort of +refreshment. The Brahmin proposed that we now should dine; and, opening +a small case, and drawing forth a cold fowl, a piece of dried goat's +flesh, a small pot of ghee, some biscuits, and a bottle of arrack +flavoured with ginger and spices, with a larger one of water, we ate as +heartily as we had ever done at the hermitage; the slight motion of our +machine to one side or the other, whenever we moved, giving us nearly +as much exercise as a vessel in a smooth sea. The animal food had been +provided for me, for the Brahmin satisfied his hunger with the ghee, +sweetmeats, and biscuit, and ate sparingly even of them. We each took +two glasses of the cordial diluted with water, and carefully putting +back the fragments, again turned our thoughts to the planet we had left. + +The middle of the Pacific now lay immediately beneath us. I had never +before been struck with the irregular distribution of land and water on +our globe, the expanse of ocean here being twice as large as in any +other part; and, on remarking this striking difference to the Brahmin, +he replied: + +"It is the opinion of some philosophers in the moon, that their globe +is a fragment of ours; and, as they can see every part of the earth's +surface, they believe the Pacific was the place from which the moon was +ejected. They pretend that a short, but consistent tradition of the +disruption, has regularly been transmitted from remote antiquity; and +they draw confirmation of their hypothesis from many words of the Chinese, +and other Orientals, with whom they claim affinity." + +"Ridiculous!" said I; "the moon is one-fourth the diameter of the earth; +and if the two were united in one sphere, the highest mountains must +have been submerged, and of course there would have been no human +inhabitants; or, if any part of the land was then bare, on the waters +retiring to fill up the chasm made by the separation of so large a body +as the moon, the parts before habitable would be, instead of two, three, +or at most four miles, as your Himalah mountains are said to be, some +twenty or thirty miles above the level of the ocean." + +"That is not quite so certain," said he: "we know not of what the interior +of the earth is composed, any more than we could distinguish the contents +of an egg, by penetrating one hundredth part of its shell. But we see, +that if one drop of water be united with another, they form one large +drop, as spherical as either of the two which composed it: and on the +separation of the moon from the earth, if they were composed of mingled +solids and fluids, or if the solid parts rested on fluid, both the +fragment and the remaining earth would assume the same globular appearance +they now present. + +"On this subject, however, I give no opinion. I only say, that it is not +contradicted by the facts you have mentioned. The fluid and the solid +parts settling down into a new sphere, might still retain nearly their +former proportion: or, if the fragment took away a greater proportion +of solid than of fluid, then the waters retiring to fill up the cavity, +would leave parts bare which they had formerly covered. There are some +facts which give a colour to this supposition; for most of the high +mountains of the earth afford evidence of former submersion; and those +which are the highest, the Himalah, are situated in the country to which +the origin of civilization, and even the human species itself, may be +traced. The moon too, we know, has much less water than the earth: and +all those appearances of violence, which have so puzzled cosmogonists, +the topsy-turvy position in which vegetable substances are occasionally +found beneath the soil on which they grew, and the clear manifestations +of the action of water, in the formation of strata, in the undulating +forms it has left, and in the correspondent salient and retiring angles +of mountains and opposite coasts, were all caused by the disruption; +and as the moon has a smaller proportion of water than the earth, she +has also the highest mountains." + +"But, father," said I, "the diameter of the earth being but four times +as large as that of the moon, how can the violent separation of so large +a portion of our planet be accounted for? Where is the mighty agent to +rend off such a mass, and throw it to thirty times the earth's diameter?" + +"Upon that subject," said he, "the Lunarian sages are much divided. +Many hypotheses have been suggested on the subject, some of which are +very ingenious, and all very fanciful: but the two most celebrated, and +into which all the others are now merged, are those of Neerlego and +Darcandarca; the former of whom, in a treatise extending to nine quarto +volumes, has maintained that the disruption was caused by a comet; and +the latter, in a work yet more voluminous, has endeavoured to prove, that +when the materials of the moon composed a part of the earth, this planet +contained large masses of water, which, though the particles cohered with +each other, were disposed to fly off from the earth; and that, by an +accumulation of the electric fluid, according to laws which he has +attempted to explain, the force was at length sufficient to heave the +rocks which encompassed these masses, from their beds, and to project +them from the earth, when, partaking of the earth's diurnal motion, they +assumed a spherical form, and revolved around it. And further, that +because the moon is composed of two sorts of matter, that are differently +affected towards the earth in its revolution round that planet, the same +parts of its surface always maintain some relative position to us, which +thus necessarily causes the singularity of her turning on her axis +precisely in the time in which she revolves round the earth." + +"I see," said I, "that doctors differ and dispute about their own fancies +every where." + +"That is," said he, "because they contend as vehemently for what they +imagine as for what they see; and perhaps more so, as their _perceptions_ +are like those of other men, while their _reveries_ are more exclusively +their own. Thus, in the present instance, the controversy turns upon the +mode in which the separation was effected, which affords the widest field +for conjecture, while they both agree that such separation has taken +place. As to this fact I have not yet made up my mind, though it must +be confessed that there is much to give plausibility to their opinion. +I recognise, for instance, a striking resemblance between the animal +and vegetable productions of Asia and those of the moon." + +"Do you think, father," said I, "that animal, or even vegetable life, +could possibly exist in such a disruption as is supposed?" + +"Why not?" said he: "you are not to imagine that the shock would be felt +in proportion to the mass that was moved. On the contrary, while it would +occasion, in some parts, a great destruction of life, it would, in others, +not be felt more than an earthquake, or rather, than a succession of +earthquakes, during the time that the different parts of the mass were +adjusting themselves to a spherical form; whilst a few pairs, or even a +single pair of animals, saved in some cavity of a mountain, would be +sufficient, in a few centuries, to stock the whole surface of the earth +with as many individuals as are now to be found on it. + +"After all," he added, "it is often difficult in science to distinguish +Truth from the plausibility which personates her. But let us not, however, +be precipitate; let us but hear both sides. In the east we have a saying, +that 'he who hears with but one ear, never hears well.'" + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +_The voyage continued--Second view of Asia--The Brahmin's speculations +concerning India--Increase of the Moon's attraction--Appearance of the +Moon--They land on the Moon._ + + +The dryness of the preceding discussion, which lay out of the course of +my studies, together with the effect of my dinner, began to make me a +little drowsy; whereupon the Brahmin urged me to take the repose which +it was clear I needed; remarking, that when I awoke, he would follow +my example. Reclining my head, then, on my cloak, in a few minutes my +senses were steeped in forgetfulness. + +I slept about six hours most profoundly; and on waking, found the good +Brahmin busy with his calculations of our progress. I insisted on his +now taking some rest. After requesting me to wake him at the end of three +hours, (or sooner, if any thing of moment should occur,) and putting up +a short prayer, which was manifested by his looks, rather than by his +words, he laid himself down, and soon fell into a quiet sleep. + +Left now to my own meditations, and unsupported by the example and +conversation of my friend, I felt my first apprehensions return, and +began seriously to regret my rashness in thus venturing on so bold an +experiment, which, however often repeated with success, must ever be +hazardous, and which could plead little more in its favour than a vain +and childish curiosity. I took up a book, but whilst my eye ran over the +page, I understood but little what I read, and could not relish even that. +I now looked down through the telescope, and found the earth surprisingly +diminished in her apparent dimensions, from the increased rapidity of our +ascent. The eastern coasts of Asia were still fully in view, as well as +the entire figure of that vast continent--of New Holland--of Ceylon, and +of Borneo; but the smaller islands were invisible. I strained my eye to +no purpose, to follow the indentations of the coast, according to the map +before me; the great bays and promontories could alone be perceived. The +Burman Empire, in one of the insignificant villages of which I had been +confined for a few years, was now reduced to a speck. The agreeable +hours I had passed with the Brahmin, with the little daughter of Sing Fou, +and my rambling over the neighbouring heights, all recurred to my mind, +and I almost regretted the pleasures I had relinquished. I tried, with +more success, to beguile the time by making notes in my journal; and after +having devoted about an hour to this object, I returned to the telescope, +and now took occasion to examine the figure of the earth near the Poles, +with a view of discovering whether its form favoured Captain Symmes's +theory of an aperture existing there; and I am convinced that that +ingenious gentleman is mistaken. Time passed so heavily during these +solitary occupations, that I looked at my watch every five minutes, and +could scarcely be persuaded it was not out of order. I then took up my +little Bible, (which had always been my travelling companion,) read a +few chapters in St. Matthew, and found my feelings tranquillized, and +my courage increased. The desired hour at length arrived; when, on waking +the old man, he alertly raised himself up, and at the first view of the +diminished appearance of the earth, observed that our journey was a third +over, as to time, but not as to distance. After a few moments, the Brahmin +again cast his eye towards his own natal soil; on beholding which, he +fetched a deep sigh, and, if I was not mistaken, I saw a rising tear. + +"Alas!" said he, "my country and my countrymen, how different you are in +many respects from what I should wish you to be! And yet I do not love +you the less. Perhaps I love you the more for your faults, as well as +for your misfortunes. + +"Our lot," continued he, "is a hard one. That quarter of the world has +sent letters, and arts, and religion abroad to adorn and benefit the +other four; and these, the chief of human blessings and glories, have +deserted us!" + +I told him that I had heard the honours, which he claimed for India, +attributed to Egypt. He contended, with true love of country, great +plausibility, and an intimate knowledge of Oriental history, that letters +and the arts had been first transplanted from Asia into Egypt. + +"No other part of Africa," said he, "saving Egypt, can boast of any +ancient monuments of the arts or of civilization. Even the pyramids, +the great boast of Egypt, are proofs of nothing more than ordinary patient +labour, directed by despotic power. Besides, look at that vast region, +extending five thousand miles from the Mediterranean to the Cape of Good +Hope, and four thousand from the Red Sea to the Atlantic. Its immense +surface contains only ignorant barbarians, who are as uncivilized now as +they were three thousand years ago. Is it likely that if civilization and +letters originated in Egypt, as is sometimes pretended, it would have +spread so extensively in one direction, and not at all in another? +I make no exception in favour of the Carthagenians, whose origin was +comparatively recent, and who, we know, were a colony from Asia." + +I was obliged to admit the force of this reasoning; and, when he proceeded +to descant on the former glories and achievements of Asiatic nations, +and their sad reverses of fortune--while he freely spoke of the present +degradation and imbecility of his countrymen, he promptly resisted every +censure of mine. It was easy, indeed, to see that he secretly cherished +a hope that the day would come, when the whole of Hindostan would be +emancipated from its European masters, and assume that rank among nations +to which the genius of its inhabitants entitled it. He admitted that the +dominion of the English was less oppressive than that of their native +princes; but said, that there was this great difference between foreign +and domestic despotism,--that the former completely extinguished all +national pride, which is as much the cause as the effect of national +greatness. + +I asked him whether he thought if his countrymen were to shake off the +yoke of the English, they could maintain their independence? + +"Undoubtedly," said he. "Who would be able to conquer us?" + +I suggested to him that they might tempt the ambition of Russia; and +cautiously inquired, whether the abstinence from animal food might not +render his country much less capable of resistance; and whether it might +not serve to explain why India had so often been the prey of foreign +conquest? Of this, however, he would hear nothing; but replied, with +more impatience than was usual with him-- + +"It is true, Hindostan was invaded by Alexander--but not conquered; and +that it has since submitted, in succession, to the Arabians, to the +Tartars, under Genghis Khan, and under Tamerlane; to the Persians, under +Nadir Shah, and, finally, to the British. But there are few countries +of Europe which have not been conquered as often. That nation from which +you are descended, and to which mine is now subject, furnishes no +exception, as it has been subjugated, in succession, by the Romans, the +Danes, the Saxons, the Normans. And, as to courage, we see no difference +between those Asiatics who eat animal food as you do, and those who +abstain from it as I do. I am told that the Scotch peasantry eat much +less animal food than the English, and the Irish far less than they; and +yet, that these rank among the best troops of the British. But surely a +nation ought not to be suspected of fearing death, whose very women show +a contempt of life which no other people have exhibited." + +This led us to talk of that strange custom of his country, which impels +the widow to throw herself on the funeral pile of her husband, and to be +consumed with him. I told him that it had often been represented as +compulsory--or, in other words, that it was said that every art and means +were resorted to, for the purpose of working on the mind of the woman, by +her relatives, aided by the priests, who would be naturally gratified by +such signal triumphs of religion over the strongest feelings of nature. He +admitted that these engines were sometimes put in operation, and that +they impelled to the sacrifice, some who were wavering; but insisted, that +in a majority of instances the _Suttee_ was voluntary. + +"Women," said he, "are brought up from their infancy, to regard our sex +as their superiors, and to believe that their greatest merit consists in +entire devotion to their husbands. Under this feeling, and having, at +the same time, their attention frequently turned to the chance of such a +calamity, they are better prepared to meet it when it occurs. How few of +the officers in your western armies, ever hesitate to march, at the head +of their men, on a forlorn hope? and how many even court the danger for +the sake of the glory? Nay, you tell me that, according to your code of +honour, if one man insults another, he who gives the provocation, and he +who receives it, rather than be disgraced in the eyes of their countrymen, +will go out, and quietly shoot at each other with firearms, till one of +them is killed or wounded; and this too, in many cases, when the injury +has been merely nominal. If you show such a contempt of death, in +deference to a custom founded in mere caprice, can it be wondered that +a woman should show it, in the first paroxysms of her grief for the +loss of him to whom was devoted every thought, word, and action of her +life, and who, next to her God, was the object of her idolatry? My dear +Atterley," he continued, with emotion, "you little know the strength of +woman's love!" + +Here he abruptly broke off the conversation; and, after continuing +thoughtful and silent for some time, he remarked: + +"But do not forget where we are. Nature demands her accustomed rest, and +let us prepare to indulge her. I feel little inclined to sleep at +present; yet, by the time you have taken some hours' repose, I shall +probably require the same refreshment." + +I would willingly have listened longer; but, yielding to his prudent +suggestion, again composed myself to rest, and left my good monitor to +his melancholy meditations. When I had slept about four hours, I was +awakened by the Brahmin, in whose arms I found myself, and who, feeble +as he was, handled me with the ease that a nurse does a child, or rather, +as a child does her doll. On looking around, I found myself lying on what +had been the ceiling of our chamber, which still, however, felt like the +bottom. My eyes and my feelings were thus in collision, and I could only +account for what I saw, by supposing that the machine had been turned +upside down. I was bewildered and alarmed. + +After enjoying my surprise for a moment, the Brahmin observed: "We have, +while you were asleep, passed the middle point between the earth's and the +moon's attraction, and we now gravitate less towards our own planet than +her satellite. I took the precaution to move you, before you fell by your +own gravity, from what was lately the bottom, to that which is now so, +and to keep you in this place until you were retained in it by the moon's +attraction; for, though your fall would have been, at this point, like +that of a feather, yet it would have given you some shock and alarm. The +machine, therefore, has undergone no change in its position or course; +the change is altogether in our feelings." + +The Brahmin then, after having looked through either telescope, but for +a longer time through the one at the bottom, and having performed his +customary devotions, soon fell into a slumber, but not into the same +quiet sleep as before, for he was often interrupted by sudden starts, +of so distressing a character, that I was almost tempted to wake him. +After a while, however, he seemed more composed, when I betook myself +to the telescope turned towards the earth. + +The earth's appearance I found so diminished as not to exceed four times +the diameter of the moon, as seen from the earth, and its whole face was +entirely changed. After the first surprise, I recollected it was the +moon I was then regarding, and my curiosity was greatly awakened. On +raising myself up, and looking through the upper telescope, the earth +presented an appearance not very dissimilar; but the outline of her +continents and oceans were still perceptible, in different shades, and +capable of being easily recognised; but the bright glare of the sun made +the surfaces of both bodies rather dim and pale. + +After a short interval, I again looked at the moon, and found not only +its magnitude very greatly increased, but that it was beginning to +present a more beautiful spectacle. The sun's rays fell obliquely on +her disc, so that by a large part of its surface not reflecting the light, +I saw every object on it, so far as I was enabled by the power of my +telescope. Its mountains, lakes, seas, continents, and islands, were +faintly, though not indistinctly, traced; and every moment brought +forth something new to catch my eye, and awaken my curiosity. The +whole face of the moon was of a silvery hue, relieved and varied by the +softest and most delicate shades. No cloud nor speck of vapour intercepted +my view. One of my exclamations of delight awakened the Brahmin, who +quickly arose, and looking down on the resplendent orb below us, observed +that we must soon begin to slacken the rapidity of our course, by +throwing out ballast. The moon's dimensions now rapidly increased; the +separate mountains, which formed the ridges and chains on her surface, +began to be plainly visible through the telescope; whilst, on the shaded +side, several volcanoes appeared upon her disc, like the flashes of +our fire-fly, or rather like the twinkling of stars in a frosty night. +He remarked, that the extraordinary clearness and brightness of the +objects on the moon's surface, was owing to her having a less extensive +and more transparent atmosphere than the earth: adding--"The difference +is so great, that some of our astronomical observers have been induced +to think she has none. If that, however, had been the case, our voyage +would have been impracticable." + +After gazing at the magnificent spectacle, with admiration and delight, +for half an hour, the Brahmin loosed one of the balls of the lunar metal, +for the purpose of checking our velocity. At this time he supposed we +were not more than four thousand miles, or about twice the moon's +diameter, from the nearest point of her surface. In about four hours +more, her apparent magnitude was so great, that we could see her by +looking out of either of the dark side-windows. Her disc had now lost +its former silvery appearance, and began to look more like that of the +earth, when seen at the same distance. It was a most gratifying spectacle +to behold the objects successively rising to our view, and steadily +enlarging in their dimensions. The rapidity with which we approached the +moon, impressed me, in spite of myself, with the alarming sensation of +falling; and I found myself alternately agitated with a sense of this +danger, and with impatience to take a nearer view of the new objects that +greeted my eyes. The Brahmin was wholly absorbed in calculations for the +purpose of adjusting our velocity to the distance we had to go, his +estimates of which, however, were in a great measure conjectural; and +ever and anon he would let off a ball of the lunar metal. + +After a few hours, we were so near the moon that every object was seen in +our glass, as distinctly as the shells or marine plants through a piece +of shallow sea-water, though the eye could take in but a small part of +her surface, and the horizon, which bounded our view, was rapidly +contracting. On letting the air escape from our machine, it did not now +rush out with the same violence as before, which showed that we were +within the moon's atmosphere. This, as well as ridding ourselves of the +metal balls, aided in checking our progress. By and bye we were within a +few miles of the highest mountains, when we threw down so much of our +ballast, that we soon appeared almost stationary. The Brahmin remarked, +that he should avail himself of the currents of air we might meet with, +to select a favourable place for landing, though we were necessarily +attracted towards the same region, in consequence of the same half of +the moon's surface being always turned towards the earth. + +"In our second voyage," said he, "we were glad to get foothold any where; +for, not having lightened our machine sufficiently, we came down, with a +considerable concussion, on a barren field, remote from any human +habitation, and suffered more from hunger and cold, for nearly three days, +than we had done from the perils and privations of the voyage. The next +time we aimed at landing near the town of Alamatua, which stands, as you +may see, a little to the right of us, upon an island in a lake, and looks +like an emerald set in silver. We came down very gently, it is true, but +we struck one of the numerous boats which ply around the island, and had +nearly occasioned the loss of our lives, as well as of theirs. In our +last voyage we were every way fortunate. The first part of the moon we +approached, was a level plain, of great extent, divided into corn-fields, +on which, having lowered our grapnel, we drew ourselves down without +difficulty. + +"We must now," continued he, "look out for some cultivated field, in one +of the valleys we are approaching, where we may rely on being not far +from some human abode, and on escaping the perils of rocks, trees, and +buildings." + +While the Brahmin was speaking, a gentle breeze arose, as appeared by our +horizontal motion, which wafted us at the rate of about ten miles an hour, +in succession, over a ridge of mountains, a lake, a thick wood, and a +second lake, until at length we reached a cultivated region, recognised +by the Brahmin as the country of the Morosofs, the place we were most +anxious to reach. + +"Let off two of the balls of lead to the earth," said he. I did so, and +we descended rapidly. When we were sufficiently near the ground to see +that it was a fit place for landing, we opened the door, and found the +air of the moon inconceivably sweet and refreshing. We now loosed one of +the lower balls, and somewhat checked our descent. In a few minutes more, +however, we were within twenty yards of the ground, when we let go the +largest ball of lunarium, which, having a cord attached to it, served us +in lieu of a grapnel. It descended with great force to the ground, while +the machine, thus lightened, was disposed to mount again. We, however, +drew ourselves down; and as soon as the machine touched the ground, +we let off some of our leaden balls to keep it there. We released +ourselves from the machine in a twinkling; and our first impulse was +to fall on our knees, and return thanks for our safe deliverance from +the many perils of the voyage. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +_Some account of Morosofia, and its chief city Alamatua--Singular +dresses of the Lunar ladies--Religious self denial--Glouglim miser and +spendthrift._ + + +My feelings, at the moment I touched the ground, repayed me for all I +had endured. I looked around with the most intense curiosity; but nothing +that I saw, surprised me so much as to find so little that was surprising. +The vegetation, insects and other animals, were all pretty much of the +same character as those I had seen before; but after I became better +acquainted with them, I found the difference to be much greater than I at +first supposed. Having refreshed ourselves with the remains of our stores, +and secured the door of our machine, we bent our course, by a plain road, +towards the town we saw on the side of a mountain, about three miles +distant, and entered it a little before the sun had descended behind the +adjacent mountain. + +The town of Alamatua seemed to contain about two thousand houses, and to +be not quite as large as Albany. The houses were built of a soft shining +stone, and they all had porticoes, piazzas, and verandas, suited to the +tropical climate of Morosofia. The people were tall and thin, of a pale +yellowish complexion; and their garments light, loose, and flowing, and +not very different from those of the Turks. The lower order of people +commonly wore but a single garment, which passed round the waist. One +half the houses were under ground, partly to screen them from the continued +action of the sun's rays, and partly on account of the earthquakes caused +by volcanoes. The windows of their houses were different from any I had +ever seen before. They consisted of openings in the wall, sloping so +much upwards, that while they freely admitted the light and air, the sun +was completely excluded: and although those who were within could readily +see what was passing in the streets, they were concealed from the gaze of +the curious. In their hot-houses, it was common to have mirrors in the +ceilings, which at once reflected the street passengers to those who were +on the floor, and enabled the ostentatious to display to the public eye +the decorations of their tables, whenever they gave a sumptuous feast. + +The inhabitants subsist chiefly on a vegetable diet; live about as long +as they do on the earth, notwithstanding the great difference of climate, +and other circumstances; and, in short, do not, in their manners, habits, +or character, differ more from the inhabitants of our planet, than some of +these differ from one another. Their government was anciently monarchical, +but is now popular. Their code of laws is said to be very intricate. Their +language, naturally soft and musical, has been yet further refined by the +cultivation of letters. They have a variety of sects in religion, +politics, and philosophy. The territory of Morosofia is about 150 miles +square. This brief sketch must content the reader for the present. I refer +those who are desirous of being more particularly informed, to the work +which I propose to publish on lunar geography; and, in the mean time, +some of the most striking peculiarities of this people, in opinions, +manners, and customs, will be developed in this, which must be considered +as my _personal narrative_. + +As soon as we were espied by the inhabitants, we were surrounded by a +troop of little boys, as well as all the idle and inquisitive near us. +The Brahmin had not gone far, before he was met by some persons of his +acquaintance, who immediately recognised him, and seemed very much pleased +to see him again in the moon. They politely conducted us to the house of +the governor, who received us very graciously. He appeared to be about +forty-five years of age, was dressed in a pearl-coloured suit, and had a +mild, amiable deportment. He began a course of interesting inquiry about +the affairs of the earth; but a gentleman, whom we afterwards understood +was one of the leaders of the popular party, coming in, he soon despatched +us; having, however, first directed an officer to furnish us with all +that was necessary for our accommodation, at the public expense--which +act of hospitality, we have reason to fear, occasioned him some trouble +and perplexity at the succeeding election. We very gladly withdrew, as +both by reason of our long walk, and the excitement produced by so many +new objects, we were greatly fatigued. The officer conducted us to +respectable private lodgings, in a lightsome situation, which overlooked +the chief part of the city. + +After a frugal, but not unpalatable repast, and a few hours' sleep, +the Brahmin took me round the city and a part of its environs, to make me +acquainted with the public buildings, streets, shops, and the appearance +of the inhabitants. I soon found that our arrival was generally known +and that we excited quite as much curiosity as we felt, though many of +the persons we met had seen the Brahmin before. I was surprised that we +saw none of their women; but the Brahmin told me that they were every +where gazing through their windows; and, on looking up, through these +slanting apertures I could often see their eyes peeping over the upper +edge of the window-sill. + +I shall now proceed to record faithfully what I deem most memorable; not +as many travellers have done, from their recollection, after their return +home, but from notes, which I regularly made, either at the moment of +observation, or very shortly afterwards. When we first visited the shops, +I was equally gratified and surprised with what was familiar and what was +new; but I was particularly amused with those of the tailors and milliners. +In the lower part of their dress, the Lunarians chiefly resemble the +Europeans; but in the upper part, the Asiatics--for they shave the head, +and wear turbans; from which fact the Brahmin drew another argument in +favour of the hypothesis, that the moon was originally a part of the +earth. Some of the female fashions were so extremely singular and +fanciful, as to deserve particular mention. + +One piece of their attire was formed of a long piece of light stiff +wood, covered with silk, and decorated with showy ornaments. It was +worn across the shoulders, beyond each of which it jutted out about half +a yard; and from either end a cord led to a ring running round the upper +part of the head, bearing no small resemblance to the yard of a ship's +mast, and the ropes used for steering it. Several other dresses I +saw, which I am satisfied would be highly disapproved by my modest +countrywomen. Thus, in some were inserted glasses like watch crystals, +adapted to the form and size of the female bosom. But, to do the Lunar +ladies justice, I understood that these dresses were condemned by the +sedate part of the sex, and were worn only by the young and thoughtless, +who were vain of their forms. I observed too, that instead of decorating +their heads with flowers, like the ladies of our earth, they taxed the +animal world for a correspondent ornament. Many of the head-dresses were +made of a stiff open gauze, occasionally stuck over with insects of the +butterfly and _coccinella_ species, and others of the gayest hues. At +other times these insects were alive; when their perpetual buzzing and +fluttering in their transparent cages, had a very animating effect. One +decoration for the head in particular struck my fancy: it was formed of a +silver tissue, containing fireflies, and intended to be worn in the night. + +But the most remarkable thing of all, was the whim of the ladies in +the upper classes, of making themselves as much like birds as possible; +in which art, it must be confessed, they were wonderfully successful. +The dress used for this purpose, consisted of a sort of thick cloak, +covered with feathers, like those of the South Sea islands, and was so +fashioned, by means of a tight thick quilting, as to make the wearer, at +a little distance, very much resemble an overgrown bird, except that the +legs were somewhat too thick. Their arms were concealed under the wings; +and the resemblance was yet further increased, by marks with beaks adapted +to the particular plumage: some personating doves, some magpies; others +again, hawks, parrots, &c., according to their natural figure, humour, +&c.; while the deception was still further assisted by their extraordinary +agility, compared with ours, by means of which they could, with ease, +hop eighteen or twenty feet. I told the Brahmin that some of the Indians +of our continent showed a similar taste in dress, by decorating themselves +with horns like the buffalo, and with tails like horses; which furnished +him with a further argument in favour of a common origin. + +We spent above an hour in examining these curious habiliments, and in +inquiring the purposes and uses of the several parts. Sometimes I was +induced, through the Brahmin, to criticise their taste and skill, having +been always an admirer of simplicity in female attire. But I remarked +on this occasion, as on several others, subsequently, that the people of +the moon were neither very thankful for advice, nor thought very highly +of the judgment of those who differ from them in opinion. + +After having rambled over the city about six hours, our appetites told +us it was time to return to our lodgings; and here I met with a new +cause of wonder. The family with whom we were domesticated, belonged +to a numerous and zealous sect of religionists, and were, in their way, +very worthy, as well as pious people. Their dinner consisted of several +dishes of vegetables, variously served up; of roots, stalks, seeds, +flowers, and fruits, some of which resembled the productions of the +earth; and in particular, I saw a dish of what I at first took to be +very fine asparagus, but supposed I was mistaken, when I saw them eat +the coarse fibrous part alone. On tasting it, however, in the ordinary +way, I found it to be genuine, good asparagus; but I perceived that the +family looked extremely shocked at my taste. After the other dishes were +removed, some large fruit, of the peach kind, were set on the table, +when the members of the family, having carefully paired off the skin, +ate it, and threw the rest away. They in like manner chewed the shells +of some small grayish nuts, and threw away the kernels, which to me were +very palatable. The younger children, consisting of two boys and a girl, +exchanged looks with each other at the selections I made, and I thought +I perceived in the looks of the mother, still more aversion than surprise. +I found too, that my friend the Brahmin abstained from all these things, +and partook only of those vegetables and fruits of which both they and I +ate alike. Some wine was offered us, which appeared to me to be neither +more nor less than vinegar; and, what added to my surprise, a bottle, +which they said was not yet fit to drink, seemed to me to be pretty good, +the Brahmin having passed it to me for my judgment, as soon as they +pronounced upon it sentence of condemnation. + +After we arose from this strange scene, and had withdrawn to our chamber, +I expressed my surprise to my companion at this contrariety in the tastes +of the Terrestrials and Lunarians: whereupon he told me, that the +difference was rather apparent than real. + +"These people," said he, "belong to a sect of Ascetics in this country, +who are persuaded that all pleasure received through the senses is sinful, +and that man never appears so acceptable in the sight of the Deity, as +when he rejects all the delicacies of the palate, as well as other +sensual gratifications, and imposes on himself that food to which he +feels naturally most repugnant. You may see that those peaches, which +were so disdainfully thrown into the yard, are often secretly picked up +by the children, who obey the impulses of nature, and devour them most +greedily. Even in the old people themselves, there is occasionally some +backsliding into the depravity of worldly appetite. You might have +perceived, that while the old man was abusing the wine you drank as +unripe, and making wry faces at it, he still kept tasting it; and if I +had not reached it to you, he would probably, before he had ceased his +meditations, have finished half the bottle. It must be confessed, that +although religion cherishes our best feelings, it also often proves a +cloak for the worst." + +I told him that our clergy were superior to this weakness, most of them +manifesting a proper sense of the bounty of Providence, by eating and +drinking of the best, (not very sparingly neither); and that in New-York, +we considered some of our preachers the best judges of wine among us. Soon +afterwards, we again sallied forth in quest of adventures, and bent our +course towards the suburbs. + +We had not gone far, before we saw several persons looking at a man +working hard at a forge, in a low crazy building. On approaching him, we +found he was engaged in making nails, an operation which he performed +with great skill and adroitness; and as soon as he had made as many +as he could take up in his hand at once, he carried them behind his +little hovel, and dropped them into a narrow deep well. Some of the +by-standers wished to beg a few of what he seemed to value so lightly, +and others offered to give him bread or clothes in exchange for his +nails, but he obstinately resisted all their applications; in fact, +little heeding them, although he was almost naked, had a starved, haggard +appearance, and evidently regarded the food they proffered with a +wishful eye. + +The lookers on told us the blacksmith had been for years engaged in this +business of nail-making; he worked with little intermission, scarcely +allowing himself time for necessary sleep or refreshment; that all the +fruits of his incessant labour were disposed of in the manner we had +just seen; and that he had already three wells filled with nails, which +he had carefully closed. He had, moreover, a large and productive farm, +the increase arising from which, was laid out in exchange for the metal +of which his nails were made. He had, we were informed, so much attachment +to these pieces of metal, that he was often on the point of starvation +before he would part with one. + +I observed to the Brahmin, that it was a singular, and somewhat +inexplicable, species of madness. + +"True," he replied; "this man's conduct cannot be explained upon any +rational principles--but he is one of the Glonglims, of which I have +spoken to you; and examples are not wanting on our planet, of conduct +as irreconcilable to reason. This man is making an article which is +scarce, as well as useful, in this country, where gravity is less than +it is with us: the force of the wind is very great, and the metal is +possessed but by a few. Now, if you suppose these nails to be pieces +of gold and silver, his conduct will be precisely that of some of our +misers, who waste their days and nights in hoarding up wealth which they +never use, nor mean to use; but, denying themselves every comfort of +life, anxiously and unceasingly toil for those who are to come after +them, though they are so far from feeling, towards these successors, +any peculiar affection, that they often regard them with jealousy and +hatred." + +While we thus conversed, there stepped up to us a handsome man, foppishly +dressed in blue trowsers, a pink vest, and a red and white turban; who, +after having shaken my companion by the ears, according to the custom of +the country among intimate friends, expressed his delight at seeing him +again in Morosofia. He then went on, in a lively, humorous strain, to +ridicule the nail-smith, and told us several stories of his singular +attachment to his nails. In the midst of these sallies, however, a harsh +looking personage in brown came up, upon which the countenance of our +lively acquaintance suddenly changed, and they walked off together. + +"I apprehend," said the Brahmin, "that my gay acquaintance yonder +continues as he formerly was. The man in brown, who so unseasonably +interrupted his pleasantry, is an officer of justice, and has probably +taken him before a magistrate, to answer some one of his numerous +creditors. You must know," added he, "that the people of the moon, +however irrational themselves, are very prompt in perceiving the +absurdities of others: and this lively wit, who, as you see, wants neither +parts nor address, acts as strangely as the wretch he has been ridiculing. +He inherited a large estate, which brought him in a princely revenue; +and yet his desires and expenses so far outgo his means, that he is +always in want. Both he and the nailmaker suffer the evils of poverty-- +of poverty created by themselves--which, moreover, they can terminate +when they please; but they must reach the same point by directly opposite +roads. The blacksmith will allow himself nothing--the beau will deny +himself nothing: the one is a slave to pleasure--the other, the victim +of fear. I told you that there were but few whose estates produced the +metal of which these nails are made; and this thoughtless youth happens +to be one. A few years since, he wanted some of the blacksmith's nails +to purchase the first rose of the season, and pledged his mines to pay, +at the end of the year, three times the amount he received in exchange; +and although, if he were to use but half his income for a single year, +the other half would discharge his debts. I apprehend, from what I have +heard, that he has, from that time to this, continued to pay the same +exorbitant interest. When I was here before, I prevailed on him to take +a ride with me into the country, and, under one pretext or another, +detained him ten days at a friend's house, where he had no inducement +to expense. When he returned, he found his debts paid off; but knowing +he was master of so ready and effectual an expedient, he, the next day, +borrowed double the sum at the old rate. Since that time his debts have +accumulated so rapidly, that he will probably now be compelled to +surrender his whole estate." + +"Is he also a Glonglim?" I asked. + +"Assuredly: what man, in his entire senses, could act so irrationally?" + +"There is nothing on earth that exceeds this," said I. + +"No," said the Brahmin; "human folly is every where the same." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +_Physical peculiarities of the Moon-Celestial phenomena--Further +description of the Lunarians--National prejudice--Lightness of bodies--The +Brahmin carries Atterley to sup with a philosopher--His character and +opinions_. + + +After we had been in the moon about forty eight hours, the sun had sunk +below the horizon, and the long twilight of the Lunarians had begun. I will +here take occasion to notice the physical peculiarities of this country, +which, though very familiar to those who are versed in astronomy, may not +be unacceptable to the less scientific portion of my readers. + +The sun is above the horizon nearly a fortnight, and below it as long; of +course the day here is equal to about twenty-seven of ours. The earth +answers the same purpose to half the inhabitants of the moon, that the moon +does to the inhabitants of the earth. The face of the latter, however, is +more than twelve times as large, and it has not the same silvery appearance +as the moon, but is rather of a dingy pink hue, like that of her iron when +beginning to lose its red heat. As the same part of the moon is always +turned to the earth, one half of her surface is perpetually illuminated by +a moon ten times as large to the eye as the sun; the other hemisphere is +without a moon. The favoured part, therefore, never experiences total +darkness, the earth reflecting to the Lunarians as much light as we +terrestrials have a little before sunrise, or after sunset. But our planet +presents to the Lunarians the same changes as the moon does to us, +according to its position in relation to the sun. It always, however, +appears to occupy nearly the same part of the heavens, when seen from the +same point on the moon's surface; but its altitude above the horizon is +greater or less, according to the latitude of the place from which it is +seen: so that there is not a point of the heavens which the earth may not +be seen permanently to occupy, according to the part of the moon from which +the planet is viewed. + +From the length of time that the sun is above the horizon, the continued +action of his rays, in those climates where they fall vertically, or nearly +so, would be intolerable, if it was not for the high mountains, from whose +snow-clad summits a perpetual breeze derives a refreshing coolness, and for +the deep glens and recesses, in which most animals seek protection from his +meridian beams. The transitions from heat to cold are less than one would +expect, from the length of their days and nights--the coolness of the one, +as well as the heat of the other, being tempered by a constant east wind. +The climate gradually becomes colder as we approach the Poles; but there is +little or no change of seasons in the same latitude. + +The inhabitants of the moon have not the same regularity in their meals, or +time for sleep, as we have, but consult their appetites and inclinations +like other animals. But they make amends for this irregularity, by a very +strict and punctilious observance of festivals, which are regulated by the +motions of the sun, at whose rising and setting they have their appropriate +ceremonies. Those which are kept at sunrise, are gay and cheerful, like the +hopes which the approach of that benignant luminary inspires. The others +are of a grave and sober character, as if to prepare the mind for serious +contemplation in their long-enduring night. When the earth is at the full, +which is their midnight, it is also a season of great festivity with them. + +_Eclipses of the sun_ are as common with the Lunarians as those of the +moon are with us--the same relative position of the three bodies producing +this phenomenon; but an _eclipse of the earth_ never takes place, as +the shadow of the moon passes over the broad disc of our planet, merely as +a dark spot. + +The inhabitants of the moon can always determine both their latitude and +longitude, by observing the quarter of the heavens in which the earth is +seen: and, as the sun invariably appears of the same altitude at their +noon, the inhabitants are denominated and classed according to the length +of their shadows; and the terms _long shadow_, or _short shadow_, are +common forms of national reproach among them, according to the relative +position of the parties. I found the climate of those whose shadows are +about the length of their own figure, the most agreeably to my own +feelings, and most like that of my own country. + +Such are the most striking natural appearances on one side of this +satellite. On the other there is some difference. The sun pursues the same +path in the corresponding latitudes of both hemispheres; but being without +any moon, they have a dull and dreary night, though the light from the +stars is much greater than with us. The science of astronomy is much +cultivated by the inhabitants of the dark hemisphere, and is indebted to +them for its most important discoveries, and its present high state of +improvement. + +If there is much rivalship among the natives of the same hemisphere, who +differ in the length of their shadows, they all unite in hatred and +contempt for the inhabitants of the opposite side. Those who have the +benefit of a moon, that is, who are turned towards the earth, are lively, +indolent, and changeable as the face of the luminary on which they pride +themselves; while those on the other side are more grave, sedate, and +industrious. The first are called the Hilliboos, and the last the +Moriboos--or bright nights, and dark nights. And this mutual animosity is +the more remarkable, as they often appeared to me to be the same race, and +to differ much less from one another than the natives of different +climates. It is true, that enlightened and well educated men do not seem to +feel this prejudice, or at least they do not show it: but those who travel +from one hemisphere to the other, are sure to encounter the prejudices of +the vulgar, and are often treated with great contempt and indignity. They +are pointed at by the children, who, according as they chance to have been +bred on one side or the other say, "There goes a man who never saw +Glootin," as they call the earth; or, "There goes a Booblimak," which means +a night stroller. + +All bodies are much lighter on the moon than on the earth; by reason of +which circumstance, as has been mentioned, the inhabitants are more active, +and experience much less fatigue in ascending their precipitous mountains. +I was astonished at first at this seeming increase in my muscular powers; +when, on passing along a street in Alamatua, soon after my arrival, and +meeting a dog, which I thought to be mad, I proposed to run out of his way, +and in leaping over a gutter, I fairly bounded across the street. I +measured the distance the next day, and found it to be twenty-seven feet +five inches; and afterwards frequently saw the school-boys, when engaged in +athletic exercises, make running leaps of between thirty and forty feet, +backwards and forwards. Another consequence of the diminished gravity here +is, that both men and animals carry much greater burdens than on the earth. + +The carriages are drawn altogether by dogs, which are the largest animals +they have, except the zebra, and a small buffalo. This diminution of +gravity is, however, of some disadvantage to them. Many of their tools are +not as efficient as ours, especially their axes, hoes, and hammers. On the +other hand, when a person falls to the ground, it is nearly the same thing +as if an inhabitant of the earth were to fall on a feather bed. Yet I saw +as many instances of fractured limbs, hernia, and other accidents there, as +I ever saw on the earth; for when they fall from great heights, or miscarry +in the feats of activity which they ambitiously attempt, it inflicts the +same injury upon them, as a fall nearer the ground does upon us. + +After we had been here sufficiently long to see what was most remarkable in +the city, and I had committed the fruit of my observations to paper, the +Brahmin proposed to carry me to one of the monthly suppers of a philosopher +whom he knew, and who had obtained great celebrity by his writings and +opinions. + +We accordingly went, and found him sitting at a small table, and apparently +exhausted with the labour of composition, and the ardour of intense +thought. He was a small man, of quick, abrupt manners, occasionally very +abstracted, but more frequently voluble, earnest, and disputatious. He +frankly told us he was sorry to see us, as he was then putting the last +finish to a great and useful work he was about to publish: that we had thus +unseasonably broken the current of his thoughts, and he might not be able +to revive it for some days. Upon my rising to take my leave, he assured me +that it would be adding to the injury already done, if we then quitted him. +He said he wished to learn the particulars of our voyage; and that he, in +turn, should certainly render us service, by disclosing some of the results +of his own reflections. He further remarked, that he expected six or eight +friends--that is, (correcting himself,) "enlightened and congenial minds," +to supper, on the rising of a constellation he named, which time, he +remarked, would soon arrive. Finding his frankness to be thus seasoned with +hospitality, we resumed our seats. It soon appeared that he was more +disposed to communicate information than to seek it; and I became a patient +listener. If the boldness and strangeness of his opinions occasionally +startled me, I could not but admire the clearness with which he stated his +propositions, the fervour of his elocution, and the plausibility of his +arguments. + +The expected guests at length arrived; and various questions of morals and +legislation were started, in which the disputants seemed sometimes as if +they would have laid aside the character of philosophers, but for the +seasonable interposition of the Brahmin. Wigurd, our host, often laboured +with his accustomed zeal, to prove that every one who opposed him, was +either a fool, or biassed by some petty interest, or the dupe of blind +prejudice. + +After about two hours of warm, and, as it seemed to me, unprofitable +discussion, we were summoned to our repast in the adjoining room. But +before we rose from our seats, our host requested to know of each of us if +we were hungry; and, whether it were from modesty, perverseness, or really +because they had no appetite, I know not, but a majority of the company, in +which I was included, voted that their hour of eating was not yet come: +upon which Wigurd remarked that his own vote, as being at home, and the +Brahmin's, as being at once a philosopher and a stranger, should each count +for two; and by this mode of reckoning there was a casting vote in favour +of going to supper. + +We found the table covered with tempting dishes, served up in a costly and +tasteful style, and a sprightly, well-looking female prepared to do the +honours of the feast. She reproved our host for his delay, and told him the +best dish was spoiled, by being cold. I was fearful of a discussion; but he +sat down without making a reply, and immediately addressing the company, +descanted on the various qualities of food, and their several adaptations +to different ages, constitutions, and temperaments. He condemned the absurd +practice which prevailed, for the master or mistress of the house to lavish +entreaties on their guests to eat that which they might be better without; +and insisted, at the same time, that the guests ought not to consult their +own tastes exclusively. He maintained, that the only course worthy of +rational and benevolent beings, was for every man to judge for his +neighbour as well as for himself; and, should any collision arise between +the different claimants, then, if any one were guided by that decision, +which an honest and unbiassed judgment would tell him was right, they would +all come to the same just and harmonious result. + +"But," added he, "you have not yet been sufficiently prepared for this +disinterested operation. As ye have proved this night that ye are not yet +purged of the feelings and prejudices of a vicious education, I will +perform this office for you all, and set you an example, by which ye may +hereafter profit. To begin, then, with you--(addressing himself to a +corpulent man, of a florid complexion, at the lower end of the table:)--As +you already have a redundancy of flesh and blood, I assign the _soupe +maîgre_ to you; while to our mathematical friend on this side, whose +delicate constitution requires nourishment, I recommend the smoking ragoût. +This cooling dish will suit your temperament," said he to a third; "and +this stimulating one, yours," to a fourth. "Those little birds, which cost +me five pieces, I shall divide between my terrestrial friend here (looking +at the Brahmin) and myself, we being the most meritorious of the company, +and it being of the utmost importance to society, that food so wholesome +should give nourishment to our bodies, and impart vigour and vivacity to +our minds." + +From this decision there was no appeal, and no other dissent than what was +expressed by a look or a low murmur. But I perceived the corpulent +gentleman and the wan mathematician slily exchange their dishes, by which +they both seemed to consider themselves gainers. The dish allotted to me, +being of a middling character, I ate of it without repining; though, from +the savoury fumes of my right-hand neighbour's plate, I could not help +wishing I had been allowed to choose for myself. + +This supper happening near the middle of the night, (at which time it was +always pretty cool,) a cheerful fire blazed in one side of the room and I +perceived that our host and hostess placed themselves so as to be at the +most agreeable distance, the greater part of the guests being either too +near or too far from it. + +After we had finished our repast, various subjects of speculation were +again introduced and discussed, greatly to my amusement. Wigurd displayed +his usual ingenuity and ardour, and baffled all his antagonists by his +vehemence and fluency. He had two great principles by which he tested the +good or evil of every thing; and there were few questions in which he could +not avail himself of one or the other. These were, general _utility_ +and _truth_. + +By a skilful use of these weapons of controversy, he could attack or defend +with equal success. If any custom or institution which he had denounced, +was justified by his adversaries, on the ground of its expediency, he +immediately retorted on them its repugnancy to sincerity, truth, and +unsophisticated nature; and if they, at any time, resorted to a similar +justification for our natural feelings and propensities, he triumphantly +showed that they were inimical to the public good. Thus, he condemned +gratitude as a sentiment calculated to weaken the sense of justice, and to +substitute feeling for reason. He, on the other hand, proscribed the little +forms and courtesies, which are either founded in convenience, or give a +grace and sweetness to social intercourse, as a direct violation of honest +nature, and therefore odious and mean. He thus was able to silence every +opponent. I was very desirous of hearing the Brahmin's opinion; but, while +he evidently was not convinced by our host's language, he declined engaging +in any controversy. + +After we retired, my friend told me that Wigurd was a good man in the main, +though he had been as much hated by some as if his conduct had been +immoral, instead of his opinions merely being singular. "He not long ago," +added the Brahmin "wrote a book against marriage, and soon afterwards +wedded, in due form, the lady you saw at his table. She holds as strange +tenets as he, which she supports with as much zeal, and almost as much +ability. But I predict that the popularity of their doctrines will not +last; and if ever you visit the moon again, you will find that their glory, +now at its height, like the ephemeral fashions of the earth, will have +passed away." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +_A celebrated physician: his ingenious theories in physics: his mechanical +inventions--The feather-hunting Glonglim._ + + +On returning to our lodgings, we, acting under the influence of long habit, +went to bed, though half the family were up, and engaged in their ordinary +employments. One consequence of the length of the days and nights here is, +that every household is commonly divided into two parts, which watch and +sleep by turns: nor have they any uniformity in their meals, except in +particular families, which are regulated by clocks and time-pieces. The +vulgar have no means of measuring smaller portions of time than a day or +night, (each equal to a fortnight with us,) except by observing the +apparent motion of the sun or the stars, in which, considering that it is +nearly thirty times as slow as with us, they attain surprising accuracy. +They have the same short intervals of labour and rest in their long night +as their day--the light reflected from the earth, being commonly sufficient +to enable them to perform almost any operation; and, ere our planet is in +her second quarter, one may read the smallest print by her light. + +To compensate their want of this natural advantage, the inhabitants of +Moriboozia are abundantly supplied with a petroleum, or bituminous liquid, +which is found every where about their lakes, or on their mountains, and +which they burn in lamps, of various sizes, shapes, and constructions. They +have also numerous volcanoes, each of which sheds a strong light for many +miles around. + +We slept unusually long; and, owing in part to Wigurd's good cheer, I awoke +with a head-ache. I got up to take a long walk, which often relieves me +when suffering from that malady; and, on ascending the stairs, I met our +landlord's eldest daughter, a tall, graceful girl of twenty. I found she +was coming down backwards, which I took to be a mere girlish freak, or +perhaps a piece of coquetry, practised on myself: but I afterwards found, +that about the time the earth is at the full, the whole family pursued the +same course, and were very scrupulous in making their steps in this awkward +and inconvenient way, because it was one of the prescribed forms of their +church. + +As my head-ache became rather worse, than better, from my walk, the Brahmin +proposed to accompany me to the house of a celebrated physician, called +Vindar, who was also a botanist, chemist, and dentist, to consult him on my +case; and thither we forthwith proceeded. I found him a large, unwieldy +figure, of a dull, heavy look, but by no means deficient in science or +natural shrewdness. He confirmed my previous impression that I ought to +lose blood, and plausibly enough accounted for my present sensation of +fulness, from the inferior pressure of the lunar atmosphere to that which I +had been accustomed. He proposed, however, to return to my veins a portion +of thinner blood in place of what he should take away, and offered me the +choice of several animals, which he always kept by him for that purpose. +There were two white animals of the hog kind, a male and a female lama, +three goats, besides several birds, about the size of a turkey, some +tortoises, and other amphibious animals. He professed himself willing, in +case I had any foolish scruples against mixing my blood with that of +brutes, to purify my own, and put it back; but I obstinately declined both +expedients; whereupon he opened a vein in my arm, and took from it about +fourteen ounces of blood. Finding myself, weakened as well as relieved, by +the operation, he invited me to rest myself; and while I was recovering my +strength, he discoursed with the Brahmin and myself on several of his +favourite topics. On returning home, I committed to paper some of the most +remarkable of his opinions, which it may be as well to notice, that those +who have since propounded, or may hereafter propound, the same to the +world, may not claim the merit of originality. + +He maintained that the number of our senses was greater than that commonly +assigned to us. That we had, for example, a sense of acids, of alkalies, of +weight, and of heat. That acid substances acted upon our bodies by a +peculiar set of nerves, or through some medium of their own, was evident +from this, that they set the teeth on edge, though these, from their hard +and bony nature, are insensible to the touch. That astringents shrivelled +up the flesh and puckered the mouth, even when their taste was not +perceived. That when the skin shrunk on the application of vinegar, could +it be said that it had not a peculiar sense of this liquid, or rather of +its acidity, since the existence of the senses was known only by effects +which external matter produced on them? That the senses, like that of +touch, were seated in most parts of the body, but were most acute in the +mouth, nose, ears, and eyes. He showed some disposition to maintain the +popular notions of the Greeks and Romans, that the rivers and streams are +endowed with reason and volition; and endeavoured to prove that some of +their windings and deviations from a straight line, cannot be explained +upon mechanical principles. + +Vindar is, moreover, a projector of a very bold character; and not long ago +petitioned the commanding general of an army, suddenly raised to repel an +incursion of one of their neighbours, to march his troops into +Goolo-Tongtoia, for the purpose of digging a canal from one of their +petroleum lakes into Morosofia, and conducting it, by smaller streams, over +that country, for the purpose of warming it during their long cool nights. + +He has, too, a large grist and saw mill, which are put in motion by the +explosion of gunpowder. This is conveyed, by a sufficiently ingenious +machine, in very small portions, to the bottom of an upright cylinder, +which is immediately shut perfectly close. A flint and steel are at the +same time made to strike directly over it, and to ignite the powder. The +air that is thus generated, forces up a piston through a cylinder, which +piston, striking the arm of a wheel, puts it in motion, and with it the +machinery of the mills. A complete revolution of the wheel again prepares +the cylinder for a fresh supply of gunpowder, which is set on fire, and +produces the same effect as before. + +He told me he had been fifteen years perfecting this great work, in which +time it had been twice blown up by accidents, arising from the carelessness +or mismanagement of the workmen; but that he now expected it would repay +him for the time and money he had expended. He had once, he said, intended +to use the expansive force of congelation for his moving power; but he +found, after making a full and accurate calculation, that the labourers +required to keep the machine supplied with ice, consumed something more +than twice as much corn as the mill would grind in the same time. He then +was about to move it to a fine stream of water in the neighbourhood, which, +by being dammed up, so as to form a large pond, would afford him a +convenient and inexhaustible supply of ice. But the millwright, after the +dam was completed, having artfully obtained his permission to use the waste +water, and fraudulently erected there a common water-mill, which soon +obtained all the neighbouring custom, he had sold out that property, and +resorted to the agency of gunpowder, which is quite as philosophical a +process as that of congelation, and much less expensive. In answer to an +inquiry of the Brahmin's, he admitted, that though he had been able, by the +force of congelation, to burst metallic tubes several inches thick, he had +never succeeded in making it put the lightest machinery into a continued +motion. + +Having now nearly recovered, and being, I confess, somewhat bewildered by +the variety and complexity of these ingenious projects, I felt disposed to +take my leave; but Vindar insisted on conducting us into an inner +apartment, to see his _poetry box_. This was a large piece of furniture, +profusely decorated with metals of various colours, curiously and +fantastically inlaid. It contained a prodigious number of drawers, +which were labelled after the manner of those in an apothecary's shop, +(from whence he denied, however, that he first took the hint,) and the +labels were arranged in alphabetical order. + +"Now," says he, "as the excellence of poetry consists in bringing before +the mind's eye what can be brought before the corporeal eye, I have here +collected every object that is either beautiful or pleasing in nature, +whether by its form, colour, fragrance, sweetness, or other quality, as +well as those that are strikingly disagreeable. When I wish to exhibit +those pictures which constitute poetry, I consult the appropriate cabinet, +and I take my choice of those various substances which can best call up the +image I wish to present to my reader. For example: suppose I wish to speak +of any object that is white, or analogous to white, I open the drawer that +is thus labelled, and I see silver, lime, chalk, and white enamel, ivory, +paper, snow-drops, and alabaster, and select whichever of these substances +will best suit the measure and the rhyme, and has the most soft-sounding +name. If the colour be yellow, then there are substances of all shades of +this hue, from saffron and pickled salmon to brimstone and straw. I have +sixty-two red substances, twenty-seven green ones, and others in the same +proportion. It is astonishing what labour this box has saved me, and how +much it has added to the beauty and melody of my verse. + +"You perceive," he added, "the drawer missing. That contained substances +offensive to the sight or smell, which my maid, conducted to it by her +nose, conceived to be some animal curiosities I had been collecting, in a +state of putrefaction and decay, and did not hesitate to throw them into +the fire. I afterwards found myself very much at a loss, whenever my +subject led me to the mention of objects of this character, and I therefore +spoke of them as seldom as possible." After bestowing that tribute of +admiration and praise which every great author or inventor expects, in his +own house, and not omitting his customary medical fee, we took our leave. + +We had not long left Vindar's house, before we saw a short fat man in the +suburbs, preparing to climb to the top of a plane tree, on which there was +one of the tail feathers of a sort of flamingo. He was surrounded by +attendants and servants, to whom he issued his commands with great rapidity +and decision, occasionally intermingling with his orders the most +threatening language and furious gesticulations. Some offered to get a +ladder, and ascend, and others to cut down the tree; all of which he +obstinately rejected. He swore he would get the feather--he would get it by +climbing--and he would climb but one way, which way was on the shoulders of +his men. His plan was to make a number of them form a solid square, and +interlock their arms; then a smaller number to mount upon their shoulders, +on whom others were in like manner placed, and so on till the pyramid was +sufficiently high, when he himself was to mount, and from the shoulders of +the highest pluck the darling object of his wishes. He had in this way, I +afterwards learnt, gathered some of the richest flowers of the bignonia +scarlatina, as well as such fruits as had tempted him by their luscious +appearance, and at the same time frightening all the birds from their +nests, which he commonly destroyed: and although some of his attendants +were occasionally much hurt and bruised in this singular amusement, he +still persevered in it. He had continued it for several years, with no +intermission, except a short one, when he was engaged in breaking a young +llana in the place of an old one, which had been many years a favourite, +but was now in disgrace, because, as he said, he did not think it so safe +for going down hill, but in reality, because he liked the figure and +movements of the young one better. + +I could not see this rash Glonglim attempt to climb that dangerous ladder, +without feeling alarm for his safety. At first all seemed to go on very +well; but just as he was about to lay hold of the gaudy prize, there arose +a sudden squall, which threw both him and his supporters into confusion, +and the whole living pyramid came to the ground together. Many were +killed--some were wounded and bruised. Polenap himself, by lighting on his +men, who served him as cushions, barely escaped with life. But he received +a fracture in the upper part of his head, and a dislocation of the hip, +which will not only prevent him from ever climbing again, but probably make +him a cripple for life. + +The Brahmin and I endeavoured to give the sufferers some assistance; but +this was rendered unnecessary, by the crowd which their cries and +lamentations brought to their relief. I thought that the author of so much +mischief would have been stoned on the spot; but, to my surprise, his +servants seemed to feel as much for his honour as their own safety, and +warmly interfered in his behalf, until they had somewhat appeased the rage +of the surrounding multitude. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +_The fortune-telling philosopher, who inspected the finger nails: his +visiters--Another philosopher, who judged of the character by the +hair--The fortune-teller duped--Predatory warfare._ + + +As we returned to our lodgings, we saw a number of persons, some of whom +were entering and some leaving a neat small dwelling; and on joining the +throng, we learnt that a famous fortune-teller lived there, who, at +stated periods, opened his house to all that were willing to pay for +being instructed in the events of futurity, or for having the secrets of +the present or past revealed to them. On entering the house, and +descending a flight of steps, we found, at the farther end of a dark +room, lighted with a chandelier suspended from the ceiling, an elderly +man, with a long gray beard, and a thin, pale countenance, deeply +furrowed with thought rather than care. He received us politely, and +then resumed the duties of his vocation. His course of proceeding was to +examine the finger nails, and, according to their form, colour, +thickness, surface, and grain, to determine the character and destinies +of those who consulted him. I was at once pleased and surprised at the +minuteness of his observation, and the infinite variety of his +distinctions. Besides the qualities of the nails that I have mentioned, +he noticed some which altogether eluded my senses, such as their +milkiness, flintiness, friability, elasticity, tenacity, and +sensibility; whether they were aqueous, unctious, or mealy; with many +more, which have escaped my recollection. + +A modest, pensive looking girl, apparently about seventeen, was timidly +holding forth her hand for examination, at the time we entered. +Avarabet, (for that was the name of this philosopher,) uttered two or +three words, with a significant shake of his head, upon which I saw the +rising tear in her eyes. She withdrew her hand, and had not courage to +let him take another look. + +A fat woman, of a sanguine temperament, holding a little girl by the +hand, then stepped up and showed her fingers. He pronounced her amorous, +inconstant, prone to anger, and extravagant; that she had made one man +miserable, and would probably make another. She also abruptly withdrew, +giving manifest signs of one of the qualities ascribed to her. + +An elderly matron then approached, holding forth one trembling, palsied +hand, with a small volume in the other. Avarabet hesitated for some +time; examined the edges as well as the surface of the nails; drew his +finger slowly over them, and then said,--"You have a susceptible heart; +you are in sorrow, but your affliction will soon have an end." It was +easy to see, in the look of the applicant, signs of pious resignation, +and a lively hope of another and a better state of existence. + +I thought I perceived in the scene that was passing before us, an +exhibition that is not uncommon on our earth, of cunning knavery +imposing on ignorance and credulity; and I expressed my opinion to the +Brahmin; but he assured me that the class of persons in the moon, who +were resorted to on account of their supposed powers of divination, was +very different from the similar class in Asia or Europe, and that +oracular art was here regularly studied and professed as a branch of +philosophy. "You would be surprised," said he, "to find how successful +they have been in investing their craft with the forms and trappings of +science, the parade of classification, and the mystery imparted by +technical terms. By these means they have given plausibility enough to +their theories, to leave many a one in doubt, whether it is really a new +triumph of human discovery, or merely a later form of empiricism. Its +professors are commonly converts to their own theories, at least in a +great degree; for, strange as it may seem, there can mingle with the +disposition to deceive others, the power of deceiving one's self; and +while they exercise much acuteness and penetration in discovering, by +the air, look, dress, and manner of those who consult them, the leading +points in the history or character of persons of whom they have no +previous knowledge, they at the same time persuade themselves that they +see something indicative of their circumstances in their finger nails. +Such is the equivocal character of the greater part of their sect: but +there are some who are mere honest dupes to the pretensions of the +science; and others again, who have not one tittle of credulity to +extenuate their impudent pretensions. + +"When I was here before, I remember a physician, who acquired great +celebrity by affecting to cure diseases by examining a lock of the +patient's hair; and, not content with merely pronouncing on the nature +of the disease, and suggesting the remedy, he would enter into an +elaborate, and often plausible course of reasoning, in defence of his +system. That system was briefly this: that the hair derived its length, +strength, hue, and other properties, from the brain; which opinion he +supported by a reference to acknowledged facts--as, that it changes its +hue with the difference of the mental character in the different stages +of life; that violent affections of the mind, such as grief or fear, +have been known to change it in a single night. Science on this, as on +other occasions, is merely augmenting and methodizing facts that the +mass of mankind had long observed--as, that red hair had always been +considered indicative of warm temperament; that affliction, and even +love, were believed to create baldness; and that in great terror, the +hair stands on end. The different ages too, are distinguished as much by +their hair as their complexion, their facial angle, or in any other way. +He was led to this theory first, by observing at school that a boy of a +stiff, bristly head of hair, was remarkably cruel. He professed to have +been able, from a long course of observation, to assign to every +different colour and variety of hair, its peculiar temperament and +character. One mental quality was indicated by its length, another by +its fineness, and others again as it chanced to be greasy, or lank, or +curled. He would also blow on it with a bellows, to see how the parts +arranged themselves: hold it near the fire, and watch the operation of +its crisping by the heat: and although he had often been mistaken in his +estimates of character, by the rules of his new science, he did not lose +the confidence of his disciples on that account--some of them refusing +to believe the truth, rather than to admit themselves mistaken; and +others insisting that, if his science was not infallible, it very rarely +deceived." + +It was now our turn to submit our hands to Avarabet for examination. He +discovered signs of the loftiest virtues and most heroic enterprise in +the Brahmin; and, near the bottom of one of his nails, a deep-rooted +sorrow, which would leave him only with his life. A transient shade of +gloom on the Brahmin's countenance was soon succeeded by a piercing, +inquisitive glance cast on the diviner. He saw the other's eyes directed +on the miniature which he always wore, and which discovered itself to +Avarabet as he stooped forward. A smile of contempt now took the place +of his first surprise, and he seemed in a state of abstraction, during +the continued rhapsodies of the oracle. + +My hand was next examined; but little was said of me, except that I had +been a great traveller, and should be so again; that I should encounter +many dangers and difficulties; that I possessed more intelligence than +sensibility, and more prudence than generosity. Thus he discovered in me +great courage, enterprise, and constancy of purpose. + +A hale, robust, well-set man, now bursting through the crowd, and +thrusting out his hand, abruptly asked the wise man to tell him, if he +could, in what part of the country he lived. Avarabet mentioned a +distant district on the coast of Morosofia. + +"Good," said the other; "and what is my calling?" + +After a slight pause, he replied, that he got his living on the water. + +"Good again. Shall I ever be rich?" + +"No, not very:--never." + +"Better and better," rejoined the inquirer, at the same time giving vent +to a loud and hearty laugh. Surely, thought I, sailors are every where +the same sort of beings, rough and boisterous as the elements they +roam over. + +"And what is your opinion of me farther?" + +"You are bold, frank, improvident, credulous and good-natured." + +"Excellent, indeed! Now, what will you say, old sham wisdom, when I tell +you that I never made a voyage in my life; was never two days' journey +from this spot, and am seldom off my own dominion? That I own the forest +of Tongloo, where I sometimes hunt, from morning till night, and from +night till morning, twelve out of the thirteen days in the year? That my +wealth, which was considerable when I came to my estate, has, by my +habits of life, greatly increased, and that I am bent upon adding to it +yet more? I drink nothing but water; and have come here only to win a +wager, that you were not as knowing as you pretended to be, and that I +could impose on you. You thus have a specimen of my candour, +improvidence, and credulity." So saying, he leaped on his zebra, gave a +sort of huntsman's shout, and was off in a twinkling. + +This adventure created great tumult in the crowd, a few enjoying the +jest, but the greater number manifesting ill-will and resentment towards +the sportsman. The Brahmin and I took advantage of the confusion, to +withdraw unnoticed by the bystanders. After remaining at our lodgings +long enough to take rest and refreshment, and to make minutes of what we +had seen, we proposed to spend the remainder of the night in the +country, the weather being more pleasant at this time in that climate, +than when the sun is above the horizon. + +We accordingly set out when the earth was in her second quarter, and it +was about two of our days before sunrise. After walking about three +miles, the freshness of the morning air, the fragrance of the flowers, +and the music of innumerable birds, whose unceasing carols testified +their joy and delight at the approach of a more genial month, we came to +a large, well cultivated farm, in which a number of coarse looking men +were employed, with the aid of dogs, cross-bows, and other martial +weapons, in hunting down llamas, and a small kind of buffalo, which, in +one of our former walks, we had seen quietly feeding on a rich and +extensive pasture. We inquired of some stragglers from the throng, the +meaning of what we saw; but they were too much occupied with their sport +to afford us any satisfaction. We walked on, indulging our imaginations +in conjecture; but had not proceeded more than a quarter of a mile, +before we beheld a similar scene going on to our left, by the same +ill-looking crew. Our curiosity was now redoubled, and we resolved to +wait a while on the highway, for the chance of some passenger more at +leisure to answer our inquiries, and more courteously inclined than +these fierce marauders. We had not stopped many minutes, before a +well-dressed man, wearing the appearance of authority, having ridden up, +we asked him to explain the cause of their violent, and seemingly +lawless proceedings. + +"You are strangers, I see, or you would have understood that I am +exercising my baronial privilege of doing myself justice. These cattle +belong to the owners of a neighbouring estate, by whom I and my tenants +have been injured and insulted; and, according to the usage in such +cases, I have given the signal to my people to lay hold on what they can +of his flocks and herds, and, to quicken their exertions, I give them +half of what they catch." + +"And how does your neighbour bear this in the mean time?" said the +Brahmin. + +"Oh, for that matter," said the other, "he is not at all behindhand, and +I lose nearly as many cattle as I get. But it gives me much more +pleasure to kill one of his buffaloes or llamas, than it does pain me +when he kills one of mine. I consider how much it will vex him, and that +some of his vassals are thereby deprived of their sustenance. I have +upwards of thirty strong men employed in ranging this plain and wood, +and during the last year they took for me four hundred head." + +"Indeed!--and how many did you lose in the same time? + +"Not above three hundred and eighty." + +"But very inferior?" said the Brahmin. + +"Why, no," replied he: "as my pastures are richer and more luxuriant +than his, two of my cattle are worth perhaps three of his." + +"Is this custom," asked the Brahmin, "an advantage or a tax on your +estate?" + +"A tax, indeed! Why it is worth from four to five hundred head a-year." + +"And how much is it worth to your neighbour?" + +"I presume nearly as much." + +"Do your vassals get rich by the bounty you give them?" + +"As to that matter, some who are lucky succeed very well, and the rest +make a living by it." + +"And what do they give you for the privilege of hunting your neighbour's +cattle?" + +"Nothing at all: I even lose my customary rent from those who engage in +it." + +"And it is the same case with your neighbour?" + +"Certainly," said he. + +"Then," said the Brahmin, "it seems to me, if you would agree to lay +aside this old custom, you would both be considerable gainers. I see you +look incredulous, but listen a moment. Each one would, in that case, +instead of having half his neighbour's cattle, have all his own; and, +being kept in their native pastures, they would be less likely to stray +away, and you could therefore slay and eat as you wanted them; whereas, +in your hunting matches many more are either killed or maimed than are +wanted for present use, and they are consequently consumed in waste. You +would, moreover, be a gainer by the amount of the labour of these thirty +boors, whom you keep in this employment, and who very probably acquire +habits of ferocity, licentiousness, and waste, which are not very +favourable to their obedience or fidelity." + +The proprietor, having pondered a while upon my friend's remarks, in a +tone of exultation said,--"Do you think, then, I could ever prevail on +my people to forbear, when they saw a likely flock, from laying violent +hands on it; or could I resist so favourable an opportunity of revenge? +Nay, more; if we were then tamely to tie up our hands, do you think that +Bulderent and his men would consent to do the same? No, no, old man," he +continued, with great self-complacency, "your arguments appear plausible +at first, but when closely considered, they will not stand the lest of +experience. They are the fancies of a stranger--of one who knows more of +theory than practice. Had you lived longer among us, you would have +known that your ingenious project could never be carried into execution. +If I observed it, Bulderent would not; and if he observed it, I verily +believe I could not--and thus, you see, the thing is altogether +impracticable." As one soon tires of preaching to the winds, the Brahmin +contented himself with asking his new acquaintance to think more on the +subject at his leisure; and we proceeded on our walk. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +_The travellers visit a gentleman farmer, who is a great projector: his +breed of cattle: his apparatus for cooking: he is taken +dangerously ill._ + + +After we had gone about half a mile farther, our attention was arrested +by a gate of very singular character. It was extremely ingenious in its +structure, and, among other peculiarities, it had three or four latches, +for children, for grown persons, for those who were tall and those who +were short, and for the right hand as well as the left. In the act of +opening, it was made to crush certain berries, and the oil they yielded, +was carried by a small duct to the hinge, which was thus made to turn +easily, and was prevented from creaking. While we were admiring its +mechanism, an elderly man, rather plainly dressed, on a zebra in low +condition, rode up, and showed that he was the owner of the mansion to +which the gate belonged, and that he was not displeased with the +curiosity we manifested. We found him both intelligent and obliging. He +informed us that he was an experimental farmer; and when he learnt that +we were strangers, and anxious to inform ourselves of the state of +agriculture in the country, he very civilly invited us to take our next +meal with him. Our walk having now made us hungry and fatigued, we +gladly accepted of his hospitality; whereupon he alighted, and walked +with us to his lodgings. + +He was very communicative of his modes of cultivation and management, +but chiefly prided himself on his success in improving the size of his +cattle. He informed us that he had devoted sixteen years of his life to +this object, and had then in his farm-yard a buffalo nearly as heavy as +three of the ordinary size. His practice was to kill all the young +animals which were not uncommonly large and thrifty; to cram those he +kept, with as much food as they would eat, and to tempt their appetites +by the variety of their nourishment, as well as of the modes of +preparing it. + +"All this," said he, "costs a great deal, it is true; but I am paid for +it by the additional price." I was struck with this notable triumph of +industry and skill in the goodly art of husbandry--that art which I +venerate above every other; and I was all anxiety to receive from him +some instructions which I might, in case I should have the good fortune +to get safely back, communicate to my friends on Long-Island, who had +never been able even to double the common size, and who boasted greatly +of that: but a hesitating look, and a few inquiries on the part of my +sly friend, checked my enthusiasm. + +"Have you always," he asked, "had the same number of acres in grain and +grass under your new and old system?" + +"Pretty nearly," says the other. "My new breed, however, though fewer, +consume more than their predecessors." + +"How many head did you formerly sell in a year?" + +"About thirty." + +"How many do you now sell?" + +"Though for some years I have not sold more than nine or ten, I expect +to exceed that number in another year." + +"Which you expect will yield you more than the thirty did formerly?" + +"Certainly; because such meat as mine commands an extraordinary price." + +"So long," replied the Brahmin, "as this is novelty, you may receive a +part of the price which men are ever ready to pay for it; but as soon as +others profit by your example, your meat falls to the ordinary rate, and +then, if I understand you aright, as you will have somewhat less in +quantity than you formerly had, your gross receipts will be less, to say +nothing of your additional labour and expense." + +"But who has the skill," quickly rejoined the other, "of which I can +boast? and who would take the same trouble, although they had +the skill?" + +"But stop here a moment," said our host, "till I go to see how my last +improved oil-cake is relished by my cattle." + +The Brahmin then turning to me, said,--"This gentleman may, indeed, +improve his fortune by the business of a grazier; but the same pains and +unremitting attention would always be sure of a liberal reward, though +the system on which they were exerted was not among the best. Nothing, +my dear Atterley, is more true than the saying of your wise book--_that +all flesh is grass;_ and it always takes the same quantity of one to +make a given quantity of the other, whether that given quantity may be +in the form of a single individual, or two or three. But in the former +case, great labour is required to force nature beyond her ordinary +limits, and the same labour must be unceasingly kept up, or she will +certainly relapse to her original dimensions. This system may do, as our +host here tells us it actually does, for the moon, but it is not suited +to our earth. If, however, you are ambitious of a name among the +speculative men of your country, this little stone," added he, stooping, +and picking up a small stone from the ground, "will answer your purpose +quite as well as any improvement in husbandry. It is precisely of the +same species as those which we threw over in our aerial voyages, and +which, though correctly called moon-stones by the vulgar, (who are +oftener right than the learned suppose,) some of the western +philosophers declared to have been gravitated in the atmosphere." + +"And is this really the origin," said I, "of that strange phenomenon, +which has furnished so much matter of speculation to the sages both of +Europe and America?" + +"Nothing is more true," replied he. "These stones are common to the +earth and to the moon; and some of those which have been so carefully +analyzed by your most celebrated chemists, and pronounced different from +any known mineral production of the earth, were small fragments of a +very common rock in the mountains of Burma. In our first voyages we had +taken some of them with us as ballast; and those which we first threw +over, we afterwards learnt from the public journals, fell in France, +some of the others fell in India, but the greater number in the ocean. +Those which have fallen at other times, have been real fossils of the +moon, and either such stones as this I hold in my hand, or such metallic +substances as are repelled from that body, and attracted towards the +earth; and it is the force with which they strike the earth, which first +suggested the idea of a thunder-bolt. + +"Our party were greatly amused at the disputations of a learned society +in Europe, in which they undertook to give a mathematical demonstration +that they could not be thrown from a volcano of the earth, nor from the +moon, but were suddenly formed in the atmosphere. I should as soon +believe that a loaf of bread could be made and baked in the atmosphere." + +Finding that our landlord prided himself on his interior management, as +well as on that without doors, we expressed a wish to see some of his +household improvements. He readily consented, and conducted us at once +into his kitchen, and showed us inventions and contrivances out of +number, for saving fuel, and meat, and labour; in short, for saving +every thing but money. The large room into which he carried us, appeared +as a vast laboratory, from the infinite variety of pots, pans, skillets, +knives, forks, ladles, mortars, sieves, funnels, and other utensils of +metal, glass, pottery, and wood. The steam which he used for cooking, +was carried along a pipe under a succession of kettles and boilers, +descending in regular gradation, by which a great saving of fuel was +effected; and, to perfect this part of the apparatus, the pipe could be +removed, to give place to one of the size suited to the occasion. + +His seven-guest pipe was now in use. The wood, which was all cut to the +same length, and channelled out to admit the free passage of the air, +was then duly placed in the stove, and set on fire; but the heat not +passing very readily through all the sinuosities of the pipe, he ordered +his head cook to screw on his exhauster. The man, in less than ten +minutes, unscrewed a plate at the farther end, and fixed on an air-pump, +made for the purpose, on which the door of the stove suddenly slammed +to. Our host saw the accident, and hurrying to open the stove, fell over +a heap of channelled logs, and cut a gash in his forehead. The cook ran +to help him up; and after he was on his legs, and his forehead wiped, +the stove was opened, when the fire, which had been deprived of its +aliment, was entirely extinguished. I thought he was hardly sorry for +the accident, as it afforded him an occasion of showing how ingeniously +he kindled a fire. He had an electric machine brought to him, by means +of which he set fire to a few grains of gunpowder; this lighted some +tinder, which again ignited spirits, whose blaze reached the lower +extremity of his lamp. Taking the precaution of keeping the stove open +this time, the air was again exhausted at the farther end of the pipe, +and in a little time the flame was seen to ascend even to the air-pump, +and to scorch the parts made of wood; whereupon I saw a glow of triumph +on his face, which amply compensated him for his wound and vexation. +There was a grand machine for roasting, that carried the fire round the +meat, the juices of which, he said, by a rotary motion, would be thrown +to the surface, and either evaporate or be deteriorated. Here was also +his digestor, for making soup of rams' horns, which he assured me +contained a good deal of nourishment, and the only difficulty was in +extracting it. He next showed us his smoke-retractor, which received the +smoke near the top of the chimney, and brought it down to be burnt over +again, by which he computed that he saved five cords and a half of wood +in a year. The fire which dressed his victuals, pumped up, by means of a +steam engine, water for the kitchen turned one or more spits, as well as +two or three mills for grinding pepper, salt, &c.; and then, by a +spindle through the wall, worked a churn in the dairy, and cleaned the +knives: the forks, indeed, were still cleaned by hand; but he said he +did not despair of effecting this operation in time, by machinery. I +mentioned to him our contrivance of silver forks, to lessen this labour; +but he coldly remarked, that he imagined science was in its infancy +with us. + +He informed us that he had been ten years in completing this ingenious +machine; and certainly, when it was in full operation, I never saw +exultation and delight so strongly depicted in any human face. The +various sounds and sights, that met the ear and eye, in rapid +succession, still farther worked on his feelings, and heightened his +raptures. There was such a simmering, and hissing, and bubbling of +boiled, and broiled, and fried--such a whirling, and jerking, and +creaking of wheels, and cranks, and pistons--such clouds of steam, and +vapours, and even smoke, notwithstanding all of the latter that was +burnt,--that I almost thought myself in some great manufactory. + +After having suffered as much as we could well bear, from the heat and +confined air of this laboratory of eatables, and passed the proper +number of compliments on the skill and ingenuity they displayed, we +ascended to his hall, to partake of that feast, to prepare which we had +seen all the elements and the mechanical powers called into action. +There were a few of his city acquaintances present, besides ourselves: +but whether it was owing to the effect of the steam from the dishes on +our stomachs, or that this scientific cookery was not suited to our +unpractised palates, I know not, but we all made an indifferent repast, +except our host, who tasted every dish, and seemed to relish them all. + +After sitting some time at table, conversing on the progress of science, +its splendid achievements, and the pleasing prospects which it yet dimly +showed in the future, our hospitable entertainer, perceiving we were +fatigued with the labours of the day, invited us to take our next +_lallaneae_, or sleep, with him, for which hospitality we felt very +grateful. We were then shown to a room, in which there were marks of the +same fertile invention, in saving labour and promoting convenience; but +we were too sleepy to take much notice of them. Our beds were filled +with air, which is quite as good as feathers, except that when the +leather covering gets a hole in it, from ripping, or other accidents, it +loses its elasticity with its air--an accident which happened to me this +very night; for a mouse having gnawed the leather where the housemaid's +greasy fingers had left a mark, I sunk gently down, not to soft repose, +but on the hard planks, where I uncomfortably lay until the bell warned +us to rise for breakfast. + +As soon as I was dressed, I walked out into a large garden, and, as the +sun was not yet so high as to make it sultry, was enjoying the balmy +sweetness of the air, and the flowering shrubs, which in beauty and +fragrance almost exceeded those of India, when I saw a servant run by +the garden wall, enter the stable, and bring out a zebra. On inquiring +the cause, I was made to understand that our noble host was taken +suddenly ill. I immediately returned to the house, and found the +domestics running to and fro, and manifesting the greatest anxiety, as +well as hurry, in their looks. I went into the Brahmin's room, and found +him dressed. He went out, and after some time, informed me that our kind +host had a violent _cholera morbus_, in consequence of the various kinds +of food with which he had overloaded his stomach at dinner; that he +considered himself near his last end, and was endeavouring to arrange +his affairs for the event. + +I could not help meditating on the melancholy uncertainty of human life, +when I contrasted the comforts, the pleasures, the pride of conscious +usefulness and genius felt by this gentleman a short time since, with +the agony which that trying and bitter hour brings to the stoutest and +most callous heart--when it must quit this state of being for another, +of which it knows so little, and over which fear and doubt throw a gloom +that hope cannot entirely dispel. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +_Lunarian physicians: their consultation--While they dispute the patient +recovers--The travellers visit the celebrated teacher Lozzi Pozzi._ + + +While I indulged in these sad meditations, and felt for my host while I +felt no less for myself, I saw the physician approach who had been sent +for. He was a tall, thin man, with a quick step, a lively, piercing eye, +a sallow complexion, and very courteous manners, and always willing to +display the ready flow of words for which he was remarkable. I felt +great curiosity to witness the skill of this Lunar Aesculapius, and he +was evidently pleased with the interest I manifested. It turned out that +he was well acquainted with the Brahmin; and learning from the latter my +wish, he conducted me into the room of our sick host. We found him lying +on a straw bed, and strangely altered within a few hours. The physician, +after feeling his pulse, (which, as every country has its peculiar +customs, is done here about the temples and neck, instead of the +wrist)--after examining his tongue, his teeth, his water, and feces, +proposed bleeding. We all walked to the door, and ventured to oppose the +doctor's prescription, suggesting that the copious evacuations he had +already experienced, might make bleeding useless, if not dangerous. + +"How little like a man of sense you speak," said the other; "how readily +you have chimed in with the prejudices of the vulgar! I should have +expected better things from you: but the sway of empiricism is destined +yet to have a long struggle before it receives its final overthrow. I +have attacked it with success in many quarters; but when it has been +prostrated in one place, it soon rises up in another. Have you, my good +friend, seen my last essay on morbid action?" + +The Brahmin replied, that he had not yet had an opportunity of meeting +with it. + +"I am sorry you have not," said the other. "I have there completely +demonstrated that disease is an unit, and that it is the extreme of +folly to divide diseases into classes, which tend but to produce +confusion of ideas, and an unscientific practice. Sir," continued he, in +a more animated tone, "there is a beautiful simplicity in this theory, +which gives us assurance of its conformity to nature and truth. It needs +but to be seen to be understood--but to be understood, to be approved, +and carried into successful operation." + +The Brahmin asked him if this unit did not present different symptoms on +different occasions. + +"Certainly," he replied: "from too much or too little action, in this +set of vessels or that, it is differently modified, and must be treated +accordingly." + +"This unit, then," said my friend, "assumes different forms, and +requires various remedies? Is there not, then, a convenience in +separating these modifications (or _forms_, if you prefer it) from one +another, by different names?" + +"Stop, my friend; you do not apprehend the matter. I will explain." At +this moment two other gentlemen, of a grave aspect and demeanour, +entered the room. They also were physicians of great reputation in the +city. They appeared to be formal and reserved towards one another, but +they each manifested still more shyness and coldness towards the learned +Shuro. They entered the sick chamber, and having informed themselves of +the state of the patient, all three withdrew to a consultation. + +They had not been long together, before their voices grew, from a +whisper, so loud, that we could distinctly hear all they said. "Sir," +says Dr. Shakrack, "the patient is in a state of direct debility: we +must stimulate, if we would restore a healthy action. Pour in the +_stimulantia_ and _irritentia_, and my life for it, the patient +is saved." + +"Will you listen to me for one moment?" says Dr. Dridrano, the youngest +of the three gentlemen. "It may be presumption for one of my humble +pretensions to set myself in opposition to persons of your age, +experience, and celebrity; but I am bound, by the sacred duties of the +high functions I have undertaken to perform, to use my poor abilities in +such a way as I can, to advance the noble science of medicine, and, in +so doing, to give strength to the weak, courage to the disheartened, and +comfort to the afflicted. Gentlemen, I say, I hope if my simple views +should be found widely different from yours, you will not impute it to a +presumption which is as foreign to my nature as it would be unsuited to +your merits. I consider the human body a mere machine, whose parts are +complicated, whose functions are various, and whose operations are +liable to be impeded and frustrated by a variety of obstacles. There is, +you know, one set of tubes, or vessels, for the blood; another for the +lymph; another for the sweat; and so on. Now, although each of these +fluids has its several channels, yet, if by any accident any one of them +is obstructed, and there is so great an accumulation of the obstructed +fluid that it cannot find vent by its natural channel, or duct, then you +must carry off the redundancy by some other; for you well know, that +that which can be carried off by one, can be carried off by all. +Gentlemen, I beg you not to turn away; hear me for a moment. Then, if +the current of the blood be obstructed, I make large draughts of urine, +or sweat or saliva, or of the liquor amnii; and I find it matters little +which of these evacuants I resort to. This system, to which, with +deference to your longer experience, I have had the honour of giving +some celebrity in Morosofia, explains how it is that such various +remedies for the same disease have been in vogue at different times. +They have all had in town able advocates. I could adduce undeniable +testimonials of their efficacy, because, in fact, they are all +efficacious; and it seems to me a mere matter of earthshine, whether we +resort to one or the other mode of restoring the equilibrium of the +human machine; all that we have to do, being to know when and to what +extent it is proper to use either. Determine, then, gentlemen,--you, for +whose maturer judgment and years I feel profound respect,--whether we +shall blister, or sweat, or bleed, or salivate." + +Dr. Shuro, who had manifested his impatience at this long harangue, by +frequent interruptions, and which Dridrano's show of deference could +scarcely keep down, hastily replied: "You have manifestly taken the hint +of your theory from me; and because I have advanced the doctrine that +disease is an unit, you come forward now, and insist that remedy is an +unit too." + +"You do me great honour, learned sir," said Dridrano. "Surely it would +be very unbecoming, in one of my age and standing, to set up a theory in +opposition to yours, but it would be yet more discreditable to be a +plagiarist; and, with all due respect for your superior wisdom, it does +seem to my feeble intellect, that no two theories can be more different. +You use several remedies for one disease: I admit several diseases, and +use one remedy." + +"And does not darkness remind us of light," replied Shuro, "by the +contrast? heat of cold--north of south?" + +"Gentlemen," then said Shakrack, who had been walking to and fro, during +the preceding controversy, "as you seem to agree so ill with each other, +I trust you will unite in adopting my course. Let us begin with this +cordial; we will then vary the stimulus, if necessary, by means of the +elixir, and you will see the salutary effects immediately. A loss of +blood would still farther increase the debility of the patient; and I +appeal to your candour, Dr. Shuro, whether you ever practised +venesection in such a case?" + +"In such a case? ay, in what _you_ would call much worse. I was not long +since called in to a man in a dropsy. I opened a vein. He seemed from +that moment to feel relief; and he so far recovered, that after a short +time I bled him again. I returned the next day, and had I arrived half +an hour sooner, I should have bled him a third time, and in all human +probability have saved his life." + +"If you had stimulated him, you might have had an opportunity of making +your favourite experiment a little oftener," said Shakrack. + +"You are facetious, sir; I imagine you have been using your own panacea +somewhat too freely to-day." + +"Not so," said his opponent, angrily; "but if you are not more guarded +in your expressions, I shall make use of yours, in a way you +won't like." + +Upon which they proceeded to blows, Dridrano all the while bellowing, "I +beg, my worthy seniors, for the honour of science, that you +will forbear!" + +The noise of the dispute had waked the patient, who, learning the cause +of the disturbance, calmly begged they would give themselves no concern +about him, but let him die in peace. The domestics, who had been for +some time listening to the dispute, on hearing the scuffle, ran in and +parted the angry combatants, who, like an abscess just lanced, were +giving vent to all the malignant humours that had been so long silently +gathering. + +In the mean while, the smooth and considerate Dr. Dridrano stept into +the sick room, with the view of offering an apology for the unmannerly +conduct of his brethren, and of tendering his single services, as the +other sages of the healing art could not agree in the course to be +pursued; when he found that the patient, profiting by the simple +remedies of the Brahmin, and an hour's rest, had been so much refreshed, +that he considered himself out of danger, and that he had no need of +medical assistance; or, at any rate, he was unwilling to follow the +prescriptions of one physician, which another, if not two others, +unhesitatingly condemned. Each one then received his fee, and hurried +home, to publish his own statement of the case in a pamphlet. + +The Brahmin, who had never left the sick man's couch during his sleep, +now that he was out of danger, was greatly diverted at the dispute. But +he good-naturedly added, that, notwithstanding the ridiculous figure +they had that day made, they were all men of genius and ability, but had +done their parts injustice by their vanity, and the ambition of +originating a new theory. "With all the extravagance," said he, "to +which they push their several systems, they are not unsuccessful in +practice, for habitual caution, and an instinctive regard for human +life, which they never can extinguish, checks them in carrying their +hypotheses into execution: and if I might venture to give an opinion on +a subject of which I know so little, and there is so much to be known, I +would say, that the most common error of theorists is to consider man as +a machine, rather than an animal, and subject to one set of the laws of +matter, rather than as subject to them all. + +"Thus," he continued, "we have been regarded by one class of theorists +as an hydraulic engine, composed of various tubes fitted with their +several fluids, the laws and functions of which have been deduced from +calculations of velocities, altitudes, diameters, friction, &c. Another +class considered man as a mere chemical engine, and his stomach as an +alembic. The doctrine of affinities, attractions, and repulsions, now +had full play. Then came the notion of sympathies and antipathies, by +which name unknown and unknowable causes were sought to be explained, +and ignorance was cunningly veiled in mystery. But the science will +never be in the right tract of improvement, until we consider, +conjointly, the mechanical operations of the fluids, the chemical agency +of the substances taken into the stomach, and the animal functions of +digestion, secretion, and absorption, as evinced by actual observation." +I told him that I believed that was now the course which was actually +pursued in the best medical schools, both of Europe and America. + +Our worthy host, though very feeble, had so far recovered as to dress +himself, and receive the congratulations of his household, who had all +manifested a concern for his situation, that was at once creditable to +him and themselves. Expressing our gratitude for his kind attentions, +and promising to renew our visit if we could, we bade him adieu. + +We took a different road home from the way we had come, and had not +walked far, before we met a number of small boys, each having a bag on +his back, as large as he could stagger under. Surprised at seeing +children of their tender years, thus prematurely put to severe labour, I +was about to rail at the absurd custom of this strange country, when my +friend checked me for my hasty judgment, and told me that these boys +were on their way to school, after their usual monthly holiday. We +attended them to their schoolhouse, which stood in sight, on the side of +a steep chalky hill. The Brahmin told me that the teacher's name was +Lozzi Pozzi, and that he had acquired great celebrity by his system of +instruction. When the boys opened their bags, I found that instead of +books and provisions, as I had expected, they were filled with sticks, +which they told us constituted the arithmetical lessons they were +required to practise at home. These sticks were of different lengths and +dimensions, according to the number marked on them; so that by looking +at the inscription, you could tell the size, or by seeing or feeling the +size, you could tell the number. + +The master now made his appearance, and learning our errand, was very +communicative. He descanted on the advantages of this manual, and ocular +mode of teaching the science of numbers, and gave us practical +illustrations of its efficacy, by examining his pupils in our presence. +He told the first boy he called up, and who did not seem to be more than +seven or eight years of age, to add 5, 3, and 7 together, and tell him +the result. The little fellow set about hunting, with great alacrity, +over his bag, until he found a piece divided like three fingers, then a +piece with five divisions, and lastly, one with seven, and putting them +side by side, he found the piece of a correspondent length, and thus, in +less than eight minutes and a half, answered, "fifteen." The ingenious +master then exercised another boy in subtraction, and a third in +multiplication: but the latter was thrown into great confusion, for one +of the pieces having lost a division, it led him to a wrong result. + +The teacher informed us that he taught geometry in the same way, and had +even extended it to grammar, logic, rhetoric, and the art of +composition. The rules of syntax were discovered by pieces of wood, +interlocking with each other in squares, dovetails, &c., after the +manner of geographical cards; and as they chanced to fit together, so +was the concordance between the several parts of speech ascertained. The +machine for composition occupied a large space; different sets of +synonymes were arranged in compartments of various sizes. When the +subject was familiar, a short piece was used; when it was stately or +heroic, then the longest slips that could be found were resorted to. +Those that were rounded at the ends were mellifluous; the jagged ones +were harsh; the thick pieces expressed force and vigour. Where the +curves corresponded at one end, they served for alliteration; and when +at the other, they answered for rhyme. By way of proving its progress, +he showed us a composition by a man who was deaf and dumb, in praise of +Morosofia, who, merely by the use of his eyes and hands, had made an +ingenious and high-sounding piece of eloquence, though I confess that +the sense was somewhat obscure. We went away filled with admiration for +the great Lozzi Pozzi's inventions. + +Having understood that there was an academy in the neighbourhood, in +which youths of maturer years were instructed in the fine arts, we were +induced to visit it; but there being a vacation at that time, we could +see neither the professors nor students, and consequently could gain +little information of the course of discipline and instruction pursued +there. We were, however, conducted to a small _menagerie_ attached to +the institution, by its keeper, where the habits and accomplishments of +the animals bore strong testimony in favour of the diligence and skill +of their teachers. + +We there saw two game-cocks, which, so far from fighting, (though they +had been selected from the most approved breed,) billed and cooed like +turtle-doves. There was a large zebra, apparently ill-tempered, which +showed his anger by running at and butting every animal that came in his +way. Two half-grown llamas, which are naturally as quiet and timid as +sheep, bit each other very furiously, until they foamed at the mouth. +And, lastly, a large mastiff made his appearance, walking in a slow, +measured gait, with a sleek tortoise-shell cat on his back; and she, in +turn, was surmounted by a mouse, which formed the apex of this +singular pyramid. + +The keeper, remarking our unaffected surprise at the exhibition, asked +us if we could now doubt the unlimited force of education, after such a +display of the triumph of art over nature. While he was speaking, the +mastiff, being jostled by the two llamas still awkwardly worrying each +other, turned round so suddenly, that the mouse was dislodged from his +lofty position, and thrown to the ground; on seeing which, the cat +immediately sprang upon it, with a loud purring noise, which being heard +by the dog, he, with a fierce growl, suddenly seized the cat. The +llamas, alarmed at this terrific sound, instinctively ran off, and +having, in their flight, approached the heels of the zebra, he gave a +kick, which killed one of them on the spot. + +The keeper, who was deeply mortified at seeing the fabric he had raised +with such indefatigable labour, overturned in a moment, protested that +nothing of the sort had ever happened before. To which we replied, by +way of consolation, that perhaps the same thing might never happen +again; and that, while his art had achieved a conquest over nature, this +was only a slight rebellion of nature against art. We then thanked him +for his politeness, and took our leave. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +_Election of the Numnoonce, or town-constable--Violence +of parties--Singular institution of the Syringe Boys--The +prize-fighters--Domestic manufactures._ + + +When we got back to the city, we found an unusual stir and bustle among +the citizens, and on inquiring the cause, we understood they were about +to elect the town-constable. After taking some refreshment at our +lodgings, where we were very kindly received, we again went out, and +were hurried along with the crowd, to a large building near the centre +of the city. The multitude were shouting and hallooing with great +vehemence. The Brahmin remarking an elderly man, who seemed very quiet +in the midst of all this ferment, he thought him a proper person to +address for information. + +"I suppose," says he, "from the violence of these partisans, they are on +different sides in religion or politics?" + +"Not at all," said the other; "those differences are forgotten at the +present, and the ground of the dispute is, that one of the candidates is +tall, and the other is short--one has a large foretop, and the other is +bald. Oh, I forgot; one has been a schoolmaster, and the other +a butcher." + +Curiosity now prompted me to enter into the thickest of the throng; and +I had never seen such fury in the maddest contests between old George +Clinton and Mr. Jay, or De Witt Clinton and Governor Tompkins, in my +native State. They each reproached their adversaries in the coarsest +language, and attributed to them the vilest principles and motives. Our +guide farther told us that the same persons, with two others, had been +candidates last year, when the schoolmaster prevailed; and, as the +supporters of the other two unsuccessful candidates had to choose now +between the remaining two, each party was perpetually reproaching the +other with inconsistency. A dialogue between two individuals of opposite +sides, which we happened to hear, will serve as a specimen of the rest. + +"Are you not a pretty fellow to vote for Bald-head, whom you have so +often called rogue and blockhead?" + +"It becomes you to talk of consistency, indeed! Pray, sir, how does it +happen that you are now against him, when you were so lately sworn +friends, and used to eat out of the same dish?" + +"Yes; but I was the butcher's friend too. I never abused him. You'll +never catch me supporting a man I have once abused." + +"But I catch you abusing the man you once supported, which is rather +worse. The difference between us is this:--you professed to be friendly +to both; I professed to be hostile to both: you stuck to one of your +friends, and cast the other off; and I acted the same towards my +enemies." A crowd then rushed by, crying "Huzza for the Butcher's +knives! Damn pen and ink--damn the books, and all that read in them! +Butchers' knives and beef for ever!" + +We asked our guide what these men were to gain by the issue of the +contest. + +"Nineteenths of them nothing. But a few hope to be made deputies, if +their candidates succeed, and they therefore egg on the rest." + +We drew near to the scaffold where the candidates stood, and our ears +were deafened with the mingled shouts and exclamations of praise and +reproach. "You cheated the corporation!" says one. "You killed two black +sheep!" says another. "You can't read a warrant!" "You let Dondon cheat +you!" "You tried to cheat Nincan!" "You want to build a watch-house!" +"You have an old ewe at home now, that you did not come honestly by!" +"You denied your own hand!"--with other ribaldry still more gross and +indecent. But the most singular part of the scene was a number of little +boys, dressed in black and white, who all wore badges of the parties to +which they belonged, and were provided with a syringe, and two canteens, +one filled with rose-water, and the other with a black liquid, of a very +offensive smell, the first of which they squirted at their favourite +candidates and voters, and the last on those of the opposite party. They +were drawn up in a line, and seemed to be under regular discipline; for, +whenever the captain of the band gave the word, "Vilti Mindoc!" they +discharged the dirty liquid from their syringes; and when he said "Vilti +Goulgoul!" they filled the air with perfume, that was so overpowering as +sometimes to produce sickness. The little fellows would, between whiles, +as if to keep their hands in, use the black squirts against one another; +but they often gave them a dash of the rose-water at the same time. + +I wondered to see men submit to such indignity; but was told that the +custom had the sanction of time; that these boys were brought up in the +church, and were regularly trained to this business. "Besides," added my +informer, "the custom is not without its use; for it points out the +candidates at once to a stranger, and especially him who is successful, +those being always the most blackened who are the most popular." But it +was amusing to see the ludicrous figure that the candidates and some of +the voters made. If you came near them on one side, they were like roses +dripping with the morning dew; but on the other, they were as black as +chimney sweeps, and more offensive than street scavengers. As these +Syringe Boys, or Goulmins, are thus protected by custom, the persons +assailed affected to despise them; but I could ever and anon see some of +the most active partisans clapping them on the back, and saying, "Well +done, my little fellows! give it to them again! You shall have a +ginger-cake--and you shall have a new cap," &c. Surely, thought I, our +custom of praising and abusing our public men in the newspapers, is far +more rational than this. After the novelty of the scene was over, I +became wearied and disgusted with their coarseness, violence, and want +of decency, and we left them without waiting to see the result of +the contest. + +In returning to our lodgings, the Brahmin took me along a quarter of the +town in which I had never before been. In a little while we came to a +lofty building, before the gate of which a great crowd were assembled. +"This," said my companion, "is one of the courts of justice." Anxious to +see their modes of proceeding in court, I pushed through the crowd, +followed by the Brahmin, and on entering the building, found myself in a +spacious amphitheatre, in the middle of which I beheld, with surprise, +several men engaged, hand to hand, in single combat. On asking an +explanation of my friend, he informed me that these contests were +favourite modes of settling private disputes in Morosofia: that the +prize-fighters I saw, hired themselves to any one who conceived himself +injured in person, character, or property. "It seems a strange mode of +settling legal disputes," I remarked, "which determines a question in +favour of a party, according to the strength and wind of his champion." + +"Nor is that all," said the Brahmin, "as the judges assign the victory +according to certain rules and precedents, the reasons of which are +known only to themselves, if known at all, and which are often +sufficiently whimsical--as sometimes a small scratch in the head avails +more than a disabling blow in the body. The blows too, must be given in +the right time, as well as in the right place, or they pass for nothing. +In short, of all those spectators who are present to witness the powers +and address of the prize-fighters, not one in a hundred can tell who has +gained the victory, until the judges have proclaimed it." + +"I presume," said I, "that the champions who thus expose their persons +and lives in the cause of another, are Glonglims?" + +"There," said he, "you are altogether mistaken. In the first place, the +prize-fighters seldom sustain serious injury. Their weapons do not +endanger life; and as each one knows that his adversary is merely +following his vocation, they often fight without animosity. After the +contest is over, you may commonly see the combatants walking and talking +very sociably together: but as this circumstance makes them a little +suspected by the public, they affect the greater rage when in conflict, +and occasionally quarrel and fight in downright earnest. No," he +continued, "I am told it is a very rare thing to see one of these +prize-fighters who is a Glonglim; but most of their employers belong to +this unhappy race." + +On looking more attentively, I perceived many of these beings among the +spectators, showing, by their gestures, the greatest anxiety for the +issue of the contest. They each carried a scrip, or bag, the contents of +which they ever and anon gave to their respective champions, whose wind, +it is remarked, is very apt to fail, unless thus assisted. + +Having learnt some farther particulars respecting this singular mode of +litigation, which would be uninteresting to the general reader, I took +my leave, not without secretly congratulating myself on the more +rational modes in which justice is administered on earth. + +When we had nearly reached our lodgings, we heard a violent altercation +in the house, and on entering, we found our landlord and his wife +engaged in a dispute respecting their domestic economy, and they both +made earnest appeals to my companion for the correctness of their +respective opinions. The old man was in favour of their children making +their own shoes and clothes; and his wife insisted that it would be +better for them to stick to their garden and dairy, with the proceeds of +which they could purchase what they wanted. She asserted that they could +readily sell all the fruits and vegetables they could raise; and that +whilst they would acquire greater skill by an undivided attention to one +thing, they who followed the business of tailors, shoemakers, and +seamstresses, would, in like manner, become more skilful in their +employments, and consequently be able to work at a cheaper rate. She +farther added, that spinning and sewing were unhealthy occupations; they +would give the girls the habit of stooping, which would spoil their +shapes; and that their thoughts would be more likely to be running on +idle and dangerous fancies, when sitting at their needles, than when +engaged in more active occupations. + +This dame was a very fluent, ready-witted woman, and she spoke with the +confidence that consciousness of the powers of disputation commonly +inspires. She went on enlarging on the mischiefs of the practice she +condemned, and, by insensible gradations, so magnified them, that at +last she clearly made out that there was no surer way of rendering their +daughters sickly, deformed, vicious, and unchaste, than to set them +about making their own clothes. + +After she had ceased, (which she did under a persuasion that she had +anticipated and refuted every argument that could be urged in opposition +to her doctrine,) the husband, with an emotion of anger that he could +not conceal, began to defend his opinion. He said, as to the greater +economy of his plan, there could be no doubt; for although they might, +at particular times, make more by gardening than they could save by +spinning or sewing, yet there were other times when they could not till +the ground, and when, of course, if they did not sew or spin, they would +be idle; but if they did work, the proceeds would be clear gain. He said +he did not wish his daughters to be constantly employed in making +clothes, nor was it necessary that they should be. A variety of other +occupations, equally indispensable, claimed their attention, and would +leave but a comparatively small portion of time for needlework: that in +thus providing themselves with employment at home, they at least saved +the time of going backwards and forwards, and were spared some trips to +market, for the sale of vegetables to pay, as would then be necessary, +for the work done by others. Besides, the tailor who was most convenient +to them, and who, it was admitted, was a very good one, was insolent and +capricious; would sometimes extort extravagant prices, or turn them into +ridicule; and occasionally went so far as to set his water-dogs upon +them, of which he kept a great number. He declared, that for his part he +would incur a little more expense, rather than he would be so imposed +upon, and subjected to so much indignity and vexation. + +He denied that sewing would affect his daughters' health, unless, +perhaps, they followed it exclusively as an occupation; but, as they +would have it in their power to consult their inclinations and +convenience in this matter, they might take it up when the occasion +required, and lay it down whenever they found it irksome or fatiguing: +that as they themselves were inclined to follow this course, it was a +plain proof that the occupation was not unhealthy. He maintained that +they would stoop just as much in gardening, and washing and nursing +their children, as in sewing; and that we were not such frail or +unpliant machines as to be seriously injured, unless we persisted in one +set of straight, formal notions, but that we were adapted to variety, +and were benefited by it. That as to the practice being favourable to +wantonness and vice, while he admitted that idleness was productive of +these effects, he could not see how one occupation encouraged them more +than another. That the tailor, for example, whom he had been speaking +of, though purse-proud, overbearing, and rapacious, was not more immoral +or depraved than his neighbours, and had probably less of the libertine +than most of them. He admitted that evil thoughts would enter the mind +in any situation, and could not reasonably be expected to be kept out of +his daughters' heads (being, as he said, but women): yet he conceived +such a result as far less probable, if they were suffered to ramble +about in the streets, and to chaffer with their customers, than if they +were kept to sedate and diligent employment at home. + +Having, with great warmth and earnestness, used these arguments, he +concluded, by plainly hinting to his wife that she had always been the +apologist of the tailor, in all their disputes; and that she could not +be so obstinately blind to the irrefragable reasoning he had urged, if +she were not influenced by her old hankering after this fellow, and did +not consult his interests in preference to those of her own family. Upon +this remark the old woman took fire, and, in spite of our presence, they +both had recourse to direct and the coarsest abuse. + +The Brahmin did not, as I expected, join me in laughing at the scene we +had just witnessed; but, after some musing, observed: "There is much +truth in what each of these parties say. I blame them only for the +course they take towards each other. Their dispute is, in fact, of a +most frivolous and unmeaning character; for, if the father was to carry +his point, the girls would occasionally sell the productions of their +garden, and pay for making their clothes, or even buy them ready made. +Were the mother, on the other hand, to prevail, they would still +occasionally use their needles, and exercise their taste and skill in +sewing, spinning, knitting, and the like. Nay," added he, "if you had +not been so much engrossed with this angry and indecorous altercation, +you might have seen two of them at their needles, in an adjoining +apartment, while one was busy at work in the garden, and another up to +the elbows in the soap-suds--all so closely engaged in their several +pursuits, that they hardly seemed to know they were the subject of +discussion." + +I told the Brahmin that a dispute, not unlike this, had taken place in +my own country, a few years since; some of our politicians contending +that agricultural labour was most conducive to the national wealth, +whilst others maintained that manufacturing industry was equally +advantageous, wherever it was voluntarily pursued;--but that the +controversy had lately assumed a different character--the question now +being, not whether manufactures are as beneficial as agriculture, but +whether they deserve extraordinary encouragement, by taxing those who do +not give them a preference. + +"That is," said the Brahmin, "as if our landlady, by way of inducing her +daughters to give up gardening for spinning, were to tell them, if they +did not find their new occupation as profitable as the old, she would +more than make up the difference out of her own pocket, which, though it +might suit the daughters very well, would be a losing business to +the family." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +_Description of the Happy Valley--The laws, customs, and manners of the +Okalbians--Theory of population--Rent--System of government._ + + +The Brahmin, who was desirous of showing me what was most remarkable in +this country, during the short time we intended to stay, thought this a +favourable time to visit Okalbia, or the Happy Valley. The Okalbians are +a tribe or nation, who live separated from the rest of the Lunar world, +and whose wise government, prudence, industry, and integrity, are very +highly extolled by all, though, by what I can learn, they have few +imitators. They dwell about three hundred miles north of the city of +Alamatua, in a fertile valley, which they obtained by purchase about two +hundred years since, and which is about equal to twenty miles square, +that is, to four hundred square miles. A carriage and four well-broke +dogs, was procured for us, and we soon reached the foot of the mountain +that encloses the fortunate valley, in about fifty-two hours. We then +ascended, for about three miles, with far fatigue than I formerly +experienced in climbing the Catskill mountains of my native State, and +found ourselves on the summit of an extensive ridge, which formed the +margin of a vast elliptical basin, the bottom of which presented a most +beautiful landscape. The whole surface was like a garden, interspersed +with patches of wood, clumps of trees, and houses standing singly or in +groupes. A lake, about a mile across, received several small streams, +and on its edge was a town, containing about a thousand houses. After +enjoying the beauties of the scene for some minutes, we descended by a +rough winding road, and entered this Lunar Paradise, in about four +hours. Along the sides of the highway we travelled, were planted rows of +trees, not unlike our sycamores, which afforded a refreshing shade to +the traveller; and commonly a rivulet ran bubbling along one side or the +other of the road. + +After journeying about eight miles, we entered a neat, well built town, +which contained, as we were informed, about fifteen thousand +inhabitants. The Brahmin informed me, that in a time of religious +fervour, about two centuries ago, a charter was granted to the founder +of a new sect, the Volbins, who had chanced to make converts of some of +the leading men in Morosofia, authorising him and his followers to +purchase this valley of the hunting tribe to whom it belonged, and to +govern themselves by their own laws. They found no difficulty in making +the purchase. It was then used as a mere hunting ground, no one liking +to settle in a place that seemed shut out from the rest of the world. At +first, the new settlers divided the land equally among all the +inhabitants, one of their tenets being, that as there was no difference +of persons in the next world, there should be no difference in sharing +the good things of this. They tried at first to preserve this equality; +but finding it impracticable, they abandoned it. It is said that after +about thirty years, by reason of a difference in their industry and +frugality, and of some families spending less than they made, and some +more, the number of land owners was reduced to four hundred, and that +fifty of these held one half of the whole; since which time the number +of landed proprietors has declined with the population, though not in +the same proportion. As the soil is remarkably fertile, the climate +healthy, and the people temperate and industrious, they multiplied very +rapidly until they reached their present numbers, which have been long +stationary, and amount to 150,000, that is, about four hundred to a +square mile; of these, more than one half live in towns and villages, +containing from one hundred to a thousand houses. + +They have little or no commerce with any other people, the valley +producing every vegetable production, and the mountains every mineral, +which they require; and in fact, they have no foreign intercourse +whatever, except when they visit, or are visited from curiosity. Though +they have been occasionally bullied and threatened by lawless and +overbearing neighbours; yet, as they can be approached by only a single +gorge in the mountain, which is always well garrisoned, (and they +present no sufficient object to ambition, to compensate for the scandal +of invading so inoffensive and virtuous a people,) they have never yet +been engaged in war. + +I felt very anxious to know how it was that their numbers did not +increase, as they were exempt from all pestilential diseases, and live +in such abundance, that a beggar by trade has never been known among +them, and are remarkable for their moral habits. + +"Let us inquire at the fountain-head," said the Brahmin; and we went to +see the chief magistrate, who received us in a style of unaffected +frankness, which in a moment put us at our ease. After we had explained +to him who we were, and answered such inquiries as he chose to make: + +"Sir," said I, through the Brahmin, who acted as interpreter, "I have +heard much of your country, and I find, on seeing it, that it exceeds +report, in the order, comfort, contentment, and abundance of the people. +But I am puzzled to find out how it is that your numbers do not +increase. I presume you marry late in life?" + +"On the contrary," said he; "every young man marries as soon as he +receives his education, and is capable of managing the concerns of a +family. Some are thus qualified sooner, and some later." + +"Some occasionally migrate, then?" + +"Never. A number of our young men, indeed, visit foreign countries, but +not one in a hundred settles abroad." + +"How, then, do your associates continue stationary?" + +"Nothing is more easy. No man has a larger family than his land or +labour can support, in comfort; and as long as that is the case with +every individual, it must continue to be the case with the whole +community. We leave the matter to individual discretion. The prudential +caution which is thus indicated, has been taught us by our own +experience. We had gone on increasing, under the encouraging influence +of a mild system of laws, genial climate, and fruitful soil, until, +about a century ago, we found that our numbers were greater than our +country, abundant as it is, could comfortably support; and our seasons +being unfavourable for two successive years, many of our citizens were +obliged to banish themselves from Okalbia; and their education not +fitting them for a different state of society, they suffered severely, +both in their comforts and morals. It is now a primary moral duty, +enforced by all our juvenile instructors with every citizen, to adapt +his family to his means; and thus a regard which each individual has for +his offspring, is the salvation of the State." + +"And can these prudential restraints be generally practised? What a +virtuous people! Love for one another brings the two sexes +together--love for their offspring makes them separate!" + +"I see," said the magistrate, smiling, "you are under an error. No +separation takes place, and none is necessary." + +"How, then, am I to believe.....?" + +"You are to believe nothing," said he, with calm dignity, "which is +incompatible with virtue and propriety. I see that the most important of +all sciences--that one on which the well-being and improvement of +society mainly depends,--is in its infancy with you. But whenever you +become as populous as we are, and unite the knowledge of real happiness +with the practice of virtue, you will understand it. It is one of our +maxims, that heaven gives wisdom to man in such portions as his +situation requires it; and no doubt it is the same with the people of +your earth." + +I did not, after this, push my inquiries farther; but remarked, aside to +the Brahmin,--"I would give a good deal to know this secret, provided it +would suit our planet." + +"It is already known there," replied he, "and has been long practised by +many in the east: but in the present state of society with you, it might +do more harm than good to be made public, by removing one of the checks +of licentiousness, where women are so unrestrained as they are +with you." + +Changing now the subject, I ventured to inquire how they employed their +leisure hours, and whether many did not experience here a wearisome +sameness, and a feeling of confinement and restraint. + +"It is true," said the magistrate, "men require variety; but I would not +have you suppose he cannot find it here. He may cultivate his lands, +improve his mind, educate his children; these are his serious +occupations, affording every day some employment that is, at once, new +and interesting: and, by way of relaxation, he has music, painting, and +sculpture; sailing, riding, conversation, storytelling, and reading the +news of what is passing, both in the valley and out of it." + +I asked if they had newspapers. He answered in the affirmative; and +added, that they contained minute details of the births, deaths, +marriages, accidents, state of the weather and crops, arbitrations, +public festivals, inventions, original poetry, and prose compositions. +In addition to which, they had about fifty of their most promising young +men travelling abroad, who made observations on all that was remarkable +in the countries they passed through, which they regularly transmitted +once a month to Okalbia. I inquired if they travelled at the public +expense or their own? + +"They always pursue some profession or trade, by the profits of which +they support themselves. We have nothing but intellect and ingenuity to +export; for though our country produces every thing, there is no +commodity that we can so well spare. Their talents find them employment +every where; and the necessity they are under of a laborious exertion of +these talents, and of submitting to a great deal from those whose +customs and manners are not to their taste, and whom they feel inferior +to themselves, is a considerable check to the desire to go abroad, so +much so, that we hold out the farther inducement of political +distinction when they return." + +"What, then! you have ambition among you?" + +"Certainly; our institutions have only tempered it, and not vainly +endeavoured to extinguish it; and we find it employment in this way: Of +our youthful travellers, those who are most diligent in their vocation; +who give the most useful information, and communicate it in the happiest +manner, are made magistrates, on their return, and sometimes have +statues decreed to them. Besides, the name which their conduct or +talents procure them abroad, is echoed back to the valley, long before +their return, and has much influence in the general estimate of their +character. + +"But have you not many more competitors, than you have public offices?" + +"There are, without doubt, many who desire office; but to manifest their +wish, would be one of the surest means of defeating it. We require +modesty, (at least in appearance,) moderation and disinterestedness, and +of course, the less pains a candidate takes to show himself off, +the better." + +"But have they no friends, who can at once render them this service, and +relieve them from the odium of it?" + +"There is, indeed, somewhat of this; but you must remember, that the +highest of our magistrates has comparatively little power. He has no +army, no treasury, no patronage; he merely executes the laws. But, as a +farther check on the immoderate zeal of friends, the expense of doing +this, as well as of maintaining him in office, is defrayed by those who +vote for him. There seems, at first view, but little justice in this +regulation; but we think, that as every one cannot have his way, those +who carry their point, and have the power, should also bear the burden: +besides, in this way the voices of the most generous and disinterested +prevail. We have," he added, "found this the most difficult part of our +government. We once thought that the very lively interest excited in the +electioneering contests, particularly for that of Gompoo, or chief +magistrate, was to be ascribed to the power he possessed; and we +resorted to various expedients to lessen it--such as dividing it among a +greater number--requiring a quick rotation of office--abridging the +powers themselves: but we discovered, that however small the power, the +distinction it gave to those who possessed it, was always an object of +lively interest with the ambitious, and indeed with the public in +general. We have, therefore, enlarged the power, and the term of holding +it, and make him who would attain it, purchase it by previous exertion +and self-denial: and we farther compel those who favour him, to lose as +well as gain. We array the love of money against the love of power; or +rather, one love of power to another. Moreover, as it is only by the +civic virtues that our citizens recommend themselves to popular favour, +there is nothing of that enthusiasm which military success excites among +the natives." + +Our Washington then presented himself to my mind, and for a moment I +began to question his claim to the unexampled honours bestowed on him by +his countrymen, until I recollected that he was as distinguished by his +respect for the laws, and his sound views of national policy, as for his +military services. + +I then inquired into the occupations and condition of those who were +without land; and was told that they were either cultivators of the +soil, or practised some liberal or mechanical art; and, partly owing to +the education they receive, and partly from the active competition that +exists among them, they are skilful, diligent, and honest. Now and then +there are some exceptions, according to the proverb, that _in the best +field of grain there will be some bad ears_. The land-owners sometimes +cultivate the soil with their own hands--sometimes with hired +labourers--and sometimes they rent them for about a third of their +produce. The smallest proprietors commonly adopt the first course; the +middling, the second; and the great landholders the third." + +"But I thought," said I, "that all the land in the valley was of equal +fertility." + +"So it is; but what has that to do with rent?" + +"Sir," said I, "our ablest writers on this subject have lately +discovered that there can be no rent where there is not a gradation of +soils, such as exists in every country of the earth." + +"I see not," said he, "what could have led them into that error. It is +true, if there was inferior land, there would be a difference of rent in +proportion to the difference of fertility; and if it was so poor as +merely to repay the expense of cultivation, it would yield no rent at +all. But surely, if one man makes as much as several consume, (and this +he can easily do with us,) he will be able to get much of their labour +in exchange for this surplus, which is so indispensable to them, and to +get more and more, until the greatest number has come into existence +which such surplus can support. What they thus give, if the proprietor +retains the land himself, you may regard as the extraordinary profits of +agricultural labour, or rent, if paid to any one to whom he transfers +this benefit. This is precisely our present situation." + +There was no denying this statement of facts: but I could not help +exclaiming,--"Surely there is nothing certain in the universe; or +rather, truth is one thing in the moon, and another thing on the earth." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +_Farther account of Okalbia--The Field of Roses--Curious superstition +concerning that flower--The pleasures of smell traced to association, by +a Glonglim philosopher._ + + +Though I felt some reluctance to abuse the patience of this polite and +intelligent magistrate, I could not help making some inquiry about the +jurisprudence of his country, and first, what was their system of +punishment. + +"We have no capital punishment," says he; "for, from all we learn, it is +not more efficacious in preventing crime, than other punishments which +are milder; and we prefer making the example to offenders a lasting one. +But we endeavour to prevent offences, not so much by punishment as by +education; and the few crimes committed among us, bring certain censure +on those who have the early instruction of the criminal. Murders are +very rare with us; thefts and robbery perhaps still more so. Our +ordinary disputes about property, are commonly settled by arbitration, +where, as well as in court, each party is permitted to state his case, +to examine what witnesses and to ask what questions he pleases." + +"You do not," said I, "examine witnesses who are interested?" + +"Why not? The judges even examine the parties themselves." + +I then told him that the smallest direct interest in the issue of the +controversy, disqualified a witness with us, from the strong bias it +created to misrepresent facts, and even to misconceive them. + +He replied with a smile,--"It seems to me that your extreme fear of +hearing falsehood, must often prevent you from ascertaining the truth. +It is true, that wherever the interest of a witness is involved, it has +an immediate tendency to make him misstate facts: but so would personal +ill-will--so would his sympathies--so would any strong feeling. What, +then, is your course in these cases?" + +I told him that these objections applied to the credibility, and not to +the competency, of witnesses, which distinctions of the lawyers I +endeavoured to explain to him. + +"Then I think you often exclude a witness who is under a small bias, and +admit another who is under a great one. You allow a man to give +testimony in a case in which the fortune or character of his father, +brother or child is involved, but reject him in a case in which he is +not interested to the amount of a greater sum than he would give to the +first beggar he met. Is it not so?" + +"That, indeed, may be the operation of the rule. But cases of such +flagrant inconsistency are very rare; and this rule, like every other, +must be tried by its general, and not its partial effects." + +"True; but your rule must at least be a troublesome one, and give rise +to a great many nice distinctions, that make it difficult in the +application. All laws are sufficiently exposed to this evil, and we do +not wish unnecessarily to increase it. We have, therefore, adopted the +plan of allowing either party to ask any question of any witness he +pleases, and leave it to the judges to estimate the circumstances which +may bias the witness. We, in short, pursue the same course in +investigating facts in court that we pursue out of it, when no one forms +a judgment until he has first heard what the parties and their friends +say on the subject." + +On my return home, I repeated this conversation to a lawyer of my +acquaintance, who told me that such a rule of evidence might do for the +people in the moon, but it certainly would not suit us. I leave the +matter to be settled by more competent heads than mine, and return to my +narrative. + +I farther learnt from this intelligent magistrate, that the territory of +the Happy Valley, or Okalbia, is divided into forty-two counties, and +each county into ten districts. In each district are three magistrates, +who are appointed by the legislature. Causes of small value are decided +by the magistrates of the district; those of greater importance, by the +county courts, composed of all the magistrates of the ten districts; a +few by the court of last court, consisting of seven judges. The +legislature consists of two houses, of which the members are elected +annually, three from each county for one branch, and one member for the +other. No qualification of property is required either to vote, or to be +eligible to either house of the legislature, as they believe that the +natural influence of property is sufficient, without adding to that +influence by law; and that the moral effects of education among them, +together with a few provisions in their constitution, are quite +sufficient to guard against any improper combination of those who have +small property. Besides, there are no odious privileges exclusively +possessed by particular classes of men, to excite the envy or resentment +of the other classes, and induce them to act in concert. + +"Have you, then, no parties?" said I. + +"Oh yes; we are not without our political parties and disputes; and we +sometimes wrangle about very small matters--such as, what amount of +labour shall be bestowed on the public roads--the best modes of +conducting our schools and colleges--the comparative merits of the +candidates for office, or the policy of some proposed change in the +laws. Man is made, you know, of very combustible materials, and may be +kindled as effectually by a spark falling at the right time, in the +right place, as when within reach of a great conflagration." + +The women appeared here to be under few restraints. I understood that +they were taught, like our sex, all the speculative branches of +knowledge, but that they were more especially instructed, by professed +teachers, in cookery, needlework, and every sort of domestic economy; as +were the young men in the occupations which require strength and +exposure. They have a variety of public schools, and some houses for +public festivals, but no public hospitals or almshouses whatever, the +few cases of private distress or misfortune being left for relief to the +merits of the sufferer and the compassion of individuals. + +After passing a week among this singular and fortunate people, whom we +every where found equally amiable, intelligent, and hospitable, we +returned to Alamatua in the same way that we had come; that is, in a +light car, drawn by four large mastiffs. When we had recovered from the +fatigues of the journey, and I had carefully committed to paper all that +I had learnt of the Okalbians, the Brahmin and I took a walk towards a +part of the suburbs which I had not yet seen, and where some of the +literati of his acquaintance resided. The sun appeared to be not more +than two hours high (though, in fact, it was more than fifty); the sky +was without a cloud, and a fresh breeze from the mountains contributed +to make it like one of the most delightful summer evenings of a +temperate climate. + +We carelessly rambled along, enjoying the balmy freshness of the air, +the picturesque scenery of the neighbouring mountains, the beauty or +fragrance of some vegetable productions, and the oddity of others, +until, having passed through a thick wood, we came to an extensive +plain, which was covered with rose-bushes. The queen of flowers here +appeared under every variety of colour, size, and species--red, white, +black, and yellow--budding, full-blown, and half-blown;--some with +thorns, and some without; some odourless, and others exhaling their +unrivalled perfume with an overpowering sweetness. I was about to pluck +one of these flowers, (of which I have always been particularly fond,) +when a man, whom I had not previously observed, stepping up behind me, +seized my arm, and asked me if I knew what I was doing. He told us that +the roses of this field, which is called Gulgal, were deemed sacred, and +were not allowed to be gathered without the special permission of the +priests, under a heavy penalty; and that he was one of those whose duty +it was to prevent the violation of the law, and to bring the offenders +to punishment. + +The Brahmin, having diverted himself a while with my surprise and +disappointment, then informed me, that the rose had ever been regarded +in Morosofia, as the symbol of female purity, delicacy, and sweetness; +which notion had grown into a popular superstition, that whenever a +marriage is consummated on the earth, one of these flowers springs up in +the moon; and that in colour, shape, size, or other property, it is a +fit type of the individual whose change of state is thus commemorated. + +"What, father," said I, "could have given rise to so strange an +opinion?" + +"I know not," said he; "but I have heard it thus explained:--That the +roses generally spring up, as well as blow, in the course of their long +nights, during which the earth's resplendent disc is the most +conspicuous object in the heavens; which two facts stand, in the opinion +of the multitude, in the relation of cause and effect. Attributing, +then, the symbolical character of the rose to its tutelary planet, they +regard the earth in the same light as the ancients did the chaste Diana, +and believe that she plants this her favourite flower in the moon, +whenever she loses a votary. The priesthood encourage this superstition, +as they have grafted on it some mystical rites, which add to their power +and profit, and which one of our Pundits thinks has a great resemblance +to the Eleusinian mysteries. There is, however, my dear Atterley, little +satisfaction in tracing the origin of vulgar superstitions. They grow up +like a strange plant in a forest, without our being able to tell how the +seed found its way there. It is generally believed in the east, that the +moon, at particular periods of her revolution round the earth, has a +great influence in causing rain; though every one must see, that, +notwithstanding such influence must be the same in every part of the +earth, it is invariably fair in one place, at the very time that it is +rainy in another. Nay, we may safely aver that there is not a day, nor +an hour, in the year, in which it is not dry and rainy, cloudy and +clear, windy and calm, in hundreds of places at once." + +I told the Brahmin that the same opinion prevailed in my country. That +the vulgar also believe the moon, according to its age, to have +particular effects on the flesh of slaughtered animals; and that all +sailors distinguish between a wet and a dry day, according to the +position of the crescent. + +We then inquired of the warden of this flowery plain, if he had ever +remarked any difference in the number of roses which sprung up in a +given period of time. He said he thought they were more numerous about +five and twenty or thirty years ago, than he had ever seen them before +or since. With that exception, he said, the number appeared to be nearly +the same every year. + +The Brahmin happening to be in one of those pleasant moods which are +occasionally experienced by amiable tempers, even when under the +pressure of sorrow and age, now amused himself in pointing out the +flowers which probably represented the different nations of the earth; +and when he saw any one remarkably small, pale and delicate, he insisted +that it belonged to his own country; which point, however, I, not +yielding to him in nationality, warmly contested. I would here remark, +that as the rose is called _gul_ in the Persian language and the ancient +Sanscrit, the name of this field furnished another argument in support +of the Brahmin's hypothesis of the origin of the moon. + +While thus oblivious of the past, and reckless of the future, we were +enjoying the present moment in this _badinage_, and I was extolling the +odour of the rose, as beyond every other grateful to the olfactory +nerves of man, a lively, flippant little personage came up, and accosted +the Brahmin with the familiarity of an acquaintance. My companion +immediately introduced me to him, and at the same time gave me to +understand that this was the great Reffei, one of the most distinguished +literati of the country. Although his eye was remarkably piercing, I +perceived in it somewhat of the wildness which always characterizes a +Glonglim. He was evidently impatient for discussion; and having informed +himself of the subject of my rhapsody when he joined our party, he +vehemently exclaimed,--"I am surprised at your falling in with that +popular prejudice; while it is easy to show, that but for some feeling +of love, or pity, or admiration, with which the rose happens to be +associated--some past pleasure which it brings to your recollection, or +some future pleasure which it suggests,--any other flower would be +equally sweet. You see the rose a very beautiful flower; and you have +been accustomed, whenever you saw and felt its beauty, to perceive, at +the same time, a certain odour. The beauty and the odour thus become +associated in your mind, and the smell brings along with it the pleasure +you feel in looking at it. But the chief part of the gratification you +receive from smelling a rose, arises from some past scene of delight of +which it reminds you; as, of the days of your innocence and childhood, +when you ran about the garden--or when you were decorated with +nosegays--or danced round a may-pole, (this is rather a free +translation)--or presented a bunch of flowers to some little favourite." +He said a great deal more on the subject, and spoke so prettily and +ingeniously, as almost to make a convert of me; when, on bringing my +nose once more to the flower, I found in it the same exquisite +fragrance as ever. + +"Why do we like," he continued, "the smell of a beef-steak, or of a cup +of tea, except for the pleasure we receive from their taste?" + +I mentioned, as an exception to his theory, the codfish, which is +esteemed a very savoury dish by my countrymen, but which no one ever +regarded as very fragrant. But he repelled my objection by an ingenious +hypothesis, grounded on certain physiological facts, to show that this +supposed disagreeable smell was also the effect of some early +associations. I then mentioned to him assafoetida, the odour of which I +believed was universally odious. He immediately replied, that we are +always accustomed to associate with this drug, the disagreeable ideas of +sickness, female weakness, hysterics, affectation, &c. Unable to +continue the argument, I felt myself vanquished. I again stooped to the +flower, and as I inhaled its perfume, "Surely," said I to myself, "this +rose would be sweet if I were to lose my memory altogether:" but +recollecting the great Reffei's argument, I mentally added thanks to +divine philosophy, which always corrects our natural prejudices. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +_Atterley goes to the great monthly fair--Its various exhibitions; +difficulties--Preparations to leave the Moon--Curiosities procured by +Atterley--Regress to the Earth._ + + +The philosopher, not waiting to enjoy the triumph of victory, abruptly +took his leave, and we, refreshed and delighted with our walk, returned +home. Our landlord informed us that we had arrived in good time to +attend the great fair, or market, which regularly takes place a little +before the sun sinks below the horizon. Having taken a short repast, +while the Brahmin called on one of his acquaintance, I sallied forth +into the street, and soon found myself in the bustling throng, who were +hastening to this great resort of the busy, the idle, the knavish, and +the gay; some in pursuit of gain, and some of pleasure; whilst others +again, without any settled purpose, were carried along by the vague +desire of meeting with somewhat to relieve them from the pain +of idleness. + +The fair was held in a large square piece of ground in one of the +suburbs, set apart for that purpose; and on each of its four sides a +long low building, or rather roof, supported on massy white columns, +extended about six hundred yards in length, and was thirty yards wide. +Immediately within this arcade were arranged the finer kinds of +merchandise, fabrics of cotton or silk, and articles of jewelry, +cutlery, porcelain, and glass. On the outside were provisions of every +kind, vegetable and animal, flesh, fish, and fowl, as well as the +coarser manufactures. At no great distance from this hollow square, +(which was used exclusively for buying and selling,) might be seen an +infinite variety of persons, collected in groupes, all engaged in some +occupation or amusement, according to their several tastes and humours. +Here a party of young men were jumping, or wrestling, or shooting at a +mark with cross-bows. There, girls and boys were dancing to the sound of +a pipe, or still smaller children were playing at marbles, or amusing +themselves with the toys they had just purchased. Not far from these, a +quack from one scaffold was descanting on the virtues of his medicines, +whilst a preacher from another was holding forth to the graver part of +the crowd, the joys and terrors of another life; and yet farther on, a +motley groupe were listening to a blind beggar, who was singing to the +music of a sort of rude guitar. Here and there curtains, hanging from a +slight frame of wood-work, veiled a small square from the eyes of all, +except those who paid a nail for admittance. Some of these curtained +boxes contained jugglers--some tumblers--some libidinous pictures--and +others again, strange birds, beasts, and other animals. I observed that +none of the exhibitions were as much frequented as these booths; and I +was told that the corporation of the city derived from them a +considerable revenue. Amidst such an infinite variety of objects, my +attention was so distracted that it could not settle down upon any one, +and I strolled about without object or design. + +When I had become more familiar with this mixed multitude of sights and +sounds, I endeavoured to take a closer survey of some of the objects +composing the medley. The first thing which attracted my particular +notice, was a profusion of oaths and imprecations, which proceeded from +one of the curtained booths. I paid the admittance money to a +well-dressed man, of smooth, easy manners, and entered. I found there +several parties paired off, and engaged at different games; but, like +the rest of the bystanders, I felt myself most strongly attracted +towards the two who were betting highest. One of these was an elderly +man, of a tall stature, in a plain dress; the other was a short man, in +very costly apparel, and some years younger. For a long time the scales +of victory seemed balanced between them; but at length the tall man, who +had great self-possession, and who played with consummate skill, won the +game: soon after which he rose up, and making a graceful, respectful bow +to the rest of the company, he retired. Not being able to catch his eye, +so intent was he on his game, I felt some curiosity to know whether he +was a Glonglim; but could not ascertain the fact, as some of whom the +Brahmin inquired, said that he was, while others maintained that he was +not. His adversary, however, evidently belonged to that class, and, when +flushed with hope, reminded me of the feather-hunter. At first he +endeavoured, by forced smiles, to conceal his rage and disappointment. +He then bit his lips with vexation, and challenged one of the bystanders +to play for a smaller stake. Fortune seemed about to smile on him on +this occasion; but one of the company, who appeared to be very much +respected by the rest, detected the little man in some false play, and +publicly exposing him, broke up the game. I understood afterwards, that +before the fair was over, the gamester avenged himself for this injury +in the other's blood: that he then returned to the fair, secretly +entered another gambling booth, where he betted so rashly, that he soon +lost not only his patrimonial estate, which was large, but his acquired +wealth, which was much larger. Having lost all his property, and even +his clothes, he then staked and lost his liberty, and even his teeth, +which were very good; and he will thus be compelled to live on soups for +the rest of his life. + +I saw several other matches played, in which great sums were betted, +great skill was exhibited, and occasionally much unfairness practised. +There was one man in the crowd, whose extraordinary good fortune I could +not but admire. He went about from table to table, sometimes betting +high and sometimes low, but was generally successful, until he had won +as much as he could fairly carry; after which he went out, and amused +himself at a puppet-show, and the stall of a cake-woman, with whom he +had formerly quarrelled, but who now, when she learnt his success, was +obsequiously civil to him. I did not see that he manifested superior +skill, but still he was successful; and in his last great stake with a +young, but not inexpert player, he won the game, though the chances were +three to two against him. "Surely," thought I, "fortune rules the +destinies of man in the moon as well as on the earth." + +On looking now at my watch, I found that I had been longer a witness of +these trials of skill and fortune, than I had been aware; and on leaving +the booth, perceived that the sun had sunk behind the western mountains, +and that the earth began to beam with her nocturnal splendour. Those who +had come from a distance, were already hurrying back with their carts; +and here and there light cars, of various forms and colours, and drawn +by dogs, were conveying those away whose object had been amusement. Some +were snatching a hasty meal; and a few, by their quiet air, seemed as if +they meant to continue on the spot as long as the regulations permit, +after sunset, which is about twenty of our hours. I found the Brahmin at +home when I returned, and I felt as much pleased to see him, as if we +had not seen each other for many months. + +As the shades of night approached, my anxiety to return to my native +planet increased, and I urged my friend to lose no time in preparing for +our departure. We were soon afterwards informed that a man high in +office, and renowned for his political sagacity, proposed to detain us, +on the ground that when such voyages as ours were shown to be +practicable, the inhabitants of the earth, who were so much more +numerous than those of the moon, might invade the latter with a large +army, for the purposes of rapine and conquest. We farther learnt that +this opinion, which was at first cautiously circulated in the higher +circles, had become more generally known, and was producing a strong +sensation among the people. + +The Brahmin immediately presented himself before the council of state, +to remove the impression. He pointed out to them the insurmountable +obstacles to such an invasion, physical and moral. He urged to them that +the nations of the earth felt so much jealousy and ill-will towards one +another, that they never cordially co-operated in any enterprise for +their common interest or glory; and that if any one nation were to send +an army into the moon, such a scheme of ambition would afford at once a +temptation and pretext for its neighbours to invade it. That his country +had not the ability, and mine had not the inclination, to attack the +liberties of any other: so far from that, he informed them, on my +authority, that we were in the habit of sending teachers abroad, to +instruct other nations in the duties of religion, morals, and humanity. +He entered into some calculations, to show that the project was also +impracticable on account of its expense; and, lastly, insisted that if +all other difficulties were removed, we should find it impossible to +convince the people of the earth that we had really been to the moon. I +have since found that the Brahmin was more right in his last argument, +than I then believed possible. + +I am not able to say what effect these representations of the Brahmin +would have produced, if they had not been taken up and enforced by the +political rival of him who had first opposed our departure; but by his +powerful aid they finally triumphed, and we obtained a formal permission +to leave the moon whenever, we thought proper. + +As we meant to return in the same machine in which we came, we were not +long in preparing for our voyage. We proposed to set out about the +middle of the night; and we passed the chief part of the interval in +making visits of ceremony, and in calling on those who had shown us +civility. I endeavoured also, to collect such articles as I thought +would be most curious and rare in my own country, and most likely to +produce conviction with those who might be disposed to question the fact +of my voyage. I was obliged, however, to limit myself to such things as +were neither bulky nor weighty, the Brahmin thinking that after we had +taken in our instruments and the necessary provisions, we could not +safely take more than twenty or thirty pounds in addition. + +Some of my lunar curiosities, which I thought would be most new and +interesting to my countrymen, have proved to be very familiar to our men +of science. This has been most remarkably the case with my mineral +specimens. Of the leaves and flowers of above seventy plants, which I +brought, more than forty are found on the earth, and several of these +grow in my native State. With the insects I have been more successful; +but some of these, as well as of the plants, I am assured, are found on +the coasts of the Pacific, or in the islands of that ocean; which fact, +by the way, gives a farther support to the Brahmin's hypothesis. + +Besides the productions of nature that I have mentioned, I procured some +specimens of their cloth, a few light toys, a lady's turban decorated +with cantharides, a pair of slippers with heavy metallic soles, which +are used there for walking in a strong wind, and by the dancing girls to +prevent their jumping too high. As this metal, which gravitates to the +moon, is repelled from the earth, these slippers assist the wearer here +in springing from the ground as much as they impeded it in the moon, and +therefore I have lent them to Madame ----, of the New-York Theatre, who +is thus enabled to astonish and delight the spectators with her +wonderful lightness and agility. + +But there is nothing that I have brought which I prize so highly as a +few of their manuscripts. The Lunarians write as we do, from left to +right; but when their words consist of more than one syllable, all the +subsequent syllables are put over the first, so that what we call _long +words_, they call _high_ ones: which mode of writing makes them more +striking to the eye. This peculiarity has, perhaps, had some effect in +giving their writers a magniloquence of style, something like that which +so laudably characterises our Fourth of July Orations and Funeral +Panegyrics: that composition being thought the finest in which the words +stand highest. Another advantage of this mode of writing is, that they +can crowd more in a small page, so that a long discourse, if it is also +very eloquent, may be compressed in a single page. I have left some of +the manuscripts with the publisher of this work, for the gratification +of the public curiosity. + +Having taken either respectful or affectionate leave of all, and got +every thing in readiness, on the 20th day of August, 1825, about +midnight we again entered our copper balloon, if I may so speak, and +rose from the moon with the same velocity as we had formerly ascended +from the earth. Though I experienced somewhat of my former sensations, +when I again found myself off the solid ground, yet I soon regained my +self-possession; and, animated with the hope of seeing my children and +country, with the past success of our voyage, and (I will not disguise +it,) with the distinction which I expected it would procure me from my +countrymen, I was in excellent spirits. The Brahmin exhibited the same +mild equanimity as ever. + +As the course of our ascent was now less inclined from the vertical line +than before, in proportion as the motion of the moon on its axis, is +slower than that of the earth, we for some hours could see the former, +only by the light reflected from our planet; and although the objects on +the moon's surface were less distinct, they appeared yet more beautiful +in my eyes than they had done in the glare of day. The difference, +however, may be in part attributed to my being now in a better frame of +mind for enjoying the scene. As our distance increased, the face of the +moon became of a lighter and more uniform tint, until at length it +looked like one vast lake of melted silver, with here and there small +pieces of greyish dross floating on it. After contemplating this lovely +and magnificent spectacle for about an hour, I turned to the Brahmin, +and reminded him of his former promise to give me the history of his +early life. He replied, "as you have seen all that you can see of the +moon, and the objects of the earth are yet too indistinct to excite much +interest, I am not likely to have a more suitable occasion;" and after a +short pause, he began in the way that the reader may see in the +next chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +_The Brahmin gives Atterley a history of his life._ + + +"I have already informed you that I was born at Benares, which, as you +know, is a populous city on the banks of the Ganges, and the most +celebrated seat of Hindoo science and literature. My father was a priest +of Vishun, of a high rank; and as his functions required him to live +within the precincts of the Pagoda, he was liberally maintained out of +its ample revenues. I was his only son, and according to the usage of +our country, was destined to the same holy calling. At an early age I +was put under a private tutor, and then sent to one of the schools +attached to the Pagoda. Upon what little matters, my dear Atterley, do +our fortunes, and even our characters depend! Had I been sent to another +school, the whole destiny of my life would have been changed. + +"I was in my twelfth year when I entered this school, which contained +from thirty to forty boys about my age. The cleverest of these was Balty +Mahu, who, like myself, belonged to the higher order of Brahmins. He +took the lead, not only in the exercises within the school, but in all +the sports and pastimes out of it. Nature, however, had not been equally +kind to him in temper and disposition. He was restless, ambitious, +proud, vindictive, and implacable. He could occasionally, too, practise +cunning and deception; although anger and violence were more congenial +to his nature. + +"It soon appeared that I was to be his rival in the school, and from +that moment he cordially hated me. The praises that had previously been +lavished on him by the teacher, were now shared by me, and most of the +boys secretly rejoiced to see his proud spirit humbled. In our sports I +was also his successful competitor. Nature had given me an excellent +constitution; and though I had not a very robust frame, I could boast of +great agility and flexibility of limbs. When the sun had descended +behind the mountain which screened our play-ground from his evening +rays, we commonly amused ourselves in foot-races, and other pastimes, of +which running was an important part. In this exercise I had no equal. I +could also jump higher and farther than any boy in school, except one, +and that one was not Balty Mahu. + +"His ill-will was not slow in manifesting itself. He took every occasion +of contradicting me: sometimes indulged in sly sneers at my expense, and +now and then even attempted to turn me into open ridicule. I always +replied with spirit; but I found such contests as disagreeable to me as +they were new. One evening, under the pretext that I had purposely +jostled him in running, he struck me, and we fought. Although he was +probably stronger than I, as he was heavier and older, my suppleness +enabled me to get the better of him in a wrestle; and I got him under +me, when the master, attracted by the shouts of the boys, made his +appearance. He separated and reproved us, and sent us off in disgrace to +our respective rooms. From that time Balty Mahu treated me with more +outward respect than before; but I believe he hated me with more rancour +than ever. + +"I had now become the general favourite of the boys. The school was, +indeed, divided into parties, but mine was much the strongest; and of +those who adhered to my rival, very few seemed cordially to dislike me. +Though this state of things was very annoying to me, it proved +advantageous in one respect, as it made me more diligent in my studies, +lest I should furnish my rival with an occasion of triumphing ever me; +so that I owe a part of what I gained to the enmity of my rival. + +"When I had reached my sixteenth year, I was removed to the college in +Benares. This is commonly a very interesting event in the life of a +youth, as it reminds him that he is drawing near the period of manhood, +and leaves him more a master of his actions. But on the present occasion +my pleasure had two drawbacks: I could not but feel the contrast between +the warm and confiding attachment of my late school-fellows, and the +coldness and reserve of my new companions. Yet the most disagreeable +circumstance was, that I here met with my former rival, Balty Mahu. He +had entered the college about a month before me, and, aware of my +intention, had spared no pains, as I afterwards learnt, of prejudicing +the students against me. + +"After a few months, however, our relative standing was the same here as +it had been at the school. I gradually overcame the prejudices of the +students, and gained their good will, while he was always giving offence +by his meddlesome disposition and overbearing manners: yet his talents +and force of character always procured him a few followers, whom he +managed as he pleased. Of their aid he made use to gratify his +malevolence towards me, for this feeling had grown with his growth, and +now seemed to be the master passion of his breast. I was able to trace +the result of their machinations every where. Sometimes it was intimated +to the teachers that I had been assisted in my exercises; at others, +that I had infringed the college rules, or had put false reports in +circulation, or had neglected some of the many ceremonies required by +our religion. This was their favourite, as well as the most efficient +mode of attack, as in these respects there was some colour for their +accusation. + +"In my early childhood I had been spared, by the tenderest of mothers, +from many of the ablutions practised by the Hindoos, under the belief +that they would be injurious to my constitution, which, though healthy, +had never been robust. A foundation was thus laid with me for habitual +remissness in these ceremonies; and after I grew up, I persuaded myself +that they were of less importance than they were deemed by my +countrymen. My chief delight had ever been in books; and although, when +engaged in active pursuits, I took a lively interest in them for the +time, I always returned to my first love with unabated ardour. + +"Some of these accusations, being utterly groundless, I was able to +disprove; but the few that were true I endeavoured to excuse, and thus, +by their admission, credit was procured for their most unfounded +calumny. These petty transgressions, (for I cannot even now regard them +as sins,) industriously reported and artfully exaggerated, did me +lasting injury with all the most pious of our caste. The charitable +portion, indeed, were merely estranged from me; but the more bigoted +part began to regard me with aversion and horror. + +"In one of our vacations, my father allowed me to visit a brother of +his, who lived in the country, about thirty miles from Benares. My uncle +had two sons, of nearly my own age, and several daughters. With the +former I rode, played chess, and engaged in such sports as are not +forbidden to my profession; but my female cousins I seldom saw, as they +rarely left their Zenana, into which I was not permitted to enter. I was +of an age to be desirous of becoming better acquainted with my female +cousins, especially after I learnt that they then had as guests, a lady +and her daughter, who had come to pass some weeks here during the +absence of her husband, then employed in some public mission to +Calcutta. But it was only now and then that I had been able to catch a +transient and distant view of these females, during the first week after +my arrival; and the little I saw, served but to increase my curiosity. +Chance, however, soon afforded me the means of gratifying it. + +"An important festival in our calendar was now approaching, and +preparations were made to celebrate it in various modes, and, amongst +others, by a fight between a _royal_ tiger and an elephant. For several +days all was bustle and confusion in my uncle's family. Howdahs, newly +gilded and painted, were provided for the elephants--new caparisons for +the horses--new liveries for the attendants--cloth and silk, of the +richest dyes and hues, united with a profusion of gold and silver +ornaments, to dazzle the eye with their varied splendour. This was one +of those exhibitions, which those who were intended for the priesthood, +were prohibited from attending. I confess, when I witnessed these showy +and costly preparations, and pictured to myself the magnificent scene +for which they were intended--those formidable animals contending in +mortal conflict--the thousands of gaily dressed spectators, gazing in +breathless anxiety,--I repined at my lot, and regretted I had not been +born in a condition which, though of less dignity, would not have cut me +off from some of the most exquisite pleasures of life. At length the +important day arrived, and I found my mortification so acute, that I +determined to withdraw myself, as much as I could, from a scene that I +could not witness without pain. Among my acquirements at college, was a +knowledge of your language; and I had now begun to take the liveliest +interest in its beautiful fictions, which I greatly preferred to ours, +as being more true to nature, and as exhibiting women in characters at +once lovely, pure, and elevated. I was then reading "The Vicar of +Wakefield," and had reached the middle of that interesting tale, on the +morning of the festival, when my tranquillity was interrupted in the way +I have mentioned. Accordingly, taking my book and English dictionary, I +retired to a small summer-house at the foot of the garden, and +determined to remain there till the cavalcade had set out. It was some +time before I could fix my attention on what I read; but after a while, +the interest the book had previously excited returned, and I became at +length so engrossed by the incidents of the story, as to forget the +festival, the procession, the tiger, and the elephant, as much as if +they had never before entered my head. + +"After some hours passed in this intellectual banquet, I waked from my +day dream, and I thought again of the spectacle with a feeling bordering +on indifference. I walked towards the house, where all appeared to be +still and silent as a desert. I entered it, and of the forty or fifty +menials belonging to it, not one was to be seen. Those who were not in +attendance on the family, had sought some respite from their ordinary +labours. The Zenana then caught my eye, and I felt irresistibly impelled +to enter it. I used great caution, however, looking around me in every +direction as I proceeded there. I found the same silence and desertion +as in the other parts of the mansion. I passed through a sitting-room +into a long gallery, with which the bed-chambers of the ladies +communicated. The doors were all open, and the whole interior of their +apartments exhibited so strange a medley of unseemly objects, and such +utter disorder, as materially to affect my opinion of female delicacy, +and to damp my desire of becoming acquainted with my cousins. I passed +on, with a feeling of disappointment bordering on disgust, when I came +to a room which went far to redeem the character of the sex in my +estimation. Here all was neatness and propriety: every thing was either +in place, or only enough out of it to indicate the recent occupation of +the room, or to show the taste or talent of the occupant; such as a book +left half open at one end of an ottoman, and a piece of embroidery at +the other. The flowers too, which decorated the room, showed by their +freshness that they had not long left their beds. I could not help +stopping to survey a scene which accorded so well with my previous +notions of female refinement. At the end of the gallery was a veranda, +facing the east, and surrounded by lattices. In this were a number of +flower-pots, arranged with the same air of neatness and taste as had +been conspicuous in the chamber. I entered it, for the purpose of +looking into the flower-garden, with which it communicated; and on +approaching the lattice, I saw, seated in an alcove not far from the +veranda, a face and form that struck me as being the most beautiful I +had ever beheld. I remained for some time riveted to the spot, but soon +found myself irresistibly impelled to get a nearer view of the lovely +object. With as light a step and as little noise as possible, I +descended into the garden from the veranda, and approaching the alcove +on the side where its foliage was thickest, I found that the beauty, of +which I had before thought so highly, did not appear less on a closer +survey. The vision on which I gazed in silent rapture, a maiden, who, +though she had apparently attained her full stature, did not seem to be +more than thirteen or fourteen years of age. Her eyes had the brightness +and fulness of the antelope's, but, owing to their long silken lashes, +were yet more expressive of softness than of spirit; and at this time +they evinced more than usual languor. She was in a rich undress, and was +apparently an invalid. Her long raven locks hung with careless grace, +partly behind, and partly over, a neck that might have served as a model +for the sculptor. She was looking wistfully on a bunch of flowers in her +hand, which I felt pleasure in recognising to be the same I had seen on +the piece of embroidery. I feared to advance, lest I should give +offence; but I felt also unable to retreat. I fancied I saw one of those +lovely and dignified females which the writers in your language describe +so well. But a sudden movement of the fair damsel to get up, bringing me +full in her view, she started back with alarm and surprise, and in a +moment afterwards her cheek, which had been before pale, almost to +European whiteness, was deeply suffused. I respectfully approached her, +and inquired if she was one of my cousins. She answered in the negative; +said she was on a visit to the family, to whom she was related: added +that she had not expected to see any one in the garden; but this was +said as if she meant rather to apologise for her undress, than to +reproach me for my intrusion. These remarks were uttered with a +propriety and sweetness that won upon me yet more than her beauty. I +then, in return, assured her that I had not supposed any of the family +had remained at home, when I strolled to this part of the mansion. I +begged she would not regard me with the formality of a stranger; and +insisted that, as she was the cousin of my relation, she was also mine. +To this ingenious argument she answered with so much good sense, and at +the same time, so much gentleness and artlessness, that I thought I +could have listened to her for ever. While I spoke, she continued to +move on. I entreated to know if she was satisfied with my apology; +repeated that I had not meant to intrude on her privacy. She mildly +replied that she was. I then asked permission to call her cousin. She +said she should not object, if it would gave me pleasure. It was, my +dear Atterley, her ineffable sweetness of disposition, and of manners so +entirely free from pride, coquetry, or affectation, in which this lovely +creature excelled all other women, yet more than in beauty and grace. I +then inquired when I should again see my lovely cousin. She replied, "I +walk in the great garden sometimes with my companions, when their +brothers are away; but the girls will not think it proper to walk when +you are there." Perceiving that I looked chagrined, she added: "It is +said, you know, that the light from mens' eyes is yet worse for womens' +faces than the light of the sun;" and she blushed as if she had said +something wrong. I stammered out I know not what extravagant compliment +in reply, and entreated that I might have an opportunity of seeing and +conversing with her sometimes: to which she promptly answered that she +should not object, if her mother approved it. I inquired why she had not +attended the exhibition; when I learnt from her, that, as she had been +slightly indisposed the day before, and her mother being unwilling she +should expose herself to the heat of the weather and the crowd, she had +been left under the care of her nurse; but that finding herself better, +she had permitted her attendants to walk over the grounds, while she +amused herself in embroidery; and that she had come into the garden to +get a fresh supply of the flowers she was working. + +"She had by this time approached a small gate, which communicated with +the apartments on the ground-floor of the Zenana; when, turning to me, +she said, "You can return the way you came, but I must leave you here;" +and, making a slight bow, she sprung like a young fawn through the gate, +and was out of sight in a moment. + +"You may wonder, my dear Atterley, that I should remember all these +minute circumstances, after the lapse of more than forty years; but +every incident of that day is as fresh in my memory as the occurrence of +yesterday. To this single green spot in my existence, my mind is never +tired of returning. + +"I continued for some time in a sort of dreaming ecstasy; but as soon as +I collected my thoughts, I began to devise some scheme by which I could +again have the happiness of seeing and conversing with the lovely +Veenah. My brain had before that time teemed with ambitious projects of +distinguishing myself; sometimes as a priest--sometimes as a writer; and +occasionally I thought I would bend all my efforts to rouse my +countrymen to throw off the ignominious yoke of Great Britain. But this +short interview had changed the whole current of my thoughts. I had now +a new set of feelings, opinions, and wishes. My mind dwelt solely upon +the pleasures of domestic life--the surpassing bliss of loving and of +being beloved. + +"When the cavalcade returned in the evening, its gaudy magnificence, +which I would not permit myself even to see in the morning, I now +regarded with cold indifference; nay, more, I congratulated myself on +having missed the exhibition, though a few hours before I had deemed +this privation one of the misfortunes of my life. + +"The next day I went to the garden betimes; and as it communicated with +the shrubbery and grounds attached to the Zenana, and the males of the +family occasionally entered it when the ladies were not present, I +prevailed on the gardener to grant me admission, under the pretext of +gathering some uncommonly fine mangoes, which were then ripe. I went to +the several spots where I had first seen Veenah--where I had conversed +with her--where I had parted from her; and they each had some secret and +indescribable charm for me. I fear, Atterley, I fatigue you. The +feelings of which I speak, are fully known only to the natives of warm +climates, and to those but once in their lives." + +I assured him that he was mistaken; that the emotions he described, were +the same in all countries, and at all times, and begged him to proceed. + +"I repeated my visit," he continued, "several times the same day, under +any pretext I could invent--to gather an orange, or other fruit--to +pluck a rose--to frighten away mischievous birds--to catch the +unobstructed breeze, or sit in a cooler shade; in which artifices I +played a part that had before been foreign to my nature. I was +disappointed, however, in my wishes. I thought, indeed, I once saw some +one in the veranda, looking through the lattice into the garden, but the +figure soon disappeared. + +"On the following day I had the satisfaction to hear my young companions +propose to go on a fishing party, an amusement in which, by the rules of +my caste, I was not allowed to partake. They had scarcely left the house +before I flew to the garden with a book in my hand, and passing as +before to the shrubbery, I buried myself in a close thicket at one end +of it. I remained there from the morning till late in the afternoon, +without refreshment of any kind; and such was the intensity of my +emotion, that I did not feel the want of it. At length, a little before +sunset, I saw Veenah and her three cousins enter the garden. I soon +contrived to show myself, with my book in my hand. I approached, bowed +to them all, but to Veenah last; and although my cousins showed surprise +at seeing me in their garden, at this time, they did not seem +displeased. I felt very desirous, I could not tell why, to conceal my +feelings from every person except her who was the object of them. I +forced a conversation with my two eldest cousins, who were modest +pleasing girls, and then with an embarrassed air addressed a few words +to Veenah and her companion, the youngest of my cousins. Occasionally I +would stray off from them as if I was about to leave them, and then +suddenly return. In one of these movements, I perceived that Veenah and +her associate had separated from the others, and strolled to a distant +part of the garden. I soon joined them as if it were by accident, +entered into conversation with them alternately, and of course only one +half of that which I either heard or said proceeded from the heart or +found its way thither. I know not if Veenah expected to see me, but she +was dressed with unusual care. We had not been conversing many minutes +before the eldest sister beckoning to them, they bid me good night and +returned to the house. + +"To the same sort of management I had recourse every day, and seldom +failed to see and converse with Veenah, sometimes in company with all +her cousins, but oftener with Fatima, the youngest. By dividing my +attentions among them all, I succeeded for a while in concealing from +them the object of my preference; but the sex are too sharp-sighted to +be long deceived in these matters. As soon as I perceived that my secret +was discovered, I endeavoured to make a friend of Fatima, in which I was +successful. After this our meetings were more frequent, and what was of +greater importance, they were uninterrupted. Fatima, who was one of the +most generous and amiable girls in the world, would often take Veenah +out to walk, when her sisters were otherwise engaged; at which times she +was perpetually contriving, under some little pretext, to leave us +alone. We were not long in understanding each other; and when I urged +our early marriage, she ingenuously replied, that I had her consent +whenever I had her father's, and that she hoped I could obtain that; but +added, (and she trembled while she spoke) she did not know his views +respecting her. In the first raptures of requited affection, what lover +thinks of difficulties? In obtaining Veenah's heart I believed that all +mine were at an end, and my time was passed in one dream of unmixed +delight. Oh! what happiness I enjoyed in these interviews--in seeing +Veenah--in gazing on her lovely features--in listening to her +sentiments, that were sometimes gay and thoughtless, sometimes serious +and melancholy, but always tender and affectionate,--and now and then, +when not perceived, in venturing to take her hand. These fleeting joys +are ever recurring to my imagination, to show me what my lot might have +been, and to contrast it with its sad reverse! + +"The time now approached for Veenah and her mother to return to Benares. +On the evening before they set out, Fatima contrived for us a longer +interview than usual. It was as melancholy as it was tender. But in the +midst of my grief, at the prospect of our separation, I recollected that +we were soon to meet again in the city; while Veenah's tears, for she +did not attempt to disguise or suppress her feelings, seemed already to +forebode that our happiness was here to terminate. + +"When about to part, we exchanged amaranths I took her hand to bid her +adieu, and, without seeming to intend it, our lips met, and the first +kiss of love was moistened with a tear. Pardon me, Atterley, nature will +have her way."--And here the venerable man wept aloud. + +I availed myself of this interruption to the narrative, to propose to my +venerable friend to take some refreshment. Having partaken of a frugal +repast, and invigorated ourselves, each with about four hours sleep, the +Brahmin thus resumed his story. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +_The Brahmin's story continued--The voyage concluded--Atterley and the +Brahmin separate--Atterley arrives in New--York._ + + +"I was not slow to follow Veenah to the city, and as had been agreed +upon, had to ask the consent of her father to our union, as soon as I +had obtained the approbation of my own. Here I met with a difficulty +which I had not expected. My partial father had formed very high hopes +of my future advancement, and thought that an early marriage, though not +incompatible with my profession, or a successful discharge of its +duties, would put an end to my ambition, or at all events, lessen my +exertions. He first urged me to postpone my wishes, till I had completed +my college course, and had by travelling seen something of the world. +But finding me immoveable on this point, he then suggested that I might +meet with serious obstacles from Veenah's father, whom he represented as +remarkable both for his avarice and his bigotry; that consequently he +was likely to dispose of his daughter to the son-in-law who could pay +most liberally for her; and that the imputations which had been cast on +my religious creed, would reach his ears, if they had not already done +so, and be sure to prejudice him against me. + +"These last considerations prevailed on me to defer my application to +Shunah Shoo, until the suspicions regarding my faith had either died +away, or been falsified by my scrupulous observance of all religious +duties. My excellent mother, who at first had entered into my feelings +and seconded my views, readily acquiesced in the good sense of my +father's advice. + +"My next object was to communicate this to Veenah. I accordingly sat +down, and wrote a full account of all that had occurred, and folding up +the packet, hurried to the opposite quarter of the town where Shunah +Shoo lived. It was then in the dusk of the evening, and I was fearful it +was too late for me to be recognised; but after I had taken two or three +turns in the street, I saw the white amaranth I had given Veenah, +suspended by a thread from the lattice of an upper window. I immediately +held up the packet, and soon afterwards a cord was let down from the +same lattice to the ground. To this I hastily fastened the paper, and +passed on to avoid observation. The next evening you may be sure I was +at the same spot. The little amaranth again announced that I was +recognised; and as soon as we were satisfied that no one was observing +us, the cord let down one letter and took up another. Veenah's pen had +given an expression to her feelings, that her tongue had never ventured +to do before. She moreover commended my course--besought me to be +prudent--and above all, to do nothing to offend her father. + +"The first letter which a lover receives from his mistress, is a new era +in his life. Again and again I kissed the precious paper, and almost +wore it out in my bosom. We afterwards improved in this mode of +intercourse, and, by various preconcerted signals, were able to carry on +our correspondence altogether in the night. Not a day passed that we did +not exchange letters, which, though they contained few facts, and always +expressed the same sentiments, still repeated what we were never tired +of hearing. To the moment at which I was to receive a letter from +Veenah, my thoughts were continually and anxiously turned: and it now +seems to me as if our passion was inflamed yet more by this sort of +intercourse, than by our personal interviews. I am convinced it wrought +more powerfully upon our imaginations. In the mean time I continued my +daily attendance at college, though my studies were utterly neglected, +one single object absorbing all my thoughts and feelings. + +"I know not whether the evident change in my habits induced my old +enemy, Balty Mahu, to observe my motions. But so it was, that one +moonlight night I thought I was watched by some person; and on the +following night an individual of the same figure, and whom I now +suspected to be Balty Mahu, came suddenly from a cross street, and +passed near me. A few evenings afterwards, instead of a letter, I +received a scrap of paper from Veenah, on which was written the +following words:-- + +"We are discovered. Balty Mahu, who is my relative and your enemy, has +been here. He has persuaded my father that you are an unbeliever. I am +denied pen and ink. If you cannot convince my father of his error, O! +pity, and try to forget, your unhappy VEENAH." + +"This writing was indistinctly traced with a burnt stick, on a blank +leaf torn out of a book. In the first moment of indignation, I felt +disposed to seek Balty Mahu, the great enemy of my life, and wreak my +vengeance on him for all his persecutions; but the conviction that such +a course would extinguish the last spark of hope, restrained me. I then +determined to see Shunah Shoo, and endeavour to remove his prejudices. I +accordingly called on him at his own house: but after he had heard my +vindication, (to which he evidently gave no credit,) he coolly told me +that he meant to dispose of his daughter in another way. The words fell +like ice upon my heart. I expostulated; and, offensive as was his +haughty air, even had recourse to entreaty. But he, in a yet harsher +manner, told me that he must be permitted to manage his own affairs in +his own way; and added, that he did not wish to be longer prevented from +attending to them. I was compelled to retire, with my heart almost as +full of hatred for the father, as of love for the child. + +"On the same night, I again betook myself to the street in which Shunah +Shoo lived, but not by the ordinary route. I cautiously approached his +house. All was stillness and quiet: no light appeared to be burning in +Veenah's room, nor indeed in any other part of the house. I hence +concluded that they had now deprived her of light, as well as of pen and +ink. I continued in the street until near morning, straining my eyes and +ears in the hope of catching something that would give me intelligence +concerning her. Often, in the course of that painful suspense, did I +fancy I heard a noise at the lattice in Veenah's apartment, or in some +other part of the mansion; and once I persuaded myself I saw a light: +but these illusions served only to aggravate my disappointment. The next +morning, before I had left my room, my father informed me that Shunah +Shoo, with his family, had left Benares early the preceding evening; but +whither they had gone, he had not learnt. + +"I rose, and immediately set about discovering their course; but all I +could learn was, that they had embarked in one of the passage-boats +which ply on the Ganges, and that Shunah had taken his palanquins and +many of his servants with him: and, as Balty Mahu had suddenly absented +himself from college at the same time, I did not doubt that he had aided +in executing the plan which he had also probably formed. My father, who +saw what I suffered, spared no pains to discover the place of their +retreat; but our endeavours were all ineffectual. + +"At the end of three months, in which time my anxiety increased rather +than diminished, the mystery was dispelled. It was now trumpeted through +the city, that Shunah Shoo had returned to Benares in great pomp, +accompanied by a wealthy Omrah of a neighbouring district, to whom he +had given, or rather sold, his daughter. The news came upon me like a +clap of thunder. My previous state of suspense was happiness compared +with what I now felt, when I knew she was in the arms of another. In the +first transports of my grief and rage, I could have freely put to death +the father, daughter, husband, and myself. I was particularly desirous +of seeing Veenah, and venting on her the bitterest reproaches. Unjust +that I was! Her sufferings were not inferior to mine; but she had not, +like me, the privilege of making them known. I soon found that +Hircarrahs, in the pay of Balty Mahu, watched all my motions; and if I +had attempted any scheme of vengeance, its execution would have been +impracticable. + +"After my first transports had subsided into deep and settled grief, my +love and tenderness for Veenah returned in full force. I endeavoured to +get a sight of her, and thought I should be comparatively happy if I +could converse with her, as formerly, though she was the wife of +another. After a short time, my uncle's family came to Benares, on a +visit to my father and to Shunah Shoo. By the aid of my indulgent +mother, who was seriously alarmed for what she saw I suffered, I was +able to see Fatima, and to make her the bearer of a letter to Veenah, +complaining of her breach of faith, and soliciting an interview. She +verbally replied to it through Fatima; and stated, in her justification, +that she was hurried from Benares to a town on the river, whence she was +rapidly transported to the castle of Omrah, who had not long before lost +his wife, and who was more than four times her age. That notwithstanding +the notions of filial obedience in which she had been brought up, and +the severity with which her father had ever exercised his authority, she +had resisted his commands on this occasion, and would have preferred +death to marrying the Omrah--nay, would have inflicted it on herself; +but that finding her unyielding after all their exertions, they had +effected their purpose by a deception which they had practised on her, +wherein it seemed that I had unconsciously concurred; for, by means of +an intercepted letter of mine to Fatima, in which, hopeless of learning +the place of Veenah's retreat, I had expressed an intention of visiting +England; and, by the farther aid of some dexterous forgeries, calculated +to impose on more experienced minds than hers, they succeeded in +persuading her that I had actually set out for Europe, with an intention +of never returning. That entertaining no doubt of this intelligence +--hopeless of ever seeing me again, and indifferent to every +thing besides, she had been led an unresisting victim to the altar. + +"Such was the vindication which she considered it just to make me. But +all the entreaties of Fatima--all my letters, impassioned as they were, +appealing at once to her generosity, humanity, and love,--could not +prevail on her to grant me an interview. + +"'Tell him,' said she, 'that heaven has forbid it, and to its decrees we +are bound to submit. I am now the wife of another, and it is our duty to +forget all that is past. But if this be possible, my heart tells me it +can be only by our never meeting!' + +"In saying this, she wept bitterly; but at the same time exacted a +promise from Fatima, that she would never mention the subject to her +again. Finding her thus inexorable, I fell into a settled melancholy, +and my health was visibly declining. The Europeans consider the natives +of Hindostan to be feeble and effeminate; but the soul, that which +distinguishes man from brutes, acts with an intensity and constancy of +purpose of which they can furnish no examples. + +"How long I could have withstood the corrosive effects of my hopeless +passion, irritated as it was by my being in the vicinity of its +object--by hearing perpetually of her beauty, and sometimes catching a +glimpse of it,--I know not; but the Omrah, after a few months spent with +his father-in-law, returned with his bride to his castle in the country. +Yielding now to the wishes of my anxious parents, I consented to travel. +I was at first benefited by the exercise and change of scene; but after +a while, my melancholy returned, and my health grew worse. Though +indifferent to life itself, and all that it now promised, I exerted +myself for the sake of my parents, especially of my mother, who suffered +so acutely on my account: but I carried a barbed arrow in my heart, and +the greater the efforts to extract it, the more they rankled the wound. + +"After spending more than a year in travelling, first through the +mountainous district of our country, and then along the coast, and +finding no change for the better, I determined to try the effect of a +sea voyage. I accordingly embarked at Calcutta, in a coasting vessel +that was bound to Madras. At this time I had wasted away to a mere +skeleton, and no one who saw me, believed I could live a month. Such, +indeed, were my own impressions. In the letter which I wrote to my +parents, I endeavoured to prepare them for the worst. When, after a long +voyage, we reached Madras, my health was evidently improved; but a piece +of intelligence I here received, had perhaps a still greater effect I +learnt that Balty Mahu, who had kept himself concealed from me before I +left Benares, had lately visited Madras, on a travelling tour. This news +operated on me like a charm. The idea of avenging myself on the author +of all my calamities, infused new life into my exhausted frame, and from +the moment that I determined to pursue him, I felt like another man. + +"You must not, however, suppose that I even then entertained the purpose +of taking away my enemy's life. No, I could not bring my mind exactly to +that; but I had a vague, undefined hope, that if we met, some new +provocation on his part would afford me just occasion for avenging +myself on all; so ingenious, my dear friend, is the sophistry of +the passions. + +"I lost no time in setting out on the track of Balty Mahu, and, ere many +days, overtook him at a small town which he had left just as I entered +it, but not before he had received, through his servant, notice of my +arrival. My wary enemy, who had little expected to see me here, and who +had travelled as much to keep out of my way as to see the country, +conjectured my purpose, from the consciousness of what he had done to +provoke it. Thus, while we both appeared to others to be merely making a +tour of Hindostan, it was soon known to both of us, that my chief +purpose was to pursue him, and his to elude my pursuit. In the ardour, +as well as exercise of the chase, my health mended rapidly, but I was no +nearer the object of my pursuit; for, although I travelled somewhat +faster than Bally Mahu, as he wished to avoid the appearance of flying +from me, he sometimes contrived to put me on a wrong track. In this way +I was once led to travel towards the coast, while he proceeded in an +opposite direction to Benares, where he considered he would be most safe +from my vengeance, and where the restraints both of religion and law +would be more likely to operate on me than in a foreign district. + +"My usual practice, on arriving at any town, was to endeavour to learn +if Balty Mahu had passed through it; if so, when and in what direction; +and to get the information, if possible, without seeming to seek it. On +one of these occasions, I heard from a party of merchants that the Omrah +Addaway, whose health had been declining for some time, had gone to +Benares, for the benefit of medical advice; that his disease, however, +had become more serious; and that it was generally thought it would soon +occasion his death. What a train of new thoughts, hopes, and desires, +did this intelligence excite in me! At first, influenced by the custom +of my country, which prohibits widows from marrying again, I thought +only of the pleasure of Veenah's society, which I should, of course, be +permitted to enjoy, when duty no longer forbade it; but my imagination +kindling in its course, I soon pictured her to myself as my wife. The +usages which stood in the way of our union, appeared to me barbarous and +absurd, and I thought that, banishment from my country, with Veenah, +would be infinitely better than any other condition of life without her. +These new-born visions so entirely absorbed me, that Balty Mahu was +entirely forgotten, or remembered only as we think of an insect which +had stung us an hour before. I travelled on at a yet more rapid rate +than I had done; and, without stopping on the road to make inquiries, I +heard enough to satisfy me that the Omrah could not long survive. When +within something more than ten leagues of Benares, I called, about +twilight, at a small inn, and meant, after refreshing myself with a few +hours' rest, to proceed on my journey. Two travellers were there, who +had just left Benares, and had taken up their quarters for the night. +They soon fell into conversation about the place they had left, when the +mention of Shunah Shoo's name excited my attention. + +"'What a shame,' said one, 'that he should have sacrificed that +beautiful young creature to the rich old Omrah, when she had so good an +offer as Gurameer, the Brahmin Gafawad's only son.' + +"'And is it not strange,' said the other, 'that a woman so young and +beautiful, should be content to follow to the grave one who is old +enough to be her grandfather, and whom she once loathed? But I suppose +that that old miser, Shunah Shoo, is at the bottom of it; and, as he +deprived her of the man she loved, he has compelled her to sacrifice +herself to the one she hates, that he may have her jewels and wealth.' + +"'For that matter,' said the first, 'though Shunah Shoo is bad enough +for any thing where money is in the way, yet it is said that Veenah goes +to the funeral pile of her own accord. She has never seemed to set any +value on life since her marriage; and after she heard of Gurameer's +death, she has never been seen to smile. Poor young man!'--And here they +launched out into a strain of panegyric, which is often bestowed on the +dead; but I heeded only the first part of their discourse. Had it not +been nearly dark, they must have discovered the force of the feelings +which then agitated me. I trembled from head to foot, and, though +burning with impatience to obtain from them farther particulars, it was +some moments before I could trust myself to speak. At length I asked +them when the Suttee would take place; and was answered by one of them, +that it would certainly be performed on the following day; and that he +had seen the funeral pile himself. Without any farther delay, I set out +immediately for the city, and reached it in as short a time as a jaded +horse could carry me. + +"I came in sight of Benares the next morning, from a hill which +overlooks it from the east. The sun was just rising, and pouring a flood +of light ever the city, the river, and the surrounding country. Never +was contrast greater than between my present feelings, and those which +the same spectacle had formerly excited. I now sickened at the prospect, +which once would have set my heart bounding with joy. I pressed on in +desperate haste, scarcely, however, knowing what I did, being at once +overpowered with fatigue, loss of sleep, and harassing emotions. I still +had to travel a circuitous course of some two or three miles; and when I +reached the city, its crowded population was already in motion: a great +multitude of women, of the lower order, with alarm and expectation +strongly depicted in their faces, were to be seen mingling in the crowd, +and pressing on in the same direction. I would have proceeded +immediately to my father's house, but for the fear of being too late. +Alighting, therefore, from my horse, I gave him in charge to my servant, +whom I sent to inform my parents of my arrival, and to request my father +to meet me at the Suttee. I then joined the mixed multitude, which now +thronged the streets. Occupied, as my thoughts were, with the scene I +was about to witness, and with fears for its issue, they were often +interrupted with remarks made in the crowd, in which Veenah's name or +mine were mentioned--some lamenting her cruel fate, others pitying mine; +but all condemning and execrating Shunah Shoo. Fortunately I was not +recognised by any whom I saw. When we reached the spot selected for the +sacrifice, the crowd that had there assembled, was not so great as to +prevent our getting near the funeral pile; but the numbers continued to +augment, until nothing could be seen from the slight eminence on which I +stood, but one dense mass of heads, all looking one way, and expressing +the intense interest they felt. At length a murmur, like that of distant +thunder, ran through the crowd: a passage was, with some difficulty, +effected through the multitude by the officers in attendance, and the +wretched Veenah made her appearance, supported by her own father on one +side, and an uncle on the other--pale enough to be taken for an +European--emaciated indeed, but still retaining the same exquisite beauty +of features and symmetry of form. She moved with the air of one who was +utterly indifferent to the concerns of this world, and to the awful fate +which awaited her. She turned her head on hearing the sound of my voice, +and, seeing me, shrieked out, "He lives! he lives!" but immediately +afterwards fainted in the arms of her supporters: at the same moment I +was forcibly held back by some of the attendants, and a number of the +bystanders rushed in between us, and intercepted my view. I heard my +name now repeated in every direction by the multitude--some calling out +to the priests to desist, and others to proceed. I struggled to +extricate myself, and passion lent me momentary strength; but it was +insufficient. After a short interval, I distinctly heard Veenah +imploring them to spare her. I called to the Brahmins who held her, to +leave her to herself. I endeavoured to rouse the multitude; but they +took the precaution to drown our voices, by the musical instruments +which are used on these occasions. Four of these monsters I saw +profaning the name of religion, by forcibly placing their victim on the +pile, under the show of assisting her to mount it; and there held her +down, beside the dead body of her husband, until, by cords provided for +the purpose, she was prevented from rising. I besought--I threatened--I +raved;--but all thoughts and minds were engrossed by the premature fate +of one so young and beautiful, and I was unheeded. + +"Among the relatives who pressed around the funeral pile, I saw Balty +Mahu; and indignation for a moment got the better of grief. The pile was +now lighted, and in a moment all was hidden in smoke. I sickened at the +sight, and was obliged to turn away. Even then I heard, or thought I +heard, the dying shrieks of the victim, amid the groans and cries, and +the thousand shouts that rent the air! The pile and its contents being +now enveloped in flame, my keepers set me free, when, by an impulse of +frenzy, I rushed' to the pile, to make a last vain effort to rescue +Veenah, or to share her fate; but was stopped by some of the bystanders, +who called my act a profanation. + +"'Yes,' said Balty Mahu, 'he has always been a scoffer of our religion.' +As soon as these words reached my ears, with the quickness of thought I +snatched a cimeter from the hands of one of the guards, and plunged it +in his breast. Of all that happened afterwards, my recollection is very +confused. I was rudely seized, and hurried to prison. My father was +coming to meet me, when he was informed of the fatal deed. I remember +that my coolness, or rather stupor, was in strong contrast with the +violence of his emotion. He accompanied me to prison, and continued with +me that night. + +"It is not easy to take the life of one of my caste in India; and, by +dint of the exertions of my friends, in spite of the influence of Shunah +Shoo, and the family of the Omrah, I was pardoned, on condition of doing +penance, which was, that I should never live in a country in which the +religion of Brahmin prevailed, and should not again look at, or converse +with, any woman for two minutes together. Ere this took place, my +excellent mother, unable to withstand the shocks she had received from +my supposed death, my misfortunes, and my crime, died a martyr to +maternal affection. Wishing to conform to the sentence, and to be as +near my father as I could, I removed to the kingdom of Ava, where, you +know, they are followers of Buddha. Here I continued as long as my +father lived, which was about six years. In this period, time had so +alleviated my grief, that I began to take pleasure in the cultivation of +science, which constituted my chief employment. + +"After my father's death, I indulged a curiosity I had felt in my youth, +of seeing foreign countries; and I visited China, Japan, and England. +During my residence in Asia, I had discovered lunarium ore in the +mountain near Mogaun; and this circumstance, many years afterwards, when +I determined to rest from my labours, induced me to settle in that +mountain, as I have before stated. I have occasionally used the metal to +counterbalance the gravity of a small car, by which I have profited, by +a favourable wind, to indulge the melancholy satisfaction of looking +down on the tombs of my parents, and of the ill-fated Veenah: +approaching the earth near enough, in the night, to see the sacred +spots, but not enough to violate the religious injunctions of my caste; +to avoid which, however, it was sometimes necessary for me to go across +Hindostan to Arabia or Persia, and there wait for a change of wind +before I could return: and it was these excursions which suggested to +the superstitious Burmans that my form had undergone a temporary +transformation. When such have been the woes of my life, you can no +longer think it strange, Atterley, that I delayed their painful recital; +or that, after having endured so much, all common dangers and +misfortunes should appear to me insignificant." + + * * * * * + +The venerable Brahmin here concluded his narrative, and we both remained +thoughtful and silent for some time; he, apparently absorbed in the +recollections of his eventful life; and I, partly in the reflections +awakened by his story, and partly in the intense interest of revisiting +my native earth, and beholding once more all who were dear to me. +Already the extended map beneath us was assuming a distinct and varied +appearance; and the Brahmin, having applied his eye to the telescope, +and made a brief calculation of our progress, considered that +twenty-four hours more, if no accident interrupted us, would end our +voyage; part of which interval I passed in making notes in my journal, +and in contemplating the different sections of our many-peopled globe, +as they presented themselves successively to the eye. It was my wish to +land on the American continent, and, if possible, in the United States. +But the Brahmin put an end to that hope, by reminding me that we should +be attracted towards the Equator, and that we had to choose between +Asia, Africa, and South America; and that our only course would be, to +check the progress of our car over the country of greatest extent, +through which the equinoctial circle might pass. Saying which, he +relapsed into his melancholy silence, and I betook myself once more to +the telescope. With a bosom throbbing with emotion, I saw that we were +descending towards the American continent. When we were about ten or +twelve miles from the earth, the Brahmin arrested the progress of the +car, and we hovered over the broad Atlantic. Looking down on the ocean, +the first object which presented itself to my eye, was a small +one-masted shallop, which was buffeting the waves in a south-westerly +direction. I presumed it was a New England trader, on a voyage to some +part of the Republic of Colombia: and, by way of diverting my friend +from his melancholy reverie, I told him some of the many stories which +are current respecting the enterprise and ingenuity of this portion of +my countrymen, and above all, their adroitness at a bargain. + +"Methinks," says the Brahmin, "you are describing a native of Canton or +Pekin. But," added he, after a short pause, "though to a superficial +observer man appears to put on very different characters, to a +philosopher he is every where the same--for he is every where moulded by +the circumstances in which he is placed. Thus; let him be in a situation +that is propitious to commerce, and the habits of traffic produce in him +shrewdness and address. Trade is carried on chiefly in towns, because it +is there carried on most advantageously. This situation gives the trader +a more intimate knowledge of his species--a more ready insight into +character, and of the modes of operating on it. His chief purpose is to +buy as cheap, and to sell as dear, as he can; and he is often able to +heighten the recommendations or soften the defects of some of the +articles in which he deals, without danger of immediate detection; or, +in other words, his representations have some influence with his +customers. He avails himself of this circumstance, and thus acquires the +habit of lying; but, as he is studious to conceal it, he becomes wary, +ingenious, and cunning. It is thus that the Phenicians, the +Carthagenians, the Dutch, the Chinese, the New-Englanders, and the +modern Greeks, have always been regarded as inclined to petty frauds by +their less commercial neighbours." I mentioned the English nation. + +"If the English," said he, interrupting me, "who are the most commercial +people of modern times, have not acquired the same character, it is +because they are as distinguished for other things as for traffic: they +are not merely a commercial people--they are also agricultural, warlike, +and literary; and thus the natural tendencies of commerce are mutually +counteracted." + +We afterwards descended slowly; the prospect beneath us becoming more +beautiful than my humble pen can hope to describe, or will even attempt +to portray. In a short time after, we were in sight of Venezuela. We met +with the trade-winds, and were carried by them forty or fifty miles +inland, where, with some difficulty, and even danger, we landed. The +Brahmin and myself remained together two days, and parted--he to explore +the Andes, to obtain additional light on the subject of his hypothesis, +and I, on the wings of impatience, to visit once more my long-deserted +family and friends. But before our separation, I assisted my friend in +concealing our aerial vessel, and received a promise from him to visit, +and perhaps spend with me the evening of his life. Of my journey home, +little remains to be said. From the citizens of Colombia, I experienced +kindness and attention, and means of conveyance to Caraccas; where, +embarking on board the brig Juno, captain Withers, I once more set foot +in New York, on the 18th of August, 1826, after an absence of four +years, resolved, for the rest of my life, to travel only in books, and +persuaded, from experience, that the satisfaction which the wanderer +gains from actually beholding the wonders and curiosities of distant +climes, is dearly bought by the sacrifice of all the comforts and +delights of home. + +THE END. + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX + +Anonymous Review of _A Voyage to the Moon_ + +Reprinted from the American Quarterly Review No. 5 (March 1828), 61-88. + +ART. III.--_A Voyage to the Moon: with some account of the Manners +and Customs, Science and Philosophy, of the People of Morosofia and +other Lunarians_: By JOSEPH ATTERLEY. New-York: Elam Bliss, 1827. +12mo. pp. 264. + + +It is somewhat remarkable, that perhaps the _only_ "Voyages to +the Moon," which have been published in the English tongue, should +have been the productions of English bishops:--the first forming a +tract, re-published in the Harleian Miscellany, and said to have been +written by Dr. Francis Goodwin, Bishop of Landaff, (who died in 1633,) +and entitled "_The Man in the Moon, or the discourse of a voyage +thither_, by Domingo Gonsales,"--and the second written in 1638, by +Dr. John Wilkins, Bishop of Chester, under the title of "_The +Discovery of a New World, or a Discourse tending to prove, that 'tis +probable there may be another habitable world in the Moon, with a +discourse concerning the possibility of a passage thither."_ These +two works differ in several essential particulars:--in Dr. Goodwin's, +we have men of enormous stature and prodigious longevity, with a +flying chariot, and some other slight points of resemblance to the +Travels of Gulliver:--whilst Bishop Wilkins's is intended honestly and +scientifically to prove, "that it is possible for some of our +posterity to find out a conveyance to this other world; and, if there +be inhabitants there, (which the Bishop, satisfactorily to himself, +settles,) to have commerce with them!" From the first of these, Swift +has derived many hints in his voyage to Laputa, and improved them into +those humorous and instructive allusions, which have caused the +reputation of the author of the _"Travels of Gulliver"_ to be +extended to every portion of the civilized globe. Since the appearance +of this celebrated satire, no one sufficiently comprehensive to lash +the follies of the age--the _quicquid agunt homines_--has made +its appearance: we have had numerous ephemeral productions, inflicting +severe castigations upon particular vices or absurdities; but the +visionary conceits of the many, constantly promulgated in the +progressive advancement of human knowledge, although legitimate +objects of censure, have not, since the time of Swift, been embodied +into one publication. + +The evident aim of the author of the Satirical Romance before us, is +to fulfil for the present age, what _Swift_ so successfully +accomplished for that which has passed by:--to attack, by the weapons +of ridicule, those votaries of knowledge, who may have sought to avail +themselves of the universal love of novelty amongst mankind, to acquire +celebrity; or who may have been misled by their own ill-regulated +imaginations, to obtrude upon the world their crude and imperfect +theories and systems, to the manifest retardation of knowledge:--an +effect, too, liable to be induced in a direct ratio with the degree +of talent and ingenuity by which their views may have been supported. +Several of these may always be more successfully attacked by ridicule +than by reason; inasmuch as they are, in this way, more likely to become +the subjects of popular animadversion; and many, who could withstand +the serious arguments of their fraternity, cannot placidly endure their +ridicule. Satire has, indeed, often done more service to the cause of +religion and morality than a sermon, since the remedy is agreeable, +whilst it at the same time communicates indignation or fear:-- + + "Of all the ways that wisest men could find, + To mend the age and mortify mankind, + Satire, well writ, has most successful prov'd. + And cures, because the remedy is lov'd." + +To produce, however, the full effect, satire must possess a certain +degree of impartiality, and be levelled in all instances at the vices +or follies, and not at the man. The first sketch of Gulliver's Travels +occurs in the proposed Travels of Martinus Scriblerus, devised in that +pleasing society where most of Swift's miscellanies were planned. Had +the work, however, been executed under the same auspices, it would +probably, as Sir Walter Scott has suggested,[1] "have been occupied by +that personal satire, upon obscure and unworthy contemporaries, to +which Pope was but too much addicted. But when the Dean mused in +solitude over the execution of his plan, it assumed at once a more +grand and a darker complexion. The spirit of indignant hatred and +contempt with which he regarded the mass of humanity; his quiet and +powerful perception of their failings, errors, and crimes; his zeal +for liberty and freedom of thought, tended at once to generalize, +while it embittered, his satire, and to change traits of personal +severity for that deep shade of censure which Gulliver's Travels throw +upon mankind universally." Most of the sentiments which impressed +Swift, seem also to have been felt by the unknown author of the work +before us: it is not, however, free from personal allusions; but they +are all conveyed in so good natured a manner, as to satisfy the reader +that the author has been solicitous to animadvert only on the vices of +the individual; and in no part of the work is there the slightest +evidence of prejudice or venom. + +The pseudo _Joseph Atterley_, the hero of the narrative, was born +in Huntingdon, Long-Island, on the 11th of May, 1786. He was the son +of a seafaring individual, who, by means of the portion he received by +his wife, together with his own earnings, was enabled to quit that +laborious occupation, and to enter into trade; and, after the death of +his father-in-law, by whose will he received a handsome accession to +his property, he sought, in the city of New-York, a theatre better +adapted to his enlarged capital. "He here engaged in foreign trade, +and partaking of the prosperity which then attended American commerce, +gradually extended his business, and finally embarked in the then new +branch of traffic to the East Indies and China; he was now generally +respected both for his wealth and fair dealing; was several years a +director in one of the insurance offices; was president of the society +for relieving the widows and orphans of distressed seamen; and, it is +said, might have been chosen alderman, if he had not refused, on the +ground that he did not think himself qualified." + +Our hero was, at an early age, put to a grammar school of good repute, +in his native village, and, at seventeen, was sent to Princeton, to +prepare himself for some profession; during his third year at that +place, in one of his excursions to Philadelphia, he became enamoured +"with one of those faces and forms, which, in a youth of twenty, to +see, admire, and love, is one and the same thing;" and was united to +the object of his affections, on the anniversary of his twenty-first +year. This event gave him a distaste for serious study; and, long +before this, he had felt a sentiment, bordering on contempt, for +mercantile pursuits; he therefore prevailed upon his father to +purchase him a neat country seat in the vicinity of Huntingdon. Here, +seventeen happy years glided away swiftly and imperceptibly, when +death, by depriving him of the partner of his felicity, prostrated all +his hopes and enjoyments. For the purpose of seeking for that relief +to the feelings, which variety can best afford, he now determined to +make a voyage; and, as one of his father's vessels was about to sail +for Canton, embarked on board of her, and left Sandyhook on the 5th +day of June, 1822. From this period, until the 24th of October, their +voyage was comparatively agreeable; but when off the mouths of the +Ganges, one of those hurricanes, well known to the experienced +navigators of the eastern seas, struck the ship, and rendered her so +leaky, that the captain considered it advisable to make for the +nearest port; the leak, however, increasing rapidly, and finding +themselves off a coast, which the captain, by his charts, pronounced +to be a part of the Burman empire, and in the neighbourhood of Mergui, +on the Martaban coast, they hastily threw their clothes, papers, and +eight casks of silver, into the long-boat; and, before they were fifty +yards from the ship, had the melancholy satisfaction to see her go +down. + + "It was a little after mid-day when we reached the town, which is + perched on a high bluff, overlooking the coasts, and contains about a + thousand houses, built of bamboo, and covered with palm leaves. Our + dress, appearance, language, and the manner of our arrival, excited + great surprise among the natives, and the liveliest curiosity; but + with these sentiments some evidently mingled no very friendly + feelings. The Burmese were then on the eve of a rupture with the East + India Company, a fact which we had not before known; and mistaking us + for English, they supposed, or affected to suppose, that we belonged + to a fleet which was about to invade them, and that our ship had been + sunk before their eyes, by the tutelar divinity of the country. We + were immediately carried before their governor, or chief magistrate, + who ordered our baggage to be searched, and finding that it consisted + principally of silver, he had no doubt of our hostile intentions. He + therefore sent all of us, twenty-two in number, to prison, separating, + however, each one from the rest. My companions were released the + following spring, as I have since learnt, by the invading army of + Great Britain; but it was my ill fortune (if, indeed, after what has + since happened, I can so regard it) to be taken for an officer of high + rank, and to be sent, the third day afterwards, far into the interior, + that I might be more safely kept, and either used as a hostage or + offered for ransom, as circumstances should render advantageous." + +Our hero was transported very rapidly in a palanquin, for thirteen +successive days, when he reached Mozaun, a small village delightfully +situated in the mountainous district between the Irawaddi and Saloon +rivers, where he was placed under the care of an inferior magistrate, +who there exercised the chief authority. By submissive and respectful +behaviour, he succeeded in ingratiating himself so completely with his +keeper, that he was regarded more as one of his family, than as a +prisoner; and was allowed every indulgence, consistently with his safe +custody. It had been one of his favourite recreations, to ascend a +part of the western ridge of mountains, which rose in a cone, about a +mile and a half from the village, for the purpose of enjoying the +enchanting scenery that lay before him, and the evening breeze, which +possesses so delicious a degree of freshness in tropical climates. +Here he became acquainted with a personage, of whom, as he exerted an +important influence over the future conduct of our hero, it is of +consequence that the reader should acquire early information:-- + + "In a deep sequestered nook, formed by two spurs of this mountain, + there lived a venerable Hindoo, whom the people of the village called + the Holy Hermit. The favourable accounts I received of his character, + as well as his odd course of life, made me very desirous of becoming + acquainted with him; and, as he was often visited by the villagers, I + found no difficulty in getting a conductor to his cell. His character + for sanctity, together with a venerable beard, might have discouraged + advances towards an acquaintance, if his lively piercing eye, a + countenance expressive of great mildness and kindness of disposition, + and his courteous manners, had not yet more strongly invited it. He + was indeed not averse to society, though he had seemed thus to fly + from it; and was so great a favourite with his neighbours, that his + cell would have been thronged with visiters, but for the difficulty of + the approach to it. As it was, it was seldom resorted to, except for + the purpose of obtaining his opinion and counsel on all the serious + concerns of his neighbours. He prescribed for the sick, and often + provided the medicine they required--expounded the law--adjusted + disputes--made all their little arithmetical calculations--gave them + moral instruction--and, when he could not afford them relief in their + difficulties, he taught them patience, and gave them consolation. He, + in short, united, for the simple people by whom he was surrounded, the + functions of lawyer, physician, schoolmaster, and divine, and richly + merited the reverential respect in which they held him, as well as + their little presents of eggs, fruit, and garden stuff. + + "From the first evening that I joined the party which I saw clambering + up the path that led to the Hermit's cell, I found myself strongly + attached to this venerable man, and the more so, from the mystery + which hung around his history. It was agreed that he was not a + Burmese. None deemed to know certainly where he was born, or why he + came thither. His own account was, that he had devoted himself to the + service of God, and in his pilgrimage over the east, had selected this + as a spot particularly favourable to the life of quiet and seclusion + he wished to lead. + + "There was one part of his story to which I could scarcely give + credit. It was said that in the twelve or fifteen years he had resided + in this place, he had been occasionally invisible for months together, + and no one could tell why he disappeared, or whither he had gone. At + these times his cell was closed; and although none ventured to force + their way into it, those who were the most prying could hear no sound + indicating that he was within. Various were the conjectures formed on + the subject. Some supposed that he withdrew from the sight of men for + the purpose of more fervent prayer and more holy meditation; others, + that he visited his home, or some other distant country. The more + superstitious believed that he had, by a kind of metempsychosis, taken + a new shape, which, by some magical or supernatural power, he could + assume and put off at pleasure This opinion was perhaps the most + prevalent, as it gained a colour with these simple people, from the + chemical and astronomical instruments he possessed In these he + evidently took great pleasure, and by then means he acquired some of + the knowledge by which he so often excited their admiration. + + "He soon distinguished me from the rest of his visiters, by addressing + questions to me relative to my history and adventures, and I, in turn, + was gratified to have met with one who took an interest in my + concerns, and who alone, of all I had here met with, could either + enter into my feelings or comprehend my opinions. Our conversations + were earned on in English, which he spoke with facility and + correctness We soon found ourselves so much to each other's taste, + that there was seldom an evening that I did not make him a visit, and + pass an hour or two in his company + + "I learned from him that he was born and bred at Benares, in + Hindostan, that he had been intended for the priesthood, and had been + well instructed in the literature of the east That a course of + untoward circumstances, upon which he seemed unwilling to dwell, had + changed his destination, and made him a wanderer on the face of the + earth That in the neighbouring kingdom of Siam he had formed an + intimacy with a learned French Jesuit, who had not only taught him his + language, but imparted to him a knowledge of much of the science of + Europe, its institutions and manners That after the death of this + friend, he had renewed his wanderings, and having been detained in + this village by a fit of sickness for some weeks, he was warned that + it was time to quit his rambling life. This place being recommended to + him, both by its quiet seclusion, and the unsophisticated manners of + its inhabitants, he determined to pass the remnant of his days here, + and, by devoting them to the purposes of piety, charity, and science, + to discharge his duty to his Creator, his species, and himself, 'for + the love of knowledge,' he added, 'has long been my chief source of + selfish enjoyment'" + +The acquaintance between Atterley and the Brahmin, ripened by degrees, +into that close friendship, which a congeniality of tastes and +sentiments, under proper opportunities, never fails to engender. +Atterley's visits to the hermitage, became more and more frequent, for +upwards of three years, during which period, the Brahmin had +occasionally thrown out obscure hints, that the time would come, when +our hero should be restored to liberty, and that he had an important +secret which he would one day communicate. About this period, one +afternoon in the month of March, when Atterley repaired, as usual, to +the hermitage, he found the Brahmin dangerously ill of a pleuritic +affection, and apprehensive that the attack might prove fatal-- + + "Sit down," said he, "on that block, and listen to what I shall say to + you Though I shall quit this state of being for another and a better, + I confess that I was alarmed at the thought of expiring, before I had + an opportunity of seeing and conversing with you I am the depository + of a secret, that I believe is known to no other living mortal I once + determined that it should die with me, and had I not met with you, it + certainly should But from our first acquaintance, my heart has been + strongly attracted towards you, and as soon as I found you possessed + of qualities to inspire esteem as well as regard, I felt disposed to + give you this proof of my confidence Still I hesitated I first wished + to deliberate on the probable effects of my disclosure upon the + condition of society I saw that it might produce evil, as well as + good, but on weighing the two together, I have satisfied myself that + the good will preponderate, and have determined to act accordingly + Take this key, (stretching out his feverish hand,) and after waiting + two hours, in which time the medicine I have taken will have either + produced a good effect or put an end to my sufferings, you may then + open that blue chest in the corner It has a false bottom On removing + the paper which covers it, you will find the manuscript containing the + important secret, together with some gold pieces, which I have saved + for the day of need--because--(and he smiled in spite of his + sufferings)--because hoarding is one of the pleasures of old men. Take + them both, and use them discreetly." + +Atterley quitted the cell, and waited with feverish expectation for +the termination of the allotted two hours, when, to his inexpressible +delight, he found, on re-entering the cell, that not only did the +Brahmin breathe, but that he slept soundly; and, in the course of an +hour, he awoke, almost restored to health. This event, however, was +the occasion of a more early disclosure of the Brahmin's important +secret, but not until he had recovered his ordinary health and +vigour:-- + + "I have already told you, my dear Atterley, that I was born and + educated at Benares, and that science is there more thoroughly + understood and taught than the people of the west are aware of. We + have, for many thousands of years, been good astronomers, chymists, + mathematicians, and philosophers. We had discovered the secret of + gunpowder, the magnetic attraction, the properties of electricity, + long before they were heard of in Europe. We know more than we have + revealed, and much of our knowledge is deposited in the archives of + the castle to which I belong, but, for want of language generally + understood and easily learnt, (for these records are always written in + the Sanscrit, that is no longer a spoken language,) and the diffusion + which is given by the art of printing, these secrets of science are + communicated only to a few, and sometimes even sleep with their + authors, until a subsequent discovery, under more favourable + circumstances, brings them again to light. + + "It was at this seat of science that I learned, from one of our sages, + the physical truth which I am now about to communicate, and which he + discovered, partly by his researches into the writings of ancient + Pundits, and partly by his own extraordinary sagacity. There is a + principle of repulsion as well as gravitation in the earth. It causes + fire to rise upwards. It is exhibited in electricity. It occasions + water-spouts, volcanoes, and earthquakes. After much labour and + research, this principle has been found embodied in a metallic + substance, which is met with in the mountain in which we are, united + with a very heavy earth, and this circumstance had great influence in + inducing me to settle myself here. + + "This metal, when separated and purified, has as great a tendency to + fly off from the earth, as a piece of gold or lead has to approach it. + After making a number of curious experiments with it, we bethought + ourselves of putting it to some use, and soon contrived, with the aid + of it, to make cars and ascend into the air. We were very secret in + these operations, for our unhappy country having then recently fallen + under the subjection of the British nation, we apprehended that if we + divulged our arcanum, they would not only fly away with all our + treasures, whether found in palace or pagoda, but also carry off the + inhabitants, to make them slaves in their colonies, as their + government had not then abolished the African slave trade. + + "After various trials and many successive improvements, in which our + desires increased with our success, we determined to penetrate the + aerial void as far as we could, providing for that purpose an + apparatus, with which you will become better acquainted hereafter. In + the course of our experiments, we discovered that this same metal, + which was repelled from the earth, was in the same degree attracted + towards the moon, for in one of our excursions, still aiming to ascend + higher than we had ever done before, we were actually carried to that + satellite, and if we had not there fallen into a lake, and our machine + had not been water-tight, we must have been dashed to pieces or + drowned. You will find in this book," he added, presenting me with a + small volume, bound in green parchment, and fastened with silver + clasps, "a minute detail of the apparatus to be provided, and the + directions to be pursued in making this wonderful voyage. I have + written it since I satisfied my mind that my fears of British rapacity + were unfounded, and that I should do more good than harm by publishing + the secret. But still I am not sure," he added, with one of his faint + but significant smiles, "that I am not actuated by a wish to + immortalize my name; for where is the mortal who would be indifferent + to this object, if he thought he could attain it? Read the book at + your leisure, and study it." + +Here, by the way, we may remark, that the kind of vehicle best adapted +for conveyance through the aerial void, has been a weighty stumbling +block to authors, from the time of the eagle-mounted Ganymede, to that +of Daniel O'Rourke; or of the wing furnished Daedalus and Icarus, to +that of the flying Turk in Constantinople, referred to by Busbequius; +or of the flying artist of the happy valley, in Rasselas. When +Trygaeus was desirous of reaching the Gods, he erected, we are told, a +series of small ladders--[Greek: epeita lepta klimakia]--but receiving +a severe contusion on the head, from their downfall, he ingeniously +had recourse to a scheme of flying through the air, on a colossal +variety of those industrious but not over-delicate insects, the +_Scarabaeus Carnifex_--the only insect, notwithstanding, according +to Aesop, privileged to ascend to the habitations of the gods-- + + [Greek: monos peteinoon eis theous aphigmenos.[2]] + +Most of the stories of Pegasi and Hippogriffs, and of flying chariots, +from that of Phaeton downwards to Astolfo's,[3] were evidently +intended by their authors as mythical; not so, however, with Bishop +Wilkins;--he boldly avers, for several reasons which he keeps to +himself, and for others not very comprehensible to us, which he +details "seriously and on good grounds," "that it is possible to make +a flying chariot, in which a man may sit, and give such a motion unto +it, as shall convey him through the air; and this perhaps might be +made large enough to carry divers men at the same time, together with +food for their _viaticum_, and commodities for traffic." "It is +not," lucidly continues the Bishop, "the bigness of any thing in this +kind, that can hinder its motion, if the motive faculty be answerable +thereunto. We see a great ship swims as well as a small cork; and an +eagle flies in the air, as well as a little gnat. This engine may be +contrived from the same principles by which Archytas made a wooden +dove, and Regiomontanus a wooden eagle. I conceive it were no +difficult matter, (if a man had leisure,) to show more particularly +the means of composing it"!--which want of leisure in the credulous +Bishop, our readers will regret with us, especially those inventive +geniuses, who, like the projector in the reign of George I., published +a scheme for manufacturing pine plank from pine saw-dust, or the still +more ingenious undertaker of later times, who proposed to make _pine +plank_ out of _oak_ saw-dust, by the mere addition of a little +turpentine! + +Again, Swift's flying Island of Laputa is a phenomenon so opposed to +all scientific probability, and so directly at variance with natural +laws, that it loses in interest in a direct ratio with the violence it +does to our feelings. Nor is the mode of conveyance imagined by +Voltaire less incongruous than that of Swift. When Micromegas, ah +inhabitant of Sirius, whose adventures were evidently suggested by +those of Gulliver, accompanied by an inhabitant of Saturn, leaves the +latter planet, they are, in the first place, made to leap upon the +Ring of Saturn, which they find tolerably flat, "comme l'a fort bien +deviné un illustre habitant de notre petit globe:" thence they go from +moon to moon, and a comet passing close to one of these, they throw +themselves upon it, with their attendants and instruments. In their +course, they fall in with the satellites of Jupiter, and pass on to +Jupiter itself, where they remain for a year; but what becomes of the +comet in the mean time, we are not informed! Leaving Jupiter, they +"coast" along the planet Mars, and finally reach the earth, where they +resolve to disembark. Accordingly "ils passèrent sur la queue de la +comète; et trouvant une aurore boréale toute prête, ils se mirent +dedans, et arrivèrent à terre sur le bord septentrional de la Mer +Baltique"![4] + +The vehicle, however, has not formed the sole obstacle to those +projectors:--the _viaticum_, especially the food, has been a +difficulty not readily got over. Before Bishop Wilkins alludes to his +flying chariot, he remarks, that even if men could fly, the swiftest +of them would probably be half a year in reaching the end of his +journey; and hence a problem would arise, "how it were possible to +tarry so long without sleep or diet?" Of the former obstacle, however, +he quickly disposes,--"seeing we do not then spend ourselves in any +labour, we shall not, it may be, _need_ the refreshment of sleep: +but if we do, we cannot desire a softer bed than the air, where we may +repose ourselves firmly and safely as in our chambers"! Of the latter +he finds somewhat more difficulty in disposing,--"and here it is +considerable, that, since our bodies will then be devoid of gravity +and other impediments of motion, we shall not at all spend ourselves +in any labour, and so, consequently, not much need the reparation of +diet, but may perhaps live altogether without it, as those creatures +have done, who, by reason of their sleeping for many days together, +have not spent any spirits, and so not wanted any food; which is +commonly related of serpents, crocodiles, bears, cuckoos, swallows, +and such like. To this purpose, Mendoca reckons up divers strange +relations, as that of Epimenides, who is storied to have slept +seventy-five years; and another of a rustic in Germany, who, being +accidentally covered with a hay-rick, slept there for all the autumn +and the winter following, without any nourishment Or, if we must needs +feed upon something else, why may not smells nourish us? Plutarch, and +Pliny, and divers other ancients, tell us of a nation in India, that +lived only upon pleasing odours; and it is the common opinion of +physicians, that these do strangely both strengthen and repair the +spirits. Hence was it that Democritus was able, for divers days +together, to feed himself with the mere smell of hot bread.[5] Or, if +it be necessary that our stomachs must receive the food, why then it +is not impossible that the purity of the etherial air, being not mixed +with any improper vapours, may be so agreeable to our bodies, as to +yield us sufficient nourishment," with many other arguments of the +like nature. The Bishop ultimately, however, severs the knot, by the +suggestion of his flying chariot, which he makes large enough (for, +_ce n'est que le premier pas qui coute!_) to carry not only food +for the _viaticum_ of the passengers, but also commodities for +their traffic! + +Infinitely more ingenuity did the great comic poet of antiquity +display, when he selected the _Scarabaeus;_ as the food which had +already served the purposes of digestion with the Rider, was still +capable of affording nutrition to the animal:-- + + [Greek: + nun d'att'an autos kataphagoo ta sitia. + toutoisi tois autoisi touton chortasoo[6]] + +Now all these schemes, ingenious as they may be, are objectionable for +the same reasons as the flying Island of Laputa--their glaring +violation of verisimilitude, and many of them of possibility. In these +respects, that of the author of the work before us is liable to less +objection: he only resorts to an extension of avowed physical +principles; and if we could suppose a substance, which, instead of +gravitating towards the earth, is repelled from it and attracted +towards the moon, (certainly a difficult "_premier pas_,") the +remainder of the machinery, for reaching that luminary, would not be +inconsistent with probability or the known laws of physics. + +But, to return to the narrative:--The Brahmin having given Atterley a +description of some of the remarkable objects which he met with, in +his voyage to the moon; expressed his anxiety to repeat it, for the +purpose of ascertaining some facts about which he had been +speculating, as well as of removing the incredulity with which, he +could not but perceive, his story had impressed his hearer, +notwithstanding his belief in the Hermit's integrity; when Atterley +eagerly caught at the proposal. Their preparations, however, required +time as well as considerable skill, not only for the construction of +the vehicle, but also to avoid suspicion and interruption from the +Governor of Mergui,--and the priesthood, who possessed the usual +Oriental superstition and intolerance. + +For the construction of their apparatus they had recourse to an +ingenious artificer in copper and other metals, whose child the +Brahmin had been instrumental in curing of a chronic disease, and in +whose fidelity as well as good will they could securely rely. + + "The coppersmith agreed to undertake the work we wanted done, for a + moderate compensation, but we did not think it prudent to inform him + of our object, which he supposed was to make some philosophical + experiment. It was forthwith arranged that he should occasionally + visit the Hermit, to receive instructions, as if for the purpose of + asking medical advice. During this interval my mind was absorbed with + our project; and when in company, I was so thoughtful and abstracted, + that it has since seemed strange to me that Sing Fou's suspicions that + I was planning my escape were not more excited. At length, by dint of + great exertion, in about three months every thing was in readiness, + and we determined on the following night to set out on our perilous + expedition. + + "The machine in which we proposed to embark, was a copper vessel, that + would have been an exact cube of six feet, if the corners and edges + had not been rounded off. It had an opening large enough to receive + our bodies, which was closed by double sliding pannels, with quilted + cloth between them. When these were properly adjusted, the machine was + perfectly air-tight, and strong enough, by means of iron bars running + alternately inside and out, to resist the pressure of the atmosphere, + when the machine should be exhausted of its air, as we took the + precaution to prove by the aid of an air pump. On the top of the + copper chest and on the outside, we had as much of the lunar metal + (which I shall henceforth call _lunarium_) as we found by + calculation and experiment, would overcome the weight of the machine, + as well as its contents, and take us to the moon on the third day. As + the air which the machine contained, would not be sufficient for our + respiration more than about six hours, and the chief part of the space + we were to pass through was a mere void, we provided ourselves with a + sufficient supply, by condensing it in a small globular vessel, made + partly of iron and partly of lunarium, to take off its weight. On my + return, I gave Mr. Jacob Perkins, who is now in England, a hint of + this plan of condensation, and it has there obtained him great + celebrity. This fact I should not have thought it worth while to + mention, had he not taken the sole merit of the invention to himself, + at least I cannot hear that in his numerous public notices he has ever + mentioned my name. + + "But to return. A small circular window, made of a single piece of + thick clear glass, was neatly fitted on each of the six sides. Several + pieces of lead were securely fastened to screws which passed through + the bottom of the machine as well as a thick plank. The screws were so + contrived, that by turning them in one direction, the pieces of lead + attached to them were immediately disengaged from the hooks with which + they were connected. The pieces of lunarium were fastened in like + manner to screws, which passed through the top of the machine; so that + by turning them in one direction, those metallic pieces would fly into + the air with the velocity of a rocket. The Brahmin took with him a + thermometer, two telescopes, one of which projected through the top of + the machine, and the other through the bottom; a phosphoric lamp, pen, + ink, and paper, and some light refreshments sufficient to supply us + for some days. + + "The moon was then in her third quarter, and near the zenith: it was, + of course, a little after midnight, and when the coppersmith and his + family were in their soundest sleep, that we entered the machine. In + about an hour more we had the doors secured, and every thing arranged + in its place, when, cutting the cords which fastened us to the ground, + by means of small steel blades which worked in the ends of other + screws, we rose from the earth with a whizzing sound, and a sensation + at first of very rapid ascent, but after a short time, we were + scarcely sensible of any motion in the machine, except when we changed + our places." + +After the apprehensions of Atterley, occasioned by the novelty and +danger of his situation, had partly subsided, he was enabled, with +mingled awe and admiration, to contemplate the magnificent spectacle +beneath him. As the earth turned round its axis, during their ascent, +every part of its surface came successively under view. At nine +o'clock, the whole of India was to the west of them; its rivers +resembling small filaments of silver, and the Red Sea a narrow plate +of the same metal. The peninsula of India was of a dark, and Arabia of +a light, grayer green, and the sun's rays striking on the Atlantic, +emitted an effulgence dazzling to the eyes. On looking, some time +afterwards, through the telescope, they observed the African +Continent, at its northern edge; fringed, as it were, with green; +"then a dull white belt marked the great Sahara or Desert, and then it +exhibited a deep green to its most southern extremity." The Morea and +Grecian Archipelago now fell under their telescope, and gradually the +whole Mediterranean, and Arabian Gulf--the great media separating +Africa from Europe and Asia; "the political divisions of these +quarters of the world were of course undistinguishable, and few of the +natural were discernible by the naked eye. The Alps were marked by a +white streak, though less bright than the water." By the aid of the +glass they could just discern the Danube, the Nile, and "a river which +empties itself into the Gulf of Guinea," and which Atterley took to be +the Niger; but the other streams were not perceptible. The most +conspicuous object of the solid part of the globe was the great +Desert; the whole of Africa, however, appeared of a brighter hue than +either Asia or Europe. + + "I was struck too, with the vast disproportion which the extent of the + several countries of the earth bore to the part they had acted in + history, and the influence they had exerted on human affairs. The + British islands had diminished to a speck, and France was little + larger, yet, a few years ago it seemed, at least to us in the United + States, as if there were no other nations on the earth. The Brahmin, + who was well read in European history, on my making a remark on this + subject, reminded me that Athens and Sparta had once obtained almost + equal celebrity, although they were so small as not now to be visible. + As I slowly passed the telescope over the face of Europe, I pictured + to myself the fat, plodding Hollander--the patient, contemplative + German--the ingenious, sensual Italian--the temperate Swiss--the + haughty, superstitious Spaniard--the sprightly, self-complacent + Frenchman--the sullen and reflecting Englishman--who monopolise nearly + all the science and literature of the earth, to which they bear so + small a proportion. As the Atlantic fell under our view, two faint + circles on each side of the equator, were to be perceived by the naked + eye. They were less bright than the rest of the ocean. The Brahmin + suggested that they might be currents; which brought to my memory Dr. + Franklin's conjecture on the subject, now completely verified by this + circular line of vapour, as it had been previously rendered probable + by the floating substances, which had been occasionally picked up, at + great distances from the places where they had been thrown into the + ocean. The circle was whiter and more distinct, where the Gulf Stream + runs parallel to the American coast, and gradually grew fainter as it + passed along the Banks of Newfoundland, to the coast of Europe, where, + taking a southerly direction, the line of the circle was barely + discernible. A similar circle of vapour, though less defined and + complete, was perceived in the South Atlantic Ocean." + +By degrees the travellers saw one half of the broad expanse of the +Pacific, which glistened like quicksilver or polished steel, and +subsequently the middle of the Pacific lay immediately beneath them; +the irregular distribution of land and water on the globe, the expanse +of Ocean here, being twice as large as in any other part, gives +occasion to some amusing discussions on the various theories of +cosmogony, to which we can only refer the reader; wearied, however, by +these and other discussions, Atterley slept for six hours, and on +awaking, found the Brahmin busy in calculating their progress; after +which the latter lay down and soon fell into a tranquil sleep, having +previously requested that he might be awakened at the expiration of +three hours, or sooner if any thing of moment should occur. Atterley +now looked down again through the telescope, and found the earth +surprisingly diminished in its apparent dimensions, from the increased +rapidity of their ascent; the eastern coasts of Asia were still full +in view, as well as the whole figure of that extensive continent--of +New-Holland, of Ceylon and of Borneo; but the smaller islands were +invisible. + + "I strained my eye to no purpose, to follow the indentations of the + coast, according to the map before me, the great bays and promontories + could alone be perceived. The Burman Empire, in one of the + insignificant villages of which I had been confined for a few years, + was now reduced to a speck. The agreeable hours I had passed with the + Brahmin, with the little daughter of Sing Fou, and my rambling over + the neighbouring heights, all recurred to my mind, and I almost + regretted the pleasures I had relinquished. I tried with more success + to beguile the time by making notes in my journal, and after having + devoted about an hour to this object, I returned to the telescope, and + now took occasion to examine the figure of the earth near the Poles, + with a view of discovering whether its form favoured Captain Symmes's + theory of an aperture existing there, and I am convinced that that + ingenious gentleman is mistaken. Time passed so heavily during these + solitary occupations, that I looked at my watch every five minutes, + and could scarcely be persuaded it was not out of order. I then took + up my little Bible, (which had always been my travelling companion,) + read a few chapters in St. Matthew, and found my feelings + tranquillized, and my courage increased. The desired hour at length + arrived; when, on waking the old man, he alertly raised himself up, + and at the first view of the diminished appearance of the earth, + observed that our journey was a third over, as to time, but not as to + distance." + +After having again composed himself to rest for about four hours, +Atterley was awakened by the Brahmin, in whose arms he found himself, +and, on looking around, discovered that he was lying on what had been +the ceiling of the chamber, which still, however, felt like the +bottom. The reason of this phenomenon was thus explained to him by the +Brahmin--"we have, while you were asleep, passed the middle point +between the earth's and the moon's attraction; and we now gravitate +less towards our own planet than (to) her satellite. I took the +precaution to move you, before you fell by your own gravity, from what +was lately the bottom, to that which is now so, and to keep you in +this place until you were retained in it by the moon's attraction; for +though your fall would have been, at this point, like that of a +feather, yet it would have given you some shock and alarm. The +machine, therefore, has undergone no change in its position or +course;--the change is altogether in our feelings." + +The whole face of the moon, Atterley now found to be entirely changed, +and on looking through the upper telescope, the earth presented an +appearance not very dissimilar; but the outline of her continents and +oceans was still perceptible in different shades, and capable of being +readily recognised; the bright glare of the sun, however, made the +surfaces of both bodies somewhat dim and pale. + + "After a short interval, I again looked at the moon, and found not + only its magnitude very greatly increased, but that it was beginning + to present a more beautiful spectacle. The sun's rays fell obliquely + on her disc, so that by a large part of its surface not reflecting the + light, I saw every object on it, so far as I was enabled by the power + of my telescope. Its mountains, lakes, seas, continents, and islands, + were faintly, though not indistinctly, traced; and every moment + brought forth something new to catch my eye, and awaken my curiosity. + The whole face of the moon was of a silvery hue, relieved and varied + by the softest and most delicate shades. No cloud nor speck of vapour + intercepted my view. One of my exclamations of delight awakened the + Brahmin, who quickly arose, and looking down on the resplendent orb + below us, observed that we must soon begin to slacken the rapidity of + our course, by throwing out ballast. The moon's dimensions now rapidly + increased; the separate mountains, which formed the ridges and chains + on her surface, began to be plainly visible through the telescope; + whilst, on the shaded side, several volcanoes appeared upon her disc, + like the flashes of our fire-fly, or rather like the twinkling of + stars in a frosty night. He remarked, that the extraordinary clearness + and brightness of the objects on the moon's surface, was owing to her + having a less extensive and more transparent atmosphere than the + earth: adding--'The difference is so great, that some of our + astronomical observers have been induced to think she has none. If + that, however, had been the case, our voyage would have been + impracticable.'" + +After gazing for some time on this magnificent spectacle, with +admiration and delight, one of their balls of _lunarium_ was let +off for the purpose of checking their velocity. At this time the +Brahmin supposed they were not more than four thousand miles from the +nearest point of the moon's surface. In about four hours more, her +apparent magnitude was so great, that they could see her by looking +out of either of the side windows. + + "Her disc had now lost its former silvery appearance, and began to + look more like that of the earth, when seen at the same distance. It + was a most gratifying spectacle to behold the objects successively + rising to our view, and steadily enlarging in their dimensions. The + rapidity with which we approached the moon, impressed me, in spite of + myself, with the alarming sensation of falling; and I found myself + alternately agitated with a sense of this danger, and with impatience + to take a nearer view of the new objects that greeted my eyes. The + Brahmin was wholly absorbed in calculations for the purpose of + adjusting our velocity to the distance we had to go, his estimates of + which, however, were in a great measure conjectural; and ever and anon + he would let off a ball of the lunar metal. + + "After a few hours, we were so near the moon that every object was + seen in our glass, as distinctly as the shells or marine plants + through a piece of shallow sea-water, though the eye could take in but + a small part of her surface, and the horizon, which bounded our view, + was rapidly contracting. On letting the air escape from our machine, + it did not now rush out with the same violence as before, which showed + that we were within the moon's atmosphere. This, as well as ridding + ourselves of the metal balls, aided in checking our progress. By and + by we were within a few miles of the highest mountains, when we threw + down so much of our ballast, that we soon appeared almost stationary. + The Brahmin remarked, that he should avail himself of the currents of + air we might meet with, to select a favourable place for landing, + though we were necessarily attracted towards the same region, in + consequence of the same half of the moon's surface being always turned + towards the earth." + +The Brahmin now pointed out the necessity of looking out for some +cultivated field, in one of the valleys they were approaching, where +they might rely on being not far distant from some human habitation, +and on escaping the perils necessarily attendant on a descent amongst +rocks, trees, and buildings. A gentle breeze now arising, as appeared +by their horizontal motion, which wafted them at the rate of about ten +miles an hour, over a ridge of mountains, a lake, a thick wood, &c. +they at length reached a cultivated region, which the Brahmin +recognised as the country of the Morosofs, the place they were anxious +to visit. By now letting off two balls of lead to the _Earth_, +they descended rapidly; and when they were sufficiently near the +ground to observe that it was a fit place for landing, opened the door +of their Balloon, and found the air of the moon inconceivably sweet +and refreshing. They now let loose one of their lower balls, which +somewhat retarded their descent; and in a few minutes more, being +within twenty yards of the ground, they let go the largest ball of +lunarium, which, having a cord attached to it, served in lieu of a +grapnel; by this they drew themselves down, were disengaged from the +machine in a twinkling, and landed "safe and sound" on, we presume, +"_luna firma!_" + +Having seen our travellers securely deposited in the moon, we may +remark, that in the passage from the earth, various topics of an +interesting and important character were canvassed by the Brahmin and +his companion; one, _on the causes of national superiority_, +suggested by the views of Africa, and a comparison between that +benighted country and others more illuminated, is especially worthy of +attention, as containing a condensed and philosophical view of the +subject; eloquently and perspicuously conveyed. + +The view of America, suggests some remarks on the _political +peculiarities of the United States_, with speculations on their +future destiny. + +A lively description of the contrast between the circumstances of the +Kamtschadale-- + + "The shuddering tenant of the frigid zone," + +and the gay, voluptuous native of the Sandwich, and other isles within +the tropics--the one passing his life in toil, privation, and care--the +other in ease, abundance, and enjoyment--leads to a similar conclusion +to that expressed by Goldsmith:-- + + "And yet, perhaps, if countries we compare, + And estimate the blessings which they share, + Though patriots flatter, still shall wisdom find + An equal portion dealt to all mankind." + +A disquisition also takes place--_whether India or Egypt were the +parent of the Arts?_ + +This leads them to refer to the strange custom in the country of the +Brahmin, which impels the widow to throw herself on the funeral pile, +and be consumed with her husband:-- + + "I told him," says Atterley, "that it had often been represented as + compulsory--or, in other words, that it was said that every art and + means were resorted to, for the purpose of working on the mind of the + woman, by her relatives, aided by the priests, who would be naturally + gratified by such signal triumphs of religion over the strongest + feelings of nature. He admitted that these engines were sometimes put + in operation, and that they impelled to the sacrifice, some who were + wavering; but insisted, that in a majority of instances, the + _Suttee_ was voluntary. + + "'Women,' said he, 'are brought up from their infancy, to regard our + sex as their superiors, and to believe that their greatest merit + consists in entire devotion to their husbands. Under this feeling, and + having, at the same time, their attention frequently turned to the + chance of such a calamity, they are better prepared to meet it when it + occurs. How few of the officers in your western armies, ever hesitate + to march, at the head of their men, on a forlorn hope? and how many + even court the danger for the sake of the glory? Nay, you tell me + that, according to your code of honour, if one man insults another, he + who gives the provocation, and he who receives it, rather than be + disgraced in the eyes of their countrymen, will go out, and quietly + shoot at each other with fire-arms, till one of them is killed or + wounded; and this too, in many cases, when the injury has been merely + nominal. If you show such a contempt of death, in deference to a + custom founded in mere caprice, can it be wondered that a woman should + show it, in the first paroxysms of her grief for the loss of him to + whom was devoted every thought, word, and action of her life, and who, + next to her God, was the object of her idolatry? My dear Atterley,' he + continued, with emotion, 'you little know the strength of woman's + love!'" + +Other topics of interest are also discussed with the like ingenuity. + +After this episode, it is time for us to return to our travellers, +whose feelings, the moment they touched the ground, repayed them for +all they had endured. Atterley looked around with the most intense +curiosity; but nothing he saw, "surprised him so much, as to find so +little that was surprising:"--vegetation, insects, and other animals, +were pretty much of the same character as those he had before seen; +but, on better acquaintance, he found the difference greater than he +had at first supposed. Having refreshed themselves with the remains of +their stores, and secured the door of the machine, they bent their +course to the town of Alamatua, about three miles distant, which +seemed to contain about two thousand houses, and to be not quite as +large as Albany; the people were tall and thin, and of a pale, +yellowish complexion; their garments light, loose, and flowing, and +not very different from those of the Turks; they subsist chiefly on a +vegetable diet, live about as long as we do on the earth, +notwithstanding the great difference of climate, and other +circumstances; and do not, in their manners, habits, or character, +differ more from the inhabitants of this globe, than some of the +latter do from one another; their government, anciently monarchical, +is now popular; their code of laws very intricate; their language, +naturally soft and musical, has been yet further refined by the +cultivation of letters; and they have a variety of sects in religion, +politics, and philosophy. + +The lunarians do not, as Butler has it-- + + "When the sun shines hot at noon, + Inhabit cellars under ground, + Of eight miles deep and eighty round." + +But, one half of their houses is beneath the surface, partly for the +purpose of screening them from the continued action of the sun's rays, +and partly on account of the earthquakes caused by volcanoes. The +windows of the houses consisted of openings in the wall, sloping so +much upwards, that, whilst they freely admitted the light and air, the +sun was completely excluded. As soon as they were espied by the +natives, great curiosity was of course excited; not, however, to so +troublesome an extent, as might have been, from the circumstance of +the Brahmin's having visited the moon before. Hence he was soon +recognised by some of his acquaintances, and conducted to the house of +the governor, by whom they were graciously received, and who "began a +course of interesting inquiries regarding the affairs of the earth;" +but a gentleman, whom they afterwards understood to be one of the +leaders of the popular party, coming in, he soon despatched them; +having, however, first directed an officer to furnish them with all +that was necessary for their accommodation, at the public expense; +"which act of hospitality, they had reason to fear, occasioned him +some trouble and perplexity at the succeeding election." + +A more minute description follows, of the dress of the male and female +lunarians, especially of that of the latter, to which we can merely +refer the reader. There is one portion, however, of the inhabitants, +with whom the reader must be made acquainted, inasmuch as they form +some of the author's most prominent characters. A large number of +lunarians, it seems, are born without any intellectual vigour, and +wander about like so many automatons, under the care of the +government, until illumined by the mental ray, from some terrestrial +brain, through the mysterious influence which the moon is known to +exercise on our planet. But, in this case, the inhabitant of the earth +loses what he of the moon gains, the ordinary portion of understanding +being divided between two; and, "as might be expected, there is a most +exact conformity between the man of the earth, and his counterpart in +the moon, in all their principles of action, and modes of thinking:"-- + + "These Glonglims, as they are called, after they have been thus imbued + with intellect, are held in peculiar respect by the vulgar, and are + thought to be in every way superior to those whose understandings are + entire. The laws by which two objects, so far apart, operate on each + other, have been, as yet, but imperfectly developed, and the wilder + their freaks, the more they are the objects of wonder and admiration." + +"Now and then, though very rarely, the man of the earth regains the +intellect he has lost; in which case, his lunar counterpart returns to +his former state of imbecility. Both parties are entirely unconscious +of the change--one, of what he has lost, and the other, of what he has +gained."[7] + +The belief of the influence of the moon on the human intellect, the +Brahmin remarks, may be perceived in the opinions of the vulgar, and +in many of the ordinary forms of expression; and he takes occasion to +remark, that these very opinions, as well as some obscure hints in the +Sanscrit, give countenance to the idea, that they were not the only +voyagers to the moon; but that, on the contrary, the voyage had been +performed in remote antiquity; and the Lunarians, we are told, have a +similar tradition. Many ordinary forms of expression are adduced in +support of these ideas. + +"Thus," says the Brahmin, "it is generally believed, throughout all +Asia, that the moon has an influence on the brain: and when a man is +of insane mind, we call him a lunatic. One of the curses of the common +people is, 'May the moon eat up your brains!' and in China, they say +of a man who has done any act of egregious folly, 'He was gathering +wool in the moon.'" I was struck with these remarks; and told the +hermit that the language of Europe afforded the same indirect evidence +of the fact he mentioned,--that my own language, especially, abounded +with expressions which could be explained on no other hypothesis: for, +besides the terms "lunacy," "lunatic," and the supposed influence of +the moon on the brain, when we see symptoms of a disordered intellect, +we say the mind _wanders_, which evidently alludes to a part of +it rambling to a distant region, as is the moon. We say too, a man is +"_out of his head_," that is, his mind being in another man's +head, must of course be out of his own. To "know no more than the man +in the moon," is a proverbial expression for ignorance, and is without +meaning, unless it be considered to refer to the Glonglims.[8] + +"We say that an insane man is 'distracted,' by which we mean that his +mind is drawn two different ways. So also, we call a lunatic _a man +beside himself_, which most distinctly expresses the two distinct +bodies his mind now animates. There are, moreover, many other +analogous expressions, as 'moonstruck,' 'deranged,' 'extravagant,' and +some others, which, altogether, form a mass of concurring testimony +that it is impossible to resist." + +Leaving this ingenious _badinage_ with the defence of the serious +and sentimental Schiller, + + "Hoher Sinn liegt oft in Kindischen Spiele," + +we return to our travellers, who, at their lodgings, meet with an +instance of _lunar puritanism_--the family eating those portions +of fruits, vegetables, &c., which are thrown away by us, and _vice +versa_, "from a persuasion that all pleasure received through the +senses is sinful, and that man never appears so acceptable in the sight +of the Deity, as when he rejects all the delicacies of the palate, as +well as other sensual gratifications, and imposes on himself that food +to which he feels naturally most repugnant." + +_Avarice_ is satirized by the story of one of these Glonglims, who +is occupied in making nails, and then dropping them into a well--refusing +to exchange them for bread or clothes, notwithstanding his starved, +haggard appearance, and evident desire for the food proffered:-- + + "Mettant toute sa gloire et son souverain bien + A grossir un trésor qui ne lui sert de rien." + +And this is followed by a picture of _reckless prodigality_ in +another Glonglim. + +We pass over the description of the physical peculiarities of the +moon, which seem to be according to the received opinions of +astronomers, as well as the satire on _National Prejudices_, in +the persons of the Hilliboos and Moriboos, and that on the Godwinian +system of morals. + +An indisposition experienced by Atterley, occasions his introduction +to Vindar,[9] a celebrated physician, botanist, &c., on whose opinions +we have a keen satire. + +On leaving Vindar's house, they observed a short man, (Napoleon,) +preparing to climb to the top of a plane tree, on which there was one +of the tail feathers of a flamingo; and this he would only mount in +one way--on the shoulders of his men:-- + + "I could not see this rash Glonglim attempt to climb that dangerous + ladder, without feeling alarm for his safety. At first all seemed to + go on very well; but just as he was about to lay hold of the gaudy + prize, there arose a sudden squall, which threw both him and his + supporters into confusion, and the whole living pyramid came to the + ground together. Many were killed--some were wounded and bruised. + Polenap himself, by lighting on his men, who served him as cushions, + barely escaped with life. But he received a fracture in the upper part + of his head, and a dislocation of the hip, which will not only prevent + him from ever climbing again, but probably make him a cripple for + life. + + "The Brahmin and I endeavoured to give the sufferers some assistance; + but this was rendered unnecessary, by the crowd which their cries and + lamentations brought to their relief. I thought that the author of so + much mischief would have been stoned on the spot; but, to my surprise, + his servants seemed to feel as much for his honour as their own + safety, and warmly interfered in his behalf, until they had somewhat + appeased the rage of the surrounding multitude." + +The _absurdities_ of the _physiognomical system_ of Lavater, +and of the _craniological system_ of MM. Gall and Spurzheim, were +not likely to escape animadversion, in a work of general satire, +fruitful as they have already been in such themes. The representative +of the former, is a fortune-telling philosopher, Avarabet, (Lavater,) +whose course of proceeding was, to examine the finger nails, and, +according to their form, colour, thickness, surface, grain, and other +properties, to determine the character and destinies of those who +consulted him; and that of the latter, a physician, who judged of the +character of disposition or disease, by the examination of a lock of +the hair. The upshot of the story is, as might be anticipated, that +the fortune-telling philosopher is caught, and exposed in his own +toils. + +The _impolicy of privateers, and of letters of marque and +reprisals_, is next animadverted on, by the story of two +neighbours, who are at variance, and whose dependants are occupied in +laying hold of what they can of each other's flocks and herds, and +doing as much mischief as possible, by which both parties, of +necessity, suffer. + +A visit to a projector in building, husbandry, and cookery, introduces +us to some inventions not unworthy of the occupation, of the courtiers +of _La Reine Quinte_, or of the Professors of the Academy of +Lagado. + +The doctrine of the aerial formation of meteoric stones, receives, +too, a passing notice from our author, who is clearly no supporter of +it. It was a long time before the ancients received credit for their +stories of showers of stones; and all were ready to joke with Butler, +at the story of the Thracian rock, which fell in the river Aegos:-- + + "For Anaxagoras, long agon, + Saw hills, as well as you i'th' moon, + And held the sun was but a piece + Of red hot iron as big as Greece. + Believ'd the heavens were made of stone, + Because the sun had voided one: + And, rather than he would recant + Th' opinion, suffered banishment." + +A difficulty surrounds the subject, however we view it. +_Aerolites_, as they have been designated, have now been found in +almost every region and climate of the globe--from Arabia to the +farthest point of Baffin's Bay; and this very circumstance would seem +to be opposed to their aerial origin, unless we are to suppose that +they can be formed in every state, and in the opposite extremes of the +atmosphere. The Brahmin assigns them a lunar origin, and adds, "our +party were greatly amused at the disputations of a learned society in +Europe, in which they undertook to give a mathematical demonstration, +that they could not be thrown from a volcano of the earth, nor from +the moon, but were suddenly formed in the atmosphere. I should as soon +believe, that a loaf of bread could be made and baked in the +atmosphere." + +The "gentleman farmer and projector," being attacked, during their +visit, with cholera morbus, and considering himself _in extremis_, +a consultation of physicians takes place, in which one portrait +will be obvious--that of Dr. Shuro, who asserts disease to be +a unit; and that it is the extreme of folly, to divide diseases into +classes, which tend but to produce confusion of ideas, and an +unscientific practice. The enthusiasm of the justly celebrated +individual--the original of this portrait, was so great, that the +slightest data were sufficient for the formation of some of his most +elaborate _hypotheses_--for _theories_ they could not properly +be called; and, accordingly, many of his beautiful and ingenious +superstructures are now prostrated, leaving, in open day, the +insufficiency of their foundation. One of the most striking +examples of this nature, was his belief that the black colour of +the negro is a disease, which depletion, properly exercised, might +be capable of remedying--a scheme not a whit more feasible, than +that of the courtiers of _La Reine Quinte_, referred to by +Rabelais, "who made blackamoors white, as fast as hops, by just +rubbing their stomachs with the bottom of a pannier." + +The satire here is not so fortunately displayed, as in other +instances, owing probably to the difficulty of saying any thing new on +so hackneyed a subject; for it has ever happened, that,-- + + "The Galenist and Paracelsian, + Condemn the way each other deals in." + +The affair concludes, by the Doctors quarrelling; and, in the mean +time, the patient, profiting by some simple remedies administered by +the Brahmin, and an hour's rest, was so much refreshed, that he +considered himself out of danger, and had no need of medical +assistance. + +_Pestolozzi's system of education_, is with justice satirized; +since, instead of affording facilities to the student, as the +superficial observer might fancy, it retards his acquisition of +knowledge, by teaching him to exercise his external senses, rather +than his reflection.[10] + +In a _menagerie_ attached to an academy, in which youths of +maturer years were instructed in the fine arts, the travellers had an +opportunity of observing the vain attempts of education, to control +the natural or instinctive propensities. + + "Naturam expellas furca tamen usque recurret." + + "For nature driven out, with proud disdain, + All powerful goddess, will return again." + +The election of a town constable, exhibits the violence of _Lunar +Politics_ to be much the same as the terrestrial, and seems to have +some allusion to an existing and important controversy amongst +ourselves. The _prostitution of the press_ is satirized by the +story of a number of boys dressed in black and white--wearing the +badges of the party to which they respectively belong, and each +provided with a syringe and two canteens, the one filled with rose +water, and the other with a black, offensive, fluid: the rose water +being squirted at the favourite candidates and voters--the other fluid +on the opposite party. All these were under regular discipline, and at +the word of command discharged their syringes on friend or foe, as the +case might be. + +The "_glorious uncertainty of the law_" (proverbial with us,) +falls also under notice. In Morosofia, it seems, a favourite mode of +settling private disputes, whether concerning person, character, or +property, is by the employment of prize fighters who hire themselves +to the litigants:-- + + "And out of foreign controversies + By aiding both sides, fill their purses: + But have no int'rest in the cause + For which th' engage and wage the laws + Nor farther prospect than their pay + Whether they lose or win the day." + +The chapter concludes with a discussion between an old man and his +wife, in which the _policy of encouraging manufactures_, is +argued. + +In an account of Okalbia--a happy valley--similar only in name to that +in _Rasselas_, the author seems to sketch his views of a _perfect +commonwealth_, and glances at some important questions of +_politics_ and _political economy_. Prudential restraints are +considered sufficient to obviate a _redundancy of population_--and +on _Ricardo's theory of rent_, the author holds the same opinions +as those already expressed in this Journal. + +Some useful hints are also afforded on the subject of _legislation +and jurisprudence_. + +After having passed a week amongst the singular and happy Okalbians, +whom our travellers found equally amiable, intelligent, and +hospitable, they returned to Alamatua. + +Jeffery's _theory of beauty_, as developed in the article +_beauty_, of the _supplement to the Encyclopaedia Britannica_, +in which he denies the existence of original beauty and refers +it to association, is ridiculed by an extension of a similar kind +of reasoning to the smell. + +A description of a _Lunar fair_ follows, which, like a +terrestrial, is the resort of the busy, the idle, the knavish, and the +gay: some in pursuit of pleasure; others again, without any settled +purpose, carried along by the vague desire of meeting with something +to relieve them from the pain of idleness. _Political contests_ +are here represented under the character of gambling transactions, and +if we mistake not, there is a distinct allusion to more than one +important contest in the annals of this country. + +Having now satisfied his curiosity, Atterley became anxious to return +to his native planet, and accordingly urged the Brahmin to lose no +time in preparing for their departure. They were soon, however, +informed that a man high in office, by way of affecting political +sagacity, had proposed to detain them, on the ground that when such +voyages as their's were shown to be practicable, the inhabitants of +the earth, who were so much more numerous than those of the moon, +might invade the latter with a large army, for the purpose of rapine +and contest; but notwithstanding the influence of this sapient +politician, they finally obtained leave to quit the moon whenever they +thought proper. + +Having taken a "respectful or affectionate" leave of all their +lunarian friends, and got every thing in readiness,--at midnight of +the twentieth of August, they again entered their copper +_balloon_, and after they had ascended until the face of the moon +looked like one vast lake of melted silver, with here and there small +pieces of grayish dross floating on it, Atterley reminded the Brahmin +of a former promise to detail the history of his early life, to which +he assented:--of this, perhaps the most interesting part of the book, +to the general reader, we regret that our limits will only admit of +our giving a very condensed and imperfect narrative. + +Gurameer, the Brahmin, was born at Benares. He was the only son of a +priest of Vishnu, of rank, and was himself intended for the +priesthood. At school, he meets with a boy of the name of _Balty +Mahu_, between whom and himself a degree of rivalry, and +subsequently the most decided enmity, existed--a circumstance that +decided the character of Gurameer's subsequent life. They afterwards +met at college, where a more extended theatre was afforded for the +exercise of Balty Mahu's malignity. During a vacation, Gurameer, being +on a visit to an uncle in the country, one day, when the family had +gone to witness a grand spectacle in honour of an important festival +in their calendar, which he could not himself attend consistently with +the rules of his caste, was tempted to visit the deserted Zenana, or +ladies' apartment, where he accidentally meets with a beautiful young +female. The acquaintance, thus begun, soon ripened into intimacy, by +means of walks in the garden, contrived by Fatima, one of his female +cousins. At length they are constrained to separate. Veenah (for so +the young lady is named) returns to Benares, whither Gurameer soon +follows her. On making his father acquainted with his attachment, the +latter endeavours to persuade him to overcome it, and informs him that +Veenah's father is avaricious, and a bigot, and hence, that he would +probably be prejudiced against him, owing to some imputations which +had been cast on Gurameer's religious creed, and industriously +circulated by his old enemy, Balty Mahu, who proves to be the cousin +of Veenah These considerations prevail upon Gurameer to defer any +application to Veenah's father, until the suspicions regarding his +faith had either died away or been falsified by his scrupulous +observance of all religious duties. This resolution he determines to +communicate to his mistress. Accordingly, in the evening, he betakes +himself to the quarter of the city where Veenah's father lives; and, +walking to and fro before the house, soon discovers that he is +recognised. By a cord, let down from the window, he conveys a letter +to her, which, the following evening, she answers; and thus a regular +correspondence was kept up, which, by the exercise it afforded to +their imaginations, and the difficulties attendant upon it, inflamed +their passion to the highest pitch. He had, however, soon the +misfortune to be discovered by Balty Mahu, and, in consequence, Veenah +is debarred from pen and ink, but contrives to acquaint her lover that +their intercourse has been discovered, by a short note, written with a +burnt stick. Gurameer now goes in despair to Veenah's father, from +whom he experiences a haughty repulse, and who, in the following +night, secretly leaves the city, with his daughter, embarking on the +Ganges, and taking measures to prevent the discovery of the place of +his retreat. At the expiration of two or three months, an end is put +to Gurameer's doubts and apprehensions, by his return, with his +daughter and son-in-law--a rich Omrah, four times her age. After the +first ebullitions of rage have subsided, his love returns; but he is +never able to succeed in obtaining an interview with Veenah. By his +cousin Fatima, he learns the circumstances of Veenah's marriage, and +the deceptions which had been practised on her, aided by the unbounded +authority which parents exercise in eastern countries. The unhappy +Veenah, as firm in her principles as she was gentle in disposition, +refuses to see him. "Tell him," said she, "that Heaven has forbidden +it, and to its decrees we are bound to submit I am now the wife of +another, and it is our duty to forget all that is past. But if this be +possible, my heart tells me it can be only by our never meeting!" + +Gurameer now fell into a state of settled melancholy, and consented to +travel, more for the purpose of pleasing his parents, than from any +concern for his own health; but travelling had little effect--"he +carried a barbed arrow in his heart; and the greater the efforts to +extract it, the more they rankled the wound." When so much emaciated +that he was not expected to live a month, he took a voyage, coastwise, +to Madras; and, on his arrival there, learned that Balty Mahu had +recently left that place. This intelligence operated like a charm; the +desire of revenge roused all his energies and became his master +passion. He immediately set off in pursuit; but, although often near, +could never overtake him. His health rapidly improves; and at length +he hears that the old Omrah's health is rapidly declining. This +information awakens new thoughts and hopes, and Balty Mahu is +forgotten. He hastens hack to Benares; and when near the city, hears +two merchants, in conversation, remark that the Omrah is dead, and +that his widow was the next day to perform the _Suttee_. He +immediately mounts his horse, and reaches the city the next morning at +sunrise. In the street he mixes with the throng;--hears Veenah pitied, +her father blamed, and himself lamented. He now sees Veenah approach +the funeral pile, who, at the well known sound of his voice, shrieked +out, "he lives! he lives!" and would have attempted to save herself +from the flames; but the shouts of the surrounding multitude, and the +sound of the instruments, drowned her voice. He now attempts to +approach the pile for the purpose of rescuing her, but is forcibly +held back until the wretched Veenah is enveloped in flames. On his +again attempting to reach the pile, he was charged with profanation; +and, on Balty Mahu's making his appearance and encouraging the charge, +in frantic desperation he seizes a scymetar from one of the guards, +and plunges it in his breast. The influence of his friends, and the +sacred character of persons of his caste, saved the Brahmin from +capital punishment; but he was banished from Hindostan. He now removed +to the kingdom of Ava, where he continued so long as his parents +lived, after which he visited several countries, both of Asia and +Europe; and in one of his journeys, having discovered Lunarium Ore in +the mountain near Mogaun, he determined to pass the remainder of his +days in that secluded retreat.--"So ends this strange, eventful +history." + +When the Brahmin terminated his narrative, the extended map beneath +them was already assuming a distinct and varied appearance:-- + + "The Brahmin, having applied his eye to the telescope, and made a + brief calculation of our progress, considered that twenty-four hours + more, if no accident interrupted us, would end our voyage; part of + which interval I passed in making notes in my journal, and in + contemplating the different sections of our many peopled globe, as + they presented themselves successively to the eye. It was my wish to + land on the American continent, and, if possible, in the United + States. But the Brahmin put an end to that hope, by reminding me that + we should be attracted towards the Equator, and that we had to choose + between Asia, Africa, and South America; and that our only course + would be, to check the progress of our car over the country of + greatest extent, through which the equinoctial circle might pass. + Saying which, he relapsed into his melancholy silence, and I betook + myself once more to the telescope. With a bosom throbbing with + emotion, I saw that we were descending towards the American continent. + When we were about ten or twelve miles from the earth, the Brahmin + arrested the progress of the car, and we hovered over the broad + Atlantic. Looking down on the ocean, the first object which presented + itself to my eye, was a small one-masted shallop, which was buffetting + the waves in a south-westerly direction. I presumed it was a + New-England trader, on a voyage to some part of the Republic of + Colombia: and, by way of diverting my friend from his melancholy + reverie, I told him some of the many stories which are current + respecting the enterprise and ingenuity of this portion of my + countrymen, and above all, their adroitness at a bargain. + + "'Methinks,' says the Brahmin, 'you are describing a native of Canton + or Pekin. But,' added he, after a short pause, 'though to a + superficial observer man appears to put on very different characters, + to a philosopher he is every where the same--for he is every where + moulded by the circumstances in which he is placed. Thus; let him be + in a situation that is propitious to commerce, and the habits of + traffic produce in him shrewdness and address. Trade is carried on + chiefly in towns, because it is there carried on most advantageously. + This situation gives the trader a more intimate knowledge of his + species--a more ready insight into character, and of the modes of + operating on it. His chief purpose is to buy as cheap, and to sell as + dear, as he can; and he is often able to heighten the recommendations + or soften the defects of some of the articles in which he deals, + without danger of immediate detection; or, in other words, big + representations have some influence with his customers. He avails + himself of this circumstance, and thus acquires the habit of lying; + but, as he is studious to conceal it, he becomes wary, ingenious, and + cunning. It is thus that the Phenicians, the Carthagenians, the Dutch, + the Chinese, the New-Englanders, and the modern Greeks, have always + been regarded as inclined to petty frauds by their less commercial + neighbours.' I mentioned the English nation. + + "'If the English,' said he, interrupting me; 'who are the most + commercial people of modern times, have not acquired the same + character, it is because they are as distinguished for other things as + for traffic: they are not merely a commercial people--they are also + agricultural, warlike, and literary; and thus the natural tendencies + of commerce are mutually counteracted.' + + "We afterwards descended slowly; the prospect beneath us becoming more + beautiful than my humble pen can hope to describe, or will even + attempt to portray. In a short time after, we were in sight of + Venezuela. We met with the trade winds and were carried by them forty + or fifty miles inland, where, with some difficulty, and even danger, + we landed. The Brahmin and myself remained together two days, and + parted--he to explore the Andes, to obtain additional light on the + subject of his hypothesis, and I, on the wings of impatience, to visit + once more my long-deserted family and friends. But before our + separation, I assisted my friend in concealing our aerial vessel, and + received a promise from him to visit, and perhaps spend with me the + evening of his life. Of my journey home, little remains to be said. + From the citizens of Colombia, I experienced kindness and attention, + and means of conveyance to Caraccas; where, embarking on board the + brig Juno, captain Withers, I once more set foot in New-York, on the + 18th of August, 1826, after an absence of four years, resolved, for + the rest of my life, to travel only in books, and persuaded, from + experience, that the satisfaction which the wanderer gains from + actually beholding the wonders and curiosities of distant climes, is + dearly bought by the sacrifice of all the comforts and delights of + home." + +We have thus placed before the reader an analysis of this interesting +Satirical Romance. The time and space we have occupied sufficiently +indicate the favourable sentiments respecting it with which we have +been impressed. Of the execution of the satires, from the several +extracts we have given, the reader will himself be enabled to judge. +This is of course unequal, but generally felicitous. In the personal +allusions which occur through the work, the author exhibits, as we +have before noticed, a freedom from malice and all uncharitableness, +and in many of them has attained that happy _desideratum_ which +Dryden considered a matter of so much difficulty:-- + + "How easy is it," he observes, "to call rogue and villain, and that + wittily! But how hard to make a man appear a fool, a blockhead, or a + knave, without using any of those opprobrious terms! To spare the + grossness of the names, and to do the thing yet more severely, is to + draw a full face, and to make the nose and cheeks stand out, and yet + not to employ any depth of shadowing. This is the mystery of that + noble trade, which yet no master can teach to his apprentice; he may + give the rules, but the scholar is never the nearer in his practice; + neither is it true, that this fineness of raillery is offensive. A + witty man is tickled, while he is hurt, in this manner, and a fool + feels it not: the occasion of an offence may possibly be given, but he + cannot take it. If it be granted, that, in effect, this way does more + mischief--that a man is secretly wounded, and, though he be not + sensible himself, yet the malicious world will find it out for him, + yet, there is still a vast difference betwixt the slovenly butchering + of a man, and the fineness of a stroke that separates the head from + the body, and leaves it standing in its place. A man may be capable, + as Jack Ketch's wife said of his servant, of a plain piece of work, a + bare hanging; but to make a malefactor die sweetly, was only belonging + to her husband."[11] + +In conclusion, we must express our regret, that the author should not +have added notes to the work--the want of them will be seriously felt +by every one; some of the satires, indeed, must escape the reader, +unless he pay a degree of attention, which notes would have rendered +unnecessary. In his next edition, we trust that this deficiency may be +supplied; and we anticipate as much instruction and entertainment, +from the wide scope which such an undertaking will afford, as we have +derived from the perusal of the text. Cheerfully would we extend to +him, if required, the leisure claimed by Spenser, after he had +composed the first six books of his "_Faerie Queene_," provided +he would promise us similar conditions:-- + + "After so long a race as I have run + Through Faery Land, which those six books compile, + Give leave to rest me, being half foredonne, + And gather to myself new breath awhile; + + "Then, as a steed refreshed after toyle, + Out of my prison will I break anew, + And stoutly will that second work assoyle, + With strong endeavour, and attention due." + + + * * * * * + + +[APPENDIX FOOTNOTES] + + +[Footnote 1: Scott's Swift, vol. xi. p. 4] + + +[Footnote 2: Aristoph. in Pace. 130.] + + +[Footnote 3: Orlando furioso, Canto xxxiv. St. 68 and 69.] + + +[Footnote 4: Micromègas, Histoire Philosophique, chap. 8.] + + +[Footnote 5: Fuller, a learned contemporary of the Bishop, has given +us an amusing case of litigation, originating from this nourishing +character of odours.-- + +"A poor man, being very hungry, staid so long in a cook's shop, who +was dishing up meat, that his stomach was satisfied with only the +smell thereof. The choleric cook demanded of him to pay for his +breakfast, the poor man denied having had any; and the controversy was +referred to the deciding of the next man that should pass by, who +chanced to be the most notorious idiot in the whole city be, on the +relation of the matter, determined that the poor man's money should be +put betwixt two empty dishes, and the cook should be recompensed with +the jingling of the poor man's money, as he was satisfied with the +smell of the cook's meat."--_Fuller's Holy State_, lib. iii. c. +12.] + + +[Footnote 6: Aristophan. in pace. 137.] + + +[Footnote 7: The idea of the Glonglims is the author's. Ariosto makes +the lost intellect, of those who become insane upon the earth, ascend +to the moon, where it is kept _bottled_.-- + + "Era come un liquor suttile e molle, + Atto a esalar, se non si tien ben chiuso; + E si vedea raccolto in varie ampolle, + Qual più, qual men capace, atte a quell' uso." + + _Orlando furioso_, Cant. 34. St. 83.] + + +[Footnote 8: Our author might also have alluded to the old apology for +every thing inane or contemptible--"It is a tale of the man in the +moon." When that arch flatterer, John Lylie, published (in 1591) his +"_Endymion_, or _the man in the moon_"--a _court comedy_, as it +was afterwards called; in other words, intended for the gratification +of Queen Elizabeth, and in which her personal charms and attractions +are grossly lauded--he pleads guilty to its defect in plot, in the +following exquisite apologetic prologue:-- + +"Most high and happy Princess, we must tell you a tale of the man in +the moon; which, if it seem ridiculous for the method, or superfluous +for the matter, or for the means incredible, for three faults we can +make but one excuse,--it is a tale of the man of the moon." + +"It was forbidden in old time to dispute of Chymera, because it was a +fiction: we hope in our times none will apply pastimes, because they +are fancies: for there liveth none under the sun that knows what to +make of the man in the moon. We present neither comedy, nor tragedy, +nor story, nor any thing, but that whosoever heareth may say this:-- +'Why, here is a tale of the man in the moon.' Yet this is the man +designated by Blount, who re-published his plays in 1632, as the '_only +rare poet of that time, the witie, comicall, facetiously-quicke, and +unparallel'd John Lylie, Master of Arts!'"] + + +[Footnote 9: It is to be regretted that the author has not followed +the good example set him by Johnson, in his _Debates in the Senate +of Magna Lilliputia_, published in the Gentlemen's Magazine for +1738: the denominations of the speakers being formed of the letters of +their real names, so that they might be easily deciphered. This +neglect has obscured many of the author's most interesting satires. +Who could suppose from the letters alone, that _Wigurd_, _Vindar_, +and _Avarabet_, were respectively intended for _Godwin_, _Darwin_, +and _Lavater_?] + + +[Footnote 10: It is a curious circumstance, that Swift, in his +description of the Academy of Lagado, should have so completely +anticipated the Pestalozzian invention.] + + +[Footnote 11: Dryden's Essay on Satire] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Voyage to the Moon, by George Tucker + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VOYAGE TO THE MOON *** + +***** This file should be named 10005-8.txt or 10005-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/0/0/10005/ + +Produced by Christine De Ryck, Stig M. Valstad, Suzanne L. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Voyage to the Moon + +Author: George Tucker + +Release Date: November 7, 2003 [EBook #10005] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VOYAGE TO THE MOON *** + + + + +Produced by Christine De Ryck, Stig M. Valstad, Suzanne L. Shell +and PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + A + VOYAGE TO THE MOON: + WITH + SOME ACCOUNT + OF THE + MANNERS AND CUSTOMS, SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY, + OF THE + PEOPLE OF MOROSOFIA, + AND + OTHER LUNARIANS. + + + + BY GEORGE TUCKER (JOSEPH ATTERLEY) + + + + + "It is the very error of the moon, + She comes more near the earth than she was wont, + And makes men mad."--_Othello_. + + + + 1827 + + + CONTENTS. + + + + CHAPTER I. + +Atterley's birth and education--He makes a voyage-- + Founders off the Burman coast--Adventures in + that Empire--Meets with a learned Brahmin from + Benares. + + CHAPTER II. + +The Brahmin's illness--He reveals an important secret + to Atterley--Curious information concerning the + Moon--The Glonglims--They plan a voyage to + the Moon. + + CHAPTER III. + +The Brahmin and Atterley prepare for their voyage-- + Description of their travelling machine--Incidents + of the voyage--The appearance of the earth; + Africa; Greece--The Brahmin's speculations on + the different races of men--National character. + + CHAPTER IV. + +Continuation of the voyage--View of Europe; Atlantic + Ocean; America--Speculations on the future + destiny of the United States--Moral reflections-- + Pacific Ocean--Hypothesis on the origin of the + Moon. + + CHAPTER V. + +The voyage continued--Second view of Asia--The + Brahmin's speculations concerning India--Increase + of the Moon's attraction--Appearance of the Moon + --They land on the Moon. + + CHAPTER VI. + +Some account of Morosofia, and its chief city, Alamatua + --Singular dresses of the Lunar ladies--Religious + self-denial--Glonglim miser and spendthrift. + + CHAPTER VII. + +Physical peculiarities of the Moon--Celestial phenomena + --Farther description of the Lunarians--National + prejudice--Lightness of bodies--The Brahmin + carries Atterley to sup with a philosopher-- + His character and opinions. + + CHAPTER VIII. + +A celebrated physician: his ingenious theories in physics: + his mechanical inventions--The feather-hunting Glonglim. + + CHAPTER IX. + +The fortune-telling philosopher, who inspected the + finger nails: his visiters--Another philosopher, + who judged of the character by the hair--The + fortune-teller duped--Predatory warfare. + + CHAPTER X. + +The travellers visit a gentleman farmer, who is a great + projector: his breed of cattle: his apparatus for + cooking--He is taken dangerously ill. + + CHAPTER XI. + +Lunarian physicians: their consultation--While they + dispute the patient recovers--The travellers visit + the celebrated teacher Lozzi Pozzi. + + CHAPTER XII. + +Election of the Numnoonce, or town-constable-- + Violence of parties--Singular institution of the Syringe + Boys--The prize-fighters--Domestic manufactures. + + CHAPTER XIII. + +Description of the Happy Valley--The laws, customs, + and manners of the Okalbians--Theory of population + --Rent--System of government. + + CHAPTER XIV. + +Further account of Okalbia--The Field of Roses-- + Curious superstition concerning that flower--The + pleasures of smell traced to association, by a + Glonglim philosopher. + + CHAPTER XV. + +Atterley goes to the great monthly fair--Its various + exhibitions; difficulties--Preparations to leave the + Moon--Curiosities procured by Atterley--Regress + to the Earth. + + CHAPTER XVI. + +The Brahmin gives Atterley a history of his life. + + CHAPTER XVII. + +The Brahmin's story continued--The voyage concluded + --Atterley and the Brahmin separate--Atterley + arrives in New-York. + + + Appendix: Anonymous Review of _A Voyage to the + Moon,_ reprinted from _The American Quarterly + Review_ No. 5 (March 1828) + + + + +APPEAL TO THE PUBLIC. + + +Having, by a train of fortunate circumstances, accomplished a voyage, of +which the history of mankind affords no example; having, moreover, exerted +every faculty of body and mind, to make my adventures useful to my +countrymen, and even to mankind, by imparting to them the acquisition +of secrets in physics and morals, of which they had not formed the +faintest conception,--I flattered myself that both in the character +of traveller and public benefactor, I had earned for myself an immortal +name. But how these fond, these justifiable hopes have been answered, +the following narrative will show. + +On my return to this my native State, as soon as it was noised abroad +that I had met with extraordinary adventures, and made a most wonderful +voyage, crowds of people pressed eagerly to see me. I at first met their +inquiries with a cautious silence, which, however, but sharpened their +curiosity. At length I was visited by a near relation, with whom I felt +less disposed to reserve. With friendly solicitude he inquired "how much +I had made by my voyage;" and when he was informed that, although I had +added to my knowledge, I had not improved my fortune, he stared at me a +while, and remarking that he had business at the Bank, as well as an +appointment on 'Change, suddenly took his leave. After this, I was not +much interrupted by the tribe of inquisitive idlers, but was visited +principally by a few men of science, who wished to learn what I could +add to their knowledge of nature. To this class I was more communicative; +and when I severally informed them that I had actually been to the +Moon, some of them shrugged their shoulders, others laughed in my face, +and some were angry at my supposed attempt to deceive them; but all, +with a single exception, were incredulous. + +It was to no purpose that I appealed to my former character for veracity. +I was answered, that travelling had changed my morals, as it had changed +other people's. I asked what motives I could have for attempting to +deceive them. They replied, the love of distinction--the vanity of being +thought to have seen what had been seen by no other mortal; and they +triumphantly asked me in turn, what motives Raleigh, and Riley, and +Hunter, and a hundred other travellers, had for their misrepresentations. +Finding argument thus unavailing, I produced visible and tangible proofs +of the truth of my narrative. I showed them a specimen of moonstone. +They asserted that it was of the same character as those meteoric stones +which had been found in every part of the world, and that I had merely +procured a piece of one of these for the purpose of deception. I then +exhibited some of what I considered my most curious Lunar plants: but +this made the matter worse; for it so happened, that similar ones were +then cultivated in Mr. Prince's garden at Flushing. I next produced +some rare insects, and feathers of singular birds: but persons were +found who had either seen, or read, or heard of similar insects and +birds in Hoo-Choo, or Paraguay, or Prince of Wales's Island. In short, +having made up their minds that what I said was not true, they had an +answer ready for all that I could urge in support of my character; and +those who judged most christianly, defended my veracity at the expense +of my understanding, and ascribed my conduct to partial insanity. + +There was, indeed, a short suspension to this cruel distrust. An old +friend coming to see me one day, and admiring a beautiful crystal which +I had brought from the Moon, insisted on showing it to a jeweller, who +said that it was an unusually hard stone, and that if it were a diamond, +it would be worth upwards of 150,000 dollars. I know not whether the +mistake that ensued proceeded from my friend, who is something of a wag, +or from one of the lads in the jeweller's shop, who, hearing a part of +what his master had said, misapprehended the rest; but so it was, that +the next day I had more visiters than ever, and among them my kinsman, +who was kind enough to stay with me, as if he enjoyed my good fortune, +until both the Exchange and the Banks were closed. On the same day, +the following paragraph appeared in one of the morning prints: + + "We understand that our enterprising and intelligent traveller, + JOSEPH ATTERLEY, Esquire, has brought from his Lunar Expedition, + a diamond of extraordinary size and lustre. Several of the most + experienced jewellers of this city have estimated it at from + 250,000 to 300,000 dollars; and some have gone so far as to say + it would be cheap at half a million. We have the authority of a + near relative of that gentleman for asserting, that the satisfactory + testimonials which he possesses of the correctness of his narrative, + are sufficient to satisfy the most incredulous, and to silence + malignity itself." + +But this gleam of sunshine soon passed away. Two days afterwards, another +paragraph appeared in the same paper, in these words: + + "We are credibly informed, that the supposed diamond of the _famous_ + traveller to the Moon, turns out to be one of those which are found + on Diamond Island, in Lake George. We have heard that Mr. A----y + means to favour the public with an account of his travels, under + the title of 'Lunarian Adventures;' but we would take the liberty + of recommending, that for _Lunarian_, he substitute _Lunatic_." + +Thus disappointed in my expectations, and assailed in my character, +what could I do but appeal to an impartial public, by giving them a +circumstantial detail of what was most memorable in my adventures, that +they might judge, from intrinsic evidence, whether I was deficient either +in soundness of understanding or of moral principle? But let me first +bespeak their candour, and a salutary diffidence of themselves, by one +or two well-authenticated anecdotes. + +During the reign of Louis the XIVth, the king of Siam having received +an ambassador from that monarch, was accustomed to hear, with wonder +and delight, the foreigner's descriptions of his own country: but the +minister having one day mentioned, that in France, water, at one time +of the year, became a solid substance, the Siamese prince indignantly +exclaimed,--"Hold, sir! I have listened to the strange things you have +told me, and have hitherto believed them all; but now when you wish to +persuade me that water, which I know as well as you, can become hard, I +see that your purpose is to deceive me, and I do not believe a word you +have uttered." + +But as the present patriotic preference for home-bred manufactures, may +extend to anecdotes as well as to other productions, a story of domestic +origin may have more weight with most of my readers, than one introduced +from abroad. + +The chief of a party of Indians, who had visited Washington during +Mr. Jefferson's presidency, having, on his return home, assembled his +tribe, gave them a detail of his adventures; and dwelling particularly +upon the courteous treatment the party had received from their "Great +Father," stated, among other things, that he had given them ice, though +it was then mid-summer. His countrymen, not having the vivacity of our +ladies, listened in silence till he had ended, when an aged chief stepped +forth, and remarked that he too, when a young man, had visited their +Great Father Washington, in New-York, who had received him as a son, and +treated him with all the delicacies that his country afforded, but had +given him no ice. "Now," added the orator, "if any man in the world could +have made ice in the summer, it was Washington; and if he could have made +it, I am sure he would have given it to me. Tustanaggee is, therefore, a +liar, and not to be believed." + +In both these cases, though the argument seemed fair, the conclusion was +false; for had either the king or the chief taken the trouble to satisfy +himself of the fact, he might have found that his limited experience had +deceived him. + +It is unquestionably true, that if travellers sometimes impose on the +credulity of mankind, they are often also not believed when they speak +the truth. Credulity and scepticism are indeed but different names for +the same hasty judgment on insufficient evidence: and, as the old woman +readily assented that there might be "mountains of sugar and rivers +of rum," because she had seen them both, but that there were "fish +which could fly," she never would believe; so thousands give credit +to Redheiffer's patented discovery of perpetual motion, because they +had beheld his machine, and question the existence of the sea-serpent, +because they have not seen it. + +I would respectfully remind that class of my readers, who, like the +king, the Indian, or the old woman, refuse to credit any thing which +contradicts the narrow limits of their own observation, that there are +"more secrets in nature than are dreamt of in their philosophy;" and +that upon their own principles, before they have a right to condemn me, +they should go or send to the mountains of Ava, for some of the metal +with which I made my venturous experiment, and make one for themselves. + +As to those who do not call in question my veracity, but only doubt my +sanity, I fearlessly appeal from their unkind judgment to the sober and +unprejudiced part of mankind, whether, what I have stated in the following +pages, is not consonant with truth and nature, and whether they do not +there see, faithfully reflected from the Moon, the errors of the learned +on Earth, and "the follies of the wise?" + +JOSEPH ATTERLEY. + +_Long-Island, September_, 1827. + + + + +VOYAGE TO THE MOON. + + +CHAPTER I. + +_Atterley's birth and education--He makes a voyage--Founders off the +Burman coast--Adventures in that Empire--Meets with a learned Brahmin +from Benares._ + + +Being about to give a narrative of my singular adventures to the world, +which, I foresee, will be greatly divided about their authenticity, +I will premise something of my early history, that those to whom I am +not personally known, may be better able to ascertain what credit is +due to the facts which rest only on my own assertion. + +I was born in the village of Huntingdon, on Long-Island, on the 11th day +of May, 1786. Joseph Atterley, my father, formerly of East Jersey, as it +was once called, had settled in this place about a year before, in +consequence of having married my mother, Alice Schermerhorn, the only +daughter of a snug Dutch farmer in the neighbourhood. By means of the +portion he received with my mother, together with his own earnings, +he was enabled to quit the life of a sailor, to which he had been bred, +and to enter into trade. After the death of his father-in-law, by whose +will he received a handsome accession to his property, he sought, in the +city of New-York, a theatre better suited to his enlarged capital. He +here engaged in foreign trade; and, partaking of the prosperity which +then attended American commerce, he gradually extended his business, and +finally embarked in our new branch of traffic to the East Indies and +China. He was now very generally respected, both for his wealth and fair +dealing; was several years a director in one of the insurance offices; +was president of the society for relieving the widows and orphans of +distressed seamen; and, it is said, might have been chosen alderman, +if he had not refused, on the ground that he did not think himself +qualified. + +My father was not one of those who set little value on book learning, +from their own consciousness of not possessing it: on the contrary, he +would often remark, that as he felt the want of a liberal education +himself, he was determined to bestow one on me. I was accordingly, at +an early age, put to a grammar school of good repute in my native village, +the master of which, I believe, is now a member of Congress; and, at the +age of seventeen, was sent to Princeton, to prepare myself for some +profession. During my third year at that place, in one of my excursions +to Philadelphia, and for which I was always inventing pretexts, I became +acquainted with one of those faces and forms which, in a youth of twenty, +to see, admire, and love, is one and the same thing. My attentions were +favourably received. I soon became desperately in love; and, in spite of +the advice of my father and entreaties of my mother, who had formed other +schemes for me nearer home, I was married on the anniversary of my +twenty-first year. + +It was not until the first trance of bliss was over, that I began to +think seriously on the course of life I was to pursue. From the time +that my mind had run on love and matrimony, I had lost all relish for +serious study; and long before that time, I had felt a sentiment bordering +on contempt for the pursuits of my father. Besides, he had already taken +my two younger brothers into the counting-house with him. I therefore +prevailed on my indulgent parent, with the aid of my mother's intercession, +to purchase for me a neat country-seat near Huntingdon, which presented a +beautiful view of the Sound, and where, surrounded by the scenes of my +childhood, I promised myself to realise, with my Susanna, that life of +tranquil felicity which fancy, warmed by love, so vividly depicts. + +If we did not meet with all that we had expected, it was because we had +expected too much. The happiest life, like the purest atmosphere, has +its clouds as well as its sunshine; and what is worse, we never fully +know the value of the one, until we have felt the inconvenience of the +other. In the cultivation of my farm--in educating our children, a son +and two daughters, in reading, music, painting--and in occasional visits +to our friends in New-York and Philadelphia, seventeen years glided +swiftly and imperceptibly away; at the end of which time death, in +depriving me of an excellent wife, made a wreck of my hopes and enjoyments. +For the purpose of seeking that relief to my feelings which change of +place only could afford, I determined to make a sea voyage; and, as one +of my father's vessels was about to sail for Canton, I accordingly +embarked on board the well-known ship the _Two Brothers_, captain +Thomas, and left Sandy-hook on the 5th day of June, 1822, having first +placed my three children under the care of my brother William. + +I will not detain the reader with a detail of the first incidents of +our voyage, though they were sufficiently interesting at the time they +occurred, and were not wanting in the usual variety. We had, in singular +succession, dead calms and fresh breezes, stiff gales and sudden squalls; +saw sharks, flying-fish, and dolphins; spoke several vessels: had a +visit from Neptune when we crossed the Line, and were compelled to +propitiate his favour with some gallons of spirits, which he seems +always to find a very agreeable change from sea water; and touched at +Table Bay and at Madagascar. + +On the whole, our voyage was comparatively pleasant and prosperous, until +the 24th of October; when, off the mouths of the Ganges, after a fine +clear autumnal day, just about sunset, a small dark speck was seen in +the eastern horizon by our experienced and watchful captain, who, after +noticing it for a few moments, pronounced that we should have a hurricane. +The rapidity with which this speck grew into a dense cloud, and spread +itself in darkness over the heavens, as well as the increasing swell of +the ocean before we felt the wind, soon convinced us he was right. No +time was lost in lowering our topmasts, taking double reefs, and making +every thing snug, to meet the fury of the tempest. I thought I had +already witnessed all that was terrific on the ocean; but what I had +formerly seen, had been mere child's play compared with this. Never can +I forget the impression that was made upon me by the wild uproar of the +elements. The smooth, long swell of the waves gradually changed into an +agitated frothy surface, which constant flashes of lightning presented +to us in all its horror; and in the mean time the wind whistled through +the rigging, and the ship creaked as if she was every minute going to +pieces. + +About midnight the storm was at its height, and I gave up all for lost. +The wind, which first blew from the south-west, was then due south, and +the sailors said it began to abate a little before day: but I saw no +great difference until about three in the afternoon; soon after which +the clouds broke away, and showed us the sun setting in cloudless majesty, +while the billows still continued their stupendous rolling, but with a +heavy movement, as if, after such mighty efforts, they were seeking +repose in the bosom of their parent ocean. It soon became almost calm; +a light western breeze barely swelled our sails, and gently wafted us +to the land, which we could faintly discern to the north-east. Our ship +had been so shaken in the tempest, and was so leaky, that captain Thomas +thought it prudent to make for the first port we could reach. + +At dawn we found ourselves in full view of a coast, which, though not +personally known to the captain, he pronounced by his charts to be a +part of the Burmese Empire, and in the neighbourhood of Mergui, on the +Martaban coast. The leak had now increased to an alarming extent, so +that we found it would be impossible to carry the ship safe into port. +We therefore hastily threw our clothes, papers, and eight casks of +silver, into the long-boat; and before we were fifty yards from the +ship, we saw her go down. Some of the underwriters in New York, as I +have since learnt, had the conscience to contend that we left the ship +sooner than was necessary, and have suffered themselves to be sued for +the sums they had severally insured. It was a little after midday when +we reached the town, which is perched on a high bluff, overlooking +the coasts, and contains about a thousand houses, built of bamboo, +and covered with palm leaves. Our dress, appearance, language, and +the manner of our arrival, excited great surprise among the natives, +and the liveliest curiosity; but with these sentiments some evidently +mingled no very friendly feelings. The Burmese were then on the eve +of a rupture with the East India Company, a fact which we had not before +known; and mistaking us for English, they supposed, or affected to +suppose, that we belonged to a fleet which was about to invade them, +and that our ship had been sunk before their eyes, by the tutelar divinity +of the country. We were immediately carried before their governor, +or chief magistrate, who ordered our baggage to be searched, and finding +that it consisted principally of silver, he had no doubt of our hostile +intentions. He therefore sent all of us, twenty-two in number, to prison, +separating, however, each one from the rest. My companions were released +the following spring, as I have since learnt, by the invading army of +Great Britain; but it was my ill fortune (if, indeed, after what has +since happened, I can so regard it) to be taken for an officer of high +rank, and to be sent, the third day afterwards, far into the interior, +that I might be more safely kept, and either used as a hostage or offered +for ransom, as circumstances should render advantageous. + +The reader is, no doubt, aware that the Burman Empire lies beyond the +Ganges, between the British possessions and the kingdom of Siam; and +that the natives nearly assimilate with those of Hindostan, in language, +manners, religion, and character, except that they are more hardy and +warlike. + +I was transported very rapidly in a palanquin, (a sort of decorated +litter,) carried on the shoulders of four men, who, for greater despatch, +were changed every three hours. In this way I travelled thirteen days, +in which time we reached a little village in the mountainous district +between the Irawaddi and Saloon rivers, where I was placed under the +care of an inferior magistrate, called a Mirvoon, who there exercised +the chief authority. + +This place, named Mozaun, was romantically situated in a fertile valley, +that seemed to be completely shut in by the mountains. A small river, +a branch of the Saloon, entered it from the west, and, after running +about four miles in nearly a straight direction, turned suddenly round +a steep hill to the south, and was entirely lost to view. The village +was near a gap in the mountain, through which the river seemed to have +forced its way, and consisted of about forty or fifty huts, built of +the bamboo cane and reeds. The house of my landlord was somewhat larger +and better than the rest. It stood on a little knoll that overlooked +the village, the valley, the stream that ran through it, and commanded +a distant view of the country beyond the gap. It was certainly a lovely +little spot, as it now appears to my imagination; but when the landscape +was new to me, I was in no humour to relish its beauties, and when my +mind was more in a state to appreciate them, they had lost their novelty. + +My keeper, whose name was Sing Fou, and who, from a long exercise of +magisterial authority, was rough and dictatorial, behaved to me somewhat +harshly at first; but my patient submission so won his confidence and +good will, that I soon became a great favourite; was regarded more as +one of his family than as a prisoner, and was allowed by him every +indulgence consistent with my safe custody. But the difficulties in the +way of my escape were so great, that little restraint was imposed on +my motions. The narrow defile in the gap, through which the river rushed +like a torrent, was closed with a gate. The mountains, by which the +valley was hemmed in, were utterly impassable, thickly set as they were +with jungle, consisting of tangled brier, thorn and forest trees, of +which those who have never been in a tropical climate can form no adequate +idea. In some places it would be difficult to penetrate more than a +mile in the day; during which time the traveller would be perpetually +tormented by noxious insects, and in constant dread of beasts of prey. + +The only outlet from this village was by passing down the valley along +the settlements, and following the course of the stream; so that there +was no other injunction laid on me, than not to extend my rambles far +in that direction. Sing Fou's household consisted of his wife, whom I +rarely saw, four small children, and six servants; and here I enjoyed +nearly as great a portion of happiness as in any part of my life. + +It had been one of my favourite amusements to ramble towards a part of +the western ridge, which rose in a cone about a mile and a half from the +village, and there ascending to some comparatively level spot, or point +projecting from its side, enjoy the beautiful scenery which lay before +me, and the evening breeze, which has such a delicious freshness in a +tropical climate. + +Nor was this all. In a deep sequestered nook, formed by two spurs of this +mountain, there lived a venerable Hindoo, whom the people of the village +called the Holy Hermit. The favourable accounts I received of his +character, as well as his odd course of life, made me very desirous +of becoming acquainted with him; and, as he was often visited by the +villagers, I found no difficulty in getting a conductor to his cell. His +character for sanctity, together with a venerable beard, might have +discouraged advances towards an acquaintance, if his lively piercing eye, +a countenance expressive of great mildness and kindness of disposition, +and his courteous manners, had not yet more strongly invited it. He was +indeed not averse to society, though he had seemed thus to fly from it; +and was so great a favourite with his neighbours, that his cell would +have been thronged with visitors, but for the difficulty of the approach +to it. As it was, it was seldom resorted to, except for the purpose of +obtaining his opinion and counsel on all the serious concerns of his +neighbours. He prescribed for the sick, and often provided the medicine +they required--expounded the law--adjusted disputes--made all their little +arithmetical calculations--gave them moral instruction--and, when he +could not afford them relief in their difficulties, he taught them +patience, and gave them consolation. He, in short, united, for the simple +people by whom he was surrounded, the functions of lawyer, physician, +schoolmaster, and divine, and richly merited the reverential respect in +which they held him, as well as their little presents of eggs, fruit, and +garden stuff. + +From the first evening that I joined the party which I saw clambering up +the path that led to the Hermit's cell, I found myself strongly attached +to this venerable man, and the more so, from the mystery which hung +around his history. It was agreed that he was not a Burmese. None deemed +to know certainly where he was born, or why he came thither. His own +account was, that he had devoted himself to the service of God, and in +his pilgrimage over the east, had selected this as a spot particularly +favourable to the life of quiet and seclusion he wished to lead. + +There was one part of his story to which I could scarcely give credit. +It was said that in the twelve or fifteen years he had resided in this +place, he had been occasionally invisible for months together, and no +one could tell why he disappeared, or whither he had gone. At these +times his cell was closed; and although none ventured to force their +way into it, those who were the most prying could hear no sound indicating +that he was within. Various were the conjectures formed on the subject. +Some supposed that he withdrew from the sight of men for the purpose +of more fervent prayer and more holy meditation; others, that he visited +his home, or some other distant country. The more superstitious believed +that he had, by a kind of metempsychosis, taken a new shape, which, by +some magical or supernatural power, he could assume and put off at +pleasure. This opinion was perhaps the most prevalent, as it gained a +colour with these simple people, from the chemical and astronomical +instruments he possessed. In these he evidently took great pleasure, +and by their means he acquired some of the knowledge by which he so +often excited their admiration. + +He soon distinguished me from the rest of his visitors, by addressing +questions to me relative to my history and adventures; and I, in turn, +was gratified to have met with one who took an interest in my concerns, +and who alone, of all I had here met with, could either enter into my +feelings or comprehend my opinions. Our conversations were carried on +in English, which he spoke with facility and correctness. We soon found +ourselves so much to each other's taste, that there was seldom an evening +that I did not make him a visit, and pass an hour or two in his company. + +I learnt from him that he was born and bred at Benares, in Hindostan; +that he had been intended for the priesthood, and had been well instructed +in the literature of the east. That a course of untoward circumstances, +upon which he seemed unwilling to dwell, had changed his destination, +and made him a wanderer on the face of the earth. That in the neighbouring +kingdom of Siam he had formed an intimacy with a learned French Jesuit, +who had not only taught him his language, but imparted to him a knowledge +of much of the science of Europe, its institutions and manners. That after +the death of this friend, he had renewed his wanderings; and having been +detained in this village by a fit of sickness for some weeks, he was +warned that it was time to quit his rambling life. This place being +recommended to him, both by its quiet seclusion, and the unsophisticated +manners of its inhabitants, he determined to pass the remnant of his days +here, and, by devoting them to the purposes of piety, charity, and +science, to discharge his duty to his Creator, his species, and himself; +"for the love of knowledge," he added, "has long been my chief source of +selfish enjoyment." + +Our tastes and sentiments accorded in so many points, that our acquaintance +ripened by degrees into the closest friendship. We were both +strangers--both unfortunate; and were the only individuals here who had any +knowledge of letters, or of distant parts of the world. These are, indeed, +the main springs of that sympathy, without which there is no love among +men. It is being overwise, to treat with contempt what mankind hold in +respect: and philosophy teaches us not to extinguish our feelings, but to +correct and refine them. My visits to the hermitage were frequently renewed +at first, because they afforded me the relief of variety, whilst his +intimate knowledge of men and things--his remarkable sagacity and good +sense--his air of mingled piety and benignity,--cheated me into +forgetfulness of my situation. As these gradually yielded to the lenitive +power of time, I sought his conversation for the positive pleasure it +afforded, and at last it became the chief source of my happiness. Day after +day, and month after month, glided on in this gentle, unvarying current, +for more than three years; during which period he had occasionally thrown +out dark hints that the time would come when I should be restored to +liberty, and that he had an important secret, which he would one day +communicate. I should have been more tantalized with the expectations that +these remarks were calculated to raise, had I not suspected them to be a +good-natured artifice, to save me from despondency, as they were never made +except when he saw me looking serious and thoughtful. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +_The Brahmin's illness--He reveals an important secret to Atterley-- +Curious information concerning the Moon--The Glonglims--They plan a +voyage to the Moon._ + + +About this period, one afternoon in the month of March, when I repaired +to the hermitage as usual, I found my venerable friend stretched on his +humble pallet, breathing very quickly, and seemingly in great pain. He +was labouring under a pleurisy, which is not unfrequent in the mountainous +region, at this season. He told me that his disease had not yielded to +the ordinary remedies which he had tried when he first felt its approach, +and that he considered himself to be dangerously ill. "I am, however," +he added, "prepared to die. Sit down on that block, and listen to what +I shall say to you. Though I shall quit this state of being for another +and a better, I confess that I was alarmed at the thought of expiring, +before I had an opportunity of seeing and conversing with you. I am the +depository of a secret, that I believe is known to no other living mortal. +I once determined that it should die with me; and had I not met with you, +it certainly should. But from our first acquaintance, my heart has been +strongly attracted towards you; and as soon as I found you possessed +of qualities to inspire esteem as well as regard, I felt disposed to +give you this proof of my confidence. Still I hesitated. I first wished +to deliberate on the probable effects of my disclosure upon the condition +of society. I saw that it might produce evil, as well as good; but on +weighing the two together, I have satisfied myself that the good will +preponderate, and have determined to act accordingly. Take this key, +(stretching out his feverish hand,) and after waiting two hours, in +which time the medicine I have taken will have either produced a good +effect, or put an end to my sufferings, you may then open that blue +chest in the corner. It has a false bottom. On removing the paper which +covers it, you will find the manuscript containing the important secret, +together with some gold pieces, which I have saved for the day of +need--because--(and he smiled in spite of his sufferings)--because +hoarding is one of the pleasures of old men. Take them both, and use +them discreetly. When I am gone, I request you, my friend, to discharge +the last sad duties of humanity, and to see me buried according to the +usages of my caste. The simple beings around me will then behold that +I am mortal like themselves. And let this precious relic of female +loveliness and worth, (taking a small picture, set in gold, from his +bosom,) be buried with me. It has been warmed by my heart's blood for +twenty-five years: let it be still near that heart when it ceases +to beat. I have yet more to say to you; but my strength is too much +exhausted." + +The good old man here closed his eyes, with an expression of patient +resignation, and rather as if he courted sleep than felt inclined to it: +and, after shutting the door of his cell, I repaired to his little +garden, to pass the allotted two hours. Left to my meditations, when +I thought that I was probably about to be deprived for ever of the +Hermit's conversation and society, I felt the wretchedness of my situation +recur with all its former force. I sat down on a smooth rock under a +tamarind tree, the scene of many an interesting conference between the +Brahmin and myself; and I cast my eyes around--but how changed was every +thing before me! I no longer regarded the sparkling eddies of the little +cascade which fell down a steep rock at the upper end of the garden, and +formed a pellucid basin below. The gay flowers and rich foliage of this +genial climate--the bright plumage and cheerful notes of the birds--were +all there; but my mind was not in a state to relish them. I arose, and in +extreme agitation rambled over this little Eden, in which I had passed so +many delightful hours. + +Before the allotted time had elapsed--shall I confess it?--my fears for +the Hermit were overcome by those that were purely selfish. It occurred +to me, if he should thus suddenly die, and I be found alone in his cell, +I might be charged with being his murderer; and my courage, which, from +long inaction, had sadly declined of late, deserted me at the thought. +After the most torturing suspense, the dial at length showed me that the +two hours had elapsed, and I hastened to the cell. + +I paused a moment at the door, afraid to enter, or even look in; made one +or two steps, and hearing no sound, concluded that all was over with the +Hermit, and that my own doom was sealed. My delight was inexpressible, +therefore, when I perceived that he still breathed, and when, on drawing +nearer, I found that he slept soundly. In a moment I passed from misery +to bliss. I seated myself by his side, and there remained for more than +an hour, enjoying the transition of my feelings. At length he awoke, and +casting on me a look of placid benignity, said,--"Atterley, my time is +not yet come. Though resigned to death, I am content to live. The worst +is over. I am already almost restored to health." I then administered to +him some refreshments, and, after a while, left him to repose. On again +repairing to the garden, every object assumed its wonted appearance. The +fragrance of the orange and the jasmine was no longer lost to me. The +humming birds, which swarmed round the flowering cytisus and the beautiful +water-fall, once more delighted the eye and the ear. I took my usual +bath, as the sun was sinking below the mountain; and, finding the Hermit +still soundly sleeping, I threw myself on a seat, under the shelter of +some bamboos, fell asleep, and did not awake until late the next morning. + +When I arose, I found the good Brahmin up, and, though much weakened by +his disease, able to walk about. He told me that the Mirvoon, uneasy at +my not returning as usual in the evening, had sent in search of me, and +that the servant, finding me safe, was content to return without me. He +advised me, however, not to repeat the same cause of alarm. Sing Fou, on +hearing my explanation, readily forgave me for the uneasiness I had +caused him. After a few days, the Brahmin recovered his ordinary health +and strength; and having attended him at an earlier hour than usual, +according to his request on the previous evening, he thus addressed +me:-- + +"I have already told you, my dear Atterley, that I was born and educated +at Benares, and that science is there more thoroughly understood and +taught than the people of the west are aware of. We have, for many +thousands of years, been good astronomers, chymists, mathematicians, and +philosophers. We had discovered the secret of gunpowder, the magnetic +attraction, the properties of electricity, long before they were heard of +in Europe. We know more than we have revealed; and much of our knowledge +is deposited in the archives of the caste to which I belong; but, for +want of a language generally understood and easily learnt, (for these +records are always written in the Sanscrit, that is no longer a spoken +language,) and the diffusion which is given by the art of printing, +these secrets of science are communicated only to a few, and sometimes +even sleep with their authors, until a subsequent discovery, under more +favourable circumstances, brings them again to light. + +"It was at this seat of science that I learnt, from one of our sages, +the physical truth which I am now about to communicate, and which he +discovered, partly by his researches into the writings of ancient Pundits, +and partly by his own extraordinary sagacity. There is a principle of +repulsion as well as gravitation in the earth. It causes fire to rise +upwards. It is exhibited in electricity. It occasions water-spouts, +volcanoes, and earthquakes. After much labour and research, this principle +has been found embodied in a metallic substance, which is met with in the +mountain in which we are, united with a very heavy earth; and this +circumstance had great influence in inducing me to settle myself here. + +"This metal, when separated and purified, has as great a tendency to +fly off from the earth, as a piece of gold or lead has to approach it. +After making a number of curious experiments with it, we bethought +ourselves of putting it to some use, and soon contrived, with the aid +of it, to make cars and ascend into the air. We were very secret in +these operations; for our unhappy country having then recently fallen +under the subjection of the British nation, we apprehended that if we +divulged our arcanum, they would not only fly away with all our treasures, +whether found in palace or pagoda, but also carry off the inhabitants, +to make them slaves in their colonies, as their government had not then +abolished the African slave trade. + +"After various trials and many successive improvements, in which our +desires increased with our success, we determined to penetrate the +aerial void as far as we could, providing for that purpose an apparatus, +with which you will become better acquainted hereafter. In the course +of our experiments, we discovered that this same metal, which was repelled +from the earth, was in the same degree attracted towards the moon; for in +one of our excursions, still aiming to ascend higher than we had ever +done before, we were actually carried to that satellite; and if we had +not there fallen into a lake, and our machine had not been water-tight, +we must have been dashed to pieces or drowned. You will find in this +book," he added, presenting me with a small volume, bound in green +parchment, and fastened with silver clasps, "a minute detail of the +apparatus to be provided, and the directions to be pursued in making +this wonderful voyage. I have written it since I satisfied my mind that +my fears of British rapacity were unfounded, and that I should do more +good than harm by publishing the secret. But still I am not sure," +he added, with one of his faint but significant smiles, "that I am +not actuated by a wish to immortalize my name; for where is the mortal +who would be indifferent to this object, if he thought he could attain it? +Read the book at your leisure, and study it." + +I listened to this recital with astonishment; and doubted at first, +whether the Brahmin's late severe attack had not had the effect of +unsettling his brain: but on looking in his face, the calm self-possession +and intelligence which it exhibited, dispelled the momentary impression. +I was all impatience to know the adventures he met with in the moon, +asking him fifty questions in a breath, but was most anxious to learn +if it had inhabitants, and what sort of beings they were. + +"Yes," said he, "the moon has inhabitants, pretty much the same as the +earth, of which they believe their globe to have been formerly a part. +But suspend your questions, and let me give you a recital of the most +remarkable things I saw there." + +I checked my impatience, and listened with all my ears to the wonders +he related. He went on to inform me that the inhabitants of the moon +resembled those of the earth, in form, stature, features, and manners, +and were evidently of the same species, as they did not differ more than +did the Hottentot from the Parisian. That they had similar passions, +propensities, and pursuits, but differed greatly in manners and habits. +They had more activity, but less strength: they were feebler in mind as +well as body. But the most curious part of his information was, that a +large number of them were born without any intellectual vigour, and +wandered about as so many automatons, under the care of the government, +until they were illuminated with the mental ray from some earthly brains, +by means of the mysterious influence which the moon is known to exercise +on our planet. But in this case the inhabitant of the earth loses what +the inhabitant of the moon gains--the ordinary portion of understanding +allotted to one mortal being thus divided between two; and, as might be +expected, seeing that the two minds were originally the same, there is a +most exact conformity between the man of the earth and his counterpart in +the moon, in all their principles of action and modes of thinking. + +These Glonglims, as they are called, after they have been thus imbued +with intellect, are held in peculiar respect by the vulgar, and are +thought to be in every way superior to those whose understandings are +entire. The laws by which two objects, so far apart, operate on each +other, have been, as yet, but imperfectly developed, and the wilder +their freaks, the more they are the objects of wonder and admiration. +"The science of _lunarology_," he observed, "is yet in its infancy. +But in the three voyages I have made to the moon, I have acquired so +many new facts, and imparted so many to the learned men of that planet, +that it is, without doubt, the subject of their active speculations +at this time, and will, probably, assume a regular form long before the +new science of phrenology of which you tell me, and which it must, in +time, supersede. Now and then, though very rarely, the man of the earth +regains the intellect he has lost; in which case his lunar counterpart +returns to his former state of imbecility. Both parties are entirely +unconscious of the change--one, of what he has lost, and the other of +what he has gained." + +The Brahmin then added: "Though our party are the only voyagers of which +authentic history affords any testimony, yet it is probable, from obscure +hints in some of our most ancient writings in the Sanscrit, that the +voyage has been made in remote periods of antiquity; and the Lunarians +have a similar tradition. While, in the revolutions which have so changed +the affairs of mankind on our globe, (and probably in its satellite,) +the art has been lost, faint traces of its existence may be perceived +in the opinions of the vulgar, and in many of their ordinary forms of +expression. Thus it is generally believed throughout all Asia, that the +moon has an influence on the brain; and when a man is of insane mind, we +call him a lunatic. One of the curses of the common people is, 'May the +moon eat up your brains;' and in China they say of a man who has done +any act of egregious folly, 'He was gathering wool in the moon.'" + +I was struck with these remarks, and told the Hermit that the language +of Europe afforded the same indirect evidence of the fact he mentioned: +that my own language especially, abounded with expressions which could +be explained on no other hypothesis;--for, besides the terms "lunacy," +"lunatic," and the supposed influence of the moon on the brain, when we +see symptoms of a disordered intellect, we say the mind _wanders_, +which evidently alludes to a part of it rambling to a distant region, as +is the moon. We say too, a man is "_out of his head_," that is, his +mind being in another man's head, must of course be out of his own. +To "know no more than the man in the moon," is a proverbial expression +for ignorance, and is without meaning, unless it be considered to refer +to the Glonglims. We say that an insane man is "distracted;" by which we +mean that his mind is drawn two different ways. So also, we call a +lunatic _a man beside himself_, which most distinctly expresses the two +distinct bodies his mind now animates. There are, moreover, many other +analogous expressions, as "moonstruck," "deranged," "extravagant," and +some others, which, altogether, form a mass of concurring testimony that +it is impossible to resist. + +"Be that as it may," said he, "whether the voyage has been made in former +times or not, is of little importance: it is sufficient for us to know +that it has been effected in our time, and can be effected again. I am +anxious to repeat the voyage, for the purpose of ascertaining some facts, +about which I have been lately speculating; and I wish, besides, to +afford you ocular demonstration of the wonders I have disclosed; for, +in spite of your good opinion of my veracity, I have sometimes perceived +symptoms of incredulity about you, and I do not wonder at it." + +The love of the marvellous, and the wish for a change, which had long +slumbered in my bosom, were now suddenly awakened, and I eagerly caught +at his proposal. + +"When can we set out, father?" said I. + +"Not so fast," replied he; "we have a great deal of preparation to make. +Our apparatus requires the best workmanship, and we cannot here command +either first-rate articles or materials, without incurring the risk of +suspicion and interruption. While most of the simple villagers are +kindly disposed towards me, there are a few who regard me with distrust +and malevolence, and would readily avail themselves of an opportunity +to bring me under the censure of the priesthood and the government. +Besides, the governor of Mergui would probably be glad to lay hold of +any plausible evidence against you, as affording him the best chance of +avoiding any future reckoning either with you or his superiors. We must +therefore be very secret in our plans. I know an ingenious artificer +in copper and other metals, whose only child I was instrumental in curing +of scrofula, and in whose fidelity, as well as good will, I can safely +rely. But we must give him time. He can construct our machine at home, +and we must take our departure from that place in the night." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +_The Brahmin and Atterley prepare for their voyage--Description of their +machine--Incidents of the voyage--The appearance of the earth; Africa; +Greece--The Brahmin's speculations on the different races of men--National +character._ + + +Having thus formed our plan of operations, we the next day proceeded to +put them in execution. The coppersmith agreed to undertake the work +we wanted done, for a moderate compensation; but we did not think it +prudent to inform him of our object, which he supposed was to make some +philosophical experiment. It was forthwith arranged that he should +occasionally visit the Hermit, to receive instructions, as if for the +purpose of asking medical advice. During this interval my mind was +absorbed with our project; and when in company, I was so thoughtful +and abstracted, that it has since seemed strange to me that Sing Fou's +suspicions that I was planning my escape were not more excited. At +length, by dint of great exertion, in about three months every thing +was in readiness, and we determined on the following night to set out +on our perilous expedition. + +The machine in which we proposed to embark, was a copper vessel, that +would have been an exact cube of six feet, if the corners and edges +had not been rounded off. It had an opening large enough to receive +our bodies, which was closed by double sliding pannels, with quilted +cloth between them. When these were properly adjusted, the machine +was perfectly air-tight, and strong enough, by means of iron bars running +alternately inside and out, to resist the pressure of the atmosphere, +when the machine should be exhausted of its air, as we took the precaution +to prove by the aid of an air-pump. On the top of the copper chest +and on the outside, we had as much of the lunar metal (which I shall +henceforth call _lunarium_) as we found, by calculation and experiment, +would overcome the weight of the machine, as well as its contents, +and take us to the moon on the third day. As the air which the machine +contained, would not be sufficient for our respiration more than about +six hours, and the chief part of the space we were to pass through was +a mere void, we provided ourselves with a sufficient supply, by condensing +it in a small globular vessel, made partly of iron and partly of lunarium, +to take off its weight. On my return, I gave Mr. Jacob Perkins, who +is now in England, a hint of this plan of condensation, and it has +there obtained him great celebrity. This fact I should not have thought +it worth while to mention, had he not taken the sole merit of the +invention to himself; at least I cannot hear that in his numerous public +notices he has ever mentioned my name. + +But to return. A small circular window, made of a single piece of thick +clear glass, was neatly fitted on each of the six sides. Several pieces +of lead were securely fastened to screws which passed through the bottom +of the machine; as well as a thick plank. The screws were so contrived, +that by turning them in one direction, the pieces of lead attached +to them were immediately disengaged from the hooks with which they +were connected. The pieces of lunarium were fastened in like manner +to screws, which passed through the top of the machine; so that by +turning them in one direction, those metallic pieces would fly into +the air with the velocity of a rocket. The Brahmin took with him a +thermometer, two telescopes, one of which projected through the top +of the machine, and the other through the bottom; a phosphoric lamp, +pen, ink, and paper, and some light refreshments sufficient to supply +us for some days. + +The moon was then in her third quarter, and near the zenith: it was, of +course, a little after midnight, and when the coppersmith and his family +were in their soundest sleep, that we entered the machine. In about an hour +more we had the doors secured, and every thing arranged in its place, when, +cutting the cords which fastened us to the ground, by means of small steel +blades which worked in the ends of other screws, we rose from the earth +with a whizzing sound, and a sensation at first of very rapid ascent: but +after a short time, we were scarcely sensible of any motion in the machine, +except when we changed our places. + +The ardent curiosity I had felt to behold the wonderful things which the +Brahmin related, and the hope of returning soon to my children and native +country, had made me most impatient for the moment of departure; during +which time the hazards and difficulties of the voyage were entirely +overlooked: but now that the moment of execution had arrived, and I found +myself shut up in this small chest, and about to enter on a voyage so new, +so strange, and beset with such a variety of dangers, I will not deny that +my courage failed me, and I would gladly have compromised to return to +Mozaun, and remain there quietly all the rest of my days. But shame +restrained me, and I dissembled my emotions. + +At our first shock on leaving the earth, my fears were at their height; but +after about two hours, I had tolerably well regained my composure, to which +the returning light of day greatly contributed. By this time we had a full +view of the rising sun, pouring a flood of light over one half of the +circular landscape below us, and leaving the rest in shade. While those +natural objects, the rivers and mountains, land and sea, were fast receding +from our view, our horizon kept gradually extending as we mounted: but ere +10 o'clock this effect ceased, and the broad disc of the earth began +sensibly to diminish. + +It is impossible to describe my sensations of mingled awe and admiration at +the splendid spectacle beneath me, so long as the different portions of the +earth's surface were plainly distinguishable. The novelty of the situation +in which I found myself, as well as its danger, prevented me indeed at +first from giving more than a passing attention to the magnificent scene; +but after a while, encouraged by the Brahmin's exhortation, and yet more by +the example of his calm and assured air, I was able to take a more +leisurely view of it. At first, as we partook of the diurnal motion of the +earth, and our course was consequently oblique, the same portion of the +globe from which we had set out, continued directly under us; and as the +eye stretched in every direction over Asia and its seas, continents and +islands, they appeared like pieces of green velvet, the surrounding ocean +like a mirror, and the Ganges, the Hoogley, and the great rivers of China, +like threads of silver. + +About 11 o'clock it was necessary to get a fresh supply of air, when +my companion cautiously turned one of the two stop-cocks to let out +that which was no longer fit for respiration, requesting me, at the +same time, to turn the other, to let in a fresh supply of condensed +air; but being awkward in the first attempt to follow his directions, +I was so affected by the exhaustion of the air through the vent now +made for it, that I fainted; and having, at the same time, given freer +passage to the condensed air than I ought, we must in a few seconds +have lost our supply, and thus have inevitably perished, had not the +watchful Hermit seen the mischief, and repaired it almost as soon as +it occurred. This accident, and the various agitations my mind had +undergone in the course of the day, so overpowered me, that at an early +hour in the afternoon I fell into a profound sleep, and did not awake +again for eight hours. + +While I slept, the good Brahmin had contrived to manage both stop-cocks +himself. The time of my waking would have been about 11 o'clock at night, +if we had continued on the earth; but we were now in a region where there +was no alternation of day and night, but one unvarying cloudless sun. Its +heat, however, was not in proportion to its brightness; for we found that +after we had ascended a few miles from the earth, it was becoming much +colder, and the Brahmin had recourse to a chemical process for evolving +heat, which soon made us comfortable: but after we were fairly in the great +aerial void, the temperature of our machine showed no tendency to change. + +The sensations caused by the novelty of my situation, at first checked +those lively and varied trains of thought which the bird's-eye view of so +many countries passing in review before us, was calculated to excite: yet, +after I had become more familiar with it, I contemplated the beautiful +exhibition with inexpressible delight. Besides, a glass of cordial, as well +as the calm, confiding air of the Brahmin, contributed to restore me to my +self-possession. The reader will recollect, that although our motion, at +first, partook of that of the earth's on its axis, and although the +_positive_ effect was the same on our course, the _relative_ effect was +less and less as we ascended, and consequently, that after a certain +height, every part of the terraqueous globe would present itself to our +view in succession, as we rapidly receded from it. At 9 o'clock, the whole +of India was a little to the west of us, and we saw, as in a map, that +fertile and populous region, which has been so strangely reduced to +subjection, by a company of merchants belonging to a country on the +opposite side of the globe--a country not equal to one-fourth of it, in +extent or population. Its rivers were like small filaments of silver; the +Red Sea resembled a narrow plate of the same metal. The peninsula of India +was of a darker, and Arabia of a light and more grayish green. + +The sun's rays striking obliquely on the Atlantic, emitted an effulgence +that was dazzling to the eyes. For two or three hours the appearance +of the earth did not greatly vary, the wider extent of surface we could +survey, compensating for our greater distance; and indeed at that time +we could not see the whole horizon, without putting our eyes close to +the glass. + +When the Brahmin saw that I had overcome my first surprise, and had +acquired somewhat of his own composure, he manifested a disposition +to beguile the time with conversation. "Look through the telescope," +said he, "a little from the sun, and observe the continent of Africa, +which is presenting itself to our view." I took a hasty glance over +it, and perceived that its northern edge was fringed with green; then +a dull white belt marked the great Sahara, or Desert, and then it exhibited +a deep green again, to its most southern extremity. I tried in vain +to discover the pyramids, for our telescope had not sufficient power +to show them. + +I observed to him, that less was known of this continent than of the +others: that a spirit of lively curiosity had been excited by the +western nations of Europe, to become acquainted with the inhabited +parts of the globe; but that all the efforts yet made, had still left +a large portion almost entirely unknown. I asked if he did not think it +probable that some of the nations in the interior of Africa were more +advanced in civilization than those on the coast, whose barbarous custom +of making slaves of their prisoners, Europeans had encouraged and +perpetuated, by purchasing them. + +"No, no," said he; "the benefits of civilization could not have been so +easily confined, but would have spread themselves over every part of that +continent, or at least as far as the Great Desert, if they had ever +existed. The intense heat of a climate, lying on each side of the Line, +at once disinclines men to exertion, and renders it unnecessary. Vegetable +diet is more suited to them than animal, which favours a denser population. +Talent is elicited by the efforts required to overcome difficulties +and hardships; and their natural birth-place is a country of frost and +snow--of tempests--of sterility enough to give a spur to exertion, but +not enough to extinguish hope. Where these difficulties exist, and give +occasion to war and emulation, the powers of the human mind are most +frequently developed." + +"Do you think then," said I, "that there is no such thing as natural +inferiority and differences of races?" + +"I have been much perplexed by that question," said he. "When I regard +the great masses of mankind, I think there seems to be among them some +characteristic differences. I see that the Europeans have every where +obtained the ascendancy over those who inhabit the other quarters of +the globe. But when I compare individuals, I see always the same passions, +the same motives, the same mental operations; and my opinion is changed. +The same seed becomes a very different plant when sowed in one soil or +another, and put under this or that mode of cultivation." + +"And may not," said I, "the very nature of the plant be changed, after a +long continuance of the same culture in the same soil?" + +"Why, that is but another mode of stating the question. I rather think, +if it has generally degenerated, it may, by opposite treatment, be also +gradually brought back to its original excellence." + +"Who knows, then," said I, "what our missionaries and colonization +societies may effect in Africa." + +He inquired of me what these societies were; and on explaining their +history, observed: "By what you tell me, it is indeed a small beginning; +but if they can get this grain of mustard-seed to grow, there is no +saying how much it may multiply. See what a handful of colonists have +done in your own country. A few ship-loads of English have overspread +half a continent; and, from what you tell me, their descendants will +amount, in another century, to more than one hundred millions. There is +no rule," he continued, "that can be laid down on this subject, to which +some nations cannot be found to furnish a striking exception. If mere +difficulties were all that were wanting to call forth the intellectual +energies of man, they have their full share on the borders of the Great +Desert. There are in that whitish tract which separates the countries +on the southern shores of the Mediterranean from the rest of Africa, +thousands of human beings at this moment toiling over that dreary ocean +of sand, to whom a draught of fresh water would be a blessing, and the +simplest meal a luxury. + +"Perhaps, however, you will say they are so engrossed with the animal +wants of hunger and thirst, that they are incapable of attending to any +thing else. Be it so. But in the interior they are placed in parallel +circumstances with the natives of Europe: they are engaged in struggles +for territory and dominion--for their altars and their homes; and this +state of things, which has made some of them brave and warlike, has made +none poets or painters, historians or philosophers. There, poetry has not +wanted themes of great achievement and noble daring; but heroes have +wanted poets. Nor can we justly ascribe the difference to the enervating +influence of climate, for the temperature of the most southern parts of +Africa differs little from that of Greece. And the tropical nations, too, +of your own continent, the Peruvians, were more improved than those who +inhabited the temperate regions. Besides, though the climate had instilled +softness and feebleness of character, it might also have permitted the +cultivation of the arts, as has been the case with us in Asia. On the +whole, without our being able to pronounce with certainty on the subject, +it does seem probable that some organic difference exists in the various +races of mankind, to which their diversities of moral and intellectual +character may in part be referred."--By this time the Morea and the +Grecian Archipelago were directly under our telescope. + +"Does not Greece," said I, "furnish the clearest proof of the influence +of moral causes on the character of nations? Compare what that country +formerly was, with what it now is. Once superior to all the rest of the +habitable globe, (of which it did not constitute the thousandth part,) +in letters, arts, and arms, and all that distinguishes men from brutes; +not merely in their own estimation, (for all nations are disposed to rate +themselves high enough,) but by the general consent of the rest of the +world. Do not the most improved and civilized of modern states still take +them as their instructors and guides in every species of literature--in +philosophy, history, oratory, poetry, architecture, and sculpture? And +those too, who have attained superiority over the world, in arms, yield +a voluntary subjection to the Greeks in the arts. The cause of their +former excellence and their present inferiority, is no doubt to be found +in their former freedom and their present slavery, and in the loss of +that emulation which seems indispensable to natural greatness." + +"Nay," replied he, "I am very far from denying the influence of moral +causes on national character. The history of every country affords +abundant evidence of it. I mean only to say, that though it does much, +it does not do every thing. It seems more reasonable to impute the changes +in national character to the mutable habits and institutions of man, +than to nature, which is always the same. But if we look a little nearer, +we may perhaps perceive, that amidst all those mutations in the character +of nations, there are still some features that are common to the same +people at all times, and which it would therefore be reasonable to +impute to the great unvarying laws of nature. Thus it requires no +extraordinary acuteness of observation, no strained hypothesis, to +perceive a close resemblance between the Germans or the Britons of +antiquity and their modern descendants, after the lapse of eighteen +centuries, and an entire revolution in government, religion, language, +and laws. And travellers still perceive among the inhabitants of modern +Greece, deteriorated and debased as they are by political servitude, +many of those qualities which distinguished their predecessors: the +same natural acuteness--the same sensibility to pleasure--the same +pliancy of mind and elasticity of body--the same aptitude for the arts +of imitation--and the same striking physiognomy. That bright, serene +sky--that happy combination of land and water, constituting the perfection +of the picturesque, and that balmy softness of its air, which have proved +themselves so propitious to forms of beauty, agility, and strength, also +operate benignantly on the mind which animates them. Whilst the fruit +is still fair to the eye, it is not probable that it has permanently +degenerated in fragrance or flavour. The great diversities of national +character may, perhaps, be attributed principally to moral and accidental +causes, but partly also to climate, and to original diversities in the +different races of man." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +_Continuation of the voyage--View of Europe; Atlantic Ocean; America-- +Speculations on the future destiny of the United States--Moral reflections +--Pacific Ocean--Hypothesis on the origin of the Moon._ + + +By this time the whole Mediterranean Sea, which, with the Arabian Gulf, +was seen to separate Africa from Europe and Asia, was full in our view. +The political divisions of these quarters of the world were, of course, +undistinguishable; and few of the natural were discernible by the naked +eye. The Alps were marked by a white streak, though less bright than the +water. By the aid of our glass, we could just discern the Danube, the +Nile, and a river which empties itself into the Gulf of Guinea, and which +I took to be the Niger: but the other streams were not perceptible. The +most conspicuous object of the solid part of the globe, was the Great +Desert before mentioned. The whole of Africa, indeed, was of a lighter hue +than either Asia or Europe, owing, I presume, to its having a greater +proportion of sandy soil: and I could not avoid contrasting, in my mind, +the colour of these continents, as they now appeared, with the complexions +of their respective inhabitants. + +I was struck too, with the vast disproportion which the extent of the +several countries of the earth bore to the part they had acted in history, +and the influence they had exerted on human affairs. The British islands +had diminished to a speck, and France was little larger; yet, a few +years ago it seemed, at least to us in the United States, as if there +were no other nations on the earth. The Brahmin, who was well read in +European history, on my making a remark on this subject, reminded me that +Athens and Sparta had once obtained almost equal celebrity, although +they were so small as not now to be visible. As I slowly passed the +telescope over the face of Europe, I pictured to myself the fat, plodding +Hollander--the patient, contemplative German--the ingenious, sensual +Italian--the temperate Swiss--the haughty, superstitious Spaniard--the +sprightly, self-complacent Frenchman--the sullen and reflecting Englishman +--who monopolize nearly all the science and literature of the earth, +to which they bear so small a proportion. As the Atlantic fell under our +view, two faint circles on each side of the equator, were to be perceived +by the naked eye. They were less bright than the rest of the ocean. The +Brahmin suggested that they might be currents; which brought to my memory +Dr. Franklin's conjecture on the subject, now completely verified by this +circular line of vapour, as it had been previously rendered probable by +the floating substances, which had been occasionally picked up, at great +distances from the places where they had been thrown into the ocean. The +circle was whiter and more distinct, where the Gulf Stream runs parallel +to the American coast, and gradually grew fainter as it passed along the +Banks of Newfoundland, to the coast of Europe, where, taking a southerly +direction, the line of the circle was barely discernible. A similar circle +of vapour, though less defined and complete, was perceived in the South +Atlantic Ocean. + +When the coast of my own beloved country first presented itself to my +view, I experienced the liveliest emotions; and I felt so anxious to see +my children and friends, that I would gladly have given up all the +promised pleasures of our expedition. I even ventured to hint my feelings +to the Brahmin; but he, gently rebuking my impatience, said-- + +"If to return home had been your only object, and not to see what not one +of your nation or race has ever yet seen, you ought to have so informed +me, that we might have arranged matters accordingly. I do not wish you +to return to your country, until you will be enabled to make yourself +welcome and useful there, by what you may see in the lunar world. Take +courage, then, my friend; you have passed the worst; and, as the proverb +says, do not, when you have swallowed the ox, now choke at the tail. +Besides, although we made all possible haste in descending, we should, +ere we reached the surface, find ourselves to the west of your continent, +and be compelled then to choose between some part of Asia or the Pacific +Ocean." + +"Let us then proceed," said I, mortified at the imputation on my courage, +and influenced yet more, perhaps, by the last argument. The Brahmin then +tried to soothe my disappointment, by his remarks on my native land. + +"I have a great curiosity," said he, "to see a country where a man, by +his labour, can earn as much in a month as will procure him bread, and +meat too, for the whole year; in a week, as will pay his dues to the +government; and in one or two days, as will buy him an acre of good land: +where every man preaches whatever religion he pleases; where the priests +of the different sects never fight, and seldom quarrel; and, stranger +than all, where the authority of government derives no aid from an army, +and that of the priests no support from the law." + +I told him, when he should see these things in operation with his +own eyes, as I trusted he would, if it pleased heaven to favour our +undertakings, they would appear less strange. I reminded him of the +peculiar circumstances under which our countrymen had commenced their +career. + +"In all other countries," said I, "civilization and population have +gone hand in hand; and the necessity of an increasing subsistence +for increasing numbers, has been the parent of useful arts and of +social improvement. In every successive stage of their advancement, +such countries have equally felt the evils occasioned by a scanty and +precarious subsistence. In America, however, the people are in the full +enjoyment of all the arts of civilization, while they are unrestricted +in their means of subsistence, and consequently in their power of +multiplication. From this singular state of things, two consequences +result. One is, that the progress of the nation in wealth, power, and +greatness, is more rapid than the world has ever before witnessed. +Another is, that our people, being less cramped and fettered by their +necessities, and feeling, of course, less of those moral evils which +poverty and discomfort engender, their character, moral and intellectual, +will be developed and matured with greater celerity, and, I incline +to think, carried to a higher point of excellence than has ever yet +been attained. I anticipate for them the eloquence and art of Athens--the +courage and love of country of Sparta--the constancy and military prowess +of the Romans--the science and literature of England and France--the +industry of the Dutch--the temperance and obedience to the laws of the +Swiss. In fifty years, their numbers will amount to forty millions; in +a century, to one hundred and sixty millions; in two centuries, (allowing +for a decreasing rate of multiplication,) to three or four hundred +millions. Nor does it seem impossible that, from the structure of their +government, they may continue united for a few great national purposes, +while each State may make the laws that are suited to its peculiar habits, +character, and circumstances. In another half century, they will extend +the Christian religion and the English language to the Pacific Ocean. + +"To the south of them, on the same continent, other great nations will +arise, who, if they were to be equally united, might contend in terrible +conflicts for the mastery of this great continent, and even of the world. +But when they shall be completely liberated from the yoke of Spanish +dominion, and have for some time enjoyed that full possession of their +faculties and energies which liberty only can give, they will probably +split into distinct States. United, at first, by the sympathy of men +struggling in the same cause, and by similarity of manners and religion, +they will, after a while, do as men always have done, quarrel and fight; +and these wars will check their social improvement, and mar their +political hopes. Whether they will successively fall under the dominion +of one able and fortunate leader, or, like the motley sovereignties of +Europe, preserve their integrity by their mutual jealousy, time only can +show." + +"Your reasoning about the natives of Spanish America appears very +probable," said the Brahmin; "but is it not equally applicable to your +own country ?" + +I reminded him of the peculiar advantages of our government. He shook +his head. + +"No, Atterley," said he, "do not deceive yourself. The duration of every +species of polity is uncertain; the works of nature alone are permanent. +The motions of the heavenly bodies are the same as they were thousands +of years ago. But not so with the works of man. He is the identical animal +that he ever was. His political institutions, however cunningly devised, +have always been yet more perishable than his structures of stone and +marble. This is according to all past history: and do not, therefore, +count upon an exception in your favour, that would be little short of +the miraculous. But," he good-naturedly added, "such a miracle may take +place in your system; and, although I do not expect it, I sincerely +wish it." + +We were now able to see one half of the broad expanse of the Pacific, +which glistened with the brightness of quicksilver or polished steel. + +"Cast your eyes to the north," said he, "and see where your continent +and mine approach so near as almost to touch. Both these coasts are +at this time thinly inhabited by a rude and miserable people, whose +whole time is spent in struggling against the rigours of their dreary +climate, and the scantiness of its productions. Yet, perhaps the Indians +and the Kamtschadales will be gradually moulded into a hardy, civilized +people: and here may be the scene of many a fierce conflict between your +people and the Russians, whose numbers, now four times as great as yours, +increase almost as rapidly." + +He then amused me with accounts of the manners and mode of life of the +Hyperborean race, with whom he had once passed a summer. Glancing my eye +then to the south,--"See," said I, "while the Kamtschadale is providing +his supply of furs and of fish, for the long winter which is already +knocking at the door of his hut, the gay and voluptuous native of the +Sandwich and other islands between the tropics. How striking the contrast! +The one passes his life in ease, abundance, and enjoyment; the other in +toil, privation, and care. No inclemency of the seasons inflicts present +suffering on these happy islanders, or brings apprehensions for the +future. Nature presents them with her most delicious fruits spontaneously +and abundantly; and she has implanted in their breast a lively relish for +the favours she so lavishly bestows upon them." + +The Brahmin, after musing a while, replied: "The difference is far less +than you imagine. Perhaps, on balancing their respective pleasures and +pains, the superior gain of the islander will be reduced to nothing: for, +as to the simplest source of gratification, that of palatable food, if +nature produces it more liberally in the islands, she also produces there +more mouths to consume it. The richest Kamtschadale may, indeed, oftener +go without a dinner than the richest Otaheitan; but it may be quite the +reverse with the poorest. Then, as to quality of the food: if nature +has provided more delicious fruits for the natives of tropical climates, +she has given a sharper appetite and stronger digestion to the Hyperborean, +which equalizes the sum of their enjoyments. A dry crust is relished, when +an individual is hungry, more than the most savoury and delicate dainties +when he is in a fever; and water to one man, is a more delicious beverage +than the juice of the grape or of the palm to another. As to the necessity +for labour, which is ever pressing on the inhabitants of cold countries, +it is this consequent and incessant activity which gives health to their +bodies, and cheerful vigour to their minds; since, without such exercise, +man would have been ever a prey to disease and discontent. And, if no +other occupation be provided for the mind of man, it carves out employment +for itself in vain regrets and gloomy forebodings--in jealousy, envy, and +the indulgence of every hateful and tormenting passion: hence the +proverb,--'If you want corn, cultivate your soil; if you want weeds, let +it alone.' + +"But again: the native of those sunny isles is never sensible of the +bounty of Providence, till he is deprived of it. Here, as well as every +where else, desire outgoes gratification. Man sees or fancies much that +he cannot obtain; and in his regret for what he wants, forgets what he +already possesses. What is it to one with a tooth-ache, that a savoury +dish is placed before him? It is the same with the mind as the body: when +pain engrosses it in one way, it cannot relish pleasure in another. Every +climate and country too, have their own evils and inconveniences." + +"You think, then," said I, "that the native of Kamtschatka has the +advantage?" + +"No," he rejoined, "I do not mean to say that, for the evils of his +situation are likewise very great; but they are more manifest, and +therefore less necessary to be brought to your notice." + +It was now, by our time-pieces, about two o'clock in the afternoon--that +is, two hours had elapsed since we left terra firma; and, saving a few +biscuits and a glass of cordial a-piece, we had not taken any sort of +refreshment. The Brahmin proposed that we now should dine; and, opening +a small case, and drawing forth a cold fowl, a piece of dried goat's +flesh, a small pot of ghee, some biscuits, and a bottle of arrack +flavoured with ginger and spices, with a larger one of water, we ate as +heartily as we had ever done at the hermitage; the slight motion of our +machine to one side or the other, whenever we moved, giving us nearly +as much exercise as a vessel in a smooth sea. The animal food had been +provided for me, for the Brahmin satisfied his hunger with the ghee, +sweetmeats, and biscuit, and ate sparingly even of them. We each took +two glasses of the cordial diluted with water, and carefully putting +back the fragments, again turned our thoughts to the planet we had left. + +The middle of the Pacific now lay immediately beneath us. I had never +before been struck with the irregular distribution of land and water on +our globe, the expanse of ocean here being twice as large as in any +other part; and, on remarking this striking difference to the Brahmin, +he replied: + +"It is the opinion of some philosophers in the moon, that their globe +is a fragment of ours; and, as they can see every part of the earth's +surface, they believe the Pacific was the place from which the moon was +ejected. They pretend that a short, but consistent tradition of the +disruption, has regularly been transmitted from remote antiquity; and +they draw confirmation of their hypothesis from many words of the Chinese, +and other Orientals, with whom they claim affinity." + +"Ridiculous!" said I; "the moon is one-fourth the diameter of the earth; +and if the two were united in one sphere, the highest mountains must +have been submerged, and of course there would have been no human +inhabitants; or, if any part of the land was then bare, on the waters +retiring to fill up the chasm made by the separation of so large a body +as the moon, the parts before habitable would be, instead of two, three, +or at most four miles, as your Himalah mountains are said to be, some +twenty or thirty miles above the level of the ocean." + +"That is not quite so certain," said he: "we know not of what the interior +of the earth is composed, any more than we could distinguish the contents +of an egg, by penetrating one hundredth part of its shell. But we see, +that if one drop of water be united with another, they form one large +drop, as spherical as either of the two which composed it: and on the +separation of the moon from the earth, if they were composed of mingled +solids and fluids, or if the solid parts rested on fluid, both the +fragment and the remaining earth would assume the same globular appearance +they now present. + +"On this subject, however, I give no opinion. I only say, that it is not +contradicted by the facts you have mentioned. The fluid and the solid +parts settling down into a new sphere, might still retain nearly their +former proportion: or, if the fragment took away a greater proportion +of solid than of fluid, then the waters retiring to fill up the cavity, +would leave parts bare which they had formerly covered. There are some +facts which give a colour to this supposition; for most of the high +mountains of the earth afford evidence of former submersion; and those +which are the highest, the Himalah, are situated in the country to which +the origin of civilization, and even the human species itself, may be +traced. The moon too, we know, has much less water than the earth: and +all those appearances of violence, which have so puzzled cosmogonists, +the topsy-turvy position in which vegetable substances are occasionally +found beneath the soil on which they grew, and the clear manifestations +of the action of water, in the formation of strata, in the undulating +forms it has left, and in the correspondent salient and retiring angles +of mountains and opposite coasts, were all caused by the disruption; +and as the moon has a smaller proportion of water than the earth, she +has also the highest mountains." + +"But, father," said I, "the diameter of the earth being but four times +as large as that of the moon, how can the violent separation of so large +a portion of our planet be accounted for? Where is the mighty agent to +rend off such a mass, and throw it to thirty times the earth's diameter?" + +"Upon that subject," said he, "the Lunarian sages are much divided. +Many hypotheses have been suggested on the subject, some of which are +very ingenious, and all very fanciful: but the two most celebrated, and +into which all the others are now merged, are those of Neerlego and +Darcandarca; the former of whom, in a treatise extending to nine quarto +volumes, has maintained that the disruption was caused by a comet; and +the latter, in a work yet more voluminous, has endeavoured to prove, that +when the materials of the moon composed a part of the earth, this planet +contained large masses of water, which, though the particles cohered with +each other, were disposed to fly off from the earth; and that, by an +accumulation of the electric fluid, according to laws which he has +attempted to explain, the force was at length sufficient to heave the +rocks which encompassed these masses, from their beds, and to project +them from the earth, when, partaking of the earth's diurnal motion, they +assumed a spherical form, and revolved around it. And further, that +because the moon is composed of two sorts of matter, that are differently +affected towards the earth in its revolution round that planet, the same +parts of its surface always maintain some relative position to us, which +thus necessarily causes the singularity of her turning on her axis +precisely in the time in which she revolves round the earth." + +"I see," said I, "that doctors differ and dispute about their own fancies +every where." + +"That is," said he, "because they contend as vehemently for what they +imagine as for what they see; and perhaps more so, as their _perceptions_ +are like those of other men, while their _reveries_ are more exclusively +their own. Thus, in the present instance, the controversy turns upon the +mode in which the separation was effected, which affords the widest field +for conjecture, while they both agree that such separation has taken +place. As to this fact I have not yet made up my mind, though it must +be confessed that there is much to give plausibility to their opinion. +I recognise, for instance, a striking resemblance between the animal +and vegetable productions of Asia and those of the moon." + +"Do you think, father," said I, "that animal, or even vegetable life, +could possibly exist in such a disruption as is supposed?" + +"Why not?" said he: "you are not to imagine that the shock would be felt +in proportion to the mass that was moved. On the contrary, while it would +occasion, in some parts, a great destruction of life, it would, in others, +not be felt more than an earthquake, or rather, than a succession of +earthquakes, during the time that the different parts of the mass were +adjusting themselves to a spherical form; whilst a few pairs, or even a +single pair of animals, saved in some cavity of a mountain, would be +sufficient, in a few centuries, to stock the whole surface of the earth +with as many individuals as are now to be found on it. + +"After all," he added, "it is often difficult in science to distinguish +Truth from the plausibility which personates her. But let us not, however, +be precipitate; let us but hear both sides. In the east we have a saying, +that 'he who hears with but one ear, never hears well.'" + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +_The voyage continued--Second view of Asia--The Brahmin's speculations +concerning India--Increase of the Moon's attraction--Appearance of the +Moon--They land on the Moon._ + + +The dryness of the preceding discussion, which lay out of the course of +my studies, together with the effect of my dinner, began to make me a +little drowsy; whereupon the Brahmin urged me to take the repose which +it was clear I needed; remarking, that when I awoke, he would follow +my example. Reclining my head, then, on my cloak, in a few minutes my +senses were steeped in forgetfulness. + +I slept about six hours most profoundly; and on waking, found the good +Brahmin busy with his calculations of our progress. I insisted on his +now taking some rest. After requesting me to wake him at the end of three +hours, (or sooner, if any thing of moment should occur,) and putting up +a short prayer, which was manifested by his looks, rather than by his +words, he laid himself down, and soon fell into a quiet sleep. + +Left now to my own meditations, and unsupported by the example and +conversation of my friend, I felt my first apprehensions return, and +began seriously to regret my rashness in thus venturing on so bold an +experiment, which, however often repeated with success, must ever be +hazardous, and which could plead little more in its favour than a vain +and childish curiosity. I took up a book, but whilst my eye ran over the +page, I understood but little what I read, and could not relish even that. +I now looked down through the telescope, and found the earth surprisingly +diminished in her apparent dimensions, from the increased rapidity of our +ascent. The eastern coasts of Asia were still fully in view, as well as +the entire figure of that vast continent--of New Holland--of Ceylon, and +of Borneo; but the smaller islands were invisible. I strained my eye to +no purpose, to follow the indentations of the coast, according to the map +before me; the great bays and promontories could alone be perceived. The +Burman Empire, in one of the insignificant villages of which I had been +confined for a few years, was now reduced to a speck. The agreeable +hours I had passed with the Brahmin, with the little daughter of Sing Fou, +and my rambling over the neighbouring heights, all recurred to my mind, +and I almost regretted the pleasures I had relinquished. I tried, with +more success, to beguile the time by making notes in my journal; and after +having devoted about an hour to this object, I returned to the telescope, +and now took occasion to examine the figure of the earth near the Poles, +with a view of discovering whether its form favoured Captain Symmes's +theory of an aperture existing there; and I am convinced that that +ingenious gentleman is mistaken. Time passed so heavily during these +solitary occupations, that I looked at my watch every five minutes, and +could scarcely be persuaded it was not out of order. I then took up my +little Bible, (which had always been my travelling companion,) read a +few chapters in St. Matthew, and found my feelings tranquillized, and +my courage increased. The desired hour at length arrived; when, on waking +the old man, he alertly raised himself up, and at the first view of the +diminished appearance of the earth, observed that our journey was a third +over, as to time, but not as to distance. After a few moments, the Brahmin +again cast his eye towards his own natal soil; on beholding which, he +fetched a deep sigh, and, if I was not mistaken, I saw a rising tear. + +"Alas!" said he, "my country and my countrymen, how different you are in +many respects from what I should wish you to be! And yet I do not love +you the less. Perhaps I love you the more for your faults, as well as +for your misfortunes. + +"Our lot," continued he, "is a hard one. That quarter of the world has +sent letters, and arts, and religion abroad to adorn and benefit the +other four; and these, the chief of human blessings and glories, have +deserted us!" + +I told him that I had heard the honours, which he claimed for India, +attributed to Egypt. He contended, with true love of country, great +plausibility, and an intimate knowledge of Oriental history, that letters +and the arts had been first transplanted from Asia into Egypt. + +"No other part of Africa," said he, "saving Egypt, can boast of any +ancient monuments of the arts or of civilization. Even the pyramids, +the great boast of Egypt, are proofs of nothing more than ordinary patient +labour, directed by despotic power. Besides, look at that vast region, +extending five thousand miles from the Mediterranean to the Cape of Good +Hope, and four thousand from the Red Sea to the Atlantic. Its immense +surface contains only ignorant barbarians, who are as uncivilized now as +they were three thousand years ago. Is it likely that if civilization and +letters originated in Egypt, as is sometimes pretended, it would have +spread so extensively in one direction, and not at all in another? +I make no exception in favour of the Carthagenians, whose origin was +comparatively recent, and who, we know, were a colony from Asia." + +I was obliged to admit the force of this reasoning; and, when he proceeded +to descant on the former glories and achievements of Asiatic nations, +and their sad reverses of fortune--while he freely spoke of the present +degradation and imbecility of his countrymen, he promptly resisted every +censure of mine. It was easy, indeed, to see that he secretly cherished +a hope that the day would come, when the whole of Hindostan would be +emancipated from its European masters, and assume that rank among nations +to which the genius of its inhabitants entitled it. He admitted that the +dominion of the English was less oppressive than that of their native +princes; but said, that there was this great difference between foreign +and domestic despotism,--that the former completely extinguished all +national pride, which is as much the cause as the effect of national +greatness. + +I asked him whether he thought if his countrymen were to shake off the +yoke of the English, they could maintain their independence? + +"Undoubtedly," said he. "Who would be able to conquer us?" + +I suggested to him that they might tempt the ambition of Russia; and +cautiously inquired, whether the abstinence from animal food might not +render his country much less capable of resistance; and whether it might +not serve to explain why India had so often been the prey of foreign +conquest? Of this, however, he would hear nothing; but replied, with +more impatience than was usual with him-- + +"It is true, Hindostan was invaded by Alexander--but not conquered; and +that it has since submitted, in succession, to the Arabians, to the +Tartars, under Genghis Khan, and under Tamerlane; to the Persians, under +Nadir Shah, and, finally, to the British. But there are few countries +of Europe which have not been conquered as often. That nation from which +you are descended, and to which mine is now subject, furnishes no +exception, as it has been subjugated, in succession, by the Romans, the +Danes, the Saxons, the Normans. And, as to courage, we see no difference +between those Asiatics who eat animal food as you do, and those who +abstain from it as I do. I am told that the Scotch peasantry eat much +less animal food than the English, and the Irish far less than they; and +yet, that these rank among the best troops of the British. But surely a +nation ought not to be suspected of fearing death, whose very women show +a contempt of life which no other people have exhibited." + +This led us to talk of that strange custom of his country, which impels +the widow to throw herself on the funeral pile of her husband, and to be +consumed with him. I told him that it had often been represented as +compulsory--or, in other words, that it was said that every art and means +were resorted to, for the purpose of working on the mind of the woman, by +her relatives, aided by the priests, who would be naturally gratified by +such signal triumphs of religion over the strongest feelings of nature. He +admitted that these engines were sometimes put in operation, and that +they impelled to the sacrifice, some who were wavering; but insisted, that +in a majority of instances the _Suttee_ was voluntary. + +"Women," said he, "are brought up from their infancy, to regard our sex +as their superiors, and to believe that their greatest merit consists in +entire devotion to their husbands. Under this feeling, and having, at +the same time, their attention frequently turned to the chance of such a +calamity, they are better prepared to meet it when it occurs. How few of +the officers in your western armies, ever hesitate to march, at the head +of their men, on a forlorn hope? and how many even court the danger for +the sake of the glory? Nay, you tell me that, according to your code of +honour, if one man insults another, he who gives the provocation, and he +who receives it, rather than be disgraced in the eyes of their countrymen, +will go out, and quietly shoot at each other with firearms, till one of +them is killed or wounded; and this too, in many cases, when the injury +has been merely nominal. If you show such a contempt of death, in +deference to a custom founded in mere caprice, can it be wondered that +a woman should show it, in the first paroxysms of her grief for the +loss of him to whom was devoted every thought, word, and action of her +life, and who, next to her God, was the object of her idolatry? My dear +Atterley," he continued, with emotion, "you little know the strength of +woman's love!" + +Here he abruptly broke off the conversation; and, after continuing +thoughtful and silent for some time, he remarked: + +"But do not forget where we are. Nature demands her accustomed rest, and +let us prepare to indulge her. I feel little inclined to sleep at +present; yet, by the time you have taken some hours' repose, I shall +probably require the same refreshment." + +I would willingly have listened longer; but, yielding to his prudent +suggestion, again composed myself to rest, and left my good monitor to +his melancholy meditations. When I had slept about four hours, I was +awakened by the Brahmin, in whose arms I found myself, and who, feeble +as he was, handled me with the ease that a nurse does a child, or rather, +as a child does her doll. On looking around, I found myself lying on what +had been the ceiling of our chamber, which still, however, felt like the +bottom. My eyes and my feelings were thus in collision, and I could only +account for what I saw, by supposing that the machine had been turned +upside down. I was bewildered and alarmed. + +After enjoying my surprise for a moment, the Brahmin observed: "We have, +while you were asleep, passed the middle point between the earth's and the +moon's attraction, and we now gravitate less towards our own planet than +her satellite. I took the precaution to move you, before you fell by your +own gravity, from what was lately the bottom, to that which is now so, +and to keep you in this place until you were retained in it by the moon's +attraction; for, though your fall would have been, at this point, like +that of a feather, yet it would have given you some shock and alarm. The +machine, therefore, has undergone no change in its position or course; +the change is altogether in our feelings." + +The Brahmin then, after having looked through either telescope, but for +a longer time through the one at the bottom, and having performed his +customary devotions, soon fell into a slumber, but not into the same +quiet sleep as before, for he was often interrupted by sudden starts, +of so distressing a character, that I was almost tempted to wake him. +After a while, however, he seemed more composed, when I betook myself +to the telescope turned towards the earth. + +The earth's appearance I found so diminished as not to exceed four times +the diameter of the moon, as seen from the earth, and its whole face was +entirely changed. After the first surprise, I recollected it was the +moon I was then regarding, and my curiosity was greatly awakened. On +raising myself up, and looking through the upper telescope, the earth +presented an appearance not very dissimilar; but the outline of her +continents and oceans were still perceptible, in different shades, and +capable of being easily recognised; but the bright glare of the sun made +the surfaces of both bodies rather dim and pale. + +After a short interval, I again looked at the moon, and found not only +its magnitude very greatly increased, but that it was beginning to +present a more beautiful spectacle. The sun's rays fell obliquely on +her disc, so that by a large part of its surface not reflecting the light, +I saw every object on it, so far as I was enabled by the power of my +telescope. Its mountains, lakes, seas, continents, and islands, were +faintly, though not indistinctly, traced; and every moment brought +forth something new to catch my eye, and awaken my curiosity. The +whole face of the moon was of a silvery hue, relieved and varied by the +softest and most delicate shades. No cloud nor speck of vapour intercepted +my view. One of my exclamations of delight awakened the Brahmin, who +quickly arose, and looking down on the resplendent orb below us, observed +that we must soon begin to slacken the rapidity of our course, by +throwing out ballast. The moon's dimensions now rapidly increased; the +separate mountains, which formed the ridges and chains on her surface, +began to be plainly visible through the telescope; whilst, on the shaded +side, several volcanoes appeared upon her disc, like the flashes of +our fire-fly, or rather like the twinkling of stars in a frosty night. +He remarked, that the extraordinary clearness and brightness of the +objects on the moon's surface, was owing to her having a less extensive +and more transparent atmosphere than the earth: adding--"The difference +is so great, that some of our astronomical observers have been induced +to think she has none. If that, however, had been the case, our voyage +would have been impracticable." + +After gazing at the magnificent spectacle, with admiration and delight, +for half an hour, the Brahmin loosed one of the balls of the lunar metal, +for the purpose of checking our velocity. At this time he supposed we +were not more than four thousand miles, or about twice the moon's +diameter, from the nearest point of her surface. In about four hours +more, her apparent magnitude was so great, that we could see her by +looking out of either of the dark side-windows. Her disc had now lost +its former silvery appearance, and began to look more like that of the +earth, when seen at the same distance. It was a most gratifying spectacle +to behold the objects successively rising to our view, and steadily +enlarging in their dimensions. The rapidity with which we approached the +moon, impressed me, in spite of myself, with the alarming sensation of +falling; and I found myself alternately agitated with a sense of this +danger, and with impatience to take a nearer view of the new objects that +greeted my eyes. The Brahmin was wholly absorbed in calculations for the +purpose of adjusting our velocity to the distance we had to go, his +estimates of which, however, were in a great measure conjectural; and +ever and anon he would let off a ball of the lunar metal. + +After a few hours, we were so near the moon that every object was seen in +our glass, as distinctly as the shells or marine plants through a piece +of shallow sea-water, though the eye could take in but a small part of +her surface, and the horizon, which bounded our view, was rapidly +contracting. On letting the air escape from our machine, it did not now +rush out with the same violence as before, which showed that we were +within the moon's atmosphere. This, as well as ridding ourselves of the +metal balls, aided in checking our progress. By and bye we were within a +few miles of the highest mountains, when we threw down so much of our +ballast, that we soon appeared almost stationary. The Brahmin remarked, +that he should avail himself of the currents of air we might meet with, +to select a favourable place for landing, though we were necessarily +attracted towards the same region, in consequence of the same half of +the moon's surface being always turned towards the earth. + +"In our second voyage," said he, "we were glad to get foothold any where; +for, not having lightened our machine sufficiently, we came down, with a +considerable concussion, on a barren field, remote from any human +habitation, and suffered more from hunger and cold, for nearly three days, +than we had done from the perils and privations of the voyage. The next +time we aimed at landing near the town of Alamatua, which stands, as you +may see, a little to the right of us, upon an island in a lake, and looks +like an emerald set in silver. We came down very gently, it is true, but +we struck one of the numerous boats which ply around the island, and had +nearly occasioned the loss of our lives, as well as of theirs. In our +last voyage we were every way fortunate. The first part of the moon we +approached, was a level plain, of great extent, divided into corn-fields, +on which, having lowered our grapnel, we drew ourselves down without +difficulty. + +"We must now," continued he, "look out for some cultivated field, in one +of the valleys we are approaching, where we may rely on being not far +from some human abode, and on escaping the perils of rocks, trees, and +buildings." + +While the Brahmin was speaking, a gentle breeze arose, as appeared by our +horizontal motion, which wafted us at the rate of about ten miles an hour, +in succession, over a ridge of mountains, a lake, a thick wood, and a +second lake, until at length we reached a cultivated region, recognised +by the Brahmin as the country of the Morosofs, the place we were most +anxious to reach. + +"Let off two of the balls of lead to the earth," said he. I did so, and +we descended rapidly. When we were sufficiently near the ground to see +that it was a fit place for landing, we opened the door, and found the +air of the moon inconceivably sweet and refreshing. We now loosed one of +the lower balls, and somewhat checked our descent. In a few minutes more, +however, we were within twenty yards of the ground, when we let go the +largest ball of lunarium, which, having a cord attached to it, served us +in lieu of a grapnel. It descended with great force to the ground, while +the machine, thus lightened, was disposed to mount again. We, however, +drew ourselves down; and as soon as the machine touched the ground, +we let off some of our leaden balls to keep it there. We released +ourselves from the machine in a twinkling; and our first impulse was +to fall on our knees, and return thanks for our safe deliverance from +the many perils of the voyage. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +_Some account of Morosofia, and its chief city Alamatua--Singular +dresses of the Lunar ladies--Religious self denial--Glouglim miser and +spendthrift._ + + +My feelings, at the moment I touched the ground, repayed me for all I +had endured. I looked around with the most intense curiosity; but nothing +that I saw, surprised me so much as to find so little that was surprising. +The vegetation, insects and other animals, were all pretty much of the +same character as those I had seen before; but after I became better +acquainted with them, I found the difference to be much greater than I at +first supposed. Having refreshed ourselves with the remains of our stores, +and secured the door of our machine, we bent our course, by a plain road, +towards the town we saw on the side of a mountain, about three miles +distant, and entered it a little before the sun had descended behind the +adjacent mountain. + +The town of Alamatua seemed to contain about two thousand houses, and to +be not quite as large as Albany. The houses were built of a soft shining +stone, and they all had porticoes, piazzas, and verandas, suited to the +tropical climate of Morosofia. The people were tall and thin, of a pale +yellowish complexion; and their garments light, loose, and flowing, and +not very different from those of the Turks. The lower order of people +commonly wore but a single garment, which passed round the waist. One +half the houses were under ground, partly to screen them from the continued +action of the sun's rays, and partly on account of the earthquakes caused +by volcanoes. The windows of their houses were different from any I had +ever seen before. They consisted of openings in the wall, sloping so +much upwards, that while they freely admitted the light and air, the sun +was completely excluded: and although those who were within could readily +see what was passing in the streets, they were concealed from the gaze of +the curious. In their hot-houses, it was common to have mirrors in the +ceilings, which at once reflected the street passengers to those who were +on the floor, and enabled the ostentatious to display to the public eye +the decorations of their tables, whenever they gave a sumptuous feast. + +The inhabitants subsist chiefly on a vegetable diet; live about as long +as they do on the earth, notwithstanding the great difference of climate, +and other circumstances; and, in short, do not, in their manners, habits, +or character, differ more from the inhabitants of our planet, than some of +these differ from one another. Their government was anciently monarchical, +but is now popular. Their code of laws is said to be very intricate. Their +language, naturally soft and musical, has been yet further refined by the +cultivation of letters. They have a variety of sects in religion, +politics, and philosophy. The territory of Morosofia is about 150 miles +square. This brief sketch must content the reader for the present. I refer +those who are desirous of being more particularly informed, to the work +which I propose to publish on lunar geography; and, in the mean time, +some of the most striking peculiarities of this people, in opinions, +manners, and customs, will be developed in this, which must be considered +as my _personal narrative_. + +As soon as we were espied by the inhabitants, we were surrounded by a +troop of little boys, as well as all the idle and inquisitive near us. +The Brahmin had not gone far, before he was met by some persons of his +acquaintance, who immediately recognised him, and seemed very much pleased +to see him again in the moon. They politely conducted us to the house of +the governor, who received us very graciously. He appeared to be about +forty-five years of age, was dressed in a pearl-coloured suit, and had a +mild, amiable deportment. He began a course of interesting inquiry about +the affairs of the earth; but a gentleman, whom we afterwards understood +was one of the leaders of the popular party, coming in, he soon despatched +us; having, however, first directed an officer to furnish us with all +that was necessary for our accommodation, at the public expense--which +act of hospitality, we have reason to fear, occasioned him some trouble +and perplexity at the succeeding election. We very gladly withdrew, as +both by reason of our long walk, and the excitement produced by so many +new objects, we were greatly fatigued. The officer conducted us to +respectable private lodgings, in a lightsome situation, which overlooked +the chief part of the city. + +After a frugal, but not unpalatable repast, and a few hours' sleep, +the Brahmin took me round the city and a part of its environs, to make me +acquainted with the public buildings, streets, shops, and the appearance +of the inhabitants. I soon found that our arrival was generally known +and that we excited quite as much curiosity as we felt, though many of +the persons we met had seen the Brahmin before. I was surprised that we +saw none of their women; but the Brahmin told me that they were every +where gazing through their windows; and, on looking up, through these +slanting apertures I could often see their eyes peeping over the upper +edge of the window-sill. + +I shall now proceed to record faithfully what I deem most memorable; not +as many travellers have done, from their recollection, after their return +home, but from notes, which I regularly made, either at the moment of +observation, or very shortly afterwards. When we first visited the shops, +I was equally gratified and surprised with what was familiar and what was +new; but I was particularly amused with those of the tailors and milliners. +In the lower part of their dress, the Lunarians chiefly resemble the +Europeans; but in the upper part, the Asiatics--for they shave the head, +and wear turbans; from which fact the Brahmin drew another argument in +favour of the hypothesis, that the moon was originally a part of the +earth. Some of the female fashions were so extremely singular and +fanciful, as to deserve particular mention. + +One piece of their attire was formed of a long piece of light stiff +wood, covered with silk, and decorated with showy ornaments. It was +worn across the shoulders, beyond each of which it jutted out about half +a yard; and from either end a cord led to a ring running round the upper +part of the head, bearing no small resemblance to the yard of a ship's +mast, and the ropes used for steering it. Several other dresses I +saw, which I am satisfied would be highly disapproved by my modest +countrywomen. Thus, in some were inserted glasses like watch crystals, +adapted to the form and size of the female bosom. But, to do the Lunar +ladies justice, I understood that these dresses were condemned by the +sedate part of the sex, and were worn only by the young and thoughtless, +who were vain of their forms. I observed too, that instead of decorating +their heads with flowers, like the ladies of our earth, they taxed the +animal world for a correspondent ornament. Many of the head-dresses were +made of a stiff open gauze, occasionally stuck over with insects of the +butterfly and _coccinella_ species, and others of the gayest hues. At +other times these insects were alive; when their perpetual buzzing and +fluttering in their transparent cages, had a very animating effect. One +decoration for the head in particular struck my fancy: it was formed of a +silver tissue, containing fireflies, and intended to be worn in the night. + +But the most remarkable thing of all, was the whim of the ladies in +the upper classes, of making themselves as much like birds as possible; +in which art, it must be confessed, they were wonderfully successful. +The dress used for this purpose, consisted of a sort of thick cloak, +covered with feathers, like those of the South Sea islands, and was so +fashioned, by means of a tight thick quilting, as to make the wearer, at +a little distance, very much resemble an overgrown bird, except that the +legs were somewhat too thick. Their arms were concealed under the wings; +and the resemblance was yet further increased, by marks with beaks adapted +to the particular plumage: some personating doves, some magpies; others +again, hawks, parrots, &c., according to their natural figure, humour, +&c.; while the deception was still further assisted by their extraordinary +agility, compared with ours, by means of which they could, with ease, +hop eighteen or twenty feet. I told the Brahmin that some of the Indians +of our continent showed a similar taste in dress, by decorating themselves +with horns like the buffalo, and with tails like horses; which furnished +him with a further argument in favour of a common origin. + +We spent above an hour in examining these curious habiliments, and in +inquiring the purposes and uses of the several parts. Sometimes I was +induced, through the Brahmin, to criticise their taste and skill, having +been always an admirer of simplicity in female attire. But I remarked +on this occasion, as on several others, subsequently, that the people of +the moon were neither very thankful for advice, nor thought very highly +of the judgment of those who differ from them in opinion. + +After having rambled over the city about six hours, our appetites told +us it was time to return to our lodgings; and here I met with a new +cause of wonder. The family with whom we were domesticated, belonged +to a numerous and zealous sect of religionists, and were, in their way, +very worthy, as well as pious people. Their dinner consisted of several +dishes of vegetables, variously served up; of roots, stalks, seeds, +flowers, and fruits, some of which resembled the productions of the +earth; and in particular, I saw a dish of what I at first took to be +very fine asparagus, but supposed I was mistaken, when I saw them eat +the coarse fibrous part alone. On tasting it, however, in the ordinary +way, I found it to be genuine, good asparagus; but I perceived that the +family looked extremely shocked at my taste. After the other dishes were +removed, some large fruit, of the peach kind, were set on the table, +when the members of the family, having carefully paired off the skin, +ate it, and threw the rest away. They in like manner chewed the shells +of some small grayish nuts, and threw away the kernels, which to me were +very palatable. The younger children, consisting of two boys and a girl, +exchanged looks with each other at the selections I made, and I thought +I perceived in the looks of the mother, still more aversion than surprise. +I found too, that my friend the Brahmin abstained from all these things, +and partook only of those vegetables and fruits of which both they and I +ate alike. Some wine was offered us, which appeared to me to be neither +more nor less than vinegar; and, what added to my surprise, a bottle, +which they said was not yet fit to drink, seemed to me to be pretty good, +the Brahmin having passed it to me for my judgment, as soon as they +pronounced upon it sentence of condemnation. + +After we arose from this strange scene, and had withdrawn to our chamber, +I expressed my surprise to my companion at this contrariety in the tastes +of the Terrestrials and Lunarians: whereupon he told me, that the +difference was rather apparent than real. + +"These people," said he, "belong to a sect of Ascetics in this country, +who are persuaded that all pleasure received through the senses is sinful, +and that man never appears so acceptable in the sight of the Deity, as +when he rejects all the delicacies of the palate, as well as other +sensual gratifications, and imposes on himself that food to which he +feels naturally most repugnant. You may see that those peaches, which +were so disdainfully thrown into the yard, are often secretly picked up +by the children, who obey the impulses of nature, and devour them most +greedily. Even in the old people themselves, there is occasionally some +backsliding into the depravity of worldly appetite. You might have +perceived, that while the old man was abusing the wine you drank as +unripe, and making wry faces at it, he still kept tasting it; and if I +had not reached it to you, he would probably, before he had ceased his +meditations, have finished half the bottle. It must be confessed, that +although religion cherishes our best feelings, it also often proves a +cloak for the worst." + +I told him that our clergy were superior to this weakness, most of them +manifesting a proper sense of the bounty of Providence, by eating and +drinking of the best, (not very sparingly neither); and that in New-York, +we considered some of our preachers the best judges of wine among us. Soon +afterwards, we again sallied forth in quest of adventures, and bent our +course towards the suburbs. + +We had not gone far, before we saw several persons looking at a man +working hard at a forge, in a low crazy building. On approaching him, we +found he was engaged in making nails, an operation which he performed +with great skill and adroitness; and as soon as he had made as many +as he could take up in his hand at once, he carried them behind his +little hovel, and dropped them into a narrow deep well. Some of the +by-standers wished to beg a few of what he seemed to value so lightly, +and others offered to give him bread or clothes in exchange for his +nails, but he obstinately resisted all their applications; in fact, +little heeding them, although he was almost naked, had a starved, haggard +appearance, and evidently regarded the food they proffered with a +wishful eye. + +The lookers on told us the blacksmith had been for years engaged in this +business of nail-making; he worked with little intermission, scarcely +allowing himself time for necessary sleep or refreshment; that all the +fruits of his incessant labour were disposed of in the manner we had +just seen; and that he had already three wells filled with nails, which +he had carefully closed. He had, moreover, a large and productive farm, +the increase arising from which, was laid out in exchange for the metal +of which his nails were made. He had, we were informed, so much attachment +to these pieces of metal, that he was often on the point of starvation +before he would part with one. + +I observed to the Brahmin, that it was a singular, and somewhat +inexplicable, species of madness. + +"True," he replied; "this man's conduct cannot be explained upon any +rational principles--but he is one of the Glonglims, of which I have +spoken to you; and examples are not wanting on our planet, of conduct +as irreconcilable to reason. This man is making an article which is +scarce, as well as useful, in this country, where gravity is less than +it is with us: the force of the wind is very great, and the metal is +possessed but by a few. Now, if you suppose these nails to be pieces +of gold and silver, his conduct will be precisely that of some of our +misers, who waste their days and nights in hoarding up wealth which they +never use, nor mean to use; but, denying themselves every comfort of +life, anxiously and unceasingly toil for those who are to come after +them, though they are so far from feeling, towards these successors, +any peculiar affection, that they often regard them with jealousy and +hatred." + +While we thus conversed, there stepped up to us a handsome man, foppishly +dressed in blue trowsers, a pink vest, and a red and white turban; who, +after having shaken my companion by the ears, according to the custom of +the country among intimate friends, expressed his delight at seeing him +again in Morosofia. He then went on, in a lively, humorous strain, to +ridicule the nail-smith, and told us several stories of his singular +attachment to his nails. In the midst of these sallies, however, a harsh +looking personage in brown came up, upon which the countenance of our +lively acquaintance suddenly changed, and they walked off together. + +"I apprehend," said the Brahmin, "that my gay acquaintance yonder +continues as he formerly was. The man in brown, who so unseasonably +interrupted his pleasantry, is an officer of justice, and has probably +taken him before a magistrate, to answer some one of his numerous +creditors. You must know," added he, "that the people of the moon, +however irrational themselves, are very prompt in perceiving the +absurdities of others: and this lively wit, who, as you see, wants neither +parts nor address, acts as strangely as the wretch he has been ridiculing. +He inherited a large estate, which brought him in a princely revenue; +and yet his desires and expenses so far outgo his means, that he is +always in want. Both he and the nailmaker suffer the evils of poverty-- +of poverty created by themselves--which, moreover, they can terminate +when they please; but they must reach the same point by directly opposite +roads. The blacksmith will allow himself nothing--the beau will deny +himself nothing: the one is a slave to pleasure--the other, the victim +of fear. I told you that there were but few whose estates produced the +metal of which these nails are made; and this thoughtless youth happens +to be one. A few years since, he wanted some of the blacksmith's nails +to purchase the first rose of the season, and pledged his mines to pay, +at the end of the year, three times the amount he received in exchange; +and although, if he were to use but half his income for a single year, +the other half would discharge his debts. I apprehend, from what I have +heard, that he has, from that time to this, continued to pay the same +exorbitant interest. When I was here before, I prevailed on him to take +a ride with me into the country, and, under one pretext or another, +detained him ten days at a friend's house, where he had no inducement +to expense. When he returned, he found his debts paid off; but knowing +he was master of so ready and effectual an expedient, he, the next day, +borrowed double the sum at the old rate. Since that time his debts have +accumulated so rapidly, that he will probably now be compelled to +surrender his whole estate." + +"Is he also a Glonglim?" I asked. + +"Assuredly: what man, in his entire senses, could act so irrationally?" + +"There is nothing on earth that exceeds this," said I. + +"No," said the Brahmin; "human folly is every where the same." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +_Physical peculiarities of the Moon-Celestial phenomena--Further +description of the Lunarians--National prejudice--Lightness of bodies--The +Brahmin carries Atterley to sup with a philosopher--His character and +opinions_. + + +After we had been in the moon about forty eight hours, the sun had sunk +below the horizon, and the long twilight of the Lunarians had begun. I will +here take occasion to notice the physical peculiarities of this country, +which, though very familiar to those who are versed in astronomy, may not +be unacceptable to the less scientific portion of my readers. + +The sun is above the horizon nearly a fortnight, and below it as long; of +course the day here is equal to about twenty-seven of ours. The earth +answers the same purpose to half the inhabitants of the moon, that the moon +does to the inhabitants of the earth. The face of the latter, however, is +more than twelve times as large, and it has not the same silvery appearance +as the moon, but is rather of a dingy pink hue, like that of her iron when +beginning to lose its red heat. As the same part of the moon is always +turned to the earth, one half of her surface is perpetually illuminated by +a moon ten times as large to the eye as the sun; the other hemisphere is +without a moon. The favoured part, therefore, never experiences total +darkness, the earth reflecting to the Lunarians as much light as we +terrestrials have a little before sunrise, or after sunset. But our planet +presents to the Lunarians the same changes as the moon does to us, +according to its position in relation to the sun. It always, however, +appears to occupy nearly the same part of the heavens, when seen from the +same point on the moon's surface; but its altitude above the horizon is +greater or less, according to the latitude of the place from which it is +seen: so that there is not a point of the heavens which the earth may not +be seen permanently to occupy, according to the part of the moon from which +the planet is viewed. + +From the length of time that the sun is above the horizon, the continued +action of his rays, in those climates where they fall vertically, or nearly +so, would be intolerable, if it was not for the high mountains, from whose +snow-clad summits a perpetual breeze derives a refreshing coolness, and for +the deep glens and recesses, in which most animals seek protection from his +meridian beams. The transitions from heat to cold are less than one would +expect, from the length of their days and nights--the coolness of the one, +as well as the heat of the other, being tempered by a constant east wind. +The climate gradually becomes colder as we approach the Poles; but there is +little or no change of seasons in the same latitude. + +The inhabitants of the moon have not the same regularity in their meals, or +time for sleep, as we have, but consult their appetites and inclinations +like other animals. But they make amends for this irregularity, by a very +strict and punctilious observance of festivals, which are regulated by the +motions of the sun, at whose rising and setting they have their appropriate +ceremonies. Those which are kept at sunrise, are gay and cheerful, like the +hopes which the approach of that benignant luminary inspires. The others +are of a grave and sober character, as if to prepare the mind for serious +contemplation in their long-enduring night. When the earth is at the full, +which is their midnight, it is also a season of great festivity with them. + +_Eclipses of the sun_ are as common with the Lunarians as those of the +moon are with us--the same relative position of the three bodies producing +this phenomenon; but an _eclipse of the earth_ never takes place, as +the shadow of the moon passes over the broad disc of our planet, merely as +a dark spot. + +The inhabitants of the moon can always determine both their latitude and +longitude, by observing the quarter of the heavens in which the earth is +seen: and, as the sun invariably appears of the same altitude at their +noon, the inhabitants are denominated and classed according to the length +of their shadows; and the terms _long shadow_, or _short shadow_, are +common forms of national reproach among them, according to the relative +position of the parties. I found the climate of those whose shadows are +about the length of their own figure, the most agreeably to my own +feelings, and most like that of my own country. + +Such are the most striking natural appearances on one side of this +satellite. On the other there is some difference. The sun pursues the same +path in the corresponding latitudes of both hemispheres; but being without +any moon, they have a dull and dreary night, though the light from the +stars is much greater than with us. The science of astronomy is much +cultivated by the inhabitants of the dark hemisphere, and is indebted to +them for its most important discoveries, and its present high state of +improvement. + +If there is much rivalship among the natives of the same hemisphere, who +differ in the length of their shadows, they all unite in hatred and +contempt for the inhabitants of the opposite side. Those who have the +benefit of a moon, that is, who are turned towards the earth, are lively, +indolent, and changeable as the face of the luminary on which they pride +themselves; while those on the other side are more grave, sedate, and +industrious. The first are called the Hilliboos, and the last the +Moriboos--or bright nights, and dark nights. And this mutual animosity is +the more remarkable, as they often appeared to me to be the same race, and +to differ much less from one another than the natives of different +climates. It is true, that enlightened and well educated men do not seem to +feel this prejudice, or at least they do not show it: but those who travel +from one hemisphere to the other, are sure to encounter the prejudices of +the vulgar, and are often treated with great contempt and indignity. They +are pointed at by the children, who, according as they chance to have been +bred on one side or the other say, "There goes a man who never saw +Glootin," as they call the earth; or, "There goes a Booblimak," which means +a night stroller. + +All bodies are much lighter on the moon than on the earth; by reason of +which circumstance, as has been mentioned, the inhabitants are more active, +and experience much less fatigue in ascending their precipitous mountains. +I was astonished at first at this seeming increase in my muscular powers; +when, on passing along a street in Alamatua, soon after my arrival, and +meeting a dog, which I thought to be mad, I proposed to run out of his way, +and in leaping over a gutter, I fairly bounded across the street. I +measured the distance the next day, and found it to be twenty-seven feet +five inches; and afterwards frequently saw the school-boys, when engaged in +athletic exercises, make running leaps of between thirty and forty feet, +backwards and forwards. Another consequence of the diminished gravity here +is, that both men and animals carry much greater burdens than on the earth. + +The carriages are drawn altogether by dogs, which are the largest animals +they have, except the zebra, and a small buffalo. This diminution of +gravity is, however, of some disadvantage to them. Many of their tools are +not as efficient as ours, especially their axes, hoes, and hammers. On the +other hand, when a person falls to the ground, it is nearly the same thing +as if an inhabitant of the earth were to fall on a feather bed. Yet I saw +as many instances of fractured limbs, hernia, and other accidents there, as +I ever saw on the earth; for when they fall from great heights, or miscarry +in the feats of activity which they ambitiously attempt, it inflicts the +same injury upon them, as a fall nearer the ground does upon us. + +After we had been here sufficiently long to see what was most remarkable in +the city, and I had committed the fruit of my observations to paper, the +Brahmin proposed to carry me to one of the monthly suppers of a philosopher +whom he knew, and who had obtained great celebrity by his writings and +opinions. + +We accordingly went, and found him sitting at a small table, and apparently +exhausted with the labour of composition, and the ardour of intense +thought. He was a small man, of quick, abrupt manners, occasionally very +abstracted, but more frequently voluble, earnest, and disputatious. He +frankly told us he was sorry to see us, as he was then putting the last +finish to a great and useful work he was about to publish: that we had thus +unseasonably broken the current of his thoughts, and he might not be able +to revive it for some days. Upon my rising to take my leave, he assured me +that it would be adding to the injury already done, if we then quitted him. +He said he wished to learn the particulars of our voyage; and that he, in +turn, should certainly render us service, by disclosing some of the results +of his own reflections. He further remarked, that he expected six or eight +friends--that is, (correcting himself,) "enlightened and congenial minds," +to supper, on the rising of a constellation he named, which time, he +remarked, would soon arrive. Finding his frankness to be thus seasoned with +hospitality, we resumed our seats. It soon appeared that he was more +disposed to communicate information than to seek it; and I became a patient +listener. If the boldness and strangeness of his opinions occasionally +startled me, I could not but admire the clearness with which he stated his +propositions, the fervour of his elocution, and the plausibility of his +arguments. + +The expected guests at length arrived; and various questions of morals and +legislation were started, in which the disputants seemed sometimes as if +they would have laid aside the character of philosophers, but for the +seasonable interposition of the Brahmin. Wigurd, our host, often laboured +with his accustomed zeal, to prove that every one who opposed him, was +either a fool, or biassed by some petty interest, or the dupe of blind +prejudice. + +After about two hours of warm, and, as it seemed to me, unprofitable +discussion, we were summoned to our repast in the adjoining room. But +before we rose from our seats, our host requested to know of each of us if +we were hungry; and, whether it were from modesty, perverseness, or really +because they had no appetite, I know not, but a majority of the company, in +which I was included, voted that their hour of eating was not yet come: +upon which Wigurd remarked that his own vote, as being at home, and the +Brahmin's, as being at once a philosopher and a stranger, should each count +for two; and by this mode of reckoning there was a casting vote in favour +of going to supper. + +We found the table covered with tempting dishes, served up in a costly and +tasteful style, and a sprightly, well-looking female prepared to do the +honours of the feast. She reproved our host for his delay, and told him the +best dish was spoiled, by being cold. I was fearful of a discussion; but he +sat down without making a reply, and immediately addressing the company, +descanted on the various qualities of food, and their several adaptations +to different ages, constitutions, and temperaments. He condemned the absurd +practice which prevailed, for the master or mistress of the house to lavish +entreaties on their guests to eat that which they might be better without; +and insisted, at the same time, that the guests ought not to consult their +own tastes exclusively. He maintained, that the only course worthy of +rational and benevolent beings, was for every man to judge for his +neighbour as well as for himself; and, should any collision arise between +the different claimants, then, if any one were guided by that decision, +which an honest and unbiassed judgment would tell him was right, they would +all come to the same just and harmonious result. + +"But," added he, "you have not yet been sufficiently prepared for this +disinterested operation. As ye have proved this night that ye are not yet +purged of the feelings and prejudices of a vicious education, I will +perform this office for you all, and set you an example, by which ye may +hereafter profit. To begin, then, with you--(addressing himself to a +corpulent man, of a florid complexion, at the lower end of the table:)--As +you already have a redundancy of flesh and blood, I assign the _soupe +maigre_ to you; while to our mathematical friend on this side, whose +delicate constitution requires nourishment, I recommend the smoking ragout. +This cooling dish will suit your temperament," said he to a third; "and +this stimulating one, yours," to a fourth. "Those little birds, which cost +me five pieces, I shall divide between my terrestrial friend here (looking +at the Brahmin) and myself, we being the most meritorious of the company, +and it being of the utmost importance to society, that food so wholesome +should give nourishment to our bodies, and impart vigour and vivacity to +our minds." + +From this decision there was no appeal, and no other dissent than what was +expressed by a look or a low murmur. But I perceived the corpulent +gentleman and the wan mathematician slily exchange their dishes, by which +they both seemed to consider themselves gainers. The dish allotted to me, +being of a middling character, I ate of it without repining; though, from +the savoury fumes of my right-hand neighbour's plate, I could not help +wishing I had been allowed to choose for myself. + +This supper happening near the middle of the night, (at which time it was +always pretty cool,) a cheerful fire blazed in one side of the room and I +perceived that our host and hostess placed themselves so as to be at the +most agreeable distance, the greater part of the guests being either too +near or too far from it. + +After we had finished our repast, various subjects of speculation were +again introduced and discussed, greatly to my amusement. Wigurd displayed +his usual ingenuity and ardour, and baffled all his antagonists by his +vehemence and fluency. He had two great principles by which he tested the +good or evil of every thing; and there were few questions in which he could +not avail himself of one or the other. These were, general _utility_ +and _truth_. + +By a skilful use of these weapons of controversy, he could attack or defend +with equal success. If any custom or institution which he had denounced, +was justified by his adversaries, on the ground of its expediency, he +immediately retorted on them its repugnancy to sincerity, truth, and +unsophisticated nature; and if they, at any time, resorted to a similar +justification for our natural feelings and propensities, he triumphantly +showed that they were inimical to the public good. Thus, he condemned +gratitude as a sentiment calculated to weaken the sense of justice, and to +substitute feeling for reason. He, on the other hand, proscribed the little +forms and courtesies, which are either founded in convenience, or give a +grace and sweetness to social intercourse, as a direct violation of honest +nature, and therefore odious and mean. He thus was able to silence every +opponent. I was very desirous of hearing the Brahmin's opinion; but, while +he evidently was not convinced by our host's language, he declined engaging +in any controversy. + +After we retired, my friend told me that Wigurd was a good man in the main, +though he had been as much hated by some as if his conduct had been +immoral, instead of his opinions merely being singular. "He not long ago," +added the Brahmin "wrote a book against marriage, and soon afterwards +wedded, in due form, the lady you saw at his table. She holds as strange +tenets as he, which she supports with as much zeal, and almost as much +ability. But I predict that the popularity of their doctrines will not +last; and if ever you visit the moon again, you will find that their glory, +now at its height, like the ephemeral fashions of the earth, will have +passed away." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +_A celebrated physician: his ingenious theories in physics: his mechanical +inventions--The feather-hunting Glonglim._ + + +On returning to our lodgings, we, acting under the influence of long habit, +went to bed, though half the family were up, and engaged in their ordinary +employments. One consequence of the length of the days and nights here is, +that every household is commonly divided into two parts, which watch and +sleep by turns: nor have they any uniformity in their meals, except in +particular families, which are regulated by clocks and time-pieces. The +vulgar have no means of measuring smaller portions of time than a day or +night, (each equal to a fortnight with us,) except by observing the +apparent motion of the sun or the stars, in which, considering that it is +nearly thirty times as slow as with us, they attain surprising accuracy. +They have the same short intervals of labour and rest in their long night +as their day--the light reflected from the earth, being commonly sufficient +to enable them to perform almost any operation; and, ere our planet is in +her second quarter, one may read the smallest print by her light. + +To compensate their want of this natural advantage, the inhabitants of +Moriboozia are abundantly supplied with a petroleum, or bituminous liquid, +which is found every where about their lakes, or on their mountains, and +which they burn in lamps, of various sizes, shapes, and constructions. They +have also numerous volcanoes, each of which sheds a strong light for many +miles around. + +We slept unusually long; and, owing in part to Wigurd's good cheer, I awoke +with a head-ache. I got up to take a long walk, which often relieves me +when suffering from that malady; and, on ascending the stairs, I met our +landlord's eldest daughter, a tall, graceful girl of twenty. I found she +was coming down backwards, which I took to be a mere girlish freak, or +perhaps a piece of coquetry, practised on myself: but I afterwards found, +that about the time the earth is at the full, the whole family pursued the +same course, and were very scrupulous in making their steps in this awkward +and inconvenient way, because it was one of the prescribed forms of their +church. + +As my head-ache became rather worse, than better, from my walk, the Brahmin +proposed to accompany me to the house of a celebrated physician, called +Vindar, who was also a botanist, chemist, and dentist, to consult him on my +case; and thither we forthwith proceeded. I found him a large, unwieldy +figure, of a dull, heavy look, but by no means deficient in science or +natural shrewdness. He confirmed my previous impression that I ought to +lose blood, and plausibly enough accounted for my present sensation of +fulness, from the inferior pressure of the lunar atmosphere to that which I +had been accustomed. He proposed, however, to return to my veins a portion +of thinner blood in place of what he should take away, and offered me the +choice of several animals, which he always kept by him for that purpose. +There were two white animals of the hog kind, a male and a female lama, +three goats, besides several birds, about the size of a turkey, some +tortoises, and other amphibious animals. He professed himself willing, in +case I had any foolish scruples against mixing my blood with that of +brutes, to purify my own, and put it back; but I obstinately declined both +expedients; whereupon he opened a vein in my arm, and took from it about +fourteen ounces of blood. Finding myself, weakened as well as relieved, by +the operation, he invited me to rest myself; and while I was recovering my +strength, he discoursed with the Brahmin and myself on several of his +favourite topics. On returning home, I committed to paper some of the most +remarkable of his opinions, which it may be as well to notice, that those +who have since propounded, or may hereafter propound, the same to the +world, may not claim the merit of originality. + +He maintained that the number of our senses was greater than that commonly +assigned to us. That we had, for example, a sense of acids, of alkalies, of +weight, and of heat. That acid substances acted upon our bodies by a +peculiar set of nerves, or through some medium of their own, was evident +from this, that they set the teeth on edge, though these, from their hard +and bony nature, are insensible to the touch. That astringents shrivelled +up the flesh and puckered the mouth, even when their taste was not +perceived. That when the skin shrunk on the application of vinegar, could +it be said that it had not a peculiar sense of this liquid, or rather of +its acidity, since the existence of the senses was known only by effects +which external matter produced on them? That the senses, like that of +touch, were seated in most parts of the body, but were most acute in the +mouth, nose, ears, and eyes. He showed some disposition to maintain the +popular notions of the Greeks and Romans, that the rivers and streams are +endowed with reason and volition; and endeavoured to prove that some of +their windings and deviations from a straight line, cannot be explained +upon mechanical principles. + +Vindar is, moreover, a projector of a very bold character; and not long ago +petitioned the commanding general of an army, suddenly raised to repel an +incursion of one of their neighbours, to march his troops into +Goolo-Tongtoia, for the purpose of digging a canal from one of their +petroleum lakes into Morosofia, and conducting it, by smaller streams, over +that country, for the purpose of warming it during their long cool nights. + +He has, too, a large grist and saw mill, which are put in motion by the +explosion of gunpowder. This is conveyed, by a sufficiently ingenious +machine, in very small portions, to the bottom of an upright cylinder, +which is immediately shut perfectly close. A flint and steel are at the +same time made to strike directly over it, and to ignite the powder. The +air that is thus generated, forces up a piston through a cylinder, which +piston, striking the arm of a wheel, puts it in motion, and with it the +machinery of the mills. A complete revolution of the wheel again prepares +the cylinder for a fresh supply of gunpowder, which is set on fire, and +produces the same effect as before. + +He told me he had been fifteen years perfecting this great work, in which +time it had been twice blown up by accidents, arising from the carelessness +or mismanagement of the workmen; but that he now expected it would repay +him for the time and money he had expended. He had once, he said, intended +to use the expansive force of congelation for his moving power; but he +found, after making a full and accurate calculation, that the labourers +required to keep the machine supplied with ice, consumed something more +than twice as much corn as the mill would grind in the same time. He then +was about to move it to a fine stream of water in the neighbourhood, which, +by being dammed up, so as to form a large pond, would afford him a +convenient and inexhaustible supply of ice. But the millwright, after the +dam was completed, having artfully obtained his permission to use the waste +water, and fraudulently erected there a common water-mill, which soon +obtained all the neighbouring custom, he had sold out that property, and +resorted to the agency of gunpowder, which is quite as philosophical a +process as that of congelation, and much less expensive. In answer to an +inquiry of the Brahmin's, he admitted, that though he had been able, by the +force of congelation, to burst metallic tubes several inches thick, he had +never succeeded in making it put the lightest machinery into a continued +motion. + +Having now nearly recovered, and being, I confess, somewhat bewildered by +the variety and complexity of these ingenious projects, I felt disposed to +take my leave; but Vindar insisted on conducting us into an inner +apartment, to see his _poetry box_. This was a large piece of furniture, +profusely decorated with metals of various colours, curiously and +fantastically inlaid. It contained a prodigious number of drawers, +which were labelled after the manner of those in an apothecary's shop, +(from whence he denied, however, that he first took the hint,) and the +labels were arranged in alphabetical order. + +"Now," says he, "as the excellence of poetry consists in bringing before +the mind's eye what can be brought before the corporeal eye, I have here +collected every object that is either beautiful or pleasing in nature, +whether by its form, colour, fragrance, sweetness, or other quality, as +well as those that are strikingly disagreeable. When I wish to exhibit +those pictures which constitute poetry, I consult the appropriate cabinet, +and I take my choice of those various substances which can best call up the +image I wish to present to my reader. For example: suppose I wish to speak +of any object that is white, or analogous to white, I open the drawer that +is thus labelled, and I see silver, lime, chalk, and white enamel, ivory, +paper, snow-drops, and alabaster, and select whichever of these substances +will best suit the measure and the rhyme, and has the most soft-sounding +name. If the colour be yellow, then there are substances of all shades of +this hue, from saffron and pickled salmon to brimstone and straw. I have +sixty-two red substances, twenty-seven green ones, and others in the same +proportion. It is astonishing what labour this box has saved me, and how +much it has added to the beauty and melody of my verse. + +"You perceive," he added, "the drawer missing. That contained substances +offensive to the sight or smell, which my maid, conducted to it by her +nose, conceived to be some animal curiosities I had been collecting, in a +state of putrefaction and decay, and did not hesitate to throw them into +the fire. I afterwards found myself very much at a loss, whenever my +subject led me to the mention of objects of this character, and I therefore +spoke of them as seldom as possible." After bestowing that tribute of +admiration and praise which every great author or inventor expects, in his +own house, and not omitting his customary medical fee, we took our leave. + +We had not long left Vindar's house, before we saw a short fat man in the +suburbs, preparing to climb to the top of a plane tree, on which there was +one of the tail feathers of a sort of flamingo. He was surrounded by +attendants and servants, to whom he issued his commands with great rapidity +and decision, occasionally intermingling with his orders the most +threatening language and furious gesticulations. Some offered to get a +ladder, and ascend, and others to cut down the tree; all of which he +obstinately rejected. He swore he would get the feather--he would get it by +climbing--and he would climb but one way, which way was on the shoulders of +his men. His plan was to make a number of them form a solid square, and +interlock their arms; then a smaller number to mount upon their shoulders, +on whom others were in like manner placed, and so on till the pyramid was +sufficiently high, when he himself was to mount, and from the shoulders of +the highest pluck the darling object of his wishes. He had in this way, I +afterwards learnt, gathered some of the richest flowers of the bignonia +scarlatina, as well as such fruits as had tempted him by their luscious +appearance, and at the same time frightening all the birds from their +nests, which he commonly destroyed: and although some of his attendants +were occasionally much hurt and bruised in this singular amusement, he +still persevered in it. He had continued it for several years, with no +intermission, except a short one, when he was engaged in breaking a young +llana in the place of an old one, which had been many years a favourite, +but was now in disgrace, because, as he said, he did not think it so safe +for going down hill, but in reality, because he liked the figure and +movements of the young one better. + +I could not see this rash Glonglim attempt to climb that dangerous ladder, +without feeling alarm for his safety. At first all seemed to go on very +well; but just as he was about to lay hold of the gaudy prize, there arose +a sudden squall, which threw both him and his supporters into confusion, +and the whole living pyramid came to the ground together. Many were +killed--some were wounded and bruised. Polenap himself, by lighting on his +men, who served him as cushions, barely escaped with life. But he received +a fracture in the upper part of his head, and a dislocation of the hip, +which will not only prevent him from ever climbing again, but probably make +him a cripple for life. + +The Brahmin and I endeavoured to give the sufferers some assistance; but +this was rendered unnecessary, by the crowd which their cries and +lamentations brought to their relief. I thought that the author of so much +mischief would have been stoned on the spot; but, to my surprise, his +servants seemed to feel as much for his honour as their own safety, and +warmly interfered in his behalf, until they had somewhat appeased the rage +of the surrounding multitude. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +_The fortune-telling philosopher, who inspected the finger nails: his +visiters--Another philosopher, who judged of the character by the +hair--The fortune-teller duped--Predatory warfare._ + + +As we returned to our lodgings, we saw a number of persons, some of whom +were entering and some leaving a neat small dwelling; and on joining the +throng, we learnt that a famous fortune-teller lived there, who, at +stated periods, opened his house to all that were willing to pay for +being instructed in the events of futurity, or for having the secrets of +the present or past revealed to them. On entering the house, and +descending a flight of steps, we found, at the farther end of a dark +room, lighted with a chandelier suspended from the ceiling, an elderly +man, with a long gray beard, and a thin, pale countenance, deeply +furrowed with thought rather than care. He received us politely, and +then resumed the duties of his vocation. His course of proceeding was to +examine the finger nails, and, according to their form, colour, +thickness, surface, and grain, to determine the character and destinies +of those who consulted him. I was at once pleased and surprised at the +minuteness of his observation, and the infinite variety of his +distinctions. Besides the qualities of the nails that I have mentioned, +he noticed some which altogether eluded my senses, such as their +milkiness, flintiness, friability, elasticity, tenacity, and +sensibility; whether they were aqueous, unctious, or mealy; with many +more, which have escaped my recollection. + +A modest, pensive looking girl, apparently about seventeen, was timidly +holding forth her hand for examination, at the time we entered. +Avarabet, (for that was the name of this philosopher,) uttered two or +three words, with a significant shake of his head, upon which I saw the +rising tear in her eyes. She withdrew her hand, and had not courage to +let him take another look. + +A fat woman, of a sanguine temperament, holding a little girl by the +hand, then stepped up and showed her fingers. He pronounced her amorous, +inconstant, prone to anger, and extravagant; that she had made one man +miserable, and would probably make another. She also abruptly withdrew, +giving manifest signs of one of the qualities ascribed to her. + +An elderly matron then approached, holding forth one trembling, palsied +hand, with a small volume in the other. Avarabet hesitated for some +time; examined the edges as well as the surface of the nails; drew his +finger slowly over them, and then said,--"You have a susceptible heart; +you are in sorrow, but your affliction will soon have an end." It was +easy to see, in the look of the applicant, signs of pious resignation, +and a lively hope of another and a better state of existence. + +I thought I perceived in the scene that was passing before us, an +exhibition that is not uncommon on our earth, of cunning knavery +imposing on ignorance and credulity; and I expressed my opinion to the +Brahmin; but he assured me that the class of persons in the moon, who +were resorted to on account of their supposed powers of divination, was +very different from the similar class in Asia or Europe, and that +oracular art was here regularly studied and professed as a branch of +philosophy. "You would be surprised," said he, "to find how successful +they have been in investing their craft with the forms and trappings of +science, the parade of classification, and the mystery imparted by +technical terms. By these means they have given plausibility enough to +their theories, to leave many a one in doubt, whether it is really a new +triumph of human discovery, or merely a later form of empiricism. Its +professors are commonly converts to their own theories, at least in a +great degree; for, strange as it may seem, there can mingle with the +disposition to deceive others, the power of deceiving one's self; and +while they exercise much acuteness and penetration in discovering, by +the air, look, dress, and manner of those who consult them, the leading +points in the history or character of persons of whom they have no +previous knowledge, they at the same time persuade themselves that they +see something indicative of their circumstances in their finger nails. +Such is the equivocal character of the greater part of their sect: but +there are some who are mere honest dupes to the pretensions of the +science; and others again, who have not one tittle of credulity to +extenuate their impudent pretensions. + +"When I was here before, I remember a physician, who acquired great +celebrity by affecting to cure diseases by examining a lock of the +patient's hair; and, not content with merely pronouncing on the nature +of the disease, and suggesting the remedy, he would enter into an +elaborate, and often plausible course of reasoning, in defence of his +system. That system was briefly this: that the hair derived its length, +strength, hue, and other properties, from the brain; which opinion he +supported by a reference to acknowledged facts--as, that it changes its +hue with the difference of the mental character in the different stages +of life; that violent affections of the mind, such as grief or fear, +have been known to change it in a single night. Science on this, as on +other occasions, is merely augmenting and methodizing facts that the +mass of mankind had long observed--as, that red hair had always been +considered indicative of warm temperament; that affliction, and even +love, were believed to create baldness; and that in great terror, the +hair stands on end. The different ages too, are distinguished as much by +their hair as their complexion, their facial angle, or in any other way. +He was led to this theory first, by observing at school that a boy of a +stiff, bristly head of hair, was remarkably cruel. He professed to have +been able, from a long course of observation, to assign to every +different colour and variety of hair, its peculiar temperament and +character. One mental quality was indicated by its length, another by +its fineness, and others again as it chanced to be greasy, or lank, or +curled. He would also blow on it with a bellows, to see how the parts +arranged themselves: hold it near the fire, and watch the operation of +its crisping by the heat: and although he had often been mistaken in his +estimates of character, by the rules of his new science, he did not lose +the confidence of his disciples on that account--some of them refusing +to believe the truth, rather than to admit themselves mistaken; and +others insisting that, if his science was not infallible, it very rarely +deceived." + +It was now our turn to submit our hands to Avarabet for examination. He +discovered signs of the loftiest virtues and most heroic enterprise in +the Brahmin; and, near the bottom of one of his nails, a deep-rooted +sorrow, which would leave him only with his life. A transient shade of +gloom on the Brahmin's countenance was soon succeeded by a piercing, +inquisitive glance cast on the diviner. He saw the other's eyes directed +on the miniature which he always wore, and which discovered itself to +Avarabet as he stooped forward. A smile of contempt now took the place +of his first surprise, and he seemed in a state of abstraction, during +the continued rhapsodies of the oracle. + +My hand was next examined; but little was said of me, except that I had +been a great traveller, and should be so again; that I should encounter +many dangers and difficulties; that I possessed more intelligence than +sensibility, and more prudence than generosity. Thus he discovered in me +great courage, enterprise, and constancy of purpose. + +A hale, robust, well-set man, now bursting through the crowd, and +thrusting out his hand, abruptly asked the wise man to tell him, if he +could, in what part of the country he lived. Avarabet mentioned a +distant district on the coast of Morosofia. + +"Good," said the other; "and what is my calling?" + +After a slight pause, he replied, that he got his living on the water. + +"Good again. Shall I ever be rich?" + +"No, not very:--never." + +"Better and better," rejoined the inquirer, at the same time giving vent +to a loud and hearty laugh. Surely, thought I, sailors are every where +the same sort of beings, rough and boisterous as the elements they +roam over. + +"And what is your opinion of me farther?" + +"You are bold, frank, improvident, credulous and good-natured." + +"Excellent, indeed! Now, what will you say, old sham wisdom, when I tell +you that I never made a voyage in my life; was never two days' journey +from this spot, and am seldom off my own dominion? That I own the forest +of Tongloo, where I sometimes hunt, from morning till night, and from +night till morning, twelve out of the thirteen days in the year? That my +wealth, which was considerable when I came to my estate, has, by my +habits of life, greatly increased, and that I am bent upon adding to it +yet more? I drink nothing but water; and have come here only to win a +wager, that you were not as knowing as you pretended to be, and that I +could impose on you. You thus have a specimen of my candour, +improvidence, and credulity." So saying, he leaped on his zebra, gave a +sort of huntsman's shout, and was off in a twinkling. + +This adventure created great tumult in the crowd, a few enjoying the +jest, but the greater number manifesting ill-will and resentment towards +the sportsman. The Brahmin and I took advantage of the confusion, to +withdraw unnoticed by the bystanders. After remaining at our lodgings +long enough to take rest and refreshment, and to make minutes of what we +had seen, we proposed to spend the remainder of the night in the +country, the weather being more pleasant at this time in that climate, +than when the sun is above the horizon. + +We accordingly set out when the earth was in her second quarter, and it +was about two of our days before sunrise. After walking about three +miles, the freshness of the morning air, the fragrance of the flowers, +and the music of innumerable birds, whose unceasing carols testified +their joy and delight at the approach of a more genial month, we came to +a large, well cultivated farm, in which a number of coarse looking men +were employed, with the aid of dogs, cross-bows, and other martial +weapons, in hunting down llamas, and a small kind of buffalo, which, in +one of our former walks, we had seen quietly feeding on a rich and +extensive pasture. We inquired of some stragglers from the throng, the +meaning of what we saw; but they were too much occupied with their sport +to afford us any satisfaction. We walked on, indulging our imaginations +in conjecture; but had not proceeded more than a quarter of a mile, +before we beheld a similar scene going on to our left, by the same +ill-looking crew. Our curiosity was now redoubled, and we resolved to +wait a while on the highway, for the chance of some passenger more at +leisure to answer our inquiries, and more courteously inclined than +these fierce marauders. We had not stopped many minutes, before a +well-dressed man, wearing the appearance of authority, having ridden up, +we asked him to explain the cause of their violent, and seemingly +lawless proceedings. + +"You are strangers, I see, or you would have understood that I am +exercising my baronial privilege of doing myself justice. These cattle +belong to the owners of a neighbouring estate, by whom I and my tenants +have been injured and insulted; and, according to the usage in such +cases, I have given the signal to my people to lay hold on what they can +of his flocks and herds, and, to quicken their exertions, I give them +half of what they catch." + +"And how does your neighbour bear this in the mean time?" said the +Brahmin. + +"Oh, for that matter," said the other, "he is not at all behindhand, and +I lose nearly as many cattle as I get. But it gives me much more +pleasure to kill one of his buffaloes or llamas, than it does pain me +when he kills one of mine. I consider how much it will vex him, and that +some of his vassals are thereby deprived of their sustenance. I have +upwards of thirty strong men employed in ranging this plain and wood, +and during the last year they took for me four hundred head." + +"Indeed!--and how many did you lose in the same time? + +"Not above three hundred and eighty." + +"But very inferior?" said the Brahmin. + +"Why, no," replied he: "as my pastures are richer and more luxuriant +than his, two of my cattle are worth perhaps three of his." + +"Is this custom," asked the Brahmin, "an advantage or a tax on your +estate?" + +"A tax, indeed! Why it is worth from four to five hundred head a-year." + +"And how much is it worth to your neighbour?" + +"I presume nearly as much." + +"Do your vassals get rich by the bounty you give them?" + +"As to that matter, some who are lucky succeed very well, and the rest +make a living by it." + +"And what do they give you for the privilege of hunting your neighbour's +cattle?" + +"Nothing at all: I even lose my customary rent from those who engage in +it." + +"And it is the same case with your neighbour?" + +"Certainly," said he. + +"Then," said the Brahmin, "it seems to me, if you would agree to lay +aside this old custom, you would both be considerable gainers. I see you +look incredulous, but listen a moment. Each one would, in that case, +instead of having half his neighbour's cattle, have all his own; and, +being kept in their native pastures, they would be less likely to stray +away, and you could therefore slay and eat as you wanted them; whereas, +in your hunting matches many more are either killed or maimed than are +wanted for present use, and they are consequently consumed in waste. You +would, moreover, be a gainer by the amount of the labour of these thirty +boors, whom you keep in this employment, and who very probably acquire +habits of ferocity, licentiousness, and waste, which are not very +favourable to their obedience or fidelity." + +The proprietor, having pondered a while upon my friend's remarks, in a +tone of exultation said,--"Do you think, then, I could ever prevail on +my people to forbear, when they saw a likely flock, from laying violent +hands on it; or could I resist so favourable an opportunity of revenge? +Nay, more; if we were then tamely to tie up our hands, do you think that +Bulderent and his men would consent to do the same? No, no, old man," he +continued, with great self-complacency, "your arguments appear plausible +at first, but when closely considered, they will not stand the lest of +experience. They are the fancies of a stranger--of one who knows more of +theory than practice. Had you lived longer among us, you would have +known that your ingenious project could never be carried into execution. +If I observed it, Bulderent would not; and if he observed it, I verily +believe I could not--and thus, you see, the thing is altogether +impracticable." As one soon tires of preaching to the winds, the Brahmin +contented himself with asking his new acquaintance to think more on the +subject at his leisure; and we proceeded on our walk. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +_The travellers visit a gentleman farmer, who is a great projector: his +breed of cattle: his apparatus for cooking: he is taken +dangerously ill._ + + +After we had gone about half a mile farther, our attention was arrested +by a gate of very singular character. It was extremely ingenious in its +structure, and, among other peculiarities, it had three or four latches, +for children, for grown persons, for those who were tall and those who +were short, and for the right hand as well as the left. In the act of +opening, it was made to crush certain berries, and the oil they yielded, +was carried by a small duct to the hinge, which was thus made to turn +easily, and was prevented from creaking. While we were admiring its +mechanism, an elderly man, rather plainly dressed, on a zebra in low +condition, rode up, and showed that he was the owner of the mansion to +which the gate belonged, and that he was not displeased with the +curiosity we manifested. We found him both intelligent and obliging. He +informed us that he was an experimental farmer; and when he learnt that +we were strangers, and anxious to inform ourselves of the state of +agriculture in the country, he very civilly invited us to take our next +meal with him. Our walk having now made us hungry and fatigued, we +gladly accepted of his hospitality; whereupon he alighted, and walked +with us to his lodgings. + +He was very communicative of his modes of cultivation and management, +but chiefly prided himself on his success in improving the size of his +cattle. He informed us that he had devoted sixteen years of his life to +this object, and had then in his farm-yard a buffalo nearly as heavy as +three of the ordinary size. His practice was to kill all the young +animals which were not uncommonly large and thrifty; to cram those he +kept, with as much food as they would eat, and to tempt their appetites +by the variety of their nourishment, as well as of the modes of +preparing it. + +"All this," said he, "costs a great deal, it is true; but I am paid for +it by the additional price." I was struck with this notable triumph of +industry and skill in the goodly art of husbandry--that art which I +venerate above every other; and I was all anxiety to receive from him +some instructions which I might, in case I should have the good fortune +to get safely back, communicate to my friends on Long-Island, who had +never been able even to double the common size, and who boasted greatly +of that: but a hesitating look, and a few inquiries on the part of my +sly friend, checked my enthusiasm. + +"Have you always," he asked, "had the same number of acres in grain and +grass under your new and old system?" + +"Pretty nearly," says the other. "My new breed, however, though fewer, +consume more than their predecessors." + +"How many head did you formerly sell in a year?" + +"About thirty." + +"How many do you now sell?" + +"Though for some years I have not sold more than nine or ten, I expect +to exceed that number in another year." + +"Which you expect will yield you more than the thirty did formerly?" + +"Certainly; because such meat as mine commands an extraordinary price." + +"So long," replied the Brahmin, "as this is novelty, you may receive a +part of the price which men are ever ready to pay for it; but as soon as +others profit by your example, your meat falls to the ordinary rate, and +then, if I understand you aright, as you will have somewhat less in +quantity than you formerly had, your gross receipts will be less, to say +nothing of your additional labour and expense." + +"But who has the skill," quickly rejoined the other, "of which I can +boast? and who would take the same trouble, although they had +the skill?" + +"But stop here a moment," said our host, "till I go to see how my last +improved oil-cake is relished by my cattle." + +The Brahmin then turning to me, said,--"This gentleman may, indeed, +improve his fortune by the business of a grazier; but the same pains and +unremitting attention would always be sure of a liberal reward, though +the system on which they were exerted was not among the best. Nothing, +my dear Atterley, is more true than the saying of your wise book--_that +all flesh is grass;_ and it always takes the same quantity of one to +make a given quantity of the other, whether that given quantity may be +in the form of a single individual, or two or three. But in the former +case, great labour is required to force nature beyond her ordinary +limits, and the same labour must be unceasingly kept up, or she will +certainly relapse to her original dimensions. This system may do, as our +host here tells us it actually does, for the moon, but it is not suited +to our earth. If, however, you are ambitious of a name among the +speculative men of your country, this little stone," added he, stooping, +and picking up a small stone from the ground, "will answer your purpose +quite as well as any improvement in husbandry. It is precisely of the +same species as those which we threw over in our aerial voyages, and +which, though correctly called moon-stones by the vulgar, (who are +oftener right than the learned suppose,) some of the western +philosophers declared to have been gravitated in the atmosphere." + +"And is this really the origin," said I, "of that strange phenomenon, +which has furnished so much matter of speculation to the sages both of +Europe and America?" + +"Nothing is more true," replied he. "These stones are common to the +earth and to the moon; and some of those which have been so carefully +analyzed by your most celebrated chemists, and pronounced different from +any known mineral production of the earth, were small fragments of a +very common rock in the mountains of Burma. In our first voyages we had +taken some of them with us as ballast; and those which we first threw +over, we afterwards learnt from the public journals, fell in France, +some of the others fell in India, but the greater number in the ocean. +Those which have fallen at other times, have been real fossils of the +moon, and either such stones as this I hold in my hand, or such metallic +substances as are repelled from that body, and attracted towards the +earth; and it is the force with which they strike the earth, which first +suggested the idea of a thunder-bolt. + +"Our party were greatly amused at the disputations of a learned society +in Europe, in which they undertook to give a mathematical demonstration +that they could not be thrown from a volcano of the earth, nor from the +moon, but were suddenly formed in the atmosphere. I should as soon +believe that a loaf of bread could be made and baked in the atmosphere." + +Finding that our landlord prided himself on his interior management, as +well as on that without doors, we expressed a wish to see some of his +household improvements. He readily consented, and conducted us at once +into his kitchen, and showed us inventions and contrivances out of +number, for saving fuel, and meat, and labour; in short, for saving +every thing but money. The large room into which he carried us, appeared +as a vast laboratory, from the infinite variety of pots, pans, skillets, +knives, forks, ladles, mortars, sieves, funnels, and other utensils of +metal, glass, pottery, and wood. The steam which he used for cooking, +was carried along a pipe under a succession of kettles and boilers, +descending in regular gradation, by which a great saving of fuel was +effected; and, to perfect this part of the apparatus, the pipe could be +removed, to give place to one of the size suited to the occasion. + +His seven-guest pipe was now in use. The wood, which was all cut to the +same length, and channelled out to admit the free passage of the air, +was then duly placed in the stove, and set on fire; but the heat not +passing very readily through all the sinuosities of the pipe, he ordered +his head cook to screw on his exhauster. The man, in less than ten +minutes, unscrewed a plate at the farther end, and fixed on an air-pump, +made for the purpose, on which the door of the stove suddenly slammed +to. Our host saw the accident, and hurrying to open the stove, fell over +a heap of channelled logs, and cut a gash in his forehead. The cook ran +to help him up; and after he was on his legs, and his forehead wiped, +the stove was opened, when the fire, which had been deprived of its +aliment, was entirely extinguished. I thought he was hardly sorry for +the accident, as it afforded him an occasion of showing how ingeniously +he kindled a fire. He had an electric machine brought to him, by means +of which he set fire to a few grains of gunpowder; this lighted some +tinder, which again ignited spirits, whose blaze reached the lower +extremity of his lamp. Taking the precaution of keeping the stove open +this time, the air was again exhausted at the farther end of the pipe, +and in a little time the flame was seen to ascend even to the air-pump, +and to scorch the parts made of wood; whereupon I saw a glow of triumph +on his face, which amply compensated him for his wound and vexation. +There was a grand machine for roasting, that carried the fire round the +meat, the juices of which, he said, by a rotary motion, would be thrown +to the surface, and either evaporate or be deteriorated. Here was also +his digestor, for making soup of rams' horns, which he assured me +contained a good deal of nourishment, and the only difficulty was in +extracting it. He next showed us his smoke-retractor, which received the +smoke near the top of the chimney, and brought it down to be burnt over +again, by which he computed that he saved five cords and a half of wood +in a year. The fire which dressed his victuals, pumped up, by means of a +steam engine, water for the kitchen turned one or more spits, as well as +two or three mills for grinding pepper, salt, &c.; and then, by a +spindle through the wall, worked a churn in the dairy, and cleaned the +knives: the forks, indeed, were still cleaned by hand; but he said he +did not despair of effecting this operation in time, by machinery. I +mentioned to him our contrivance of silver forks, to lessen this labour; +but he coldly remarked, that he imagined science was in its infancy +with us. + +He informed us that he had been ten years in completing this ingenious +machine; and certainly, when it was in full operation, I never saw +exultation and delight so strongly depicted in any human face. The +various sounds and sights, that met the ear and eye, in rapid +succession, still farther worked on his feelings, and heightened his +raptures. There was such a simmering, and hissing, and bubbling of +boiled, and broiled, and fried--such a whirling, and jerking, and +creaking of wheels, and cranks, and pistons--such clouds of steam, and +vapours, and even smoke, notwithstanding all of the latter that was +burnt,--that I almost thought myself in some great manufactory. + +After having suffered as much as we could well bear, from the heat and +confined air of this laboratory of eatables, and passed the proper +number of compliments on the skill and ingenuity they displayed, we +ascended to his hall, to partake of that feast, to prepare which we had +seen all the elements and the mechanical powers called into action. +There were a few of his city acquaintances present, besides ourselves: +but whether it was owing to the effect of the steam from the dishes on +our stomachs, or that this scientific cookery was not suited to our +unpractised palates, I know not, but we all made an indifferent repast, +except our host, who tasted every dish, and seemed to relish them all. + +After sitting some time at table, conversing on the progress of science, +its splendid achievements, and the pleasing prospects which it yet dimly +showed in the future, our hospitable entertainer, perceiving we were +fatigued with the labours of the day, invited us to take our next +_lallaneae_, or sleep, with him, for which hospitality we felt very +grateful. We were then shown to a room, in which there were marks of the +same fertile invention, in saving labour and promoting convenience; but +we were too sleepy to take much notice of them. Our beds were filled +with air, which is quite as good as feathers, except that when the +leather covering gets a hole in it, from ripping, or other accidents, it +loses its elasticity with its air--an accident which happened to me this +very night; for a mouse having gnawed the leather where the housemaid's +greasy fingers had left a mark, I sunk gently down, not to soft repose, +but on the hard planks, where I uncomfortably lay until the bell warned +us to rise for breakfast. + +As soon as I was dressed, I walked out into a large garden, and, as the +sun was not yet so high as to make it sultry, was enjoying the balmy +sweetness of the air, and the flowering shrubs, which in beauty and +fragrance almost exceeded those of India, when I saw a servant run by +the garden wall, enter the stable, and bring out a zebra. On inquiring +the cause, I was made to understand that our noble host was taken +suddenly ill. I immediately returned to the house, and found the +domestics running to and fro, and manifesting the greatest anxiety, as +well as hurry, in their looks. I went into the Brahmin's room, and found +him dressed. He went out, and after some time, informed me that our kind +host had a violent _cholera morbus_, in consequence of the various kinds +of food with which he had overloaded his stomach at dinner; that he +considered himself near his last end, and was endeavouring to arrange +his affairs for the event. + +I could not help meditating on the melancholy uncertainty of human life, +when I contrasted the comforts, the pleasures, the pride of conscious +usefulness and genius felt by this gentleman a short time since, with +the agony which that trying and bitter hour brings to the stoutest and +most callous heart--when it must quit this state of being for another, +of which it knows so little, and over which fear and doubt throw a gloom +that hope cannot entirely dispel. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +_Lunarian physicians: their consultation--While they dispute the patient +recovers--The travellers visit the celebrated teacher Lozzi Pozzi._ + + +While I indulged in these sad meditations, and felt for my host while I +felt no less for myself, I saw the physician approach who had been sent +for. He was a tall, thin man, with a quick step, a lively, piercing eye, +a sallow complexion, and very courteous manners, and always willing to +display the ready flow of words for which he was remarkable. I felt +great curiosity to witness the skill of this Lunar Aesculapius, and he +was evidently pleased with the interest I manifested. It turned out that +he was well acquainted with the Brahmin; and learning from the latter my +wish, he conducted me into the room of our sick host. We found him lying +on a straw bed, and strangely altered within a few hours. The physician, +after feeling his pulse, (which, as every country has its peculiar +customs, is done here about the temples and neck, instead of the +wrist)--after examining his tongue, his teeth, his water, and feces, +proposed bleeding. We all walked to the door, and ventured to oppose the +doctor's prescription, suggesting that the copious evacuations he had +already experienced, might make bleeding useless, if not dangerous. + +"How little like a man of sense you speak," said the other; "how readily +you have chimed in with the prejudices of the vulgar! I should have +expected better things from you: but the sway of empiricism is destined +yet to have a long struggle before it receives its final overthrow. I +have attacked it with success in many quarters; but when it has been +prostrated in one place, it soon rises up in another. Have you, my good +friend, seen my last essay on morbid action?" + +The Brahmin replied, that he had not yet had an opportunity of meeting +with it. + +"I am sorry you have not," said the other. "I have there completely +demonstrated that disease is an unit, and that it is the extreme of +folly to divide diseases into classes, which tend but to produce +confusion of ideas, and an unscientific practice. Sir," continued he, in +a more animated tone, "there is a beautiful simplicity in this theory, +which gives us assurance of its conformity to nature and truth. It needs +but to be seen to be understood--but to be understood, to be approved, +and carried into successful operation." + +The Brahmin asked him if this unit did not present different symptoms on +different occasions. + +"Certainly," he replied: "from too much or too little action, in this +set of vessels or that, it is differently modified, and must be treated +accordingly." + +"This unit, then," said my friend, "assumes different forms, and +requires various remedies? Is there not, then, a convenience in +separating these modifications (or _forms_, if you prefer it) from one +another, by different names?" + +"Stop, my friend; you do not apprehend the matter. I will explain." At +this moment two other gentlemen, of a grave aspect and demeanour, +entered the room. They also were physicians of great reputation in the +city. They appeared to be formal and reserved towards one another, but +they each manifested still more shyness and coldness towards the learned +Shuro. They entered the sick chamber, and having informed themselves of +the state of the patient, all three withdrew to a consultation. + +They had not been long together, before their voices grew, from a +whisper, so loud, that we could distinctly hear all they said. "Sir," +says Dr. Shakrack, "the patient is in a state of direct debility: we +must stimulate, if we would restore a healthy action. Pour in the +_stimulantia_ and _irritentia_, and my life for it, the patient +is saved." + +"Will you listen to me for one moment?" says Dr. Dridrano, the youngest +of the three gentlemen. "It may be presumption for one of my humble +pretensions to set myself in opposition to persons of your age, +experience, and celebrity; but I am bound, by the sacred duties of the +high functions I have undertaken to perform, to use my poor abilities in +such a way as I can, to advance the noble science of medicine, and, in +so doing, to give strength to the weak, courage to the disheartened, and +comfort to the afflicted. Gentlemen, I say, I hope if my simple views +should be found widely different from yours, you will not impute it to a +presumption which is as foreign to my nature as it would be unsuited to +your merits. I consider the human body a mere machine, whose parts are +complicated, whose functions are various, and whose operations are +liable to be impeded and frustrated by a variety of obstacles. There is, +you know, one set of tubes, or vessels, for the blood; another for the +lymph; another for the sweat; and so on. Now, although each of these +fluids has its several channels, yet, if by any accident any one of them +is obstructed, and there is so great an accumulation of the obstructed +fluid that it cannot find vent by its natural channel, or duct, then you +must carry off the redundancy by some other; for you well know, that +that which can be carried off by one, can be carried off by all. +Gentlemen, I beg you not to turn away; hear me for a moment. Then, if +the current of the blood be obstructed, I make large draughts of urine, +or sweat or saliva, or of the liquor amnii; and I find it matters little +which of these evacuants I resort to. This system, to which, with +deference to your longer experience, I have had the honour of giving +some celebrity in Morosofia, explains how it is that such various +remedies for the same disease have been in vogue at different times. +They have all had in town able advocates. I could adduce undeniable +testimonials of their efficacy, because, in fact, they are all +efficacious; and it seems to me a mere matter of earthshine, whether we +resort to one or the other mode of restoring the equilibrium of the +human machine; all that we have to do, being to know when and to what +extent it is proper to use either. Determine, then, gentlemen,--you, for +whose maturer judgment and years I feel profound respect,--whether we +shall blister, or sweat, or bleed, or salivate." + +Dr. Shuro, who had manifested his impatience at this long harangue, by +frequent interruptions, and which Dridrano's show of deference could +scarcely keep down, hastily replied: "You have manifestly taken the hint +of your theory from me; and because I have advanced the doctrine that +disease is an unit, you come forward now, and insist that remedy is an +unit too." + +"You do me great honour, learned sir," said Dridrano. "Surely it would +be very unbecoming, in one of my age and standing, to set up a theory in +opposition to yours, but it would be yet more discreditable to be a +plagiarist; and, with all due respect for your superior wisdom, it does +seem to my feeble intellect, that no two theories can be more different. +You use several remedies for one disease: I admit several diseases, and +use one remedy." + +"And does not darkness remind us of light," replied Shuro, "by the +contrast? heat of cold--north of south?" + +"Gentlemen," then said Shakrack, who had been walking to and fro, during +the preceding controversy, "as you seem to agree so ill with each other, +I trust you will unite in adopting my course. Let us begin with this +cordial; we will then vary the stimulus, if necessary, by means of the +elixir, and you will see the salutary effects immediately. A loss of +blood would still farther increase the debility of the patient; and I +appeal to your candour, Dr. Shuro, whether you ever practised +venesection in such a case?" + +"In such a case? ay, in what _you_ would call much worse. I was not long +since called in to a man in a dropsy. I opened a vein. He seemed from +that moment to feel relief; and he so far recovered, that after a short +time I bled him again. I returned the next day, and had I arrived half +an hour sooner, I should have bled him a third time, and in all human +probability have saved his life." + +"If you had stimulated him, you might have had an opportunity of making +your favourite experiment a little oftener," said Shakrack. + +"You are facetious, sir; I imagine you have been using your own panacea +somewhat too freely to-day." + +"Not so," said his opponent, angrily; "but if you are not more guarded +in your expressions, I shall make use of yours, in a way you +won't like." + +Upon which they proceeded to blows, Dridrano all the while bellowing, "I +beg, my worthy seniors, for the honour of science, that you +will forbear!" + +The noise of the dispute had waked the patient, who, learning the cause +of the disturbance, calmly begged they would give themselves no concern +about him, but let him die in peace. The domestics, who had been for +some time listening to the dispute, on hearing the scuffle, ran in and +parted the angry combatants, who, like an abscess just lanced, were +giving vent to all the malignant humours that had been so long silently +gathering. + +In the mean while, the smooth and considerate Dr. Dridrano stept into +the sick room, with the view of offering an apology for the unmannerly +conduct of his brethren, and of tendering his single services, as the +other sages of the healing art could not agree in the course to be +pursued; when he found that the patient, profiting by the simple +remedies of the Brahmin, and an hour's rest, had been so much refreshed, +that he considered himself out of danger, and that he had no need of +medical assistance; or, at any rate, he was unwilling to follow the +prescriptions of one physician, which another, if not two others, +unhesitatingly condemned. Each one then received his fee, and hurried +home, to publish his own statement of the case in a pamphlet. + +The Brahmin, who had never left the sick man's couch during his sleep, +now that he was out of danger, was greatly diverted at the dispute. But +he good-naturedly added, that, notwithstanding the ridiculous figure +they had that day made, they were all men of genius and ability, but had +done their parts injustice by their vanity, and the ambition of +originating a new theory. "With all the extravagance," said he, "to +which they push their several systems, they are not unsuccessful in +practice, for habitual caution, and an instinctive regard for human +life, which they never can extinguish, checks them in carrying their +hypotheses into execution: and if I might venture to give an opinion on +a subject of which I know so little, and there is so much to be known, I +would say, that the most common error of theorists is to consider man as +a machine, rather than an animal, and subject to one set of the laws of +matter, rather than as subject to them all. + +"Thus," he continued, "we have been regarded by one class of theorists +as an hydraulic engine, composed of various tubes fitted with their +several fluids, the laws and functions of which have been deduced from +calculations of velocities, altitudes, diameters, friction, &c. Another +class considered man as a mere chemical engine, and his stomach as an +alembic. The doctrine of affinities, attractions, and repulsions, now +had full play. Then came the notion of sympathies and antipathies, by +which name unknown and unknowable causes were sought to be explained, +and ignorance was cunningly veiled in mystery. But the science will +never be in the right tract of improvement, until we consider, +conjointly, the mechanical operations of the fluids, the chemical agency +of the substances taken into the stomach, and the animal functions of +digestion, secretion, and absorption, as evinced by actual observation." +I told him that I believed that was now the course which was actually +pursued in the best medical schools, both of Europe and America. + +Our worthy host, though very feeble, had so far recovered as to dress +himself, and receive the congratulations of his household, who had all +manifested a concern for his situation, that was at once creditable to +him and themselves. Expressing our gratitude for his kind attentions, +and promising to renew our visit if we could, we bade him adieu. + +We took a different road home from the way we had come, and had not +walked far, before we met a number of small boys, each having a bag on +his back, as large as he could stagger under. Surprised at seeing +children of their tender years, thus prematurely put to severe labour, I +was about to rail at the absurd custom of this strange country, when my +friend checked me for my hasty judgment, and told me that these boys +were on their way to school, after their usual monthly holiday. We +attended them to their schoolhouse, which stood in sight, on the side of +a steep chalky hill. The Brahmin told me that the teacher's name was +Lozzi Pozzi, and that he had acquired great celebrity by his system of +instruction. When the boys opened their bags, I found that instead of +books and provisions, as I had expected, they were filled with sticks, +which they told us constituted the arithmetical lessons they were +required to practise at home. These sticks were of different lengths and +dimensions, according to the number marked on them; so that by looking +at the inscription, you could tell the size, or by seeing or feeling the +size, you could tell the number. + +The master now made his appearance, and learning our errand, was very +communicative. He descanted on the advantages of this manual, and ocular +mode of teaching the science of numbers, and gave us practical +illustrations of its efficacy, by examining his pupils in our presence. +He told the first boy he called up, and who did not seem to be more than +seven or eight years of age, to add 5, 3, and 7 together, and tell him +the result. The little fellow set about hunting, with great alacrity, +over his bag, until he found a piece divided like three fingers, then a +piece with five divisions, and lastly, one with seven, and putting them +side by side, he found the piece of a correspondent length, and thus, in +less than eight minutes and a half, answered, "fifteen." The ingenious +master then exercised another boy in subtraction, and a third in +multiplication: but the latter was thrown into great confusion, for one +of the pieces having lost a division, it led him to a wrong result. + +The teacher informed us that he taught geometry in the same way, and had +even extended it to grammar, logic, rhetoric, and the art of +composition. The rules of syntax were discovered by pieces of wood, +interlocking with each other in squares, dovetails, &c., after the +manner of geographical cards; and as they chanced to fit together, so +was the concordance between the several parts of speech ascertained. The +machine for composition occupied a large space; different sets of +synonymes were arranged in compartments of various sizes. When the +subject was familiar, a short piece was used; when it was stately or +heroic, then the longest slips that could be found were resorted to. +Those that were rounded at the ends were mellifluous; the jagged ones +were harsh; the thick pieces expressed force and vigour. Where the +curves corresponded at one end, they served for alliteration; and when +at the other, they answered for rhyme. By way of proving its progress, +he showed us a composition by a man who was deaf and dumb, in praise of +Morosofia, who, merely by the use of his eyes and hands, had made an +ingenious and high-sounding piece of eloquence, though I confess that +the sense was somewhat obscure. We went away filled with admiration for +the great Lozzi Pozzi's inventions. + +Having understood that there was an academy in the neighbourhood, in +which youths of maturer years were instructed in the fine arts, we were +induced to visit it; but there being a vacation at that time, we could +see neither the professors nor students, and consequently could gain +little information of the course of discipline and instruction pursued +there. We were, however, conducted to a small _menagerie_ attached to +the institution, by its keeper, where the habits and accomplishments of +the animals bore strong testimony in favour of the diligence and skill +of their teachers. + +We there saw two game-cocks, which, so far from fighting, (though they +had been selected from the most approved breed,) billed and cooed like +turtle-doves. There was a large zebra, apparently ill-tempered, which +showed his anger by running at and butting every animal that came in his +way. Two half-grown llamas, which are naturally as quiet and timid as +sheep, bit each other very furiously, until they foamed at the mouth. +And, lastly, a large mastiff made his appearance, walking in a slow, +measured gait, with a sleek tortoise-shell cat on his back; and she, in +turn, was surmounted by a mouse, which formed the apex of this +singular pyramid. + +The keeper, remarking our unaffected surprise at the exhibition, asked +us if we could now doubt the unlimited force of education, after such a +display of the triumph of art over nature. While he was speaking, the +mastiff, being jostled by the two llamas still awkwardly worrying each +other, turned round so suddenly, that the mouse was dislodged from his +lofty position, and thrown to the ground; on seeing which, the cat +immediately sprang upon it, with a loud purring noise, which being heard +by the dog, he, with a fierce growl, suddenly seized the cat. The +llamas, alarmed at this terrific sound, instinctively ran off, and +having, in their flight, approached the heels of the zebra, he gave a +kick, which killed one of them on the spot. + +The keeper, who was deeply mortified at seeing the fabric he had raised +with such indefatigable labour, overturned in a moment, protested that +nothing of the sort had ever happened before. To which we replied, by +way of consolation, that perhaps the same thing might never happen +again; and that, while his art had achieved a conquest over nature, this +was only a slight rebellion of nature against art. We then thanked him +for his politeness, and took our leave. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +_Election of the Numnoonce, or town-constable--Violence +of parties--Singular institution of the Syringe Boys--The +prize-fighters--Domestic manufactures._ + + +When we got back to the city, we found an unusual stir and bustle among +the citizens, and on inquiring the cause, we understood they were about +to elect the town-constable. After taking some refreshment at our +lodgings, where we were very kindly received, we again went out, and +were hurried along with the crowd, to a large building near the centre +of the city. The multitude were shouting and hallooing with great +vehemence. The Brahmin remarking an elderly man, who seemed very quiet +in the midst of all this ferment, he thought him a proper person to +address for information. + +"I suppose," says he, "from the violence of these partisans, they are on +different sides in religion or politics?" + +"Not at all," said the other; "those differences are forgotten at the +present, and the ground of the dispute is, that one of the candidates is +tall, and the other is short--one has a large foretop, and the other is +bald. Oh, I forgot; one has been a schoolmaster, and the other +a butcher." + +Curiosity now prompted me to enter into the thickest of the throng; and +I had never seen such fury in the maddest contests between old George +Clinton and Mr. Jay, or De Witt Clinton and Governor Tompkins, in my +native State. They each reproached their adversaries in the coarsest +language, and attributed to them the vilest principles and motives. Our +guide farther told us that the same persons, with two others, had been +candidates last year, when the schoolmaster prevailed; and, as the +supporters of the other two unsuccessful candidates had to choose now +between the remaining two, each party was perpetually reproaching the +other with inconsistency. A dialogue between two individuals of opposite +sides, which we happened to hear, will serve as a specimen of the rest. + +"Are you not a pretty fellow to vote for Bald-head, whom you have so +often called rogue and blockhead?" + +"It becomes you to talk of consistency, indeed! Pray, sir, how does it +happen that you are now against him, when you were so lately sworn +friends, and used to eat out of the same dish?" + +"Yes; but I was the butcher's friend too. I never abused him. You'll +never catch me supporting a man I have once abused." + +"But I catch you abusing the man you once supported, which is rather +worse. The difference between us is this:--you professed to be friendly +to both; I professed to be hostile to both: you stuck to one of your +friends, and cast the other off; and I acted the same towards my +enemies." A crowd then rushed by, crying "Huzza for the Butcher's +knives! Damn pen and ink--damn the books, and all that read in them! +Butchers' knives and beef for ever!" + +We asked our guide what these men were to gain by the issue of the +contest. + +"Nineteenths of them nothing. But a few hope to be made deputies, if +their candidates succeed, and they therefore egg on the rest." + +We drew near to the scaffold where the candidates stood, and our ears +were deafened with the mingled shouts and exclamations of praise and +reproach. "You cheated the corporation!" says one. "You killed two black +sheep!" says another. "You can't read a warrant!" "You let Dondon cheat +you!" "You tried to cheat Nincan!" "You want to build a watch-house!" +"You have an old ewe at home now, that you did not come honestly by!" +"You denied your own hand!"--with other ribaldry still more gross and +indecent. But the most singular part of the scene was a number of little +boys, dressed in black and white, who all wore badges of the parties to +which they belonged, and were provided with a syringe, and two canteens, +one filled with rose-water, and the other with a black liquid, of a very +offensive smell, the first of which they squirted at their favourite +candidates and voters, and the last on those of the opposite party. They +were drawn up in a line, and seemed to be under regular discipline; for, +whenever the captain of the band gave the word, "Vilti Mindoc!" they +discharged the dirty liquid from their syringes; and when he said "Vilti +Goulgoul!" they filled the air with perfume, that was so overpowering as +sometimes to produce sickness. The little fellows would, between whiles, +as if to keep their hands in, use the black squirts against one another; +but they often gave them a dash of the rose-water at the same time. + +I wondered to see men submit to such indignity; but was told that the +custom had the sanction of time; that these boys were brought up in the +church, and were regularly trained to this business. "Besides," added my +informer, "the custom is not without its use; for it points out the +candidates at once to a stranger, and especially him who is successful, +those being always the most blackened who are the most popular." But it +was amusing to see the ludicrous figure that the candidates and some of +the voters made. If you came near them on one side, they were like roses +dripping with the morning dew; but on the other, they were as black as +chimney sweeps, and more offensive than street scavengers. As these +Syringe Boys, or Goulmins, are thus protected by custom, the persons +assailed affected to despise them; but I could ever and anon see some of +the most active partisans clapping them on the back, and saying, "Well +done, my little fellows! give it to them again! You shall have a +ginger-cake--and you shall have a new cap," &c. Surely, thought I, our +custom of praising and abusing our public men in the newspapers, is far +more rational than this. After the novelty of the scene was over, I +became wearied and disgusted with their coarseness, violence, and want +of decency, and we left them without waiting to see the result of +the contest. + +In returning to our lodgings, the Brahmin took me along a quarter of the +town in which I had never before been. In a little while we came to a +lofty building, before the gate of which a great crowd were assembled. +"This," said my companion, "is one of the courts of justice." Anxious to +see their modes of proceeding in court, I pushed through the crowd, +followed by the Brahmin, and on entering the building, found myself in a +spacious amphitheatre, in the middle of which I beheld, with surprise, +several men engaged, hand to hand, in single combat. On asking an +explanation of my friend, he informed me that these contests were +favourite modes of settling private disputes in Morosofia: that the +prize-fighters I saw, hired themselves to any one who conceived himself +injured in person, character, or property. "It seems a strange mode of +settling legal disputes," I remarked, "which determines a question in +favour of a party, according to the strength and wind of his champion." + +"Nor is that all," said the Brahmin, "as the judges assign the victory +according to certain rules and precedents, the reasons of which are +known only to themselves, if known at all, and which are often +sufficiently whimsical--as sometimes a small scratch in the head avails +more than a disabling blow in the body. The blows too, must be given in +the right time, as well as in the right place, or they pass for nothing. +In short, of all those spectators who are present to witness the powers +and address of the prize-fighters, not one in a hundred can tell who has +gained the victory, until the judges have proclaimed it." + +"I presume," said I, "that the champions who thus expose their persons +and lives in the cause of another, are Glonglims?" + +"There," said he, "you are altogether mistaken. In the first place, the +prize-fighters seldom sustain serious injury. Their weapons do not +endanger life; and as each one knows that his adversary is merely +following his vocation, they often fight without animosity. After the +contest is over, you may commonly see the combatants walking and talking +very sociably together: but as this circumstance makes them a little +suspected by the public, they affect the greater rage when in conflict, +and occasionally quarrel and fight in downright earnest. No," he +continued, "I am told it is a very rare thing to see one of these +prize-fighters who is a Glonglim; but most of their employers belong to +this unhappy race." + +On looking more attentively, I perceived many of these beings among the +spectators, showing, by their gestures, the greatest anxiety for the +issue of the contest. They each carried a scrip, or bag, the contents of +which they ever and anon gave to their respective champions, whose wind, +it is remarked, is very apt to fail, unless thus assisted. + +Having learnt some farther particulars respecting this singular mode of +litigation, which would be uninteresting to the general reader, I took +my leave, not without secretly congratulating myself on the more +rational modes in which justice is administered on earth. + +When we had nearly reached our lodgings, we heard a violent altercation +in the house, and on entering, we found our landlord and his wife +engaged in a dispute respecting their domestic economy, and they both +made earnest appeals to my companion for the correctness of their +respective opinions. The old man was in favour of their children making +their own shoes and clothes; and his wife insisted that it would be +better for them to stick to their garden and dairy, with the proceeds of +which they could purchase what they wanted. She asserted that they could +readily sell all the fruits and vegetables they could raise; and that +whilst they would acquire greater skill by an undivided attention to one +thing, they who followed the business of tailors, shoemakers, and +seamstresses, would, in like manner, become more skilful in their +employments, and consequently be able to work at a cheaper rate. She +farther added, that spinning and sewing were unhealthy occupations; they +would give the girls the habit of stooping, which would spoil their +shapes; and that their thoughts would be more likely to be running on +idle and dangerous fancies, when sitting at their needles, than when +engaged in more active occupations. + +This dame was a very fluent, ready-witted woman, and she spoke with the +confidence that consciousness of the powers of disputation commonly +inspires. She went on enlarging on the mischiefs of the practice she +condemned, and, by insensible gradations, so magnified them, that at +last she clearly made out that there was no surer way of rendering their +daughters sickly, deformed, vicious, and unchaste, than to set them +about making their own clothes. + +After she had ceased, (which she did under a persuasion that she had +anticipated and refuted every argument that could be urged in opposition +to her doctrine,) the husband, with an emotion of anger that he could +not conceal, began to defend his opinion. He said, as to the greater +economy of his plan, there could be no doubt; for although they might, +at particular times, make more by gardening than they could save by +spinning or sewing, yet there were other times when they could not till +the ground, and when, of course, if they did not sew or spin, they would +be idle; but if they did work, the proceeds would be clear gain. He said +he did not wish his daughters to be constantly employed in making +clothes, nor was it necessary that they should be. A variety of other +occupations, equally indispensable, claimed their attention, and would +leave but a comparatively small portion of time for needlework: that in +thus providing themselves with employment at home, they at least saved +the time of going backwards and forwards, and were spared some trips to +market, for the sale of vegetables to pay, as would then be necessary, +for the work done by others. Besides, the tailor who was most convenient +to them, and who, it was admitted, was a very good one, was insolent and +capricious; would sometimes extort extravagant prices, or turn them into +ridicule; and occasionally went so far as to set his water-dogs upon +them, of which he kept a great number. He declared, that for his part he +would incur a little more expense, rather than he would be so imposed +upon, and subjected to so much indignity and vexation. + +He denied that sewing would affect his daughters' health, unless, +perhaps, they followed it exclusively as an occupation; but, as they +would have it in their power to consult their inclinations and +convenience in this matter, they might take it up when the occasion +required, and lay it down whenever they found it irksome or fatiguing: +that as they themselves were inclined to follow this course, it was a +plain proof that the occupation was not unhealthy. He maintained that +they would stoop just as much in gardening, and washing and nursing +their children, as in sewing; and that we were not such frail or +unpliant machines as to be seriously injured, unless we persisted in one +set of straight, formal notions, but that we were adapted to variety, +and were benefited by it. That as to the practice being favourable to +wantonness and vice, while he admitted that idleness was productive of +these effects, he could not see how one occupation encouraged them more +than another. That the tailor, for example, whom he had been speaking +of, though purse-proud, overbearing, and rapacious, was not more immoral +or depraved than his neighbours, and had probably less of the libertine +than most of them. He admitted that evil thoughts would enter the mind +in any situation, and could not reasonably be expected to be kept out of +his daughters' heads (being, as he said, but women): yet he conceived +such a result as far less probable, if they were suffered to ramble +about in the streets, and to chaffer with their customers, than if they +were kept to sedate and diligent employment at home. + +Having, with great warmth and earnestness, used these arguments, he +concluded, by plainly hinting to his wife that she had always been the +apologist of the tailor, in all their disputes; and that she could not +be so obstinately blind to the irrefragable reasoning he had urged, if +she were not influenced by her old hankering after this fellow, and did +not consult his interests in preference to those of her own family. Upon +this remark the old woman took fire, and, in spite of our presence, they +both had recourse to direct and the coarsest abuse. + +The Brahmin did not, as I expected, join me in laughing at the scene we +had just witnessed; but, after some musing, observed: "There is much +truth in what each of these parties say. I blame them only for the +course they take towards each other. Their dispute is, in fact, of a +most frivolous and unmeaning character; for, if the father was to carry +his point, the girls would occasionally sell the productions of their +garden, and pay for making their clothes, or even buy them ready made. +Were the mother, on the other hand, to prevail, they would still +occasionally use their needles, and exercise their taste and skill in +sewing, spinning, knitting, and the like. Nay," added he, "if you had +not been so much engrossed with this angry and indecorous altercation, +you might have seen two of them at their needles, in an adjoining +apartment, while one was busy at work in the garden, and another up to +the elbows in the soap-suds--all so closely engaged in their several +pursuits, that they hardly seemed to know they were the subject of +discussion." + +I told the Brahmin that a dispute, not unlike this, had taken place in +my own country, a few years since; some of our politicians contending +that agricultural labour was most conducive to the national wealth, +whilst others maintained that manufacturing industry was equally +advantageous, wherever it was voluntarily pursued;--but that the +controversy had lately assumed a different character--the question now +being, not whether manufactures are as beneficial as agriculture, but +whether they deserve extraordinary encouragement, by taxing those who do +not give them a preference. + +"That is," said the Brahmin, "as if our landlady, by way of inducing her +daughters to give up gardening for spinning, were to tell them, if they +did not find their new occupation as profitable as the old, she would +more than make up the difference out of her own pocket, which, though it +might suit the daughters very well, would be a losing business to +the family." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +_Description of the Happy Valley--The laws, customs, and manners of the +Okalbians--Theory of population--Rent--System of government._ + + +The Brahmin, who was desirous of showing me what was most remarkable in +this country, during the short time we intended to stay, thought this a +favourable time to visit Okalbia, or the Happy Valley. The Okalbians are +a tribe or nation, who live separated from the rest of the Lunar world, +and whose wise government, prudence, industry, and integrity, are very +highly extolled by all, though, by what I can learn, they have few +imitators. They dwell about three hundred miles north of the city of +Alamatua, in a fertile valley, which they obtained by purchase about two +hundred years since, and which is about equal to twenty miles square, +that is, to four hundred square miles. A carriage and four well-broke +dogs, was procured for us, and we soon reached the foot of the mountain +that encloses the fortunate valley, in about fifty-two hours. We then +ascended, for about three miles, with far fatigue than I formerly +experienced in climbing the Catskill mountains of my native State, and +found ourselves on the summit of an extensive ridge, which formed the +margin of a vast elliptical basin, the bottom of which presented a most +beautiful landscape. The whole surface was like a garden, interspersed +with patches of wood, clumps of trees, and houses standing singly or in +groupes. A lake, about a mile across, received several small streams, +and on its edge was a town, containing about a thousand houses. After +enjoying the beauties of the scene for some minutes, we descended by a +rough winding road, and entered this Lunar Paradise, in about four +hours. Along the sides of the highway we travelled, were planted rows of +trees, not unlike our sycamores, which afforded a refreshing shade to +the traveller; and commonly a rivulet ran bubbling along one side or the +other of the road. + +After journeying about eight miles, we entered a neat, well built town, +which contained, as we were informed, about fifteen thousand +inhabitants. The Brahmin informed me, that in a time of religious +fervour, about two centuries ago, a charter was granted to the founder +of a new sect, the Volbins, who had chanced to make converts of some of +the leading men in Morosofia, authorising him and his followers to +purchase this valley of the hunting tribe to whom it belonged, and to +govern themselves by their own laws. They found no difficulty in making +the purchase. It was then used as a mere hunting ground, no one liking +to settle in a place that seemed shut out from the rest of the world. At +first, the new settlers divided the land equally among all the +inhabitants, one of their tenets being, that as there was no difference +of persons in the next world, there should be no difference in sharing +the good things of this. They tried at first to preserve this equality; +but finding it impracticable, they abandoned it. It is said that after +about thirty years, by reason of a difference in their industry and +frugality, and of some families spending less than they made, and some +more, the number of land owners was reduced to four hundred, and that +fifty of these held one half of the whole; since which time the number +of landed proprietors has declined with the population, though not in +the same proportion. As the soil is remarkably fertile, the climate +healthy, and the people temperate and industrious, they multiplied very +rapidly until they reached their present numbers, which have been long +stationary, and amount to 150,000, that is, about four hundred to a +square mile; of these, more than one half live in towns and villages, +containing from one hundred to a thousand houses. + +They have little or no commerce with any other people, the valley +producing every vegetable production, and the mountains every mineral, +which they require; and in fact, they have no foreign intercourse +whatever, except when they visit, or are visited from curiosity. Though +they have been occasionally bullied and threatened by lawless and +overbearing neighbours; yet, as they can be approached by only a single +gorge in the mountain, which is always well garrisoned, (and they +present no sufficient object to ambition, to compensate for the scandal +of invading so inoffensive and virtuous a people,) they have never yet +been engaged in war. + +I felt very anxious to know how it was that their numbers did not +increase, as they were exempt from all pestilential diseases, and live +in such abundance, that a beggar by trade has never been known among +them, and are remarkable for their moral habits. + +"Let us inquire at the fountain-head," said the Brahmin; and we went to +see the chief magistrate, who received us in a style of unaffected +frankness, which in a moment put us at our ease. After we had explained +to him who we were, and answered such inquiries as he chose to make: + +"Sir," said I, through the Brahmin, who acted as interpreter, "I have +heard much of your country, and I find, on seeing it, that it exceeds +report, in the order, comfort, contentment, and abundance of the people. +But I am puzzled to find out how it is that your numbers do not +increase. I presume you marry late in life?" + +"On the contrary," said he; "every young man marries as soon as he +receives his education, and is capable of managing the concerns of a +family. Some are thus qualified sooner, and some later." + +"Some occasionally migrate, then?" + +"Never. A number of our young men, indeed, visit foreign countries, but +not one in a hundred settles abroad." + +"How, then, do your associates continue stationary?" + +"Nothing is more easy. No man has a larger family than his land or +labour can support, in comfort; and as long as that is the case with +every individual, it must continue to be the case with the whole +community. We leave the matter to individual discretion. The prudential +caution which is thus indicated, has been taught us by our own +experience. We had gone on increasing, under the encouraging influence +of a mild system of laws, genial climate, and fruitful soil, until, +about a century ago, we found that our numbers were greater than our +country, abundant as it is, could comfortably support; and our seasons +being unfavourable for two successive years, many of our citizens were +obliged to banish themselves from Okalbia; and their education not +fitting them for a different state of society, they suffered severely, +both in their comforts and morals. It is now a primary moral duty, +enforced by all our juvenile instructors with every citizen, to adapt +his family to his means; and thus a regard which each individual has for +his offspring, is the salvation of the State." + +"And can these prudential restraints be generally practised? What a +virtuous people! Love for one another brings the two sexes +together--love for their offspring makes them separate!" + +"I see," said the magistrate, smiling, "you are under an error. No +separation takes place, and none is necessary." + +"How, then, am I to believe.....?" + +"You are to believe nothing," said he, with calm dignity, "which is +incompatible with virtue and propriety. I see that the most important of +all sciences--that one on which the well-being and improvement of +society mainly depends,--is in its infancy with you. But whenever you +become as populous as we are, and unite the knowledge of real happiness +with the practice of virtue, you will understand it. It is one of our +maxims, that heaven gives wisdom to man in such portions as his +situation requires it; and no doubt it is the same with the people of +your earth." + +I did not, after this, push my inquiries farther; but remarked, aside to +the Brahmin,--"I would give a good deal to know this secret, provided it +would suit our planet." + +"It is already known there," replied he, "and has been long practised by +many in the east: but in the present state of society with you, it might +do more harm than good to be made public, by removing one of the checks +of licentiousness, where women are so unrestrained as they are +with you." + +Changing now the subject, I ventured to inquire how they employed their +leisure hours, and whether many did not experience here a wearisome +sameness, and a feeling of confinement and restraint. + +"It is true," said the magistrate, "men require variety; but I would not +have you suppose he cannot find it here. He may cultivate his lands, +improve his mind, educate his children; these are his serious +occupations, affording every day some employment that is, at once, new +and interesting: and, by way of relaxation, he has music, painting, and +sculpture; sailing, riding, conversation, storytelling, and reading the +news of what is passing, both in the valley and out of it." + +I asked if they had newspapers. He answered in the affirmative; and +added, that they contained minute details of the births, deaths, +marriages, accidents, state of the weather and crops, arbitrations, +public festivals, inventions, original poetry, and prose compositions. +In addition to which, they had about fifty of their most promising young +men travelling abroad, who made observations on all that was remarkable +in the countries they passed through, which they regularly transmitted +once a month to Okalbia. I inquired if they travelled at the public +expense or their own? + +"They always pursue some profession or trade, by the profits of which +they support themselves. We have nothing but intellect and ingenuity to +export; for though our country produces every thing, there is no +commodity that we can so well spare. Their talents find them employment +every where; and the necessity they are under of a laborious exertion of +these talents, and of submitting to a great deal from those whose +customs and manners are not to their taste, and whom they feel inferior +to themselves, is a considerable check to the desire to go abroad, so +much so, that we hold out the farther inducement of political +distinction when they return." + +"What, then! you have ambition among you?" + +"Certainly; our institutions have only tempered it, and not vainly +endeavoured to extinguish it; and we find it employment in this way: Of +our youthful travellers, those who are most diligent in their vocation; +who give the most useful information, and communicate it in the happiest +manner, are made magistrates, on their return, and sometimes have +statues decreed to them. Besides, the name which their conduct or +talents procure them abroad, is echoed back to the valley, long before +their return, and has much influence in the general estimate of their +character. + +"But have you not many more competitors, than you have public offices?" + +"There are, without doubt, many who desire office; but to manifest their +wish, would be one of the surest means of defeating it. We require +modesty, (at least in appearance,) moderation and disinterestedness, and +of course, the less pains a candidate takes to show himself off, +the better." + +"But have they no friends, who can at once render them this service, and +relieve them from the odium of it?" + +"There is, indeed, somewhat of this; but you must remember, that the +highest of our magistrates has comparatively little power. He has no +army, no treasury, no patronage; he merely executes the laws. But, as a +farther check on the immoderate zeal of friends, the expense of doing +this, as well as of maintaining him in office, is defrayed by those who +vote for him. There seems, at first view, but little justice in this +regulation; but we think, that as every one cannot have his way, those +who carry their point, and have the power, should also bear the burden: +besides, in this way the voices of the most generous and disinterested +prevail. We have," he added, "found this the most difficult part of our +government. We once thought that the very lively interest excited in the +electioneering contests, particularly for that of Gompoo, or chief +magistrate, was to be ascribed to the power he possessed; and we +resorted to various expedients to lessen it--such as dividing it among a +greater number--requiring a quick rotation of office--abridging the +powers themselves: but we discovered, that however small the power, the +distinction it gave to those who possessed it, was always an object of +lively interest with the ambitious, and indeed with the public in +general. We have, therefore, enlarged the power, and the term of holding +it, and make him who would attain it, purchase it by previous exertion +and self-denial: and we farther compel those who favour him, to lose as +well as gain. We array the love of money against the love of power; or +rather, one love of power to another. Moreover, as it is only by the +civic virtues that our citizens recommend themselves to popular favour, +there is nothing of that enthusiasm which military success excites among +the natives." + +Our Washington then presented himself to my mind, and for a moment I +began to question his claim to the unexampled honours bestowed on him by +his countrymen, until I recollected that he was as distinguished by his +respect for the laws, and his sound views of national policy, as for his +military services. + +I then inquired into the occupations and condition of those who were +without land; and was told that they were either cultivators of the +soil, or practised some liberal or mechanical art; and, partly owing to +the education they receive, and partly from the active competition that +exists among them, they are skilful, diligent, and honest. Now and then +there are some exceptions, according to the proverb, that _in the best +field of grain there will be some bad ears_. The land-owners sometimes +cultivate the soil with their own hands--sometimes with hired +labourers--and sometimes they rent them for about a third of their +produce. The smallest proprietors commonly adopt the first course; the +middling, the second; and the great landholders the third." + +"But I thought," said I, "that all the land in the valley was of equal +fertility." + +"So it is; but what has that to do with rent?" + +"Sir," said I, "our ablest writers on this subject have lately +discovered that there can be no rent where there is not a gradation of +soils, such as exists in every country of the earth." + +"I see not," said he, "what could have led them into that error. It is +true, if there was inferior land, there would be a difference of rent in +proportion to the difference of fertility; and if it was so poor as +merely to repay the expense of cultivation, it would yield no rent at +all. But surely, if one man makes as much as several consume, (and this +he can easily do with us,) he will be able to get much of their labour +in exchange for this surplus, which is so indispensable to them, and to +get more and more, until the greatest number has come into existence +which such surplus can support. What they thus give, if the proprietor +retains the land himself, you may regard as the extraordinary profits of +agricultural labour, or rent, if paid to any one to whom he transfers +this benefit. This is precisely our present situation." + +There was no denying this statement of facts: but I could not help +exclaiming,--"Surely there is nothing certain in the universe; or +rather, truth is one thing in the moon, and another thing on the earth." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +_Farther account of Okalbia--The Field of Roses--Curious superstition +concerning that flower--The pleasures of smell traced to association, by +a Glonglim philosopher._ + + +Though I felt some reluctance to abuse the patience of this polite and +intelligent magistrate, I could not help making some inquiry about the +jurisprudence of his country, and first, what was their system of +punishment. + +"We have no capital punishment," says he; "for, from all we learn, it is +not more efficacious in preventing crime, than other punishments which +are milder; and we prefer making the example to offenders a lasting one. +But we endeavour to prevent offences, not so much by punishment as by +education; and the few crimes committed among us, bring certain censure +on those who have the early instruction of the criminal. Murders are +very rare with us; thefts and robbery perhaps still more so. Our +ordinary disputes about property, are commonly settled by arbitration, +where, as well as in court, each party is permitted to state his case, +to examine what witnesses and to ask what questions he pleases." + +"You do not," said I, "examine witnesses who are interested?" + +"Why not? The judges even examine the parties themselves." + +I then told him that the smallest direct interest in the issue of the +controversy, disqualified a witness with us, from the strong bias it +created to misrepresent facts, and even to misconceive them. + +He replied with a smile,--"It seems to me that your extreme fear of +hearing falsehood, must often prevent you from ascertaining the truth. +It is true, that wherever the interest of a witness is involved, it has +an immediate tendency to make him misstate facts: but so would personal +ill-will--so would his sympathies--so would any strong feeling. What, +then, is your course in these cases?" + +I told him that these objections applied to the credibility, and not to +the competency, of witnesses, which distinctions of the lawyers I +endeavoured to explain to him. + +"Then I think you often exclude a witness who is under a small bias, and +admit another who is under a great one. You allow a man to give +testimony in a case in which the fortune or character of his father, +brother or child is involved, but reject him in a case in which he is +not interested to the amount of a greater sum than he would give to the +first beggar he met. Is it not so?" + +"That, indeed, may be the operation of the rule. But cases of such +flagrant inconsistency are very rare; and this rule, like every other, +must be tried by its general, and not its partial effects." + +"True; but your rule must at least be a troublesome one, and give rise +to a great many nice distinctions, that make it difficult in the +application. All laws are sufficiently exposed to this evil, and we do +not wish unnecessarily to increase it. We have, therefore, adopted the +plan of allowing either party to ask any question of any witness he +pleases, and leave it to the judges to estimate the circumstances which +may bias the witness. We, in short, pursue the same course in +investigating facts in court that we pursue out of it, when no one forms +a judgment until he has first heard what the parties and their friends +say on the subject." + +On my return home, I repeated this conversation to a lawyer of my +acquaintance, who told me that such a rule of evidence might do for the +people in the moon, but it certainly would not suit us. I leave the +matter to be settled by more competent heads than mine, and return to my +narrative. + +I farther learnt from this intelligent magistrate, that the territory of +the Happy Valley, or Okalbia, is divided into forty-two counties, and +each county into ten districts. In each district are three magistrates, +who are appointed by the legislature. Causes of small value are decided +by the magistrates of the district; those of greater importance, by the +county courts, composed of all the magistrates of the ten districts; a +few by the court of last court, consisting of seven judges. The +legislature consists of two houses, of which the members are elected +annually, three from each county for one branch, and one member for the +other. No qualification of property is required either to vote, or to be +eligible to either house of the legislature, as they believe that the +natural influence of property is sufficient, without adding to that +influence by law; and that the moral effects of education among them, +together with a few provisions in their constitution, are quite +sufficient to guard against any improper combination of those who have +small property. Besides, there are no odious privileges exclusively +possessed by particular classes of men, to excite the envy or resentment +of the other classes, and induce them to act in concert. + +"Have you, then, no parties?" said I. + +"Oh yes; we are not without our political parties and disputes; and we +sometimes wrangle about very small matters--such as, what amount of +labour shall be bestowed on the public roads--the best modes of +conducting our schools and colleges--the comparative merits of the +candidates for office, or the policy of some proposed change in the +laws. Man is made, you know, of very combustible materials, and may be +kindled as effectually by a spark falling at the right time, in the +right place, as when within reach of a great conflagration." + +The women appeared here to be under few restraints. I understood that +they were taught, like our sex, all the speculative branches of +knowledge, but that they were more especially instructed, by professed +teachers, in cookery, needlework, and every sort of domestic economy; as +were the young men in the occupations which require strength and +exposure. They have a variety of public schools, and some houses for +public festivals, but no public hospitals or almshouses whatever, the +few cases of private distress or misfortune being left for relief to the +merits of the sufferer and the compassion of individuals. + +After passing a week among this singular and fortunate people, whom we +every where found equally amiable, intelligent, and hospitable, we +returned to Alamatua in the same way that we had come; that is, in a +light car, drawn by four large mastiffs. When we had recovered from the +fatigues of the journey, and I had carefully committed to paper all that +I had learnt of the Okalbians, the Brahmin and I took a walk towards a +part of the suburbs which I had not yet seen, and where some of the +literati of his acquaintance resided. The sun appeared to be not more +than two hours high (though, in fact, it was more than fifty); the sky +was without a cloud, and a fresh breeze from the mountains contributed +to make it like one of the most delightful summer evenings of a +temperate climate. + +We carelessly rambled along, enjoying the balmy freshness of the air, +the picturesque scenery of the neighbouring mountains, the beauty or +fragrance of some vegetable productions, and the oddity of others, +until, having passed through a thick wood, we came to an extensive +plain, which was covered with rose-bushes. The queen of flowers here +appeared under every variety of colour, size, and species--red, white, +black, and yellow--budding, full-blown, and half-blown;--some with +thorns, and some without; some odourless, and others exhaling their +unrivalled perfume with an overpowering sweetness. I was about to pluck +one of these flowers, (of which I have always been particularly fond,) +when a man, whom I had not previously observed, stepping up behind me, +seized my arm, and asked me if I knew what I was doing. He told us that +the roses of this field, which is called Gulgal, were deemed sacred, and +were not allowed to be gathered without the special permission of the +priests, under a heavy penalty; and that he was one of those whose duty +it was to prevent the violation of the law, and to bring the offenders +to punishment. + +The Brahmin, having diverted himself a while with my surprise and +disappointment, then informed me, that the rose had ever been regarded +in Morosofia, as the symbol of female purity, delicacy, and sweetness; +which notion had grown into a popular superstition, that whenever a +marriage is consummated on the earth, one of these flowers springs up in +the moon; and that in colour, shape, size, or other property, it is a +fit type of the individual whose change of state is thus commemorated. + +"What, father," said I, "could have given rise to so strange an +opinion?" + +"I know not," said he; "but I have heard it thus explained:--That the +roses generally spring up, as well as blow, in the course of their long +nights, during which the earth's resplendent disc is the most +conspicuous object in the heavens; which two facts stand, in the opinion +of the multitude, in the relation of cause and effect. Attributing, +then, the symbolical character of the rose to its tutelary planet, they +regard the earth in the same light as the ancients did the chaste Diana, +and believe that she plants this her favourite flower in the moon, +whenever she loses a votary. The priesthood encourage this superstition, +as they have grafted on it some mystical rites, which add to their power +and profit, and which one of our Pundits thinks has a great resemblance +to the Eleusinian mysteries. There is, however, my dear Atterley, little +satisfaction in tracing the origin of vulgar superstitions. They grow up +like a strange plant in a forest, without our being able to tell how the +seed found its way there. It is generally believed in the east, that the +moon, at particular periods of her revolution round the earth, has a +great influence in causing rain; though every one must see, that, +notwithstanding such influence must be the same in every part of the +earth, it is invariably fair in one place, at the very time that it is +rainy in another. Nay, we may safely aver that there is not a day, nor +an hour, in the year, in which it is not dry and rainy, cloudy and +clear, windy and calm, in hundreds of places at once." + +I told the Brahmin that the same opinion prevailed in my country. That +the vulgar also believe the moon, according to its age, to have +particular effects on the flesh of slaughtered animals; and that all +sailors distinguish between a wet and a dry day, according to the +position of the crescent. + +We then inquired of the warden of this flowery plain, if he had ever +remarked any difference in the number of roses which sprung up in a +given period of time. He said he thought they were more numerous about +five and twenty or thirty years ago, than he had ever seen them before +or since. With that exception, he said, the number appeared to be nearly +the same every year. + +The Brahmin happening to be in one of those pleasant moods which are +occasionally experienced by amiable tempers, even when under the +pressure of sorrow and age, now amused himself in pointing out the +flowers which probably represented the different nations of the earth; +and when he saw any one remarkably small, pale and delicate, he insisted +that it belonged to his own country; which point, however, I, not +yielding to him in nationality, warmly contested. I would here remark, +that as the rose is called _gul_ in the Persian language and the ancient +Sanscrit, the name of this field furnished another argument in support +of the Brahmin's hypothesis of the origin of the moon. + +While thus oblivious of the past, and reckless of the future, we were +enjoying the present moment in this _badinage_, and I was extolling the +odour of the rose, as beyond every other grateful to the olfactory +nerves of man, a lively, flippant little personage came up, and accosted +the Brahmin with the familiarity of an acquaintance. My companion +immediately introduced me to him, and at the same time gave me to +understand that this was the great Reffei, one of the most distinguished +literati of the country. Although his eye was remarkably piercing, I +perceived in it somewhat of the wildness which always characterizes a +Glonglim. He was evidently impatient for discussion; and having informed +himself of the subject of my rhapsody when he joined our party, he +vehemently exclaimed,--"I am surprised at your falling in with that +popular prejudice; while it is easy to show, that but for some feeling +of love, or pity, or admiration, with which the rose happens to be +associated--some past pleasure which it brings to your recollection, or +some future pleasure which it suggests,--any other flower would be +equally sweet. You see the rose a very beautiful flower; and you have +been accustomed, whenever you saw and felt its beauty, to perceive, at +the same time, a certain odour. The beauty and the odour thus become +associated in your mind, and the smell brings along with it the pleasure +you feel in looking at it. But the chief part of the gratification you +receive from smelling a rose, arises from some past scene of delight of +which it reminds you; as, of the days of your innocence and childhood, +when you ran about the garden--or when you were decorated with +nosegays--or danced round a may-pole, (this is rather a free +translation)--or presented a bunch of flowers to some little favourite." +He said a great deal more on the subject, and spoke so prettily and +ingeniously, as almost to make a convert of me; when, on bringing my +nose once more to the flower, I found in it the same exquisite +fragrance as ever. + +"Why do we like," he continued, "the smell of a beef-steak, or of a cup +of tea, except for the pleasure we receive from their taste?" + +I mentioned, as an exception to his theory, the codfish, which is +esteemed a very savoury dish by my countrymen, but which no one ever +regarded as very fragrant. But he repelled my objection by an ingenious +hypothesis, grounded on certain physiological facts, to show that this +supposed disagreeable smell was also the effect of some early +associations. I then mentioned to him assafoetida, the odour of which I +believed was universally odious. He immediately replied, that we are +always accustomed to associate with this drug, the disagreeable ideas of +sickness, female weakness, hysterics, affectation, &c. Unable to +continue the argument, I felt myself vanquished. I again stooped to the +flower, and as I inhaled its perfume, "Surely," said I to myself, "this +rose would be sweet if I were to lose my memory altogether:" but +recollecting the great Reffei's argument, I mentally added thanks to +divine philosophy, which always corrects our natural prejudices. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +_Atterley goes to the great monthly fair--Its various exhibitions; +difficulties--Preparations to leave the Moon--Curiosities procured by +Atterley--Regress to the Earth._ + + +The philosopher, not waiting to enjoy the triumph of victory, abruptly +took his leave, and we, refreshed and delighted with our walk, returned +home. Our landlord informed us that we had arrived in good time to +attend the great fair, or market, which regularly takes place a little +before the sun sinks below the horizon. Having taken a short repast, +while the Brahmin called on one of his acquaintance, I sallied forth +into the street, and soon found myself in the bustling throng, who were +hastening to this great resort of the busy, the idle, the knavish, and +the gay; some in pursuit of gain, and some of pleasure; whilst others +again, without any settled purpose, were carried along by the vague +desire of meeting with somewhat to relieve them from the pain +of idleness. + +The fair was held in a large square piece of ground in one of the +suburbs, set apart for that purpose; and on each of its four sides a +long low building, or rather roof, supported on massy white columns, +extended about six hundred yards in length, and was thirty yards wide. +Immediately within this arcade were arranged the finer kinds of +merchandise, fabrics of cotton or silk, and articles of jewelry, +cutlery, porcelain, and glass. On the outside were provisions of every +kind, vegetable and animal, flesh, fish, and fowl, as well as the +coarser manufactures. At no great distance from this hollow square, +(which was used exclusively for buying and selling,) might be seen an +infinite variety of persons, collected in groupes, all engaged in some +occupation or amusement, according to their several tastes and humours. +Here a party of young men were jumping, or wrestling, or shooting at a +mark with cross-bows. There, girls and boys were dancing to the sound of +a pipe, or still smaller children were playing at marbles, or amusing +themselves with the toys they had just purchased. Not far from these, a +quack from one scaffold was descanting on the virtues of his medicines, +whilst a preacher from another was holding forth to the graver part of +the crowd, the joys and terrors of another life; and yet farther on, a +motley groupe were listening to a blind beggar, who was singing to the +music of a sort of rude guitar. Here and there curtains, hanging from a +slight frame of wood-work, veiled a small square from the eyes of all, +except those who paid a nail for admittance. Some of these curtained +boxes contained jugglers--some tumblers--some libidinous pictures--and +others again, strange birds, beasts, and other animals. I observed that +none of the exhibitions were as much frequented as these booths; and I +was told that the corporation of the city derived from them a +considerable revenue. Amidst such an infinite variety of objects, my +attention was so distracted that it could not settle down upon any one, +and I strolled about without object or design. + +When I had become more familiar with this mixed multitude of sights and +sounds, I endeavoured to take a closer survey of some of the objects +composing the medley. The first thing which attracted my particular +notice, was a profusion of oaths and imprecations, which proceeded from +one of the curtained booths. I paid the admittance money to a +well-dressed man, of smooth, easy manners, and entered. I found there +several parties paired off, and engaged at different games; but, like +the rest of the bystanders, I felt myself most strongly attracted +towards the two who were betting highest. One of these was an elderly +man, of a tall stature, in a plain dress; the other was a short man, in +very costly apparel, and some years younger. For a long time the scales +of victory seemed balanced between them; but at length the tall man, who +had great self-possession, and who played with consummate skill, won the +game: soon after which he rose up, and making a graceful, respectful bow +to the rest of the company, he retired. Not being able to catch his eye, +so intent was he on his game, I felt some curiosity to know whether he +was a Glonglim; but could not ascertain the fact, as some of whom the +Brahmin inquired, said that he was, while others maintained that he was +not. His adversary, however, evidently belonged to that class, and, when +flushed with hope, reminded me of the feather-hunter. At first he +endeavoured, by forced smiles, to conceal his rage and disappointment. +He then bit his lips with vexation, and challenged one of the bystanders +to play for a smaller stake. Fortune seemed about to smile on him on +this occasion; but one of the company, who appeared to be very much +respected by the rest, detected the little man in some false play, and +publicly exposing him, broke up the game. I understood afterwards, that +before the fair was over, the gamester avenged himself for this injury +in the other's blood: that he then returned to the fair, secretly +entered another gambling booth, where he betted so rashly, that he soon +lost not only his patrimonial estate, which was large, but his acquired +wealth, which was much larger. Having lost all his property, and even +his clothes, he then staked and lost his liberty, and even his teeth, +which were very good; and he will thus be compelled to live on soups for +the rest of his life. + +I saw several other matches played, in which great sums were betted, +great skill was exhibited, and occasionally much unfairness practised. +There was one man in the crowd, whose extraordinary good fortune I could +not but admire. He went about from table to table, sometimes betting +high and sometimes low, but was generally successful, until he had won +as much as he could fairly carry; after which he went out, and amused +himself at a puppet-show, and the stall of a cake-woman, with whom he +had formerly quarrelled, but who now, when she learnt his success, was +obsequiously civil to him. I did not see that he manifested superior +skill, but still he was successful; and in his last great stake with a +young, but not inexpert player, he won the game, though the chances were +three to two against him. "Surely," thought I, "fortune rules the +destinies of man in the moon as well as on the earth." + +On looking now at my watch, I found that I had been longer a witness of +these trials of skill and fortune, than I had been aware; and on leaving +the booth, perceived that the sun had sunk behind the western mountains, +and that the earth began to beam with her nocturnal splendour. Those who +had come from a distance, were already hurrying back with their carts; +and here and there light cars, of various forms and colours, and drawn +by dogs, were conveying those away whose object had been amusement. Some +were snatching a hasty meal; and a few, by their quiet air, seemed as if +they meant to continue on the spot as long as the regulations permit, +after sunset, which is about twenty of our hours. I found the Brahmin at +home when I returned, and I felt as much pleased to see him, as if we +had not seen each other for many months. + +As the shades of night approached, my anxiety to return to my native +planet increased, and I urged my friend to lose no time in preparing for +our departure. We were soon afterwards informed that a man high in +office, and renowned for his political sagacity, proposed to detain us, +on the ground that when such voyages as ours were shown to be +practicable, the inhabitants of the earth, who were so much more +numerous than those of the moon, might invade the latter with a large +army, for the purposes of rapine and conquest. We farther learnt that +this opinion, which was at first cautiously circulated in the higher +circles, had become more generally known, and was producing a strong +sensation among the people. + +The Brahmin immediately presented himself before the council of state, +to remove the impression. He pointed out to them the insurmountable +obstacles to such an invasion, physical and moral. He urged to them that +the nations of the earth felt so much jealousy and ill-will towards one +another, that they never cordially co-operated in any enterprise for +their common interest or glory; and that if any one nation were to send +an army into the moon, such a scheme of ambition would afford at once a +temptation and pretext for its neighbours to invade it. That his country +had not the ability, and mine had not the inclination, to attack the +liberties of any other: so far from that, he informed them, on my +authority, that we were in the habit of sending teachers abroad, to +instruct other nations in the duties of religion, morals, and humanity. +He entered into some calculations, to show that the project was also +impracticable on account of its expense; and, lastly, insisted that if +all other difficulties were removed, we should find it impossible to +convince the people of the earth that we had really been to the moon. I +have since found that the Brahmin was more right in his last argument, +than I then believed possible. + +I am not able to say what effect these representations of the Brahmin +would have produced, if they had not been taken up and enforced by the +political rival of him who had first opposed our departure; but by his +powerful aid they finally triumphed, and we obtained a formal permission +to leave the moon whenever, we thought proper. + +As we meant to return in the same machine in which we came, we were not +long in preparing for our voyage. We proposed to set out about the +middle of the night; and we passed the chief part of the interval in +making visits of ceremony, and in calling on those who had shown us +civility. I endeavoured also, to collect such articles as I thought +would be most curious and rare in my own country, and most likely to +produce conviction with those who might be disposed to question the fact +of my voyage. I was obliged, however, to limit myself to such things as +were neither bulky nor weighty, the Brahmin thinking that after we had +taken in our instruments and the necessary provisions, we could not +safely take more than twenty or thirty pounds in addition. + +Some of my lunar curiosities, which I thought would be most new and +interesting to my countrymen, have proved to be very familiar to our men +of science. This has been most remarkably the case with my mineral +specimens. Of the leaves and flowers of above seventy plants, which I +brought, more than forty are found on the earth, and several of these +grow in my native State. With the insects I have been more successful; +but some of these, as well as of the plants, I am assured, are found on +the coasts of the Pacific, or in the islands of that ocean; which fact, +by the way, gives a farther support to the Brahmin's hypothesis. + +Besides the productions of nature that I have mentioned, I procured some +specimens of their cloth, a few light toys, a lady's turban decorated +with cantharides, a pair of slippers with heavy metallic soles, which +are used there for walking in a strong wind, and by the dancing girls to +prevent their jumping too high. As this metal, which gravitates to the +moon, is repelled from the earth, these slippers assist the wearer here +in springing from the ground as much as they impeded it in the moon, and +therefore I have lent them to Madame ----, of the New-York Theatre, who +is thus enabled to astonish and delight the spectators with her +wonderful lightness and agility. + +But there is nothing that I have brought which I prize so highly as a +few of their manuscripts. The Lunarians write as we do, from left to +right; but when their words consist of more than one syllable, all the +subsequent syllables are put over the first, so that what we call _long +words_, they call _high_ ones: which mode of writing makes them more +striking to the eye. This peculiarity has, perhaps, had some effect in +giving their writers a magniloquence of style, something like that which +so laudably characterises our Fourth of July Orations and Funeral +Panegyrics: that composition being thought the finest in which the words +stand highest. Another advantage of this mode of writing is, that they +can crowd more in a small page, so that a long discourse, if it is also +very eloquent, may be compressed in a single page. I have left some of +the manuscripts with the publisher of this work, for the gratification +of the public curiosity. + +Having taken either respectful or affectionate leave of all, and got +every thing in readiness, on the 20th day of August, 1825, about +midnight we again entered our copper balloon, if I may so speak, and +rose from the moon with the same velocity as we had formerly ascended +from the earth. Though I experienced somewhat of my former sensations, +when I again found myself off the solid ground, yet I soon regained my +self-possession; and, animated with the hope of seeing my children and +country, with the past success of our voyage, and (I will not disguise +it,) with the distinction which I expected it would procure me from my +countrymen, I was in excellent spirits. The Brahmin exhibited the same +mild equanimity as ever. + +As the course of our ascent was now less inclined from the vertical line +than before, in proportion as the motion of the moon on its axis, is +slower than that of the earth, we for some hours could see the former, +only by the light reflected from our planet; and although the objects on +the moon's surface were less distinct, they appeared yet more beautiful +in my eyes than they had done in the glare of day. The difference, +however, may be in part attributed to my being now in a better frame of +mind for enjoying the scene. As our distance increased, the face of the +moon became of a lighter and more uniform tint, until at length it +looked like one vast lake of melted silver, with here and there small +pieces of greyish dross floating on it. After contemplating this lovely +and magnificent spectacle for about an hour, I turned to the Brahmin, +and reminded him of his former promise to give me the history of his +early life. He replied, "as you have seen all that you can see of the +moon, and the objects of the earth are yet too indistinct to excite much +interest, I am not likely to have a more suitable occasion;" and after a +short pause, he began in the way that the reader may see in the +next chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +_The Brahmin gives Atterley a history of his life._ + + +"I have already informed you that I was born at Benares, which, as you +know, is a populous city on the banks of the Ganges, and the most +celebrated seat of Hindoo science and literature. My father was a priest +of Vishun, of a high rank; and as his functions required him to live +within the precincts of the Pagoda, he was liberally maintained out of +its ample revenues. I was his only son, and according to the usage of +our country, was destined to the same holy calling. At an early age I +was put under a private tutor, and then sent to one of the schools +attached to the Pagoda. Upon what little matters, my dear Atterley, do +our fortunes, and even our characters depend! Had I been sent to another +school, the whole destiny of my life would have been changed. + +"I was in my twelfth year when I entered this school, which contained +from thirty to forty boys about my age. The cleverest of these was Balty +Mahu, who, like myself, belonged to the higher order of Brahmins. He +took the lead, not only in the exercises within the school, but in all +the sports and pastimes out of it. Nature, however, had not been equally +kind to him in temper and disposition. He was restless, ambitious, +proud, vindictive, and implacable. He could occasionally, too, practise +cunning and deception; although anger and violence were more congenial +to his nature. + +"It soon appeared that I was to be his rival in the school, and from +that moment he cordially hated me. The praises that had previously been +lavished on him by the teacher, were now shared by me, and most of the +boys secretly rejoiced to see his proud spirit humbled. In our sports I +was also his successful competitor. Nature had given me an excellent +constitution; and though I had not a very robust frame, I could boast of +great agility and flexibility of limbs. When the sun had descended +behind the mountain which screened our play-ground from his evening +rays, we commonly amused ourselves in foot-races, and other pastimes, of +which running was an important part. In this exercise I had no equal. I +could also jump higher and farther than any boy in school, except one, +and that one was not Balty Mahu. + +"His ill-will was not slow in manifesting itself. He took every occasion +of contradicting me: sometimes indulged in sly sneers at my expense, and +now and then even attempted to turn me into open ridicule. I always +replied with spirit; but I found such contests as disagreeable to me as +they were new. One evening, under the pretext that I had purposely +jostled him in running, he struck me, and we fought. Although he was +probably stronger than I, as he was heavier and older, my suppleness +enabled me to get the better of him in a wrestle; and I got him under +me, when the master, attracted by the shouts of the boys, made his +appearance. He separated and reproved us, and sent us off in disgrace to +our respective rooms. From that time Balty Mahu treated me with more +outward respect than before; but I believe he hated me with more rancour +than ever. + +"I had now become the general favourite of the boys. The school was, +indeed, divided into parties, but mine was much the strongest; and of +those who adhered to my rival, very few seemed cordially to dislike me. +Though this state of things was very annoying to me, it proved +advantageous in one respect, as it made me more diligent in my studies, +lest I should furnish my rival with an occasion of triumphing ever me; +so that I owe a part of what I gained to the enmity of my rival. + +"When I had reached my sixteenth year, I was removed to the college in +Benares. This is commonly a very interesting event in the life of a +youth, as it reminds him that he is drawing near the period of manhood, +and leaves him more a master of his actions. But on the present occasion +my pleasure had two drawbacks: I could not but feel the contrast between +the warm and confiding attachment of my late school-fellows, and the +coldness and reserve of my new companions. Yet the most disagreeable +circumstance was, that I here met with my former rival, Balty Mahu. He +had entered the college about a month before me, and, aware of my +intention, had spared no pains, as I afterwards learnt, of prejudicing +the students against me. + +"After a few months, however, our relative standing was the same here as +it had been at the school. I gradually overcame the prejudices of the +students, and gained their good will, while he was always giving offence +by his meddlesome disposition and overbearing manners: yet his talents +and force of character always procured him a few followers, whom he +managed as he pleased. Of their aid he made use to gratify his +malevolence towards me, for this feeling had grown with his growth, and +now seemed to be the master passion of his breast. I was able to trace +the result of their machinations every where. Sometimes it was intimated +to the teachers that I had been assisted in my exercises; at others, +that I had infringed the college rules, or had put false reports in +circulation, or had neglected some of the many ceremonies required by +our religion. This was their favourite, as well as the most efficient +mode of attack, as in these respects there was some colour for their +accusation. + +"In my early childhood I had been spared, by the tenderest of mothers, +from many of the ablutions practised by the Hindoos, under the belief +that they would be injurious to my constitution, which, though healthy, +had never been robust. A foundation was thus laid with me for habitual +remissness in these ceremonies; and after I grew up, I persuaded myself +that they were of less importance than they were deemed by my +countrymen. My chief delight had ever been in books; and although, when +engaged in active pursuits, I took a lively interest in them for the +time, I always returned to my first love with unabated ardour. + +"Some of these accusations, being utterly groundless, I was able to +disprove; but the few that were true I endeavoured to excuse, and thus, +by their admission, credit was procured for their most unfounded +calumny. These petty transgressions, (for I cannot even now regard them +as sins,) industriously reported and artfully exaggerated, did me +lasting injury with all the most pious of our caste. The charitable +portion, indeed, were merely estranged from me; but the more bigoted +part began to regard me with aversion and horror. + +"In one of our vacations, my father allowed me to visit a brother of +his, who lived in the country, about thirty miles from Benares. My uncle +had two sons, of nearly my own age, and several daughters. With the +former I rode, played chess, and engaged in such sports as are not +forbidden to my profession; but my female cousins I seldom saw, as they +rarely left their Zenana, into which I was not permitted to enter. I was +of an age to be desirous of becoming better acquainted with my female +cousins, especially after I learnt that they then had as guests, a lady +and her daughter, who had come to pass some weeks here during the +absence of her husband, then employed in some public mission to +Calcutta. But it was only now and then that I had been able to catch a +transient and distant view of these females, during the first week after +my arrival; and the little I saw, served but to increase my curiosity. +Chance, however, soon afforded me the means of gratifying it. + +"An important festival in our calendar was now approaching, and +preparations were made to celebrate it in various modes, and, amongst +others, by a fight between a _royal_ tiger and an elephant. For several +days all was bustle and confusion in my uncle's family. Howdahs, newly +gilded and painted, were provided for the elephants--new caparisons for +the horses--new liveries for the attendants--cloth and silk, of the +richest dyes and hues, united with a profusion of gold and silver +ornaments, to dazzle the eye with their varied splendour. This was one +of those exhibitions, which those who were intended for the priesthood, +were prohibited from attending. I confess, when I witnessed these showy +and costly preparations, and pictured to myself the magnificent scene +for which they were intended--those formidable animals contending in +mortal conflict--the thousands of gaily dressed spectators, gazing in +breathless anxiety,--I repined at my lot, and regretted I had not been +born in a condition which, though of less dignity, would not have cut me +off from some of the most exquisite pleasures of life. At length the +important day arrived, and I found my mortification so acute, that I +determined to withdraw myself, as much as I could, from a scene that I +could not witness without pain. Among my acquirements at college, was a +knowledge of your language; and I had now begun to take the liveliest +interest in its beautiful fictions, which I greatly preferred to ours, +as being more true to nature, and as exhibiting women in characters at +once lovely, pure, and elevated. I was then reading "The Vicar of +Wakefield," and had reached the middle of that interesting tale, on the +morning of the festival, when my tranquillity was interrupted in the way +I have mentioned. Accordingly, taking my book and English dictionary, I +retired to a small summer-house at the foot of the garden, and +determined to remain there till the cavalcade had set out. It was some +time before I could fix my attention on what I read; but after a while, +the interest the book had previously excited returned, and I became at +length so engrossed by the incidents of the story, as to forget the +festival, the procession, the tiger, and the elephant, as much as if +they had never before entered my head. + +"After some hours passed in this intellectual banquet, I waked from my +day dream, and I thought again of the spectacle with a feeling bordering +on indifference. I walked towards the house, where all appeared to be +still and silent as a desert. I entered it, and of the forty or fifty +menials belonging to it, not one was to be seen. Those who were not in +attendance on the family, had sought some respite from their ordinary +labours. The Zenana then caught my eye, and I felt irresistibly impelled +to enter it. I used great caution, however, looking around me in every +direction as I proceeded there. I found the same silence and desertion +as in the other parts of the mansion. I passed through a sitting-room +into a long gallery, with which the bed-chambers of the ladies +communicated. The doors were all open, and the whole interior of their +apartments exhibited so strange a medley of unseemly objects, and such +utter disorder, as materially to affect my opinion of female delicacy, +and to damp my desire of becoming acquainted with my cousins. I passed +on, with a feeling of disappointment bordering on disgust, when I came +to a room which went far to redeem the character of the sex in my +estimation. Here all was neatness and propriety: every thing was either +in place, or only enough out of it to indicate the recent occupation of +the room, or to show the taste or talent of the occupant; such as a book +left half open at one end of an ottoman, and a piece of embroidery at +the other. The flowers too, which decorated the room, showed by their +freshness that they had not long left their beds. I could not help +stopping to survey a scene which accorded so well with my previous +notions of female refinement. At the end of the gallery was a veranda, +facing the east, and surrounded by lattices. In this were a number of +flower-pots, arranged with the same air of neatness and taste as had +been conspicuous in the chamber. I entered it, for the purpose of +looking into the flower-garden, with which it communicated; and on +approaching the lattice, I saw, seated in an alcove not far from the +veranda, a face and form that struck me as being the most beautiful I +had ever beheld. I remained for some time riveted to the spot, but soon +found myself irresistibly impelled to get a nearer view of the lovely +object. With as light a step and as little noise as possible, I +descended into the garden from the veranda, and approaching the alcove +on the side where its foliage was thickest, I found that the beauty, of +which I had before thought so highly, did not appear less on a closer +survey. The vision on which I gazed in silent rapture, a maiden, who, +though she had apparently attained her full stature, did not seem to be +more than thirteen or fourteen years of age. Her eyes had the brightness +and fulness of the antelope's, but, owing to their long silken lashes, +were yet more expressive of softness than of spirit; and at this time +they evinced more than usual languor. She was in a rich undress, and was +apparently an invalid. Her long raven locks hung with careless grace, +partly behind, and partly over, a neck that might have served as a model +for the sculptor. She was looking wistfully on a bunch of flowers in her +hand, which I felt pleasure in recognising to be the same I had seen on +the piece of embroidery. I feared to advance, lest I should give +offence; but I felt also unable to retreat. I fancied I saw one of those +lovely and dignified females which the writers in your language describe +so well. But a sudden movement of the fair damsel to get up, bringing me +full in her view, she started back with alarm and surprise, and in a +moment afterwards her cheek, which had been before pale, almost to +European whiteness, was deeply suffused. I respectfully approached her, +and inquired if she was one of my cousins. She answered in the negative; +said she was on a visit to the family, to whom she was related: added +that she had not expected to see any one in the garden; but this was +said as if she meant rather to apologise for her undress, than to +reproach me for my intrusion. These remarks were uttered with a +propriety and sweetness that won upon me yet more than her beauty. I +then, in return, assured her that I had not supposed any of the family +had remained at home, when I strolled to this part of the mansion. I +begged she would not regard me with the formality of a stranger; and +insisted that, as she was the cousin of my relation, she was also mine. +To this ingenious argument she answered with so much good sense, and at +the same time, so much gentleness and artlessness, that I thought I +could have listened to her for ever. While I spoke, she continued to +move on. I entreated to know if she was satisfied with my apology; +repeated that I had not meant to intrude on her privacy. She mildly +replied that she was. I then asked permission to call her cousin. She +said she should not object, if it would gave me pleasure. It was, my +dear Atterley, her ineffable sweetness of disposition, and of manners so +entirely free from pride, coquetry, or affectation, in which this lovely +creature excelled all other women, yet more than in beauty and grace. I +then inquired when I should again see my lovely cousin. She replied, "I +walk in the great garden sometimes with my companions, when their +brothers are away; but the girls will not think it proper to walk when +you are there." Perceiving that I looked chagrined, she added: "It is +said, you know, that the light from mens' eyes is yet worse for womens' +faces than the light of the sun;" and she blushed as if she had said +something wrong. I stammered out I know not what extravagant compliment +in reply, and entreated that I might have an opportunity of seeing and +conversing with her sometimes: to which she promptly answered that she +should not object, if her mother approved it. I inquired why she had not +attended the exhibition; when I learnt from her, that, as she had been +slightly indisposed the day before, and her mother being unwilling she +should expose herself to the heat of the weather and the crowd, she had +been left under the care of her nurse; but that finding herself better, +she had permitted her attendants to walk over the grounds, while she +amused herself in embroidery; and that she had come into the garden to +get a fresh supply of the flowers she was working. + +"She had by this time approached a small gate, which communicated with +the apartments on the ground-floor of the Zenana; when, turning to me, +she said, "You can return the way you came, but I must leave you here;" +and, making a slight bow, she sprung like a young fawn through the gate, +and was out of sight in a moment. + +"You may wonder, my dear Atterley, that I should remember all these +minute circumstances, after the lapse of more than forty years; but +every incident of that day is as fresh in my memory as the occurrence of +yesterday. To this single green spot in my existence, my mind is never +tired of returning. + +"I continued for some time in a sort of dreaming ecstasy; but as soon as +I collected my thoughts, I began to devise some scheme by which I could +again have the happiness of seeing and conversing with the lovely +Veenah. My brain had before that time teemed with ambitious projects of +distinguishing myself; sometimes as a priest--sometimes as a writer; and +occasionally I thought I would bend all my efforts to rouse my +countrymen to throw off the ignominious yoke of Great Britain. But this +short interview had changed the whole current of my thoughts. I had now +a new set of feelings, opinions, and wishes. My mind dwelt solely upon +the pleasures of domestic life--the surpassing bliss of loving and of +being beloved. + +"When the cavalcade returned in the evening, its gaudy magnificence, +which I would not permit myself even to see in the morning, I now +regarded with cold indifference; nay, more, I congratulated myself on +having missed the exhibition, though a few hours before I had deemed +this privation one of the misfortunes of my life. + +"The next day I went to the garden betimes; and as it communicated with +the shrubbery and grounds attached to the Zenana, and the males of the +family occasionally entered it when the ladies were not present, I +prevailed on the gardener to grant me admission, under the pretext of +gathering some uncommonly fine mangoes, which were then ripe. I went to +the several spots where I had first seen Veenah--where I had conversed +with her--where I had parted from her; and they each had some secret and +indescribable charm for me. I fear, Atterley, I fatigue you. The +feelings of which I speak, are fully known only to the natives of warm +climates, and to those but once in their lives." + +I assured him that he was mistaken; that the emotions he described, were +the same in all countries, and at all times, and begged him to proceed. + +"I repeated my visit," he continued, "several times the same day, under +any pretext I could invent--to gather an orange, or other fruit--to +pluck a rose--to frighten away mischievous birds--to catch the +unobstructed breeze, or sit in a cooler shade; in which artifices I +played a part that had before been foreign to my nature. I was +disappointed, however, in my wishes. I thought, indeed, I once saw some +one in the veranda, looking through the lattice into the garden, but the +figure soon disappeared. + +"On the following day I had the satisfaction to hear my young companions +propose to go on a fishing party, an amusement in which, by the rules of +my caste, I was not allowed to partake. They had scarcely left the house +before I flew to the garden with a book in my hand, and passing as +before to the shrubbery, I buried myself in a close thicket at one end +of it. I remained there from the morning till late in the afternoon, +without refreshment of any kind; and such was the intensity of my +emotion, that I did not feel the want of it. At length, a little before +sunset, I saw Veenah and her three cousins enter the garden. I soon +contrived to show myself, with my book in my hand. I approached, bowed +to them all, but to Veenah last; and although my cousins showed surprise +at seeing me in their garden, at this time, they did not seem +displeased. I felt very desirous, I could not tell why, to conceal my +feelings from every person except her who was the object of them. I +forced a conversation with my two eldest cousins, who were modest +pleasing girls, and then with an embarrassed air addressed a few words +to Veenah and her companion, the youngest of my cousins. Occasionally I +would stray off from them as if I was about to leave them, and then +suddenly return. In one of these movements, I perceived that Veenah and +her associate had separated from the others, and strolled to a distant +part of the garden. I soon joined them as if it were by accident, +entered into conversation with them alternately, and of course only one +half of that which I either heard or said proceeded from the heart or +found its way thither. I know not if Veenah expected to see me, but she +was dressed with unusual care. We had not been conversing many minutes +before the eldest sister beckoning to them, they bid me good night and +returned to the house. + +"To the same sort of management I had recourse every day, and seldom +failed to see and converse with Veenah, sometimes in company with all +her cousins, but oftener with Fatima, the youngest. By dividing my +attentions among them all, I succeeded for a while in concealing from +them the object of my preference; but the sex are too sharp-sighted to +be long deceived in these matters. As soon as I perceived that my secret +was discovered, I endeavoured to make a friend of Fatima, in which I was +successful. After this our meetings were more frequent, and what was of +greater importance, they were uninterrupted. Fatima, who was one of the +most generous and amiable girls in the world, would often take Veenah +out to walk, when her sisters were otherwise engaged; at which times she +was perpetually contriving, under some little pretext, to leave us +alone. We were not long in understanding each other; and when I urged +our early marriage, she ingenuously replied, that I had her consent +whenever I had her father's, and that she hoped I could obtain that; but +added, (and she trembled while she spoke) she did not know his views +respecting her. In the first raptures of requited affection, what lover +thinks of difficulties? In obtaining Veenah's heart I believed that all +mine were at an end, and my time was passed in one dream of unmixed +delight. Oh! what happiness I enjoyed in these interviews--in seeing +Veenah--in gazing on her lovely features--in listening to her +sentiments, that were sometimes gay and thoughtless, sometimes serious +and melancholy, but always tender and affectionate,--and now and then, +when not perceived, in venturing to take her hand. These fleeting joys +are ever recurring to my imagination, to show me what my lot might have +been, and to contrast it with its sad reverse! + +"The time now approached for Veenah and her mother to return to Benares. +On the evening before they set out, Fatima contrived for us a longer +interview than usual. It was as melancholy as it was tender. But in the +midst of my grief, at the prospect of our separation, I recollected that +we were soon to meet again in the city; while Veenah's tears, for she +did not attempt to disguise or suppress her feelings, seemed already to +forebode that our happiness was here to terminate. + +"When about to part, we exchanged amaranths I took her hand to bid her +adieu, and, without seeming to intend it, our lips met, and the first +kiss of love was moistened with a tear. Pardon me, Atterley, nature will +have her way."--And here the venerable man wept aloud. + +I availed myself of this interruption to the narrative, to propose to my +venerable friend to take some refreshment. Having partaken of a frugal +repast, and invigorated ourselves, each with about four hours sleep, the +Brahmin thus resumed his story. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +_The Brahmin's story continued--The voyage concluded--Atterley and the +Brahmin separate--Atterley arrives in New--York._ + + +"I was not slow to follow Veenah to the city, and as had been agreed +upon, had to ask the consent of her father to our union, as soon as I +had obtained the approbation of my own. Here I met with a difficulty +which I had not expected. My partial father had formed very high hopes +of my future advancement, and thought that an early marriage, though not +incompatible with my profession, or a successful discharge of its +duties, would put an end to my ambition, or at all events, lessen my +exertions. He first urged me to postpone my wishes, till I had completed +my college course, and had by travelling seen something of the world. +But finding me immoveable on this point, he then suggested that I might +meet with serious obstacles from Veenah's father, whom he represented as +remarkable both for his avarice and his bigotry; that consequently he +was likely to dispose of his daughter to the son-in-law who could pay +most liberally for her; and that the imputations which had been cast on +my religious creed, would reach his ears, if they had not already done +so, and be sure to prejudice him against me. + +"These last considerations prevailed on me to defer my application to +Shunah Shoo, until the suspicions regarding my faith had either died +away, or been falsified by my scrupulous observance of all religious +duties. My excellent mother, who at first had entered into my feelings +and seconded my views, readily acquiesced in the good sense of my +father's advice. + +"My next object was to communicate this to Veenah. I accordingly sat +down, and wrote a full account of all that had occurred, and folding up +the packet, hurried to the opposite quarter of the town where Shunah +Shoo lived. It was then in the dusk of the evening, and I was fearful it +was too late for me to be recognised; but after I had taken two or three +turns in the street, I saw the white amaranth I had given Veenah, +suspended by a thread from the lattice of an upper window. I immediately +held up the packet, and soon afterwards a cord was let down from the +same lattice to the ground. To this I hastily fastened the paper, and +passed on to avoid observation. The next evening you may be sure I was +at the same spot. The little amaranth again announced that I was +recognised; and as soon as we were satisfied that no one was observing +us, the cord let down one letter and took up another. Veenah's pen had +given an expression to her feelings, that her tongue had never ventured +to do before. She moreover commended my course--besought me to be +prudent--and above all, to do nothing to offend her father. + +"The first letter which a lover receives from his mistress, is a new era +in his life. Again and again I kissed the precious paper, and almost +wore it out in my bosom. We afterwards improved in this mode of +intercourse, and, by various preconcerted signals, were able to carry on +our correspondence altogether in the night. Not a day passed that we did +not exchange letters, which, though they contained few facts, and always +expressed the same sentiments, still repeated what we were never tired +of hearing. To the moment at which I was to receive a letter from +Veenah, my thoughts were continually and anxiously turned: and it now +seems to me as if our passion was inflamed yet more by this sort of +intercourse, than by our personal interviews. I am convinced it wrought +more powerfully upon our imaginations. In the mean time I continued my +daily attendance at college, though my studies were utterly neglected, +one single object absorbing all my thoughts and feelings. + +"I know not whether the evident change in my habits induced my old +enemy, Balty Mahu, to observe my motions. But so it was, that one +moonlight night I thought I was watched by some person; and on the +following night an individual of the same figure, and whom I now +suspected to be Balty Mahu, came suddenly from a cross street, and +passed near me. A few evenings afterwards, instead of a letter, I +received a scrap of paper from Veenah, on which was written the +following words:-- + +"We are discovered. Balty Mahu, who is my relative and your enemy, has +been here. He has persuaded my father that you are an unbeliever. I am +denied pen and ink. If you cannot convince my father of his error, O! +pity, and try to forget, your unhappy VEENAH." + +"This writing was indistinctly traced with a burnt stick, on a blank +leaf torn out of a book. In the first moment of indignation, I felt +disposed to seek Balty Mahu, the great enemy of my life, and wreak my +vengeance on him for all his persecutions; but the conviction that such +a course would extinguish the last spark of hope, restrained me. I then +determined to see Shunah Shoo, and endeavour to remove his prejudices. I +accordingly called on him at his own house: but after he had heard my +vindication, (to which he evidently gave no credit,) he coolly told me +that he meant to dispose of his daughter in another way. The words fell +like ice upon my heart. I expostulated; and, offensive as was his +haughty air, even had recourse to entreaty. But he, in a yet harsher +manner, told me that he must be permitted to manage his own affairs in +his own way; and added, that he did not wish to be longer prevented from +attending to them. I was compelled to retire, with my heart almost as +full of hatred for the father, as of love for the child. + +"On the same night, I again betook myself to the street in which Shunah +Shoo lived, but not by the ordinary route. I cautiously approached his +house. All was stillness and quiet: no light appeared to be burning in +Veenah's room, nor indeed in any other part of the house. I hence +concluded that they had now deprived her of light, as well as of pen and +ink. I continued in the street until near morning, straining my eyes and +ears in the hope of catching something that would give me intelligence +concerning her. Often, in the course of that painful suspense, did I +fancy I heard a noise at the lattice in Veenah's apartment, or in some +other part of the mansion; and once I persuaded myself I saw a light: +but these illusions served only to aggravate my disappointment. The next +morning, before I had left my room, my father informed me that Shunah +Shoo, with his family, had left Benares early the preceding evening; but +whither they had gone, he had not learnt. + +"I rose, and immediately set about discovering their course; but all I +could learn was, that they had embarked in one of the passage-boats +which ply on the Ganges, and that Shunah had taken his palanquins and +many of his servants with him: and, as Balty Mahu had suddenly absented +himself from college at the same time, I did not doubt that he had aided +in executing the plan which he had also probably formed. My father, who +saw what I suffered, spared no pains to discover the place of their +retreat; but our endeavours were all ineffectual. + +"At the end of three months, in which time my anxiety increased rather +than diminished, the mystery was dispelled. It was now trumpeted through +the city, that Shunah Shoo had returned to Benares in great pomp, +accompanied by a wealthy Omrah of a neighbouring district, to whom he +had given, or rather sold, his daughter. The news came upon me like a +clap of thunder. My previous state of suspense was happiness compared +with what I now felt, when I knew she was in the arms of another. In the +first transports of my grief and rage, I could have freely put to death +the father, daughter, husband, and myself. I was particularly desirous +of seeing Veenah, and venting on her the bitterest reproaches. Unjust +that I was! Her sufferings were not inferior to mine; but she had not, +like me, the privilege of making them known. I soon found that +Hircarrahs, in the pay of Balty Mahu, watched all my motions; and if I +had attempted any scheme of vengeance, its execution would have been +impracticable. + +"After my first transports had subsided into deep and settled grief, my +love and tenderness for Veenah returned in full force. I endeavoured to +get a sight of her, and thought I should be comparatively happy if I +could converse with her, as formerly, though she was the wife of +another. After a short time, my uncle's family came to Benares, on a +visit to my father and to Shunah Shoo. By the aid of my indulgent +mother, who was seriously alarmed for what she saw I suffered, I was +able to see Fatima, and to make her the bearer of a letter to Veenah, +complaining of her breach of faith, and soliciting an interview. She +verbally replied to it through Fatima; and stated, in her justification, +that she was hurried from Benares to a town on the river, whence she was +rapidly transported to the castle of Omrah, who had not long before lost +his wife, and who was more than four times her age. That notwithstanding +the notions of filial obedience in which she had been brought up, and +the severity with which her father had ever exercised his authority, she +had resisted his commands on this occasion, and would have preferred +death to marrying the Omrah--nay, would have inflicted it on herself; +but that finding her unyielding after all their exertions, they had +effected their purpose by a deception which they had practised on her, +wherein it seemed that I had unconsciously concurred; for, by means of +an intercepted letter of mine to Fatima, in which, hopeless of learning +the place of Veenah's retreat, I had expressed an intention of visiting +England; and, by the farther aid of some dexterous forgeries, calculated +to impose on more experienced minds than hers, they succeeded in +persuading her that I had actually set out for Europe, with an intention +of never returning. That entertaining no doubt of this intelligence +--hopeless of ever seeing me again, and indifferent to every +thing besides, she had been led an unresisting victim to the altar. + +"Such was the vindication which she considered it just to make me. But +all the entreaties of Fatima--all my letters, impassioned as they were, +appealing at once to her generosity, humanity, and love,--could not +prevail on her to grant me an interview. + +"'Tell him,' said she, 'that heaven has forbid it, and to its decrees we +are bound to submit. I am now the wife of another, and it is our duty to +forget all that is past. But if this be possible, my heart tells me it +can be only by our never meeting!' + +"In saying this, she wept bitterly; but at the same time exacted a +promise from Fatima, that she would never mention the subject to her +again. Finding her thus inexorable, I fell into a settled melancholy, +and my health was visibly declining. The Europeans consider the natives +of Hindostan to be feeble and effeminate; but the soul, that which +distinguishes man from brutes, acts with an intensity and constancy of +purpose of which they can furnish no examples. + +"How long I could have withstood the corrosive effects of my hopeless +passion, irritated as it was by my being in the vicinity of its +object--by hearing perpetually of her beauty, and sometimes catching a +glimpse of it,--I know not; but the Omrah, after a few months spent with +his father-in-law, returned with his bride to his castle in the country. +Yielding now to the wishes of my anxious parents, I consented to travel. +I was at first benefited by the exercise and change of scene; but after +a while, my melancholy returned, and my health grew worse. Though +indifferent to life itself, and all that it now promised, I exerted +myself for the sake of my parents, especially of my mother, who suffered +so acutely on my account: but I carried a barbed arrow in my heart, and +the greater the efforts to extract it, the more they rankled the wound. + +"After spending more than a year in travelling, first through the +mountainous district of our country, and then along the coast, and +finding no change for the better, I determined to try the effect of a +sea voyage. I accordingly embarked at Calcutta, in a coasting vessel +that was bound to Madras. At this time I had wasted away to a mere +skeleton, and no one who saw me, believed I could live a month. Such, +indeed, were my own impressions. In the letter which I wrote to my +parents, I endeavoured to prepare them for the worst. When, after a long +voyage, we reached Madras, my health was evidently improved; but a piece +of intelligence I here received, had perhaps a still greater effect I +learnt that Balty Mahu, who had kept himself concealed from me before I +left Benares, had lately visited Madras, on a travelling tour. This news +operated on me like a charm. The idea of avenging myself on the author +of all my calamities, infused new life into my exhausted frame, and from +the moment that I determined to pursue him, I felt like another man. + +"You must not, however, suppose that I even then entertained the purpose +of taking away my enemy's life. No, I could not bring my mind exactly to +that; but I had a vague, undefined hope, that if we met, some new +provocation on his part would afford me just occasion for avenging +myself on all; so ingenious, my dear friend, is the sophistry of +the passions. + +"I lost no time in setting out on the track of Balty Mahu, and, ere many +days, overtook him at a small town which he had left just as I entered +it, but not before he had received, through his servant, notice of my +arrival. My wary enemy, who had little expected to see me here, and who +had travelled as much to keep out of my way as to see the country, +conjectured my purpose, from the consciousness of what he had done to +provoke it. Thus, while we both appeared to others to be merely making a +tour of Hindostan, it was soon known to both of us, that my chief +purpose was to pursue him, and his to elude my pursuit. In the ardour, +as well as exercise of the chase, my health mended rapidly, but I was no +nearer the object of my pursuit; for, although I travelled somewhat +faster than Bally Mahu, as he wished to avoid the appearance of flying +from me, he sometimes contrived to put me on a wrong track. In this way +I was once led to travel towards the coast, while he proceeded in an +opposite direction to Benares, where he considered he would be most safe +from my vengeance, and where the restraints both of religion and law +would be more likely to operate on me than in a foreign district. + +"My usual practice, on arriving at any town, was to endeavour to learn +if Balty Mahu had passed through it; if so, when and in what direction; +and to get the information, if possible, without seeming to seek it. On +one of these occasions, I heard from a party of merchants that the Omrah +Addaway, whose health had been declining for some time, had gone to +Benares, for the benefit of medical advice; that his disease, however, +had become more serious; and that it was generally thought it would soon +occasion his death. What a train of new thoughts, hopes, and desires, +did this intelligence excite in me! At first, influenced by the custom +of my country, which prohibits widows from marrying again, I thought +only of the pleasure of Veenah's society, which I should, of course, be +permitted to enjoy, when duty no longer forbade it; but my imagination +kindling in its course, I soon pictured her to myself as my wife. The +usages which stood in the way of our union, appeared to me barbarous and +absurd, and I thought that, banishment from my country, with Veenah, +would be infinitely better than any other condition of life without her. +These new-born visions so entirely absorbed me, that Balty Mahu was +entirely forgotten, or remembered only as we think of an insect which +had stung us an hour before. I travelled on at a yet more rapid rate +than I had done; and, without stopping on the road to make inquiries, I +heard enough to satisfy me that the Omrah could not long survive. When +within something more than ten leagues of Benares, I called, about +twilight, at a small inn, and meant, after refreshing myself with a few +hours' rest, to proceed on my journey. Two travellers were there, who +had just left Benares, and had taken up their quarters for the night. +They soon fell into conversation about the place they had left, when the +mention of Shunah Shoo's name excited my attention. + +"'What a shame,' said one, 'that he should have sacrificed that +beautiful young creature to the rich old Omrah, when she had so good an +offer as Gurameer, the Brahmin Gafawad's only son.' + +"'And is it not strange,' said the other, 'that a woman so young and +beautiful, should be content to follow to the grave one who is old +enough to be her grandfather, and whom she once loathed? But I suppose +that that old miser, Shunah Shoo, is at the bottom of it; and, as he +deprived her of the man she loved, he has compelled her to sacrifice +herself to the one she hates, that he may have her jewels and wealth.' + +"'For that matter,' said the first, 'though Shunah Shoo is bad enough +for any thing where money is in the way, yet it is said that Veenah goes +to the funeral pile of her own accord. She has never seemed to set any +value on life since her marriage; and after she heard of Gurameer's +death, she has never been seen to smile. Poor young man!'--And here they +launched out into a strain of panegyric, which is often bestowed on the +dead; but I heeded only the first part of their discourse. Had it not +been nearly dark, they must have discovered the force of the feelings +which then agitated me. I trembled from head to foot, and, though +burning with impatience to obtain from them farther particulars, it was +some moments before I could trust myself to speak. At length I asked +them when the Suttee would take place; and was answered by one of them, +that it would certainly be performed on the following day; and that he +had seen the funeral pile himself. Without any farther delay, I set out +immediately for the city, and reached it in as short a time as a jaded +horse could carry me. + +"I came in sight of Benares the next morning, from a hill which +overlooks it from the east. The sun was just rising, and pouring a flood +of light ever the city, the river, and the surrounding country. Never +was contrast greater than between my present feelings, and those which +the same spectacle had formerly excited. I now sickened at the prospect, +which once would have set my heart bounding with joy. I pressed on in +desperate haste, scarcely, however, knowing what I did, being at once +overpowered with fatigue, loss of sleep, and harassing emotions. I still +had to travel a circuitous course of some two or three miles; and when I +reached the city, its crowded population was already in motion: a great +multitude of women, of the lower order, with alarm and expectation +strongly depicted in their faces, were to be seen mingling in the crowd, +and pressing on in the same direction. I would have proceeded +immediately to my father's house, but for the fear of being too late. +Alighting, therefore, from my horse, I gave him in charge to my servant, +whom I sent to inform my parents of my arrival, and to request my father +to meet me at the Suttee. I then joined the mixed multitude, which now +thronged the streets. Occupied, as my thoughts were, with the scene I +was about to witness, and with fears for its issue, they were often +interrupted with remarks made in the crowd, in which Veenah's name or +mine were mentioned--some lamenting her cruel fate, others pitying mine; +but all condemning and execrating Shunah Shoo. Fortunately I was not +recognised by any whom I saw. When we reached the spot selected for the +sacrifice, the crowd that had there assembled, was not so great as to +prevent our getting near the funeral pile; but the numbers continued to +augment, until nothing could be seen from the slight eminence on which I +stood, but one dense mass of heads, all looking one way, and expressing +the intense interest they felt. At length a murmur, like that of distant +thunder, ran through the crowd: a passage was, with some difficulty, +effected through the multitude by the officers in attendance, and the +wretched Veenah made her appearance, supported by her own father on one +side, and an uncle on the other--pale enough to be taken for an +European--emaciated indeed, but still retaining the same exquisite beauty +of features and symmetry of form. She moved with the air of one who was +utterly indifferent to the concerns of this world, and to the awful fate +which awaited her. She turned her head on hearing the sound of my voice, +and, seeing me, shrieked out, "He lives! he lives!" but immediately +afterwards fainted in the arms of her supporters: at the same moment I +was forcibly held back by some of the attendants, and a number of the +bystanders rushed in between us, and intercepted my view. I heard my +name now repeated in every direction by the multitude--some calling out +to the priests to desist, and others to proceed. I struggled to +extricate myself, and passion lent me momentary strength; but it was +insufficient. After a short interval, I distinctly heard Veenah +imploring them to spare her. I called to the Brahmins who held her, to +leave her to herself. I endeavoured to rouse the multitude; but they +took the precaution to drown our voices, by the musical instruments +which are used on these occasions. Four of these monsters I saw +profaning the name of religion, by forcibly placing their victim on the +pile, under the show of assisting her to mount it; and there held her +down, beside the dead body of her husband, until, by cords provided for +the purpose, she was prevented from rising. I besought--I threatened--I +raved;--but all thoughts and minds were engrossed by the premature fate +of one so young and beautiful, and I was unheeded. + +"Among the relatives who pressed around the funeral pile, I saw Balty +Mahu; and indignation for a moment got the better of grief. The pile was +now lighted, and in a moment all was hidden in smoke. I sickened at the +sight, and was obliged to turn away. Even then I heard, or thought I +heard, the dying shrieks of the victim, amid the groans and cries, and +the thousand shouts that rent the air! The pile and its contents being +now enveloped in flame, my keepers set me free, when, by an impulse of +frenzy, I rushed' to the pile, to make a last vain effort to rescue +Veenah, or to share her fate; but was stopped by some of the bystanders, +who called my act a profanation. + +"'Yes,' said Balty Mahu, 'he has always been a scoffer of our religion.' +As soon as these words reached my ears, with the quickness of thought I +snatched a cimeter from the hands of one of the guards, and plunged it +in his breast. Of all that happened afterwards, my recollection is very +confused. I was rudely seized, and hurried to prison. My father was +coming to meet me, when he was informed of the fatal deed. I remember +that my coolness, or rather stupor, was in strong contrast with the +violence of his emotion. He accompanied me to prison, and continued with +me that night. + +"It is not easy to take the life of one of my caste in India; and, by +dint of the exertions of my friends, in spite of the influence of Shunah +Shoo, and the family of the Omrah, I was pardoned, on condition of doing +penance, which was, that I should never live in a country in which the +religion of Brahmin prevailed, and should not again look at, or converse +with, any woman for two minutes together. Ere this took place, my +excellent mother, unable to withstand the shocks she had received from +my supposed death, my misfortunes, and my crime, died a martyr to +maternal affection. Wishing to conform to the sentence, and to be as +near my father as I could, I removed to the kingdom of Ava, where, you +know, they are followers of Buddha. Here I continued as long as my +father lived, which was about six years. In this period, time had so +alleviated my grief, that I began to take pleasure in the cultivation of +science, which constituted my chief employment. + +"After my father's death, I indulged a curiosity I had felt in my youth, +of seeing foreign countries; and I visited China, Japan, and England. +During my residence in Asia, I had discovered lunarium ore in the +mountain near Mogaun; and this circumstance, many years afterwards, when +I determined to rest from my labours, induced me to settle in that +mountain, as I have before stated. I have occasionally used the metal to +counterbalance the gravity of a small car, by which I have profited, by +a favourable wind, to indulge the melancholy satisfaction of looking +down on the tombs of my parents, and of the ill-fated Veenah: +approaching the earth near enough, in the night, to see the sacred +spots, but not enough to violate the religious injunctions of my caste; +to avoid which, however, it was sometimes necessary for me to go across +Hindostan to Arabia or Persia, and there wait for a change of wind +before I could return: and it was these excursions which suggested to +the superstitious Burmans that my form had undergone a temporary +transformation. When such have been the woes of my life, you can no +longer think it strange, Atterley, that I delayed their painful recital; +or that, after having endured so much, all common dangers and +misfortunes should appear to me insignificant." + + * * * * * + +The venerable Brahmin here concluded his narrative, and we both remained +thoughtful and silent for some time; he, apparently absorbed in the +recollections of his eventful life; and I, partly in the reflections +awakened by his story, and partly in the intense interest of revisiting +my native earth, and beholding once more all who were dear to me. +Already the extended map beneath us was assuming a distinct and varied +appearance; and the Brahmin, having applied his eye to the telescope, +and made a brief calculation of our progress, considered that +twenty-four hours more, if no accident interrupted us, would end our +voyage; part of which interval I passed in making notes in my journal, +and in contemplating the different sections of our many-peopled globe, +as they presented themselves successively to the eye. It was my wish to +land on the American continent, and, if possible, in the United States. +But the Brahmin put an end to that hope, by reminding me that we should +be attracted towards the Equator, and that we had to choose between +Asia, Africa, and South America; and that our only course would be, to +check the progress of our car over the country of greatest extent, +through which the equinoctial circle might pass. Saying which, he +relapsed into his melancholy silence, and I betook myself once more to +the telescope. With a bosom throbbing with emotion, I saw that we were +descending towards the American continent. When we were about ten or +twelve miles from the earth, the Brahmin arrested the progress of the +car, and we hovered over the broad Atlantic. Looking down on the ocean, +the first object which presented itself to my eye, was a small +one-masted shallop, which was buffeting the waves in a south-westerly +direction. I presumed it was a New England trader, on a voyage to some +part of the Republic of Colombia: and, by way of diverting my friend +from his melancholy reverie, I told him some of the many stories which +are current respecting the enterprise and ingenuity of this portion of +my countrymen, and above all, their adroitness at a bargain. + +"Methinks," says the Brahmin, "you are describing a native of Canton or +Pekin. But," added he, after a short pause, "though to a superficial +observer man appears to put on very different characters, to a +philosopher he is every where the same--for he is every where moulded by +the circumstances in which he is placed. Thus; let him be in a situation +that is propitious to commerce, and the habits of traffic produce in him +shrewdness and address. Trade is carried on chiefly in towns, because it +is there carried on most advantageously. This situation gives the trader +a more intimate knowledge of his species--a more ready insight into +character, and of the modes of operating on it. His chief purpose is to +buy as cheap, and to sell as dear, as he can; and he is often able to +heighten the recommendations or soften the defects of some of the +articles in which he deals, without danger of immediate detection; or, +in other words, his representations have some influence with his +customers. He avails himself of this circumstance, and thus acquires the +habit of lying; but, as he is studious to conceal it, he becomes wary, +ingenious, and cunning. It is thus that the Phenicians, the +Carthagenians, the Dutch, the Chinese, the New-Englanders, and the +modern Greeks, have always been regarded as inclined to petty frauds by +their less commercial neighbours." I mentioned the English nation. + +"If the English," said he, interrupting me, "who are the most commercial +people of modern times, have not acquired the same character, it is +because they are as distinguished for other things as for traffic: they +are not merely a commercial people--they are also agricultural, warlike, +and literary; and thus the natural tendencies of commerce are mutually +counteracted." + +We afterwards descended slowly; the prospect beneath us becoming more +beautiful than my humble pen can hope to describe, or will even attempt +to portray. In a short time after, we were in sight of Venezuela. We met +with the trade-winds, and were carried by them forty or fifty miles +inland, where, with some difficulty, and even danger, we landed. The +Brahmin and myself remained together two days, and parted--he to explore +the Andes, to obtain additional light on the subject of his hypothesis, +and I, on the wings of impatience, to visit once more my long-deserted +family and friends. But before our separation, I assisted my friend in +concealing our aerial vessel, and received a promise from him to visit, +and perhaps spend with me the evening of his life. Of my journey home, +little remains to be said. From the citizens of Colombia, I experienced +kindness and attention, and means of conveyance to Caraccas; where, +embarking on board the brig Juno, captain Withers, I once more set foot +in New York, on the 18th of August, 1826, after an absence of four +years, resolved, for the rest of my life, to travel only in books, and +persuaded, from experience, that the satisfaction which the wanderer +gains from actually beholding the wonders and curiosities of distant +climes, is dearly bought by the sacrifice of all the comforts and +delights of home. + +THE END. + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +APPENDIX + +Anonymous Review of _A Voyage to the Moon_ + +Reprinted from the American Quarterly Review No. 5 (March 1828), 61-88. + +ART. III.--_A Voyage to the Moon: with some account of the Manners +and Customs, Science and Philosophy, of the People of Morosofia and +other Lunarians_: By JOSEPH ATTERLEY. New-York: Elam Bliss, 1827. +12mo. pp. 264. + + +It is somewhat remarkable, that perhaps the _only_ "Voyages to +the Moon," which have been published in the English tongue, should +have been the productions of English bishops:--the first forming a +tract, re-published in the Harleian Miscellany, and said to have been +written by Dr. Francis Goodwin, Bishop of Landaff, (who died in 1633,) +and entitled "_The Man in the Moon, or the discourse of a voyage +thither_, by Domingo Gonsales,"--and the second written in 1638, by +Dr. John Wilkins, Bishop of Chester, under the title of "_The +Discovery of a New World, or a Discourse tending to prove, that 'tis +probable there may be another habitable world in the Moon, with a +discourse concerning the possibility of a passage thither."_ These +two works differ in several essential particulars:--in Dr. Goodwin's, +we have men of enormous stature and prodigious longevity, with a +flying chariot, and some other slight points of resemblance to the +Travels of Gulliver:--whilst Bishop Wilkins's is intended honestly and +scientifically to prove, "that it is possible for some of our +posterity to find out a conveyance to this other world; and, if there +be inhabitants there, (which the Bishop, satisfactorily to himself, +settles,) to have commerce with them!" From the first of these, Swift +has derived many hints in his voyage to Laputa, and improved them into +those humorous and instructive allusions, which have caused the +reputation of the author of the _"Travels of Gulliver"_ to be +extended to every portion of the civilized globe. Since the appearance +of this celebrated satire, no one sufficiently comprehensive to lash +the follies of the age--the _quicquid agunt homines_--has made +its appearance: we have had numerous ephemeral productions, inflicting +severe castigations upon particular vices or absurdities; but the +visionary conceits of the many, constantly promulgated in the +progressive advancement of human knowledge, although legitimate +objects of censure, have not, since the time of Swift, been embodied +into one publication. + +The evident aim of the author of the Satirical Romance before us, is +to fulfil for the present age, what _Swift_ so successfully +accomplished for that which has passed by:--to attack, by the weapons +of ridicule, those votaries of knowledge, who may have sought to avail +themselves of the universal love of novelty amongst mankind, to acquire +celebrity; or who may have been misled by their own ill-regulated +imaginations, to obtrude upon the world their crude and imperfect +theories and systems, to the manifest retardation of knowledge:--an +effect, too, liable to be induced in a direct ratio with the degree +of talent and ingenuity by which their views may have been supported. +Several of these may always be more successfully attacked by ridicule +than by reason; inasmuch as they are, in this way, more likely to become +the subjects of popular animadversion; and many, who could withstand +the serious arguments of their fraternity, cannot placidly endure their +ridicule. Satire has, indeed, often done more service to the cause of +religion and morality than a sermon, since the remedy is agreeable, +whilst it at the same time communicates indignation or fear:-- + + "Of all the ways that wisest men could find, + To mend the age and mortify mankind, + Satire, well writ, has most successful prov'd. + And cures, because the remedy is lov'd." + +To produce, however, the full effect, satire must possess a certain +degree of impartiality, and be levelled in all instances at the vices +or follies, and not at the man. The first sketch of Gulliver's Travels +occurs in the proposed Travels of Martinus Scriblerus, devised in that +pleasing society where most of Swift's miscellanies were planned. Had +the work, however, been executed under the same auspices, it would +probably, as Sir Walter Scott has suggested,[1] "have been occupied by +that personal satire, upon obscure and unworthy contemporaries, to +which Pope was but too much addicted. But when the Dean mused in +solitude over the execution of his plan, it assumed at once a more +grand and a darker complexion. The spirit of indignant hatred and +contempt with which he regarded the mass of humanity; his quiet and +powerful perception of their failings, errors, and crimes; his zeal +for liberty and freedom of thought, tended at once to generalize, +while it embittered, his satire, and to change traits of personal +severity for that deep shade of censure which Gulliver's Travels throw +upon mankind universally." Most of the sentiments which impressed +Swift, seem also to have been felt by the unknown author of the work +before us: it is not, however, free from personal allusions; but they +are all conveyed in so good natured a manner, as to satisfy the reader +that the author has been solicitous to animadvert only on the vices of +the individual; and in no part of the work is there the slightest +evidence of prejudice or venom. + +The pseudo _Joseph Atterley_, the hero of the narrative, was born +in Huntingdon, Long-Island, on the 11th of May, 1786. He was the son +of a seafaring individual, who, by means of the portion he received by +his wife, together with his own earnings, was enabled to quit that +laborious occupation, and to enter into trade; and, after the death of +his father-in-law, by whose will he received a handsome accession to +his property, he sought, in the city of New-York, a theatre better +adapted to his enlarged capital. "He here engaged in foreign trade, +and partaking of the prosperity which then attended American commerce, +gradually extended his business, and finally embarked in the then new +branch of traffic to the East Indies and China; he was now generally +respected both for his wealth and fair dealing; was several years a +director in one of the insurance offices; was president of the society +for relieving the widows and orphans of distressed seamen; and, it is +said, might have been chosen alderman, if he had not refused, on the +ground that he did not think himself qualified." + +Our hero was, at an early age, put to a grammar school of good repute, +in his native village, and, at seventeen, was sent to Princeton, to +prepare himself for some profession; during his third year at that +place, in one of his excursions to Philadelphia, he became enamoured +"with one of those faces and forms, which, in a youth of twenty, to +see, admire, and love, is one and the same thing;" and was united to +the object of his affections, on the anniversary of his twenty-first +year. This event gave him a distaste for serious study; and, long +before this, he had felt a sentiment, bordering on contempt, for +mercantile pursuits; he therefore prevailed upon his father to +purchase him a neat country seat in the vicinity of Huntingdon. Here, +seventeen happy years glided away swiftly and imperceptibly, when +death, by depriving him of the partner of his felicity, prostrated all +his hopes and enjoyments. For the purpose of seeking for that relief +to the feelings, which variety can best afford, he now determined to +make a voyage; and, as one of his father's vessels was about to sail +for Canton, embarked on board of her, and left Sandyhook on the 5th +day of June, 1822. From this period, until the 24th of October, their +voyage was comparatively agreeable; but when off the mouths of the +Ganges, one of those hurricanes, well known to the experienced +navigators of the eastern seas, struck the ship, and rendered her so +leaky, that the captain considered it advisable to make for the +nearest port; the leak, however, increasing rapidly, and finding +themselves off a coast, which the captain, by his charts, pronounced +to be a part of the Burman empire, and in the neighbourhood of Mergui, +on the Martaban coast, they hastily threw their clothes, papers, and +eight casks of silver, into the long-boat; and, before they were fifty +yards from the ship, had the melancholy satisfaction to see her go +down. + + "It was a little after mid-day when we reached the town, which is + perched on a high bluff, overlooking the coasts, and contains about a + thousand houses, built of bamboo, and covered with palm leaves. Our + dress, appearance, language, and the manner of our arrival, excited + great surprise among the natives, and the liveliest curiosity; but + with these sentiments some evidently mingled no very friendly + feelings. The Burmese were then on the eve of a rupture with the East + India Company, a fact which we had not before known; and mistaking us + for English, they supposed, or affected to suppose, that we belonged + to a fleet which was about to invade them, and that our ship had been + sunk before their eyes, by the tutelar divinity of the country. We + were immediately carried before their governor, or chief magistrate, + who ordered our baggage to be searched, and finding that it consisted + principally of silver, he had no doubt of our hostile intentions. He + therefore sent all of us, twenty-two in number, to prison, separating, + however, each one from the rest. My companions were released the + following spring, as I have since learnt, by the invading army of + Great Britain; but it was my ill fortune (if, indeed, after what has + since happened, I can so regard it) to be taken for an officer of high + rank, and to be sent, the third day afterwards, far into the interior, + that I might be more safely kept, and either used as a hostage or + offered for ransom, as circumstances should render advantageous." + +Our hero was transported very rapidly in a palanquin, for thirteen +successive days, when he reached Mozaun, a small village delightfully +situated in the mountainous district between the Irawaddi and Saloon +rivers, where he was placed under the care of an inferior magistrate, +who there exercised the chief authority. By submissive and respectful +behaviour, he succeeded in ingratiating himself so completely with his +keeper, that he was regarded more as one of his family, than as a +prisoner; and was allowed every indulgence, consistently with his safe +custody. It had been one of his favourite recreations, to ascend a +part of the western ridge of mountains, which rose in a cone, about a +mile and a half from the village, for the purpose of enjoying the +enchanting scenery that lay before him, and the evening breeze, which +possesses so delicious a degree of freshness in tropical climates. +Here he became acquainted with a personage, of whom, as he exerted an +important influence over the future conduct of our hero, it is of +consequence that the reader should acquire early information:-- + + "In a deep sequestered nook, formed by two spurs of this mountain, + there lived a venerable Hindoo, whom the people of the village called + the Holy Hermit. The favourable accounts I received of his character, + as well as his odd course of life, made me very desirous of becoming + acquainted with him; and, as he was often visited by the villagers, I + found no difficulty in getting a conductor to his cell. His character + for sanctity, together with a venerable beard, might have discouraged + advances towards an acquaintance, if his lively piercing eye, a + countenance expressive of great mildness and kindness of disposition, + and his courteous manners, had not yet more strongly invited it. He + was indeed not averse to society, though he had seemed thus to fly + from it; and was so great a favourite with his neighbours, that his + cell would have been thronged with visiters, but for the difficulty of + the approach to it. As it was, it was seldom resorted to, except for + the purpose of obtaining his opinion and counsel on all the serious + concerns of his neighbours. He prescribed for the sick, and often + provided the medicine they required--expounded the law--adjusted + disputes--made all their little arithmetical calculations--gave them + moral instruction--and, when he could not afford them relief in their + difficulties, he taught them patience, and gave them consolation. He, + in short, united, for the simple people by whom he was surrounded, the + functions of lawyer, physician, schoolmaster, and divine, and richly + merited the reverential respect in which they held him, as well as + their little presents of eggs, fruit, and garden stuff. + + "From the first evening that I joined the party which I saw clambering + up the path that led to the Hermit's cell, I found myself strongly + attached to this venerable man, and the more so, from the mystery + which hung around his history. It was agreed that he was not a + Burmese. None deemed to know certainly where he was born, or why he + came thither. His own account was, that he had devoted himself to the + service of God, and in his pilgrimage over the east, had selected this + as a spot particularly favourable to the life of quiet and seclusion + he wished to lead. + + "There was one part of his story to which I could scarcely give + credit. It was said that in the twelve or fifteen years he had resided + in this place, he had been occasionally invisible for months together, + and no one could tell why he disappeared, or whither he had gone. At + these times his cell was closed; and although none ventured to force + their way into it, those who were the most prying could hear no sound + indicating that he was within. Various were the conjectures formed on + the subject. Some supposed that he withdrew from the sight of men for + the purpose of more fervent prayer and more holy meditation; others, + that he visited his home, or some other distant country. The more + superstitious believed that he had, by a kind of metempsychosis, taken + a new shape, which, by some magical or supernatural power, he could + assume and put off at pleasure This opinion was perhaps the most + prevalent, as it gained a colour with these simple people, from the + chemical and astronomical instruments he possessed In these he + evidently took great pleasure, and by then means he acquired some of + the knowledge by which he so often excited their admiration. + + "He soon distinguished me from the rest of his visiters, by addressing + questions to me relative to my history and adventures, and I, in turn, + was gratified to have met with one who took an interest in my + concerns, and who alone, of all I had here met with, could either + enter into my feelings or comprehend my opinions. Our conversations + were earned on in English, which he spoke with facility and + correctness We soon found ourselves so much to each other's taste, + that there was seldom an evening that I did not make him a visit, and + pass an hour or two in his company + + "I learned from him that he was born and bred at Benares, in + Hindostan, that he had been intended for the priesthood, and had been + well instructed in the literature of the east That a course of + untoward circumstances, upon which he seemed unwilling to dwell, had + changed his destination, and made him a wanderer on the face of the + earth That in the neighbouring kingdom of Siam he had formed an + intimacy with a learned French Jesuit, who had not only taught him his + language, but imparted to him a knowledge of much of the science of + Europe, its institutions and manners That after the death of this + friend, he had renewed his wanderings, and having been detained in + this village by a fit of sickness for some weeks, he was warned that + it was time to quit his rambling life. This place being recommended to + him, both by its quiet seclusion, and the unsophisticated manners of + its inhabitants, he determined to pass the remnant of his days here, + and, by devoting them to the purposes of piety, charity, and science, + to discharge his duty to his Creator, his species, and himself, 'for + the love of knowledge,' he added, 'has long been my chief source of + selfish enjoyment'" + +The acquaintance between Atterley and the Brahmin, ripened by degrees, +into that close friendship, which a congeniality of tastes and +sentiments, under proper opportunities, never fails to engender. +Atterley's visits to the hermitage, became more and more frequent, for +upwards of three years, during which period, the Brahmin had +occasionally thrown out obscure hints, that the time would come, when +our hero should be restored to liberty, and that he had an important +secret which he would one day communicate. About this period, one +afternoon in the month of March, when Atterley repaired, as usual, to +the hermitage, he found the Brahmin dangerously ill of a pleuritic +affection, and apprehensive that the attack might prove fatal-- + + "Sit down," said he, "on that block, and listen to what I shall say to + you Though I shall quit this state of being for another and a better, + I confess that I was alarmed at the thought of expiring, before I had + an opportunity of seeing and conversing with you I am the depository + of a secret, that I believe is known to no other living mortal I once + determined that it should die with me, and had I not met with you, it + certainly should But from our first acquaintance, my heart has been + strongly attracted towards you, and as soon as I found you possessed + of qualities to inspire esteem as well as regard, I felt disposed to + give you this proof of my confidence Still I hesitated I first wished + to deliberate on the probable effects of my disclosure upon the + condition of society I saw that it might produce evil, as well as + good, but on weighing the two together, I have satisfied myself that + the good will preponderate, and have determined to act accordingly + Take this key, (stretching out his feverish hand,) and after waiting + two hours, in which time the medicine I have taken will have either + produced a good effect or put an end to my sufferings, you may then + open that blue chest in the corner It has a false bottom On removing + the paper which covers it, you will find the manuscript containing the + important secret, together with some gold pieces, which I have saved + for the day of need--because--(and he smiled in spite of his + sufferings)--because hoarding is one of the pleasures of old men. Take + them both, and use them discreetly." + +Atterley quitted the cell, and waited with feverish expectation for +the termination of the allotted two hours, when, to his inexpressible +delight, he found, on re-entering the cell, that not only did the +Brahmin breathe, but that he slept soundly; and, in the course of an +hour, he awoke, almost restored to health. This event, however, was +the occasion of a more early disclosure of the Brahmin's important +secret, but not until he had recovered his ordinary health and +vigour:-- + + "I have already told you, my dear Atterley, that I was born and + educated at Benares, and that science is there more thoroughly + understood and taught than the people of the west are aware of. We + have, for many thousands of years, been good astronomers, chymists, + mathematicians, and philosophers. We had discovered the secret of + gunpowder, the magnetic attraction, the properties of electricity, + long before they were heard of in Europe. We know more than we have + revealed, and much of our knowledge is deposited in the archives of + the castle to which I belong, but, for want of language generally + understood and easily learnt, (for these records are always written in + the Sanscrit, that is no longer a spoken language,) and the diffusion + which is given by the art of printing, these secrets of science are + communicated only to a few, and sometimes even sleep with their + authors, until a subsequent discovery, under more favourable + circumstances, brings them again to light. + + "It was at this seat of science that I learned, from one of our sages, + the physical truth which I am now about to communicate, and which he + discovered, partly by his researches into the writings of ancient + Pundits, and partly by his own extraordinary sagacity. There is a + principle of repulsion as well as gravitation in the earth. It causes + fire to rise upwards. It is exhibited in electricity. It occasions + water-spouts, volcanoes, and earthquakes. After much labour and + research, this principle has been found embodied in a metallic + substance, which is met with in the mountain in which we are, united + with a very heavy earth, and this circumstance had great influence in + inducing me to settle myself here. + + "This metal, when separated and purified, has as great a tendency to + fly off from the earth, as a piece of gold or lead has to approach it. + After making a number of curious experiments with it, we bethought + ourselves of putting it to some use, and soon contrived, with the aid + of it, to make cars and ascend into the air. We were very secret in + these operations, for our unhappy country having then recently fallen + under the subjection of the British nation, we apprehended that if we + divulged our arcanum, they would not only fly away with all our + treasures, whether found in palace or pagoda, but also carry off the + inhabitants, to make them slaves in their colonies, as their + government had not then abolished the African slave trade. + + "After various trials and many successive improvements, in which our + desires increased with our success, we determined to penetrate the + aerial void as far as we could, providing for that purpose an + apparatus, with which you will become better acquainted hereafter. In + the course of our experiments, we discovered that this same metal, + which was repelled from the earth, was in the same degree attracted + towards the moon, for in one of our excursions, still aiming to ascend + higher than we had ever done before, we were actually carried to that + satellite, and if we had not there fallen into a lake, and our machine + had not been water-tight, we must have been dashed to pieces or + drowned. You will find in this book," he added, presenting me with a + small volume, bound in green parchment, and fastened with silver + clasps, "a minute detail of the apparatus to be provided, and the + directions to be pursued in making this wonderful voyage. I have + written it since I satisfied my mind that my fears of British rapacity + were unfounded, and that I should do more good than harm by publishing + the secret. But still I am not sure," he added, with one of his faint + but significant smiles, "that I am not actuated by a wish to + immortalize my name; for where is the mortal who would be indifferent + to this object, if he thought he could attain it? Read the book at + your leisure, and study it." + +Here, by the way, we may remark, that the kind of vehicle best adapted +for conveyance through the aerial void, has been a weighty stumbling +block to authors, from the time of the eagle-mounted Ganymede, to that +of Daniel O'Rourke; or of the wing furnished Daedalus and Icarus, to +that of the flying Turk in Constantinople, referred to by Busbequius; +or of the flying artist of the happy valley, in Rasselas. When +Trygaeus was desirous of reaching the Gods, he erected, we are told, a +series of small ladders--[Greek: epeita lepta klimakia]--but receiving +a severe contusion on the head, from their downfall, he ingeniously +had recourse to a scheme of flying through the air, on a colossal +variety of those industrious but not over-delicate insects, the +_Scarabaeus Carnifex_--the only insect, notwithstanding, according +to Aesop, privileged to ascend to the habitations of the gods-- + + [Greek: monos peteinoon eis theous aphigmenos.[2]] + +Most of the stories of Pegasi and Hippogriffs, and of flying chariots, +from that of Phaeton downwards to Astolfo's,[3] were evidently +intended by their authors as mythical; not so, however, with Bishop +Wilkins;--he boldly avers, for several reasons which he keeps to +himself, and for others not very comprehensible to us, which he +details "seriously and on good grounds," "that it is possible to make +a flying chariot, in which a man may sit, and give such a motion unto +it, as shall convey him through the air; and this perhaps might be +made large enough to carry divers men at the same time, together with +food for their _viaticum_, and commodities for traffic." "It is +not," lucidly continues the Bishop, "the bigness of any thing in this +kind, that can hinder its motion, if the motive faculty be answerable +thereunto. We see a great ship swims as well as a small cork; and an +eagle flies in the air, as well as a little gnat. This engine may be +contrived from the same principles by which Archytas made a wooden +dove, and Regiomontanus a wooden eagle. I conceive it were no +difficult matter, (if a man had leisure,) to show more particularly +the means of composing it"!--which want of leisure in the credulous +Bishop, our readers will regret with us, especially those inventive +geniuses, who, like the projector in the reign of George I., published +a scheme for manufacturing pine plank from pine saw-dust, or the still +more ingenious undertaker of later times, who proposed to make _pine +plank_ out of _oak_ saw-dust, by the mere addition of a little +turpentine! + +Again, Swift's flying Island of Laputa is a phenomenon so opposed to +all scientific probability, and so directly at variance with natural +laws, that it loses in interest in a direct ratio with the violence it +does to our feelings. Nor is the mode of conveyance imagined by +Voltaire less incongruous than that of Swift. When Micromegas, ah +inhabitant of Sirius, whose adventures were evidently suggested by +those of Gulliver, accompanied by an inhabitant of Saturn, leaves the +latter planet, they are, in the first place, made to leap upon the +Ring of Saturn, which they find tolerably flat, "comme l'a fort bien +devine un illustre habitant de notre petit globe:" thence they go from +moon to moon, and a comet passing close to one of these, they throw +themselves upon it, with their attendants and instruments. In their +course, they fall in with the satellites of Jupiter, and pass on to +Jupiter itself, where they remain for a year; but what becomes of the +comet in the mean time, we are not informed! Leaving Jupiter, they +"coast" along the planet Mars, and finally reach the earth, where they +resolve to disembark. Accordingly "ils passerent sur la queue de la +comete; et trouvant une aurore boreale toute prete, ils se mirent +dedans, et arriverent a terre sur le bord septentrional de la Mer +Baltique"![4] + +The vehicle, however, has not formed the sole obstacle to those +projectors:--the _viaticum_, especially the food, has been a +difficulty not readily got over. Before Bishop Wilkins alludes to his +flying chariot, he remarks, that even if men could fly, the swiftest +of them would probably be half a year in reaching the end of his +journey; and hence a problem would arise, "how it were possible to +tarry so long without sleep or diet?" Of the former obstacle, however, +he quickly disposes,--"seeing we do not then spend ourselves in any +labour, we shall not, it may be, _need_ the refreshment of sleep: +but if we do, we cannot desire a softer bed than the air, where we may +repose ourselves firmly and safely as in our chambers"! Of the latter +he finds somewhat more difficulty in disposing,--"and here it is +considerable, that, since our bodies will then be devoid of gravity +and other impediments of motion, we shall not at all spend ourselves +in any labour, and so, consequently, not much need the reparation of +diet, but may perhaps live altogether without it, as those creatures +have done, who, by reason of their sleeping for many days together, +have not spent any spirits, and so not wanted any food; which is +commonly related of serpents, crocodiles, bears, cuckoos, swallows, +and such like. To this purpose, Mendoca reckons up divers strange +relations, as that of Epimenides, who is storied to have slept +seventy-five years; and another of a rustic in Germany, who, being +accidentally covered with a hay-rick, slept there for all the autumn +and the winter following, without any nourishment Or, if we must needs +feed upon something else, why may not smells nourish us? Plutarch, and +Pliny, and divers other ancients, tell us of a nation in India, that +lived only upon pleasing odours; and it is the common opinion of +physicians, that these do strangely both strengthen and repair the +spirits. Hence was it that Democritus was able, for divers days +together, to feed himself with the mere smell of hot bread.[5] Or, if +it be necessary that our stomachs must receive the food, why then it +is not impossible that the purity of the etherial air, being not mixed +with any improper vapours, may be so agreeable to our bodies, as to +yield us sufficient nourishment," with many other arguments of the +like nature. The Bishop ultimately, however, severs the knot, by the +suggestion of his flying chariot, which he makes large enough (for, +_ce n'est que le premier pas qui coute!_) to carry not only food +for the _viaticum_ of the passengers, but also commodities for +their traffic! + +Infinitely more ingenuity did the great comic poet of antiquity +display, when he selected the _Scarabaeus;_ as the food which had +already served the purposes of digestion with the Rider, was still +capable of affording nutrition to the animal:-- + + [Greek: + nun d'att'an autos kataphagoo ta sitia. + toutoisi tois autoisi touton chortasoo[6]] + +Now all these schemes, ingenious as they may be, are objectionable for +the same reasons as the flying Island of Laputa--their glaring +violation of verisimilitude, and many of them of possibility. In these +respects, that of the author of the work before us is liable to less +objection: he only resorts to an extension of avowed physical +principles; and if we could suppose a substance, which, instead of +gravitating towards the earth, is repelled from it and attracted +towards the moon, (certainly a difficult "_premier pas_,") the +remainder of the machinery, for reaching that luminary, would not be +inconsistent with probability or the known laws of physics. + +But, to return to the narrative:--The Brahmin having given Atterley a +description of some of the remarkable objects which he met with, in +his voyage to the moon; expressed his anxiety to repeat it, for the +purpose of ascertaining some facts about which he had been +speculating, as well as of removing the incredulity with which, he +could not but perceive, his story had impressed his hearer, +notwithstanding his belief in the Hermit's integrity; when Atterley +eagerly caught at the proposal. Their preparations, however, required +time as well as considerable skill, not only for the construction of +the vehicle, but also to avoid suspicion and interruption from the +Governor of Mergui,--and the priesthood, who possessed the usual +Oriental superstition and intolerance. + +For the construction of their apparatus they had recourse to an +ingenious artificer in copper and other metals, whose child the +Brahmin had been instrumental in curing of a chronic disease, and in +whose fidelity as well as good will they could securely rely. + + "The coppersmith agreed to undertake the work we wanted done, for a + moderate compensation, but we did not think it prudent to inform him + of our object, which he supposed was to make some philosophical + experiment. It was forthwith arranged that he should occasionally + visit the Hermit, to receive instructions, as if for the purpose of + asking medical advice. During this interval my mind was absorbed with + our project; and when in company, I was so thoughtful and abstracted, + that it has since seemed strange to me that Sing Fou's suspicions that + I was planning my escape were not more excited. At length, by dint of + great exertion, in about three months every thing was in readiness, + and we determined on the following night to set out on our perilous + expedition. + + "The machine in which we proposed to embark, was a copper vessel, that + would have been an exact cube of six feet, if the corners and edges + had not been rounded off. It had an opening large enough to receive + our bodies, which was closed by double sliding pannels, with quilted + cloth between them. When these were properly adjusted, the machine was + perfectly air-tight, and strong enough, by means of iron bars running + alternately inside and out, to resist the pressure of the atmosphere, + when the machine should be exhausted of its air, as we took the + precaution to prove by the aid of an air pump. On the top of the + copper chest and on the outside, we had as much of the lunar metal + (which I shall henceforth call _lunarium_) as we found by + calculation and experiment, would overcome the weight of the machine, + as well as its contents, and take us to the moon on the third day. As + the air which the machine contained, would not be sufficient for our + respiration more than about six hours, and the chief part of the space + we were to pass through was a mere void, we provided ourselves with a + sufficient supply, by condensing it in a small globular vessel, made + partly of iron and partly of lunarium, to take off its weight. On my + return, I gave Mr. Jacob Perkins, who is now in England, a hint of + this plan of condensation, and it has there obtained him great + celebrity. This fact I should not have thought it worth while to + mention, had he not taken the sole merit of the invention to himself, + at least I cannot hear that in his numerous public notices he has ever + mentioned my name. + + "But to return. A small circular window, made of a single piece of + thick clear glass, was neatly fitted on each of the six sides. Several + pieces of lead were securely fastened to screws which passed through + the bottom of the machine as well as a thick plank. The screws were so + contrived, that by turning them in one direction, the pieces of lead + attached to them were immediately disengaged from the hooks with which + they were connected. The pieces of lunarium were fastened in like + manner to screws, which passed through the top of the machine; so that + by turning them in one direction, those metallic pieces would fly into + the air with the velocity of a rocket. The Brahmin took with him a + thermometer, two telescopes, one of which projected through the top of + the machine, and the other through the bottom; a phosphoric lamp, pen, + ink, and paper, and some light refreshments sufficient to supply us + for some days. + + "The moon was then in her third quarter, and near the zenith: it was, + of course, a little after midnight, and when the coppersmith and his + family were in their soundest sleep, that we entered the machine. In + about an hour more we had the doors secured, and every thing arranged + in its place, when, cutting the cords which fastened us to the ground, + by means of small steel blades which worked in the ends of other + screws, we rose from the earth with a whizzing sound, and a sensation + at first of very rapid ascent, but after a short time, we were + scarcely sensible of any motion in the machine, except when we changed + our places." + +After the apprehensions of Atterley, occasioned by the novelty and +danger of his situation, had partly subsided, he was enabled, with +mingled awe and admiration, to contemplate the magnificent spectacle +beneath him. As the earth turned round its axis, during their ascent, +every part of its surface came successively under view. At nine +o'clock, the whole of India was to the west of them; its rivers +resembling small filaments of silver, and the Red Sea a narrow plate +of the same metal. The peninsula of India was of a dark, and Arabia of +a light, grayer green, and the sun's rays striking on the Atlantic, +emitted an effulgence dazzling to the eyes. On looking, some time +afterwards, through the telescope, they observed the African +Continent, at its northern edge; fringed, as it were, with green; +"then a dull white belt marked the great Sahara or Desert, and then it +exhibited a deep green to its most southern extremity." The Morea and +Grecian Archipelago now fell under their telescope, and gradually the +whole Mediterranean, and Arabian Gulf--the great media separating +Africa from Europe and Asia; "the political divisions of these +quarters of the world were of course undistinguishable, and few of the +natural were discernible by the naked eye. The Alps were marked by a +white streak, though less bright than the water." By the aid of the +glass they could just discern the Danube, the Nile, and "a river which +empties itself into the Gulf of Guinea," and which Atterley took to be +the Niger; but the other streams were not perceptible. The most +conspicuous object of the solid part of the globe was the great +Desert; the whole of Africa, however, appeared of a brighter hue than +either Asia or Europe. + + "I was struck too, with the vast disproportion which the extent of the + several countries of the earth bore to the part they had acted in + history, and the influence they had exerted on human affairs. The + British islands had diminished to a speck, and France was little + larger, yet, a few years ago it seemed, at least to us in the United + States, as if there were no other nations on the earth. The Brahmin, + who was well read in European history, on my making a remark on this + subject, reminded me that Athens and Sparta had once obtained almost + equal celebrity, although they were so small as not now to be visible. + As I slowly passed the telescope over the face of Europe, I pictured + to myself the fat, plodding Hollander--the patient, contemplative + German--the ingenious, sensual Italian--the temperate Swiss--the + haughty, superstitious Spaniard--the sprightly, self-complacent + Frenchman--the sullen and reflecting Englishman--who monopolise nearly + all the science and literature of the earth, to which they bear so + small a proportion. As the Atlantic fell under our view, two faint + circles on each side of the equator, were to be perceived by the naked + eye. They were less bright than the rest of the ocean. The Brahmin + suggested that they might be currents; which brought to my memory Dr. + Franklin's conjecture on the subject, now completely verified by this + circular line of vapour, as it had been previously rendered probable + by the floating substances, which had been occasionally picked up, at + great distances from the places where they had been thrown into the + ocean. The circle was whiter and more distinct, where the Gulf Stream + runs parallel to the American coast, and gradually grew fainter as it + passed along the Banks of Newfoundland, to the coast of Europe, where, + taking a southerly direction, the line of the circle was barely + discernible. A similar circle of vapour, though less defined and + complete, was perceived in the South Atlantic Ocean." + +By degrees the travellers saw one half of the broad expanse of the +Pacific, which glistened like quicksilver or polished steel, and +subsequently the middle of the Pacific lay immediately beneath them; +the irregular distribution of land and water on the globe, the expanse +of Ocean here, being twice as large as in any other part, gives +occasion to some amusing discussions on the various theories of +cosmogony, to which we can only refer the reader; wearied, however, by +these and other discussions, Atterley slept for six hours, and on +awaking, found the Brahmin busy in calculating their progress; after +which the latter lay down and soon fell into a tranquil sleep, having +previously requested that he might be awakened at the expiration of +three hours, or sooner if any thing of moment should occur. Atterley +now looked down again through the telescope, and found the earth +surprisingly diminished in its apparent dimensions, from the increased +rapidity of their ascent; the eastern coasts of Asia were still full +in view, as well as the whole figure of that extensive continent--of +New-Holland, of Ceylon and of Borneo; but the smaller islands were +invisible. + + "I strained my eye to no purpose, to follow the indentations of the + coast, according to the map before me, the great bays and promontories + could alone be perceived. The Burman Empire, in one of the + insignificant villages of which I had been confined for a few years, + was now reduced to a speck. The agreeable hours I had passed with the + Brahmin, with the little daughter of Sing Fou, and my rambling over + the neighbouring heights, all recurred to my mind, and I almost + regretted the pleasures I had relinquished. I tried with more success + to beguile the time by making notes in my journal, and after having + devoted about an hour to this object, I returned to the telescope, and + now took occasion to examine the figure of the earth near the Poles, + with a view of discovering whether its form favoured Captain Symmes's + theory of an aperture existing there, and I am convinced that that + ingenious gentleman is mistaken. Time passed so heavily during these + solitary occupations, that I looked at my watch every five minutes, + and could scarcely be persuaded it was not out of order. I then took + up my little Bible, (which had always been my travelling companion,) + read a few chapters in St. Matthew, and found my feelings + tranquillized, and my courage increased. The desired hour at length + arrived; when, on waking the old man, he alertly raised himself up, + and at the first view of the diminished appearance of the earth, + observed that our journey was a third over, as to time, but not as to + distance." + +After having again composed himself to rest for about four hours, +Atterley was awakened by the Brahmin, in whose arms he found himself, +and, on looking around, discovered that he was lying on what had been +the ceiling of the chamber, which still, however, felt like the +bottom. The reason of this phenomenon was thus explained to him by the +Brahmin--"we have, while you were asleep, passed the middle point +between the earth's and the moon's attraction; and we now gravitate +less towards our own planet than (to) her satellite. I took the +precaution to move you, before you fell by your own gravity, from what +was lately the bottom, to that which is now so, and to keep you in +this place until you were retained in it by the moon's attraction; for +though your fall would have been, at this point, like that of a +feather, yet it would have given you some shock and alarm. The +machine, therefore, has undergone no change in its position or +course;--the change is altogether in our feelings." + +The whole face of the moon, Atterley now found to be entirely changed, +and on looking through the upper telescope, the earth presented an +appearance not very dissimilar; but the outline of her continents and +oceans was still perceptible in different shades, and capable of being +readily recognised; the bright glare of the sun, however, made the +surfaces of both bodies somewhat dim and pale. + + "After a short interval, I again looked at the moon, and found not + only its magnitude very greatly increased, but that it was beginning + to present a more beautiful spectacle. The sun's rays fell obliquely + on her disc, so that by a large part of its surface not reflecting the + light, I saw every object on it, so far as I was enabled by the power + of my telescope. Its mountains, lakes, seas, continents, and islands, + were faintly, though not indistinctly, traced; and every moment + brought forth something new to catch my eye, and awaken my curiosity. + The whole face of the moon was of a silvery hue, relieved and varied + by the softest and most delicate shades. No cloud nor speck of vapour + intercepted my view. One of my exclamations of delight awakened the + Brahmin, who quickly arose, and looking down on the resplendent orb + below us, observed that we must soon begin to slacken the rapidity of + our course, by throwing out ballast. The moon's dimensions now rapidly + increased; the separate mountains, which formed the ridges and chains + on her surface, began to be plainly visible through the telescope; + whilst, on the shaded side, several volcanoes appeared upon her disc, + like the flashes of our fire-fly, or rather like the twinkling of + stars in a frosty night. He remarked, that the extraordinary clearness + and brightness of the objects on the moon's surface, was owing to her + having a less extensive and more transparent atmosphere than the + earth: adding--'The difference is so great, that some of our + astronomical observers have been induced to think she has none. If + that, however, had been the case, our voyage would have been + impracticable.'" + +After gazing for some time on this magnificent spectacle, with +admiration and delight, one of their balls of _lunarium_ was let +off for the purpose of checking their velocity. At this time the +Brahmin supposed they were not more than four thousand miles from the +nearest point of the moon's surface. In about four hours more, her +apparent magnitude was so great, that they could see her by looking +out of either of the side windows. + + "Her disc had now lost its former silvery appearance, and began to + look more like that of the earth, when seen at the same distance. It + was a most gratifying spectacle to behold the objects successively + rising to our view, and steadily enlarging in their dimensions. The + rapidity with which we approached the moon, impressed me, in spite of + myself, with the alarming sensation of falling; and I found myself + alternately agitated with a sense of this danger, and with impatience + to take a nearer view of the new objects that greeted my eyes. The + Brahmin was wholly absorbed in calculations for the purpose of + adjusting our velocity to the distance we had to go, his estimates of + which, however, were in a great measure conjectural; and ever and anon + he would let off a ball of the lunar metal. + + "After a few hours, we were so near the moon that every object was + seen in our glass, as distinctly as the shells or marine plants + through a piece of shallow sea-water, though the eye could take in but + a small part of her surface, and the horizon, which bounded our view, + was rapidly contracting. On letting the air escape from our machine, + it did not now rush out with the same violence as before, which showed + that we were within the moon's atmosphere. This, as well as ridding + ourselves of the metal balls, aided in checking our progress. By and + by we were within a few miles of the highest mountains, when we threw + down so much of our ballast, that we soon appeared almost stationary. + The Brahmin remarked, that he should avail himself of the currents of + air we might meet with, to select a favourable place for landing, + though we were necessarily attracted towards the same region, in + consequence of the same half of the moon's surface being always turned + towards the earth." + +The Brahmin now pointed out the necessity of looking out for some +cultivated field, in one of the valleys they were approaching, where +they might rely on being not far distant from some human habitation, +and on escaping the perils necessarily attendant on a descent amongst +rocks, trees, and buildings. A gentle breeze now arising, as appeared +by their horizontal motion, which wafted them at the rate of about ten +miles an hour, over a ridge of mountains, a lake, a thick wood, &c. +they at length reached a cultivated region, which the Brahmin +recognised as the country of the Morosofs, the place they were anxious +to visit. By now letting off two balls of lead to the _Earth_, +they descended rapidly; and when they were sufficiently near the +ground to observe that it was a fit place for landing, opened the door +of their Balloon, and found the air of the moon inconceivably sweet +and refreshing. They now let loose one of their lower balls, which +somewhat retarded their descent; and in a few minutes more, being +within twenty yards of the ground, they let go the largest ball of +lunarium, which, having a cord attached to it, served in lieu of a +grapnel; by this they drew themselves down, were disengaged from the +machine in a twinkling, and landed "safe and sound" on, we presume, +"_luna firma!_" + +Having seen our travellers securely deposited in the moon, we may +remark, that in the passage from the earth, various topics of an +interesting and important character were canvassed by the Brahmin and +his companion; one, _on the causes of national superiority_, +suggested by the views of Africa, and a comparison between that +benighted country and others more illuminated, is especially worthy of +attention, as containing a condensed and philosophical view of the +subject; eloquently and perspicuously conveyed. + +The view of America, suggests some remarks on the _political +peculiarities of the United States_, with speculations on their +future destiny. + +A lively description of the contrast between the circumstances of the +Kamtschadale-- + + "The shuddering tenant of the frigid zone," + +and the gay, voluptuous native of the Sandwich, and other isles within +the tropics--the one passing his life in toil, privation, and care--the +other in ease, abundance, and enjoyment--leads to a similar conclusion +to that expressed by Goldsmith:-- + + "And yet, perhaps, if countries we compare, + And estimate the blessings which they share, + Though patriots flatter, still shall wisdom find + An equal portion dealt to all mankind." + +A disquisition also takes place--_whether India or Egypt were the +parent of the Arts?_ + +This leads them to refer to the strange custom in the country of the +Brahmin, which impels the widow to throw herself on the funeral pile, +and be consumed with her husband:-- + + "I told him," says Atterley, "that it had often been represented as + compulsory--or, in other words, that it was said that every art and + means were resorted to, for the purpose of working on the mind of the + woman, by her relatives, aided by the priests, who would be naturally + gratified by such signal triumphs of religion over the strongest + feelings of nature. He admitted that these engines were sometimes put + in operation, and that they impelled to the sacrifice, some who were + wavering; but insisted, that in a majority of instances, the + _Suttee_ was voluntary. + + "'Women,' said he, 'are brought up from their infancy, to regard our + sex as their superiors, and to believe that their greatest merit + consists in entire devotion to their husbands. Under this feeling, and + having, at the same time, their attention frequently turned to the + chance of such a calamity, they are better prepared to meet it when it + occurs. How few of the officers in your western armies, ever hesitate + to march, at the head of their men, on a forlorn hope? and how many + even court the danger for the sake of the glory? Nay, you tell me + that, according to your code of honour, if one man insults another, he + who gives the provocation, and he who receives it, rather than be + disgraced in the eyes of their countrymen, will go out, and quietly + shoot at each other with fire-arms, till one of them is killed or + wounded; and this too, in many cases, when the injury has been merely + nominal. If you show such a contempt of death, in deference to a + custom founded in mere caprice, can it be wondered that a woman should + show it, in the first paroxysms of her grief for the loss of him to + whom was devoted every thought, word, and action of her life, and who, + next to her God, was the object of her idolatry? My dear Atterley,' he + continued, with emotion, 'you little know the strength of woman's + love!'" + +Other topics of interest are also discussed with the like ingenuity. + +After this episode, it is time for us to return to our travellers, +whose feelings, the moment they touched the ground, repayed them for +all they had endured. Atterley looked around with the most intense +curiosity; but nothing he saw, "surprised him so much, as to find so +little that was surprising:"--vegetation, insects, and other animals, +were pretty much of the same character as those he had before seen; +but, on better acquaintance, he found the difference greater than he +had at first supposed. Having refreshed themselves with the remains of +their stores, and secured the door of the machine, they bent their +course to the town of Alamatua, about three miles distant, which +seemed to contain about two thousand houses, and to be not quite as +large as Albany; the people were tall and thin, and of a pale, +yellowish complexion; their garments light, loose, and flowing, and +not very different from those of the Turks; they subsist chiefly on a +vegetable diet, live about as long as we do on the earth, +notwithstanding the great difference of climate, and other +circumstances; and do not, in their manners, habits, or character, +differ more from the inhabitants of this globe, than some of the +latter do from one another; their government, anciently monarchical, +is now popular; their code of laws very intricate; their language, +naturally soft and musical, has been yet further refined by the +cultivation of letters; and they have a variety of sects in religion, +politics, and philosophy. + +The lunarians do not, as Butler has it-- + + "When the sun shines hot at noon, + Inhabit cellars under ground, + Of eight miles deep and eighty round." + +But, one half of their houses is beneath the surface, partly for the +purpose of screening them from the continued action of the sun's rays, +and partly on account of the earthquakes caused by volcanoes. The +windows of the houses consisted of openings in the wall, sloping so +much upwards, that, whilst they freely admitted the light and air, the +sun was completely excluded. As soon as they were espied by the +natives, great curiosity was of course excited; not, however, to so +troublesome an extent, as might have been, from the circumstance of +the Brahmin's having visited the moon before. Hence he was soon +recognised by some of his acquaintances, and conducted to the house of +the governor, by whom they were graciously received, and who "began a +course of interesting inquiries regarding the affairs of the earth;" +but a gentleman, whom they afterwards understood to be one of the +leaders of the popular party, coming in, he soon despatched them; +having, however, first directed an officer to furnish them with all +that was necessary for their accommodation, at the public expense; +"which act of hospitality, they had reason to fear, occasioned him +some trouble and perplexity at the succeeding election." + +A more minute description follows, of the dress of the male and female +lunarians, especially of that of the latter, to which we can merely +refer the reader. There is one portion, however, of the inhabitants, +with whom the reader must be made acquainted, inasmuch as they form +some of the author's most prominent characters. A large number of +lunarians, it seems, are born without any intellectual vigour, and +wander about like so many automatons, under the care of the +government, until illumined by the mental ray, from some terrestrial +brain, through the mysterious influence which the moon is known to +exercise on our planet. But, in this case, the inhabitant of the earth +loses what he of the moon gains, the ordinary portion of understanding +being divided between two; and, "as might be expected, there is a most +exact conformity between the man of the earth, and his counterpart in +the moon, in all their principles of action, and modes of thinking:"-- + + "These Glonglims, as they are called, after they have been thus imbued + with intellect, are held in peculiar respect by the vulgar, and are + thought to be in every way superior to those whose understandings are + entire. The laws by which two objects, so far apart, operate on each + other, have been, as yet, but imperfectly developed, and the wilder + their freaks, the more they are the objects of wonder and admiration." + +"Now and then, though very rarely, the man of the earth regains the +intellect he has lost; in which case, his lunar counterpart returns to +his former state of imbecility. Both parties are entirely unconscious +of the change--one, of what he has lost, and the other, of what he has +gained."[7] + +The belief of the influence of the moon on the human intellect, the +Brahmin remarks, may be perceived in the opinions of the vulgar, and +in many of the ordinary forms of expression; and he takes occasion to +remark, that these very opinions, as well as some obscure hints in the +Sanscrit, give countenance to the idea, that they were not the only +voyagers to the moon; but that, on the contrary, the voyage had been +performed in remote antiquity; and the Lunarians, we are told, have a +similar tradition. Many ordinary forms of expression are adduced in +support of these ideas. + +"Thus," says the Brahmin, "it is generally believed, throughout all +Asia, that the moon has an influence on the brain: and when a man is +of insane mind, we call him a lunatic. One of the curses of the common +people is, 'May the moon eat up your brains!' and in China, they say +of a man who has done any act of egregious folly, 'He was gathering +wool in the moon.'" I was struck with these remarks; and told the +hermit that the language of Europe afforded the same indirect evidence +of the fact he mentioned,--that my own language, especially, abounded +with expressions which could be explained on no other hypothesis: for, +besides the terms "lunacy," "lunatic," and the supposed influence of +the moon on the brain, when we see symptoms of a disordered intellect, +we say the mind _wanders_, which evidently alludes to a part of +it rambling to a distant region, as is the moon. We say too, a man is +"_out of his head_," that is, his mind being in another man's +head, must of course be out of his own. To "know no more than the man +in the moon," is a proverbial expression for ignorance, and is without +meaning, unless it be considered to refer to the Glonglims.[8] + +"We say that an insane man is 'distracted,' by which we mean that his +mind is drawn two different ways. So also, we call a lunatic _a man +beside himself_, which most distinctly expresses the two distinct +bodies his mind now animates. There are, moreover, many other +analogous expressions, as 'moonstruck,' 'deranged,' 'extravagant,' and +some others, which, altogether, form a mass of concurring testimony +that it is impossible to resist." + +Leaving this ingenious _badinage_ with the defence of the serious +and sentimental Schiller, + + "Hoher Sinn liegt oft in Kindischen Spiele," + +we return to our travellers, who, at their lodgings, meet with an +instance of _lunar puritanism_--the family eating those portions +of fruits, vegetables, &c., which are thrown away by us, and _vice +versa_, "from a persuasion that all pleasure received through the +senses is sinful, and that man never appears so acceptable in the sight +of the Deity, as when he rejects all the delicacies of the palate, as +well as other sensual gratifications, and imposes on himself that food +to which he feels naturally most repugnant." + +_Avarice_ is satirized by the story of one of these Glonglims, who +is occupied in making nails, and then dropping them into a well--refusing +to exchange them for bread or clothes, notwithstanding his starved, +haggard appearance, and evident desire for the food proffered:-- + + "Mettant toute sa gloire et son souverain bien + A grossir un tresor qui ne lui sert de rien." + +And this is followed by a picture of _reckless prodigality_ in +another Glonglim. + +We pass over the description of the physical peculiarities of the +moon, which seem to be according to the received opinions of +astronomers, as well as the satire on _National Prejudices_, in +the persons of the Hilliboos and Moriboos, and that on the Godwinian +system of morals. + +An indisposition experienced by Atterley, occasions his introduction +to Vindar,[9] a celebrated physician, botanist, &c., on whose opinions +we have a keen satire. + +On leaving Vindar's house, they observed a short man, (Napoleon,) +preparing to climb to the top of a plane tree, on which there was one +of the tail feathers of a flamingo; and this he would only mount in +one way--on the shoulders of his men:-- + + "I could not see this rash Glonglim attempt to climb that dangerous + ladder, without feeling alarm for his safety. At first all seemed to + go on very well; but just as he was about to lay hold of the gaudy + prize, there arose a sudden squall, which threw both him and his + supporters into confusion, and the whole living pyramid came to the + ground together. Many were killed--some were wounded and bruised. + Polenap himself, by lighting on his men, who served him as cushions, + barely escaped with life. But he received a fracture in the upper part + of his head, and a dislocation of the hip, which will not only prevent + him from ever climbing again, but probably make him a cripple for + life. + + "The Brahmin and I endeavoured to give the sufferers some assistance; + but this was rendered unnecessary, by the crowd which their cries and + lamentations brought to their relief. I thought that the author of so + much mischief would have been stoned on the spot; but, to my surprise, + his servants seemed to feel as much for his honour as their own + safety, and warmly interfered in his behalf, until they had somewhat + appeased the rage of the surrounding multitude." + +The _absurdities_ of the _physiognomical system_ of Lavater, +and of the _craniological system_ of MM. Gall and Spurzheim, were +not likely to escape animadversion, in a work of general satire, +fruitful as they have already been in such themes. The representative +of the former, is a fortune-telling philosopher, Avarabet, (Lavater,) +whose course of proceeding was, to examine the finger nails, and, +according to their form, colour, thickness, surface, grain, and other +properties, to determine the character and destinies of those who +consulted him; and that of the latter, a physician, who judged of the +character of disposition or disease, by the examination of a lock of +the hair. The upshot of the story is, as might be anticipated, that +the fortune-telling philosopher is caught, and exposed in his own +toils. + +The _impolicy of privateers, and of letters of marque and +reprisals_, is next animadverted on, by the story of two +neighbours, who are at variance, and whose dependants are occupied in +laying hold of what they can of each other's flocks and herds, and +doing as much mischief as possible, by which both parties, of +necessity, suffer. + +A visit to a projector in building, husbandry, and cookery, introduces +us to some inventions not unworthy of the occupation, of the courtiers +of _La Reine Quinte_, or of the Professors of the Academy of +Lagado. + +The doctrine of the aerial formation of meteoric stones, receives, +too, a passing notice from our author, who is clearly no supporter of +it. It was a long time before the ancients received credit for their +stories of showers of stones; and all were ready to joke with Butler, +at the story of the Thracian rock, which fell in the river Aegos:-- + + "For Anaxagoras, long agon, + Saw hills, as well as you i'th' moon, + And held the sun was but a piece + Of red hot iron as big as Greece. + Believ'd the heavens were made of stone, + Because the sun had voided one: + And, rather than he would recant + Th' opinion, suffered banishment." + +A difficulty surrounds the subject, however we view it. +_Aerolites_, as they have been designated, have now been found in +almost every region and climate of the globe--from Arabia to the +farthest point of Baffin's Bay; and this very circumstance would seem +to be opposed to their aerial origin, unless we are to suppose that +they can be formed in every state, and in the opposite extremes of the +atmosphere. The Brahmin assigns them a lunar origin, and adds, "our +party were greatly amused at the disputations of a learned society in +Europe, in which they undertook to give a mathematical demonstration, +that they could not be thrown from a volcano of the earth, nor from +the moon, but were suddenly formed in the atmosphere. I should as soon +believe, that a loaf of bread could be made and baked in the +atmosphere." + +The "gentleman farmer and projector," being attacked, during their +visit, with cholera morbus, and considering himself _in extremis_, +a consultation of physicians takes place, in which one portrait +will be obvious--that of Dr. Shuro, who asserts disease to be +a unit; and that it is the extreme of folly, to divide diseases into +classes, which tend but to produce confusion of ideas, and an +unscientific practice. The enthusiasm of the justly celebrated +individual--the original of this portrait, was so great, that the +slightest data were sufficient for the formation of some of his most +elaborate _hypotheses_--for _theories_ they could not properly +be called; and, accordingly, many of his beautiful and ingenious +superstructures are now prostrated, leaving, in open day, the +insufficiency of their foundation. One of the most striking +examples of this nature, was his belief that the black colour of +the negro is a disease, which depletion, properly exercised, might +be capable of remedying--a scheme not a whit more feasible, than +that of the courtiers of _La Reine Quinte_, referred to by +Rabelais, "who made blackamoors white, as fast as hops, by just +rubbing their stomachs with the bottom of a pannier." + +The satire here is not so fortunately displayed, as in other +instances, owing probably to the difficulty of saying any thing new on +so hackneyed a subject; for it has ever happened, that,-- + + "The Galenist and Paracelsian, + Condemn the way each other deals in." + +The affair concludes, by the Doctors quarrelling; and, in the mean +time, the patient, profiting by some simple remedies administered by +the Brahmin, and an hour's rest, was so much refreshed, that he +considered himself out of danger, and had no need of medical +assistance. + +_Pestolozzi's system of education_, is with justice satirized; +since, instead of affording facilities to the student, as the +superficial observer might fancy, it retards his acquisition of +knowledge, by teaching him to exercise his external senses, rather +than his reflection.[10] + +In a _menagerie_ attached to an academy, in which youths of +maturer years were instructed in the fine arts, the travellers had an +opportunity of observing the vain attempts of education, to control +the natural or instinctive propensities. + + "Naturam expellas furca tamen usque recurret." + + "For nature driven out, with proud disdain, + All powerful goddess, will return again." + +The election of a town constable, exhibits the violence of _Lunar +Politics_ to be much the same as the terrestrial, and seems to have +some allusion to an existing and important controversy amongst +ourselves. The _prostitution of the press_ is satirized by the +story of a number of boys dressed in black and white--wearing the +badges of the party to which they respectively belong, and each +provided with a syringe and two canteens, the one filled with rose +water, and the other with a black, offensive, fluid: the rose water +being squirted at the favourite candidates and voters--the other fluid +on the opposite party. All these were under regular discipline, and at +the word of command discharged their syringes on friend or foe, as the +case might be. + +The "_glorious uncertainty of the law_" (proverbial with us,) +falls also under notice. In Morosofia, it seems, a favourite mode of +settling private disputes, whether concerning person, character, or +property, is by the employment of prize fighters who hire themselves +to the litigants:-- + + "And out of foreign controversies + By aiding both sides, fill their purses: + But have no int'rest in the cause + For which th' engage and wage the laws + Nor farther prospect than their pay + Whether they lose or win the day." + +The chapter concludes with a discussion between an old man and his +wife, in which the _policy of encouraging manufactures_, is +argued. + +In an account of Okalbia--a happy valley--similar only in name to that +in _Rasselas_, the author seems to sketch his views of a _perfect +commonwealth_, and glances at some important questions of +_politics_ and _political economy_. Prudential restraints are +considered sufficient to obviate a _redundancy of population_--and +on _Ricardo's theory of rent_, the author holds the same opinions +as those already expressed in this Journal. + +Some useful hints are also afforded on the subject of _legislation +and jurisprudence_. + +After having passed a week amongst the singular and happy Okalbians, +whom our travellers found equally amiable, intelligent, and +hospitable, they returned to Alamatua. + +Jeffery's _theory of beauty_, as developed in the article +_beauty_, of the _supplement to the Encyclopaedia Britannica_, +in which he denies the existence of original beauty and refers +it to association, is ridiculed by an extension of a similar kind +of reasoning to the smell. + +A description of a _Lunar fair_ follows, which, like a +terrestrial, is the resort of the busy, the idle, the knavish, and the +gay: some in pursuit of pleasure; others again, without any settled +purpose, carried along by the vague desire of meeting with something +to relieve them from the pain of idleness. _Political contests_ +are here represented under the character of gambling transactions, and +if we mistake not, there is a distinct allusion to more than one +important contest in the annals of this country. + +Having now satisfied his curiosity, Atterley became anxious to return +to his native planet, and accordingly urged the Brahmin to lose no +time in preparing for their departure. They were soon, however, +informed that a man high in office, by way of affecting political +sagacity, had proposed to detain them, on the ground that when such +voyages as their's were shown to be practicable, the inhabitants of +the earth, who were so much more numerous than those of the moon, +might invade the latter with a large army, for the purpose of rapine +and contest; but notwithstanding the influence of this sapient +politician, they finally obtained leave to quit the moon whenever they +thought proper. + +Having taken a "respectful or affectionate" leave of all their +lunarian friends, and got every thing in readiness,--at midnight of +the twentieth of August, they again entered their copper +_balloon_, and after they had ascended until the face of the moon +looked like one vast lake of melted silver, with here and there small +pieces of grayish dross floating on it, Atterley reminded the Brahmin +of a former promise to detail the history of his early life, to which +he assented:--of this, perhaps the most interesting part of the book, +to the general reader, we regret that our limits will only admit of +our giving a very condensed and imperfect narrative. + +Gurameer, the Brahmin, was born at Benares. He was the only son of a +priest of Vishnu, of rank, and was himself intended for the +priesthood. At school, he meets with a boy of the name of _Balty +Mahu_, between whom and himself a degree of rivalry, and +subsequently the most decided enmity, existed--a circumstance that +decided the character of Gurameer's subsequent life. They afterwards +met at college, where a more extended theatre was afforded for the +exercise of Balty Mahu's malignity. During a vacation, Gurameer, being +on a visit to an uncle in the country, one day, when the family had +gone to witness a grand spectacle in honour of an important festival +in their calendar, which he could not himself attend consistently with +the rules of his caste, was tempted to visit the deserted Zenana, or +ladies' apartment, where he accidentally meets with a beautiful young +female. The acquaintance, thus begun, soon ripened into intimacy, by +means of walks in the garden, contrived by Fatima, one of his female +cousins. At length they are constrained to separate. Veenah (for so +the young lady is named) returns to Benares, whither Gurameer soon +follows her. On making his father acquainted with his attachment, the +latter endeavours to persuade him to overcome it, and informs him that +Veenah's father is avaricious, and a bigot, and hence, that he would +probably be prejudiced against him, owing to some imputations which +had been cast on Gurameer's religious creed, and industriously +circulated by his old enemy, Balty Mahu, who proves to be the cousin +of Veenah These considerations prevail upon Gurameer to defer any +application to Veenah's father, until the suspicions regarding his +faith had either died away or been falsified by his scrupulous +observance of all religious duties. This resolution he determines to +communicate to his mistress. Accordingly, in the evening, he betakes +himself to the quarter of the city where Veenah's father lives; and, +walking to and fro before the house, soon discovers that he is +recognised. By a cord, let down from the window, he conveys a letter +to her, which, the following evening, she answers; and thus a regular +correspondence was kept up, which, by the exercise it afforded to +their imaginations, and the difficulties attendant upon it, inflamed +their passion to the highest pitch. He had, however, soon the +misfortune to be discovered by Balty Mahu, and, in consequence, Veenah +is debarred from pen and ink, but contrives to acquaint her lover that +their intercourse has been discovered, by a short note, written with a +burnt stick. Gurameer now goes in despair to Veenah's father, from +whom he experiences a haughty repulse, and who, in the following +night, secretly leaves the city, with his daughter, embarking on the +Ganges, and taking measures to prevent the discovery of the place of +his retreat. At the expiration of two or three months, an end is put +to Gurameer's doubts and apprehensions, by his return, with his +daughter and son-in-law--a rich Omrah, four times her age. After the +first ebullitions of rage have subsided, his love returns; but he is +never able to succeed in obtaining an interview with Veenah. By his +cousin Fatima, he learns the circumstances of Veenah's marriage, and +the deceptions which had been practised on her, aided by the unbounded +authority which parents exercise in eastern countries. The unhappy +Veenah, as firm in her principles as she was gentle in disposition, +refuses to see him. "Tell him," said she, "that Heaven has forbidden +it, and to its decrees we are bound to submit I am now the wife of +another, and it is our duty to forget all that is past. But if this be +possible, my heart tells me it can be only by our never meeting!" + +Gurameer now fell into a state of settled melancholy, and consented to +travel, more for the purpose of pleasing his parents, than from any +concern for his own health; but travelling had little effect--"he +carried a barbed arrow in his heart; and the greater the efforts to +extract it, the more they rankled the wound." When so much emaciated +that he was not expected to live a month, he took a voyage, coastwise, +to Madras; and, on his arrival there, learned that Balty Mahu had +recently left that place. This intelligence operated like a charm; the +desire of revenge roused all his energies and became his master +passion. He immediately set off in pursuit; but, although often near, +could never overtake him. His health rapidly improves; and at length +he hears that the old Omrah's health is rapidly declining. This +information awakens new thoughts and hopes, and Balty Mahu is +forgotten. He hastens hack to Benares; and when near the city, hears +two merchants, in conversation, remark that the Omrah is dead, and +that his widow was the next day to perform the _Suttee_. He +immediately mounts his horse, and reaches the city the next morning at +sunrise. In the street he mixes with the throng;--hears Veenah pitied, +her father blamed, and himself lamented. He now sees Veenah approach +the funeral pile, who, at the well known sound of his voice, shrieked +out, "he lives! he lives!" and would have attempted to save herself +from the flames; but the shouts of the surrounding multitude, and the +sound of the instruments, drowned her voice. He now attempts to +approach the pile for the purpose of rescuing her, but is forcibly +held back until the wretched Veenah is enveloped in flames. On his +again attempting to reach the pile, he was charged with profanation; +and, on Balty Mahu's making his appearance and encouraging the charge, +in frantic desperation he seizes a scymetar from one of the guards, +and plunges it in his breast. The influence of his friends, and the +sacred character of persons of his caste, saved the Brahmin from +capital punishment; but he was banished from Hindostan. He now removed +to the kingdom of Ava, where he continued so long as his parents +lived, after which he visited several countries, both of Asia and +Europe; and in one of his journeys, having discovered Lunarium Ore in +the mountain near Mogaun, he determined to pass the remainder of his +days in that secluded retreat.--"So ends this strange, eventful +history." + +When the Brahmin terminated his narrative, the extended map beneath +them was already assuming a distinct and varied appearance:-- + + "The Brahmin, having applied his eye to the telescope, and made a + brief calculation of our progress, considered that twenty-four hours + more, if no accident interrupted us, would end our voyage; part of + which interval I passed in making notes in my journal, and in + contemplating the different sections of our many peopled globe, as + they presented themselves successively to the eye. It was my wish to + land on the American continent, and, if possible, in the United + States. But the Brahmin put an end to that hope, by reminding me that + we should be attracted towards the Equator, and that we had to choose + between Asia, Africa, and South America; and that our only course + would be, to check the progress of our car over the country of + greatest extent, through which the equinoctial circle might pass. + Saying which, he relapsed into his melancholy silence, and I betook + myself once more to the telescope. With a bosom throbbing with + emotion, I saw that we were descending towards the American continent. + When we were about ten or twelve miles from the earth, the Brahmin + arrested the progress of the car, and we hovered over the broad + Atlantic. Looking down on the ocean, the first object which presented + itself to my eye, was a small one-masted shallop, which was buffetting + the waves in a south-westerly direction. I presumed it was a + New-England trader, on a voyage to some part of the Republic of + Colombia: and, by way of diverting my friend from his melancholy + reverie, I told him some of the many stories which are current + respecting the enterprise and ingenuity of this portion of my + countrymen, and above all, their adroitness at a bargain. + + "'Methinks,' says the Brahmin, 'you are describing a native of Canton + or Pekin. But,' added he, after a short pause, 'though to a + superficial observer man appears to put on very different characters, + to a philosopher he is every where the same--for he is every where + moulded by the circumstances in which he is placed. Thus; let him be + in a situation that is propitious to commerce, and the habits of + traffic produce in him shrewdness and address. Trade is carried on + chiefly in towns, because it is there carried on most advantageously. + This situation gives the trader a more intimate knowledge of his + species--a more ready insight into character, and of the modes of + operating on it. His chief purpose is to buy as cheap, and to sell as + dear, as he can; and he is often able to heighten the recommendations + or soften the defects of some of the articles in which he deals, + without danger of immediate detection; or, in other words, big + representations have some influence with his customers. He avails + himself of this circumstance, and thus acquires the habit of lying; + but, as he is studious to conceal it, he becomes wary, ingenious, and + cunning. It is thus that the Phenicians, the Carthagenians, the Dutch, + the Chinese, the New-Englanders, and the modern Greeks, have always + been regarded as inclined to petty frauds by their less commercial + neighbours.' I mentioned the English nation. + + "'If the English,' said he, interrupting me; 'who are the most + commercial people of modern times, have not acquired the same + character, it is because they are as distinguished for other things as + for traffic: they are not merely a commercial people--they are also + agricultural, warlike, and literary; and thus the natural tendencies + of commerce are mutually counteracted.' + + "We afterwards descended slowly; the prospect beneath us becoming more + beautiful than my humble pen can hope to describe, or will even + attempt to portray. In a short time after, we were in sight of + Venezuela. We met with the trade winds and were carried by them forty + or fifty miles inland, where, with some difficulty, and even danger, + we landed. The Brahmin and myself remained together two days, and + parted--he to explore the Andes, to obtain additional light on the + subject of his hypothesis, and I, on the wings of impatience, to visit + once more my long-deserted family and friends. But before our + separation, I assisted my friend in concealing our aerial vessel, and + received a promise from him to visit, and perhaps spend with me the + evening of his life. Of my journey home, little remains to be said. + From the citizens of Colombia, I experienced kindness and attention, + and means of conveyance to Caraccas; where, embarking on board the + brig Juno, captain Withers, I once more set foot in New-York, on the + 18th of August, 1826, after an absence of four years, resolved, for + the rest of my life, to travel only in books, and persuaded, from + experience, that the satisfaction which the wanderer gains from + actually beholding the wonders and curiosities of distant climes, is + dearly bought by the sacrifice of all the comforts and delights of + home." + +We have thus placed before the reader an analysis of this interesting +Satirical Romance. The time and space we have occupied sufficiently +indicate the favourable sentiments respecting it with which we have +been impressed. Of the execution of the satires, from the several +extracts we have given, the reader will himself be enabled to judge. +This is of course unequal, but generally felicitous. In the personal +allusions which occur through the work, the author exhibits, as we +have before noticed, a freedom from malice and all uncharitableness, +and in many of them has attained that happy _desideratum_ which +Dryden considered a matter of so much difficulty:-- + + "How easy is it," he observes, "to call rogue and villain, and that + wittily! But how hard to make a man appear a fool, a blockhead, or a + knave, without using any of those opprobrious terms! To spare the + grossness of the names, and to do the thing yet more severely, is to + draw a full face, and to make the nose and cheeks stand out, and yet + not to employ any depth of shadowing. This is the mystery of that + noble trade, which yet no master can teach to his apprentice; he may + give the rules, but the scholar is never the nearer in his practice; + neither is it true, that this fineness of raillery is offensive. A + witty man is tickled, while he is hurt, in this manner, and a fool + feels it not: the occasion of an offence may possibly be given, but he + cannot take it. If it be granted, that, in effect, this way does more + mischief--that a man is secretly wounded, and, though he be not + sensible himself, yet the malicious world will find it out for him, + yet, there is still a vast difference betwixt the slovenly butchering + of a man, and the fineness of a stroke that separates the head from + the body, and leaves it standing in its place. A man may be capable, + as Jack Ketch's wife said of his servant, of a plain piece of work, a + bare hanging; but to make a malefactor die sweetly, was only belonging + to her husband."[11] + +In conclusion, we must express our regret, that the author should not +have added notes to the work--the want of them will be seriously felt +by every one; some of the satires, indeed, must escape the reader, +unless he pay a degree of attention, which notes would have rendered +unnecessary. In his next edition, we trust that this deficiency may be +supplied; and we anticipate as much instruction and entertainment, +from the wide scope which such an undertaking will afford, as we have +derived from the perusal of the text. Cheerfully would we extend to +him, if required, the leisure claimed by Spenser, after he had +composed the first six books of his "_Faerie Queene_," provided +he would promise us similar conditions:-- + + "After so long a race as I have run + Through Faery Land, which those six books compile, + Give leave to rest me, being half foredonne, + And gather to myself new breath awhile; + + "Then, as a steed refreshed after toyle, + Out of my prison will I break anew, + And stoutly will that second work assoyle, + With strong endeavour, and attention due." + + + * * * * * + + +[APPENDIX FOOTNOTES] + + +[Footnote 1: Scott's Swift, vol. xi. p. 4] + + +[Footnote 2: Aristoph. in Pace. 130.] + + +[Footnote 3: Orlando furioso, Canto xxxiv. St. 68 and 69.] + + +[Footnote 4: Micromegas, Histoire Philosophique, chap. 8.] + + +[Footnote 5: Fuller, a learned contemporary of the Bishop, has given +us an amusing case of litigation, originating from this nourishing +character of odours.-- + +"A poor man, being very hungry, staid so long in a cook's shop, who +was dishing up meat, that his stomach was satisfied with only the +smell thereof. The choleric cook demanded of him to pay for his +breakfast, the poor man denied having had any; and the controversy was +referred to the deciding of the next man that should pass by, who +chanced to be the most notorious idiot in the whole city be, on the +relation of the matter, determined that the poor man's money should be +put betwixt two empty dishes, and the cook should be recompensed with +the jingling of the poor man's money, as he was satisfied with the +smell of the cook's meat."--_Fuller's Holy State_, lib. iii. c. +12.] + + +[Footnote 6: Aristophan. in pace. 137.] + + +[Footnote 7: The idea of the Glonglims is the author's. Ariosto makes +the lost intellect, of those who become insane upon the earth, ascend +to the moon, where it is kept _bottled_.-- + + "Era come un liquor suttile e molle, + Atto a esalar, se non si tien ben chiuso; + E si vedea raccolto in varie ampolle, + Qual piu, qual men capace, atte a quell' uso." + + _Orlando furioso_, Cant. 34. St. 83.] + + +[Footnote 8: Our author might also have alluded to the old apology for +every thing inane or contemptible--"It is a tale of the man in the +moon." When that arch flatterer, John Lylie, published (in 1591) his +"_Endymion_, or _the man in the moon_"--a _court comedy_, as it +was afterwards called; in other words, intended for the gratification +of Queen Elizabeth, and in which her personal charms and attractions +are grossly lauded--he pleads guilty to its defect in plot, in the +following exquisite apologetic prologue:-- + +"Most high and happy Princess, we must tell you a tale of the man in +the moon; which, if it seem ridiculous for the method, or superfluous +for the matter, or for the means incredible, for three faults we can +make but one excuse,--it is a tale of the man of the moon." + +"It was forbidden in old time to dispute of Chymera, because it was a +fiction: we hope in our times none will apply pastimes, because they +are fancies: for there liveth none under the sun that knows what to +make of the man in the moon. We present neither comedy, nor tragedy, +nor story, nor any thing, but that whosoever heareth may say this:-- +'Why, here is a tale of the man in the moon.' Yet this is the man +designated by Blount, who re-published his plays in 1632, as the '_only +rare poet of that time, the witie, comicall, facetiously-quicke, and +unparallel'd John Lylie, Master of Arts!'"] + + +[Footnote 9: It is to be regretted that the author has not followed +the good example set him by Johnson, in his _Debates in the Senate +of Magna Lilliputia_, published in the Gentlemen's Magazine for +1738: the denominations of the speakers being formed of the letters of +their real names, so that they might be easily deciphered. This +neglect has obscured many of the author's most interesting satires. +Who could suppose from the letters alone, that _Wigurd_, _Vindar_, +and _Avarabet_, were respectively intended for _Godwin_, _Darwin_, +and _Lavater_?] + + +[Footnote 10: It is a curious circumstance, that Swift, in his +description of the Academy of Lagado, should have so completely +anticipated the Pestalozzian invention.] + + +[Footnote 11: Dryden's Essay on Satire] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Voyage to the Moon, by George Tucker + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VOYAGE TO THE MOON *** + +***** This file should be named 10005.txt or 10005.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/0/0/10005/ + +Produced by Christine De Ryck, Stig M. Valstad, Suzanne L. 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