JOURNEY 
 
 T T H E 
 
 World Under-Ground, 
 
 B Y 
 
 NICHOLAS KILMIUS 
 
 Translated from the ORIGINAL. 
 The Second Edition. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for R.Baldwin, Jan. at the Kofi 
 in Pater-NoJler-Ro<w ; and B. C O L L I N 5„ 
 
 Bookfeller, in Salijbury. 
 
 M.DCC.XLIX, 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2010 with funding from 
 Duke University Libraries 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/journeytoworldunOOholb 
 

 THE 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 Chap. l.FHTSHE Author's Defcent to 
 J the Subterraneous World 
 
 Page i 
 
 Chap. II. His Defcent upon the Planet 
 Nazar 1 3 
 
 Chap. Ill A Defcription of the City of 
 Keba 29 
 
 Chap. IV. The Court of the Potuan 
 Empire 43 
 
 Chap. V. Of the Nature of the Coun- 
 try^ and the Manners of the People 
 
 Chap. VI. Of the Religion of the 
 
 Potuan Nation 64 
 
 Chap. VII. Of their Policy 71 
 
 Chap. VIII. Of the Academy 91 
 
 Chap. IX. The Author's Journey round 
 
 the Planet Nazar 102 
 
 Chap. X. The Author's Banifoment to 
 
 the Firmament 171 
 
 Chap. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Chap. XL The Author's Voyage to the 
 
 hand of Wonders -^age 2 o6 
 
 Chap. XII. The Author's Arrival at 
 
 Quama 235 
 
 Chap. XIII. The Rife of the fifth 
 
 Monarchy 244 
 
 Chap. XIV. The Author is elevated to 
 
 the Imperial Dignity 2 So 
 
 Chap. XV. The Catafirophe 297 
 
 Chap. XVI. The Author's Return into 
 
 his own Country 309 
 
 ABELINE's Appendix 323 
 

 A 
 
 JOURNEY 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 World Under-Ground, 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 The Author's Defcent to the Subterra- 
 neous World, 
 
 N the Year 1 664, after I had 
 pafs'd my feveral Examina- 
 tions in the Univerfity of 
 Copenhagen^ and had defer- 
 vedly obtained the Charac- 
 ter, which is there call'd 
 Laudable^ by the Votes of my Judges, as 
 B well 
 
2 A Journey to the 
 
 well Philofophers as Divines, I prcpar'd foi 
 my Return into my native Country ; and ac- 
 cordingly put myfelf aboard a Ship bound 
 for Bergen in Norway, dignify'd indeed with 
 various Marks of Honour from the Gentle- 
 men of the feveral Faculties, but in my 
 Fortunes quite impoverihYd. This was an 
 Evil that attended myfelf as well as feveral 
 of the Norway Students, who return'd from 
 the Study of the Arts and Sciences into their 
 own Country ftript of all thev were worth. 
 As we had a pretty brifk Gale, after a 
 Yovage of fix Days we arrived at Bergen 
 Harbour. Being thus reftor'd to my Coun- 
 try, fomething wifer indeed, tho' by no 
 Means richer, I was fupported for a Time 
 at the Expence of my near Relations, and 
 Jed a precarious Sort of Life, yet not alto- 
 gether indolent and inactive. For. in order to 
 clear up by Experience fome Points of natu- 
 ral Philofophy, the Study I had devoted 
 myfelf to, I rambled over every Corner of 
 the Province, with an infatiable Curioiity, 
 to explore the Nature of the Earth, and to 
 iearch into the very Bowels of our Moun- 
 tains. No Rock fo fteep but I climb'd it ; 
 no Cavern fo hideous and deep, but I made 
 a Defcent into it, to try if haply I could 
 difcover any Thing curious 2nd worthy the 
 Inquiry or a Philulbpher. For there are a 
 Multitude of Things in our Country of 
 Norway, hardly ever ieen or heard of, which 
 if France, Italy, Germany, or .any other 
 Country lb fruitful of the Marvellous could 
 
 boaft 
 
World Under-Ground. 3 
 
 boaft of, nothing wou'd be more talk'd of, 
 nothing more fifted and examin'd. 
 
 Among thofe Things, which to me ap- 
 pear'd moft worthy of Obfervation, there 
 was a large and deep Cave upon the Top of 
 that Mountain which the Natives call Floien. 
 And becaufe the Mouth of the Cave us'd to 
 fend forth a gentle murmuring Sound, and 
 that too by Intervals, as if by its frequent 
 Sighs its Jaws were now fhut, and now 
 open'd ; hence the Literati of Bergen, and 
 particularly the celebrated Mafter Abeline^ 
 and Mafter Edward, one of our firft Ge- 
 niufes in Aftronomy and natural Philofophy, 
 imagin'd this Affair highly worthy of a phi- 
 lofophical Inquiry; and fince they them- 
 felves were too old for fuch an Enterprize, 
 they excited the younger Inhabitants to a 
 clofer Examination of the Nature of the 
 Cavern ; efpecially as at ftated Intervals, af- 
 ter the Manner of human Refpiration, the 
 Sound being fometime with-held iflued out 
 with a certain proportional Force. 
 
 What with thefe Difcourfes, and what 
 with my own natural Inclination, I form'd 
 a Defign of entring into this Cavern, and 
 communicated my Intention to fome of my 
 Friends. But they by no Means approv'd 
 of it, plainly declaring, that it was a wild 
 and frantiek Undertaking. But all they 
 cou'd fay, fo far was it from extinguifhing, 
 that it did not even damp the Ardour of my 
 Mind ; and their Advices, inftead of weak- 
 ning, adminiitred Fuel to my Curiofity. 
 B 2 For 
 
4 A Journey to the 
 
 For that E.igernefs with which I purfucd 
 the Study of Nature infpir'd me to race 
 every Danger, and the Straightnefs of my 
 private Circumltances gave a Spur to my 
 natural Inclination. For mv own Subttance 
 was quite wafted, and it feera'd to me the 
 greatelt Hardlhip to live in a State of De- 
 pendance, in a Country where all Hopes of 
 Preferment were cut off, where I beheld 
 myfelf condemned to Poverty, and every 
 Avenue to Honour and Advantage entirely 
 itopp'd, unlefs I would make m. Way by 
 (bene flagrant Act or Dilhonour or Immo- 
 rahtv. 
 
 Thus refolv'd, and having got together 
 I was rcquiiite tor fuch an Exploit, upon 
 a Thurfdav Morning, when the Heavens 
 were all ferene and cloudlefs, I left the City 
 loon after Twilight, to the End that ha- 
 ving finiih'd mv Obfervations, I might re- 
 turn again that fame Day ; becauie, being 
 ignorant of Futurity, it was not polTible I 
 fhou'd forefee that 1, like another Phaeton^ 
 
 Vofoertr in pr steeps, lon^que per a era trae'u, 
 
 ihould be flung upon another World, not to 
 reviik my native Sod, tdl after a ten 1 
 Peregrination. 
 
 This Expedition was undertaken in the 
 Year of our Lord 1665, and 
 
 Lawrence Severini being Confulfi or 
 and Chrijllern Bertholdi and Lawrence Sean- 
 dio being Senators. I went out atte:. 
 by four Fellows I had hirM, who broi 
 
World Under -Ground. 5 
 
 with them fuch Ropes and Iron Crooks as 
 would be neceilary to defcend by. Vv c 
 went direct] v to Sanduic, the mod commo- 
 dious Way to climb the Mountain. Ha- 
 ving with Difficulty reach'd the Top, we 
 came to the Place where was the fatal Cave, 
 and being tir'd with fo troublefome a Jour- 
 ney, we all fat down to Breakfaft. 'Twas 
 then my Mind, foreboding as it were the 
 approaching Evil, firft began to be difmay'd. 
 Therefore turning to my Companions, 
 " Will any one, fays I, undertake this 
 " Talk?" But no Replv being made, my 
 Ardour, that had languifh'd, kindled anew. 
 I orderM them to faften the Rope about me, 
 and thus equipp'd, I commended my Soul to 
 Almighty God. Being now juft ready to 
 be let down, I gave my Companions to un- 
 derstand what I would have done, viz. that 
 they mould continue letting down the Rope 
 till they heard me cry out, upon which Sig- 
 nal they mould flop, and if I perfifted to 
 cry out, that then they fhou'd immediately 
 draw me up again. In my right hand I 
 held my Harpoon, or Iron Hook, an In- 
 ftrument that might be of Ufe to me to re- 
 move whatever might obftrucf. my PalTage, 
 and alio to keep my Body fufpended equally 
 between the Sides of the Cavern. But 
 fcarce had I defcended fo low as about ten 
 or twelve Cubits, when the Rope broke. 
 This Accident was difcover'd to me by the 
 fudden Outcries of the Men I had hir'd. 
 But their Noife foon died away s for with an 
 B 3 amazing 
 
6 A Jour ne v to tb: 
 
 amazing Velocity I was hurry M down intd 
 the Abyfs, and like a fecond Plut;, a 
 my Harpoon to be a Sceptre, 
 
 Labor, If i£la viam tcllus ad Tart aid fait, 
 
 For about the fourth Part of an Hour (as 
 near as I cou'd guefs, considering t! 
 ( nfter nation I mult be in) I w.is in * 
 Darknefs, and in the very Bofom of Night ; 
 when at length a thin fmall Light, like 
 Twilight, broke in upon me, and 1 beheld 
 at la ft a bright ferene Firmament. I igno- 
 rantly thought therefore, that either by the 
 RepercufTion or oppolice Aclion of the fub- 
 terraneous Air, or that bv the Force of 
 fome contrary Wind, I bad been thrown 
 back, and that the Cave bad vomited me 
 up again. But neither the Sun which I 
 then furvey'd, nor the Heavens, or hea- 
 venly Bodies, were at all known to me, 
 fince they were confiderably lefs than thofe 
 of ours. I concluded therefore, that either 
 all that whole Mafs of new Heavens exifted 
 folely in Imagination, excited by the Verti- 
 go my Head had undergone, or elfe that I 
 was arriv'd at the Manlions of the Blelled. 
 But this laft Opinion I foon rejected witb 
 Scorn, fince I view'd myfelf arm'd with i 
 Harpoon, and dragging a mighty Length of 
 Rope after me, knowing full well, that a 
 Man juft going to Farad ife has no Occafion 
 for a Rope or a Harpoon, and that the cce- 
 leftial Inhabitants cou'd not poflibly be 
 pleas'd with a Dre fs, which look'd as if ( 
 
 intended, 
 
World Under-Ground, 7 
 
 Intended, after the Example of the Titans* 
 to take Heaven by Violence, and to ex pel 
 them from their divine Abodes. At lair, 
 after the matured: Confederation, I fell to 
 imagining, that I was funk into the fubter- 
 raneous World, and that the Conjectures of 
 thofe Men are right who hold the Earth to 
 , be concave, and that within the Shell or 
 outward Cruft there is another lefler Globe, 
 and another Firmament adorn'd with leffer 
 Sun, Stars, and Planets. And the Event 
 difcover'd that this Conjecture was right. 
 
 That Violence with which I was hurry'd 
 headlong, had now continued for fome 
 Time, when at length I perceived that it 
 languifh'd gradually in Proportion to my 
 Approach towards a certain Planet, which 
 was the firft Thing I met with. That fame 
 Planet increas'd fo fenfibly in Bulk or 
 Magnitude, that at laft, without much Dif- 
 ficulty, I cou'd plainly diftinguifh Moun- 
 tains, Vallies, and Seas, through that thicker 
 Atmofphere with which it was furrounded. 
 
 — Sicut avis quce circum littora, circum 
 Pifcofos fcopulos humilis volat tcquora juxta 9 
 Haud a liter terras inter ccelumque volabam. 
 
 Then I perceiv'd that I did not only fwim 
 in a cceleftiai Matter or ^ther, but that 
 my Motion which had hitherto been per- 
 pendicular, was now alter'd into a circular 
 one. At this my Hair flood an End j for 
 I was full of Apprehenfion left I fhould be 
 transformed into a Planet, or into a Satellite 
 B 4 of 
 
3 A Journey to the 
 
 of the neighbouring Planet, and To be 
 whirl'd about in an everlaiting Rotation. 
 But when I reflected, that by this Mcta- 
 morphofis my Dignity would fuffer jio great 
 Diminution, and that a heavenly Body, or 
 at leafr. an Attendant upon a heavenly Body, 
 would furelv move with equal Solemnity 
 to a famifhM Philosopher, I took Con; 
 
 in, elpecially when J found from the 
 Benefit of that pure cceleftial /Ether, that i 
 was no longer preft by Hunger or Thirlt. 
 Yet upon recollecting that I had in mv 
 Pocket lume of that Sort of Bread which 
 the People of Berlin call Bolk*m 9 and which 
 is of an oval or oblong Figure, I reiblv'd 
 to take it out, and make an Experin. 
 whether in this Situation I had any Appe- 
 tite. But at the firft Bite perceiving it 
 quite naufeous, I threw it awav as a Thing 
 to all Intents and Purpofes lfiel< The 
 
 Bread thus cafl away was not only fufpended 
 in Air, but (what was very* marvellou 
 behold) it defcrib'd a little circular Motion 
 round my own Body. And from thence i 
 learnt the true Laws of Motion, by which 
 it comes to pals, that all Bodies piae'd in 
 Equilibrium naturally affect a circular Mo- 
 tion. Upon this, infread of deploring my 
 Wretched nefs, as I had done, for being 
 thus the Sport of Fortune, I began to 
 plume a little, finding that I was not onlv 
 a fimple Planet, but fuch a Planet as wou'd 
 have a perpetual Attendant conforming it- 
 felf to my Motions, infomuch that I fhouM 
 
 have 
 
World Under -Ground. g 
 
 have the Houour to be reckon'd in the 
 Number of the greater heavenly Bodies or 
 Stars of the firft Magnitude. And to con- 
 fefs my Weaknefs, fo elated was I, that if 
 I had then met any of our Confuls or 
 Senators of Bergen, I mould have receiv'd 
 them with a fupercilious Air, mould have 
 regarded them as Atoms, and accounted 
 them unworthy to be faluted or honoured 
 with a Touch of my Harpoon. 
 
 For almoft three Days I remain'd in this 
 Condition. For as without any Intermif- 
 iion I was whirl'd about the Planet that was 
 next me, I could diftinguifh Day from 
 Night ; and obferving the fubterraneous Sun 
 to rife, and let, and retire gradually out of 
 my Sight, I could eafily perceive when it 
 was Night, tho' it was not altogether fuch 
 as it is with us. For at Sun-fet the whole 
 Face of the Firmament appear'd of a bright 
 Purple, not unlike the Countenance of our 
 Moon fometimes. This I took to be occa- 
 fion'd by the inner Surface of our Earth, 
 which borrow'd that Light from the fubter- 
 raneous Sun, which Sun was plac'd in the 
 Centen This Hypothecs I fram'd to my- 
 felf, being not altogether a Stranger to the 
 Study of Aflronomy. 
 
 But while f was thus amus'd with the 
 Thoughts of being in the Neighbourhood of 
 the Gods, and was congratulating myfelf 
 as a new Conftellation, together with 'my 
 Satellite that furrounded me, and hop'd in 
 a fhort Time to be inferted in the Cataloo;ue 
 B 5 of 
 
lo yif Journ e v to the 
 
 6f Stars by the Aftronomers of the neigh- 
 bouring Planet, behold ! an enormous wing- 
 ed Monfter hover'd near me, fometimes on 
 this Side, now on that Side, and by and by 
 over my Head. At firft View I took it for 
 one of the twelve heavenly Signs in this 
 new World, and accordingly hop'd, that, 
 if the Conjecture was right, it would be 
 that o'i Vv,go^ fince out of the whole Num- 
 ber of the twelve Signs, that alone could 
 yield me, in my unhappy Solitude, fome 
 Delight and Comfort. Hut when the Fi- 
 gure approached nearer to me, it appeared 
 to be a grim, huge Griffin. So great was 
 my Terror, that unmindful of my ftarry 
 Dignity, to which I was newly advanc a, 
 in that Difbrder of my Soul, I drew out mv 
 Univerlity-Tcftimonium, which I happen' J 
 to have in my Pocket, to fignify to this ter- 
 rible Adverfary that I had pafs'd my acade- 
 mical Examination, that 1 was a graduate 
 Student, and could plead the Privilege of 
 my Univerfity againft any one that ihould 
 attack me. But my Diforder beginning to 
 cool, when I came to myfelf, I could not 
 but condemn my Folly. For it was yet a 
 Matter of Doubt to what Purpofe this Grif- 
 fin mould approach me, whether as an Ene- 
 my, or a Friend ; or, what is more likely, 
 whether led by the foleNoveltv of theThing, 
 he had only a Mind to feaft his Curiofitv. 
 For the Sight of a human Creature whirling 
 about in Air, bearina; in his rio;ht Hand an 
 Harpoon, and drawing after him a great 
 
 Length 
 
World Under-Ground. \ i 
 
 Length of Rope like a Tail, was really a 
 Phaenomenon which might excite even a 
 brute Creature to behold the Spectacle. For 
 the unufual Figure I then exhibited, gave 
 to the Inhabitants of the Globe, round which 
 I revolv'd, an Occafion of divers Conjectures 
 and Converfations concerning me, as I af- 
 terwards learn'd -, for the Philofophers and 
 Mathematicians would have me to be a Co- 
 met, being pofitive that my Rope was the 
 Tail ; and fome there were, who from the 
 Appearance of fo rare a Meteor, prognosti- 
 cated fome impending Misfortune, a Plague, 
 a Famine, or fome other fuch extraordinary 
 Catahrophe : Some alfo went further, and 
 delineated my Figure, fuch as it appear' d to 
 them at that Diftance, in very accurate 
 Drawings ; fo that I was defcrib'd, defin'd, 
 painted and engrav'd before ever I touch'd 
 their Globe. All this I afterward heard 
 with no fmall Pleafure, and even Laughter, 
 when I was conveyed to that Planet, and 
 had learn'd their Language. 
 
 It muft be noted, that fometimes there 
 appear new Stars, which the Subterrane- 
 ans call Scifciji, or blazing Stars, which 
 they defcribe as fomething looking horrid 
 with fiery Hair, and, after the Manner of 
 our Comets, bufhy on the Top, fo as that 
 it projects in Form of a long Beard ; and 
 thefe, as in our World, fo in that, they are 
 reckon'd ominous. 
 
 But to refume my Hiftory. The Grif- 
 fin advanc'd fo near at laft, as to incom- 
 mode 
 
12 A Joir>;et to the 
 
 mode mc by the Flapping of his Wii 
 :md even did not fcruplc to attack mv I 
 with his Teeth, fo that now it openlV ap- 
 pear'd with what Difpofition he purfu'd me. 
 I fpon this I began to attack this trouble- 
 some Animal with Anns and grafping my 
 Harpoon with both mv Hands, I foon 
 enrb'd the Infolencc of mv For, obliging 
 him to look about for a Way to effcape ; 
 and at [aft, fmce he perfilh^l to antaoy me, I 
 darted my Harpoon with fuch a Force into 
 the Back of the Animal between his Wfi 
 that I could not pull it out again. The 
 wounded Griffin, retting up a horrible Cry, 
 . long upon the Planet. As for my- 
 felf, quire Weary of this flarrv Station, this 
 ty, which I few txposM to inri- 
 nite 1 1 . I ] lis, 
 
 Arlitr -> ■> quoqiic impetus f 
 
 Hue fine left ruo, I mgp fm pit 6t ta tt\wfu 
 In t err am ftTW) ut de ewh Jiella Jercnc, 
 Etfi nw acidity potuii cee'uhjfe v'nleri. 
 
 And now this circular Motion I had 
 fcrib'd alter'd once more into a perpendicu- 
 lar one. And being for fome Time agita- 
 tated and toft with great Violence by the 
 I'ppoiitc Motions of a thicker Air, at length 
 bv an eafy, gentle Defcent, I alighted upon 
 the aforefaid Planet, together with the Grif- 
 fin, who foon after died of his Wound. 
 
 It was Night when I was convev'd to 
 that Planet. This I could gather from the 
 fole Abfencc of the Sun, and not from the 
 
 Dark- 
 
World Under-Ground. 13 
 
 Darknefs ; for there ftill remained fo much 
 Light, as that I could diflin&ly read my 
 Univerfity-Teftimonium by it. That Light 
 by Night arifes from the inward Surface of 
 our Earth, whofe Surface reflects a Light 
 like that of the Moon among us. And 
 hence, with refpecl: to Light alone, there 
 is little Difference between the Nights and 
 Days, only that the Sun is abfent, and his 
 Abfence makes the Nights a little colder. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 His Defcent upon the Planet Nazar. 
 
 HAVING thus fmifh'd this airy Voyage, 
 and being fet down upon the Planet 
 without the leaft Hurt, I lay for a confide- 
 rable Time without Motion, waiting till 
 Day-break for the Event. Twas then I 
 found the ufual Infirmities of Nature re- 
 turn, and that I flood in great Need of 
 Sleep as well as Food, infomuch that I re- 
 pented I had fo rafhly difcarded my Loaf of 
 Bread. 
 
 My Mind thus opprefs'd with various 
 Anxieties, at length I fell into a profound 
 Sleep, and had flept (as near as I could guefs) 
 two Hours, when a horrible Bellowing in- 
 terrupting my Sleep, at length entirely dif- 
 pell'd it. A ft range Variety of Notions 
 had fiird my Brain during this Sleep. I 
 
 thought 
 
14 A Journey to the 
 
 thought I was returned into Norway, and 
 holding forth among the Students according 
 to Cuftom ; and at one Time I imagined I 
 heard the Voice of the Deacon Nicolas An- 
 dreas chanting in the Church of Fan'oen, 
 juit out of the City, and that it was the 
 Noile of his Voice, which according to 
 Cuftom had (o cruelly wounded my Ears. 
 And agreeably to this, when I awoke, I 
 really thought it was his horrid Voice that 
 had dilhirb'd inc. But when I law a Bull 
 ftandina; near me, then, indeed, I conclu- 
 ded my Reft had been broke bv his Bellow- 
 ing. Prefcntly throwing my Eyes around 
 me, the Sun now riiinii, I beheld every 
 where :rrce:i, fertile Plains and Fields; fome 
 Trees al .red, but (v. moftama- 
 
 fcing) thev moved ; tho' fuch was the Silence 
 and Stillnef> of the Air at that Time, that 
 it would not have moved the lighted 1 
 ther from its Piace. Immediately the Bull 
 came roaring at me, and I in my Terror 
 and Confternation feeing a Tree juft by me, 
 attempted to climb it ; but when 1 got up 
 into it, it uttered a fine fmall Voice, tho' 
 iomething fhrill, and not unlike an an- 
 gry Lady's; and prefcntly I receiv'd, as it 
 were from the fwifteft Hand, fuch a Blow 
 as quite itunn'd me, and laid me proltrate 
 on the Ground. I was almoft expiring with 
 this Thunderbolt of a Stroke, when I heard 
 certain confus'd Murmurings round me, 
 like thofe in great Markets, or upon full 
 Change. Having opened my Eyes, I be- 
 held 
 
World Under-Ground. 15 
 
 held all about me a whole Grove of Trees, 
 all in Motion, all animated, and the Plain 
 overfpread with Trees and Shrubs, tho' juffc 
 before there were not above fix or {even. 
 *Tis not to be exprefs'd what Diforders this 
 produced in my Underftanding, and bow 
 much my Mind was fnock'd with thefe De- 
 lufions : Sometimes I thought I muft cer- 
 tainly dream; fometimes I thought I was 
 haunted by Spectres and evil Spirits, and 
 twenty abfurder Things did I imagine ; but 
 I had no Time to examine thefe Machines, 
 or to inquire into their Caufes ; for prelent- 
 Iv another Tree advancing to me, let down 
 one of its Branches, which had at the Ex- 
 tremity of it fix large Buds in the Manner 
 of Fingers. With thefe the Tree took me 
 up from the Ground, and carried me ofF, 
 attended by a Multitude of other Trees of 
 various Kinds and different Sizes, all which 
 kept muttering certain Sounds, articulately 
 indeed, but in a Tone too foreign for my 
 Ears, fo that I could not poflibly retain any 
 Thing of them, except thefe two Words, 
 Pikel Emi, which I heard them very often 
 repeat. By thefe Words (as I afterward un- 
 derstood) was meant, A Monkey of an odd 
 Shape ; beeaufe from the Make of my Body, 
 and Manner of Drefs, they conjectur'd I 
 was a Monkey, tho' of a Species different 
 from the Monkeys of that Country. Others 
 took me for an Inhabitant of the Firma- 
 ment, and that fome great Bird had trans- 
 ported me hither 5 a Thing that had once 
 
 before 
 
i6 A Journe v to the 
 
 before happened, as the Hiftory or Annals 
 of that Globe can teftify. But all thofe 
 Things I underftood not till after the Space 
 of fome Months, in which Time I became 
 acquainted with the fubterranean Language. 
 For in mv prefent Circumftances, what 
 thro' Fear, and what through the Diforder 
 of mv Intellects, 1 was quite regardlefs of 
 myfelf, nor could conceive how there could 
 be any fuch Tiling as living and fpeaking 
 , nor to what Furpoie was this Pro- 
 
 >n, which was very flow and iblemn. 
 But yet the Voices and Murmurs with which 
 all the Plains echoed feemed to indicate An- 
 
 and Indignation ; and in good Truth it 
 t without ample Reafon that they 
 had conceived this Refentment againil me ; 
 for that very T lich I climb'd up in 
 
 my Flight from the Bull, was the Wife of 
 the Prcetor, or principal Magistrate of the 
 next City i and lb the Quality of the Per- 
 fon injur'd agg I the Crime; fur it 
 
 look'd as if 1 had a Mind to violate n 
 Female of mean and plebeian Birth, hut a 
 Matron of prime Rank, which was a molt 
 detefted Spectacle to a People of fo venera- 
 ble a Modefty a-, thefe were. At length we 
 arrived at the City to which I was led Cap- 
 live. This City was equallv remarkable for 
 its (ratelv Fdihces, and for the elegant Or- 
 der and Proportion of the Streets and High- 
 wavs ; fo lofty were the Houfes, that they 
 ■ manv Towers ; the Streets too 
 were full c. ..:ig Trees, which by let- 
 
 ting 
 
World Under-Ground. %y 
 
 ting down their Branches faluted each other 
 as they met, and the greater Number of 
 Branches or Boughs they dropt, the greater 
 was the Compliment. Thus when an Oak 
 went out of one of the moft eminent 
 Houfes, the reft of the Trees drew back at 
 his Approach, and let down every one of 
 their Branches ; from whence it was eafy 
 to infer, that that Oak was far above the 
 vulgar Sort; and, indeed, I foon under flood 
 that it was the Praetor himfelf, and the very 
 Perfon whofe Wife I was faid to have fo 
 highly affronted. Forthwith they hurried 
 me to the Praetor's Houfe ; upon my En- 
 trance into which, the Doors were imme- 
 diately lock'd and bolted upon me, fo that 
 I look'd upon myfelf as one condemn'd to a 
 Goal. What greatly contributed to this 
 Fear was, that there were three Guards 
 plac'd without, like Centinels, each of 
 them arm'd with fix Axes, according to the 
 Number of their Branches; for as many- 
 Branches as they had, fo many Arms they 
 had ; and as many Buds at the Extremities, 
 fo many Fingers. I obferved, that on the 
 Top of the Trunks or Bodies of the Trees 
 their Heads were plac'd, not at all unlike 
 human Heads; and inftead of Roots, I faw 
 two Feet, and thofe very fnort, by Reafon 
 of which the Pace they us'd was almoft as 
 flow as that of a Tortoife ; fo that had I 
 been at Liberty, it had been very eafy for 
 me to have efcap'd their Hands, fince my 
 
 Motion 
 
iS sf Journey to the 
 
 .Motion was perfect Flying compar'd to 
 theirs. 
 
 To be fhort, I now plainly perceived, 
 that the Inhabitants of this Globe were 
 Trees, and that they were endued with 
 Reafon ; and I was loft in Wonder at that? 
 Variety in which Nature wantons in the 
 Formation of her Creatures. Thefe Trees 
 do by no Means equal ours in Height, fcarce 
 anv of them exceeding the common and 
 ordinary Stature of a Man ; fome in 
 were lea ; thefe one would call Flowers or 
 Shrubs ; and fuch I conjectur'd were Youths 
 and Infants. 
 
 Words cannot evprefs into what a Lai 
 rinth of Thought thefe ft range Appearances 
 threw me, how man? Sighs they extorted 
 from me, and how pajfionately I longed af- 
 ter the dear Place of my Nativity. For 
 >' thefe Trees feemed to me to be focia- 
 Creatures, to enjoy the Benefit of Lan- 
 ;e, anJ to be endued with a certain De- 
 • or Portion of Reafon, infomuch that 
 they had a Right to be inferted in the C 
 ti rial Animals, yet I much dou 
 whether they could be compar'd to Men ; I 
 could not bring myfelf to think, that Juf- 
 tice, Mercv, and the other moral Vntuc> 
 had anv Residence among them. Rack'd 
 with thefe Thoughts, my Bowels yearned, 
 and Rivers of Tears flowed down in v 
 Cheeks. But while I was thus indulging 
 Grief, and pouring out my filent Com- 
 plaints in fuch unmanly Sorrows, the Guards 
 
 en' 
 
World Under-Ground. ig 
 
 entered my Chamber, whom I looked upon as 
 fo many Roman Lienors, confidering the Axes 
 they bore. Thefe marching before me, I 
 was kd thro' the City to a very lofty Dome 
 iii the Center of the Forum, or great Mar- 
 ket-Place. I feemed to myfelf to be greater 
 than a Roman Conful, and to have obtain- 
 ed the Honour of a Dictator; for there 
 were but twelve Axes attended the Confuls, 
 whereas I was attended by eighteen. On 
 the folding Doors of the Dome, to 
 which I was led, a Figure of Juilice was 
 carved, holding a Pair of Scales with her 
 Branches or Arms: This Image had a Vir- 
 gin-Air, an earned Look, a piercing Sight, 
 with a certain venerable Dejection that 
 made her appear not too proud, nor yet too 
 humble. This Place I clearly perceived 
 was the Senate- Houfe. Being introduced 
 into Court, the Floor of which fhone with 
 Marble of teflellated or Mofaic Workman- 
 fhip; I there beheld a Tree feated on a 
 Golden Tribunal, with twelve Aflbciates 
 fitting on either Hand on fo many Benches 
 in the moft exact and elegant Order. The 
 Prefident on the Tribunal was a Palm-Tree, 
 of a middling Stature, but eafily diftinguifh'd 
 from the reft of the Afliitants, by the great 
 Variety of her Leaves, which were ot va- 
 rious Dyes : The inferior Officers, to the 
 Number of twenty-four, guarded each Side, 
 all armed with iix Axes apiece. A moft 
 tremendous ProfpeCt ! fmce from fo much 
 
 Armour 
 
20 A Journey to the 
 
 Armour it was natural to infer they were a 
 People that delighted in Blood. 
 
 The Senators, at my Entrance, extended 
 their Branches) toward the Skies j which Ce- 
 remony being ended, they fat down again; 
 and being all feated, I was brought to the 
 Bar between two Trees, whole Trunks or 
 Bodies were covered with Sheep-Skins. I 
 lufpected they were Law ad iuch in 
 
 good Truth they were. Before they began 
 to plead, the Prefident wrapt his Head in I 
 Garment of u dark Colour. One of theie 
 Advocate:, made a very (hurl Speech, which 
 he thrice I \ to wh the other Ad- 
 
 vocate replied with equal Brevity : Thel'e 
 
 , i by a Silence of 
 Hah" an Hour: Then the Prefident, rent- 
 ing from her Head, role up, 
 and agam exten her Branches toward 
 
 the Skv, pronoune'd certain Wurds, which 
 I luppoied contained mv Sentence ; for at 
 the hind of the Speech I was difmifs'd back 
 to mv old Prifon, and connn'd there, M I 
 gue&'d, to be in Readinefs to be brought 
 forth to Punifhment. 
 
 Being left alone, and revolving in my 
 Memory every Thing that had happened, I 
 could not forbear fouling at the Stupidity of 
 this People ; tor they feemed rather to be 
 acting a Play than exercifing Juiticc, and 
 every Thing I had i'c<:n, their Geiture, 
 their Dies, and Method of Proceeding 
 feem'd to favour more of the BufYooner 
 the Stage, than the awful Tribunal of Juf- 
 
 tiee. 
 
World Under-Ground, 1 1 
 
 tice. Then I congratulated the Happinefs 
 of our World, and the Superiority of the 
 Europeans to all others. But tho' I arraign- 
 ed the Folly and Dulnefs of this fubterra- 
 neous Nation, yet I was forced to own that 
 they ought to be diftinguifhed from the Brute 
 Creation ; for the Elegance of the City, the 
 Symmetry of the Buildings, with feveral other 
 Particulars, loudly proclaimed that thefe 
 Trees were not devoid of Reafon, nor alto- 
 gether ignorant of the Arts, efpecially Me- 
 chanicks ; but then it was in this alone that 
 I thought all their Virtues, all their whole 
 Perfection confided. 
 
 While I was holding this fdent Confe- 
 rence with myfelf, a Tree enters holding- a 
 Lancet in his Hand ; who unbuttoning my 
 Bofom, and making bare my Arm, opened 
 the middle Vein quite like an Artift. When 
 he had drawn as much Blood as he thought 
 fufficient, he bound up my Arm with equal 
 Dexterity. This being performed, he in- 
 fpe&ed the Blood with the deepen: Atten- 
 tion ; and being perfectly fatisfied, he walked 
 away in a Kind of filent Admiration : All 
 this confirmed me in the Opinion I had en- 
 tertained of the Stupidity of this Nation. 
 But as foon as I had thoroughly learnt the 
 fubterranean Language, and all thefe Things 
 had been explained to me, my Difdain was 
 turned into Admiration. The Proceedings 
 at Law, which I had fo raflily condemned, 
 were thus explained. From the Make of 
 my Body, they inferred I was an Inhabi- 
 3 tant 
 
A Juurn ev to the 
 
 tant of the Firmament. I appeared to ! 
 attempted the Chaftity of an honourable 
 Matron, and one of prime Quality. For 
 this Crime I was dragged to the Bar of 
 Juiface. One of the Advocates or Lawyers 
 ravated the Crime, demanding the Pu- 
 niihment due by Law ; the other requeued 
 not that the Punifhment fhould be remitted, 
 but only that it fhould be dcierrJ, till it 
 could be djfcover'd what, and wlio I l 
 and of what Country ; whether a brute 
 Animal, or a rational one. Moreover 1 
 learnt, that the Action of the Judges ex- 
 tending their Branches tov 
 the ordinary Ceremony gion bei 
 
 tli. ceded to Trial. The J 
 
 red with SI. ian- 
 
 blems of Inncw and Impartiality in the 
 
 Management of their Caufes ; and indeed 
 all the I I here were Men of Probity ; 
 
 which lhewb that in a well-conftituted Go- 
 vernment it is not impolTibJc, but that there 
 be lioneft Lawyer*. Sj ! eve re were 
 the ' nft knaviih Advc> 
 
 Fraud and toul Play could not efcape I 
 teciion, Perfidioufnefs could find no bhev 
 ;:der no Merc, Impudence no Coun 
 i Deceit no Impunity, 
 three- fold Repetition of Words was m 
 >f to a (Till: the Slownefs of their Percep- 
 h the Natives of this Gl 
 iftinguilhed from all others ; l 
 
 nprehend what they had only 
 curforily read, or underiland what tiicy had 
 
 oi.lv 
 
World Under-Ground. 2^ 
 
 cnly once heard. Thofe whofe forward 
 Capacities took a Thing prefently, were 
 deem'd defective in Judgment, and there- 
 fore it was feldom that fuch were admitted 
 to any weighty Pofts or Offices ; for they 
 had learnt by Experience, that the Govern- 
 ment had been endanger'd when in the 
 Hands of thofe who were quick of Appre- 
 henfion, and who were commonly ftyl'd 
 great Geniufes ; but that thofe of flower 
 Capacities had reftored to Order what the 
 others had thrown into Confufion. Thefe 
 Things were Paradoxes to me, yet upon a 
 more ferious Recollection, they feemed not 
 altogether abfurd. But the Hiftory of the 
 Prefident fill'd me with the greateft Afto- 
 nifhment. She was a Virgin, and a Native 
 of that City, and by the then reigning So- 
 vereign was appointed Kaki, or fupreme 
 Judge in the City : For among thefe Peo- 
 ple there was no Difference of Sexes ob- 
 ferved in the Distribution of publick Polls; 
 but an Election being made, the Affairs of 
 the Republick were committed to the wifeff. 
 and moft worthy. And in order to form a 
 right Judgment of the Proficience, or of 
 the intellectual Endowments of every one 
 there were proper Seminaries inftituted, the 
 chief Directors of which were ftyl'd Ka- 
 ratti (a Word that ftriaiy fignifies Inquifi- 
 tors.) It was their Office to infpe& into 
 every one's Abilities, to inquire nicely into 
 the Genius of the Youth, and after fuch 
 Inquiry to tranfmit annually 10 their Prince 
 3 an 
 
24 A Journey to the 
 
 an Account or Lift of fuch as were to be ad- 
 mitted to all Duties and Pofts of Govern- 
 ment, and to point out at the fame Time, 
 in what Particular every one of them was 
 mod likely to be of Service to the State. 
 The Prince upon the Receipt of fuch Cata- 
 logue ordered their Names to be infcrib'd in 
 a Boole, that he might never be at a Lois 
 what Sort of Perfons to prefer to the vacant 
 Pofts. The aforefaid Virgin four Years 
 before had obtained a mod honourable Tel- 
 timonial from the Karatti, and upon that 
 Account was by the Sovereign appointed 
 Prefident of the City in which fhe was 
 born. This Rule they obferve conftantly 
 and inviolably, becaufe they believe that the 
 Welfare of any Place will be beft confulted 
 and purfued by thofe who are Natives of 
 it. Palmka (that was the Name of the 
 Virgin) for the Space of three Years go- 
 vern'd this truly Spartan Commonwealth 
 with the higheft Applaufe, and was efteem'd 
 the wifeft Tree in all the City ; for fo great 
 was her Dulnefs of Apprehenfion, that Hie 
 hardly ever conceiv'd a Thing without its 
 being thrice or four times repeated. But 
 what (he once apprehended fhe thoroughly 
 underftood, and with fuch Acumen folv'd 
 every Difficulty in it, that her Decrees were 
 deern'd fo many Oracles. 
 
 Novit enbn juflum gemlna fufpenderc lance 
 Jncipitis libra, rc&tum dijercvit, ubi inter 
 Curva fubit, vel cum fa II it pede rcgula raro. 
 
 And 
 
V/orld Under-Ground. 25 
 
 And hence there were no judicial Decrees 
 of her* during her Adminiftration of Juf- 
 tice, which were not confirmed and ap- 
 plauded by the High Court of Juftice at 
 Potu t the Capital of the Empire : There- 
 fore the Inftitution in Favour of the weaker 
 Sex, which at fir ft View I had condemn'd, 
 had nothing abfurd in it upon a more 
 accurate Review. Blefs me ! thought I, 
 what if the Wife of our Mayor of Bergen 
 were to fit in Judgment inftead of her Huf- 
 band ? What if the Daughter of Coun- 
 cilor Scvcriniy that all-accomplifh'd young 
 Lady, were^ to plead at the Bar inftead of 
 her ftupid Father ? Our Laws would ne- 
 ver receive the leaft Difhonour from them, 
 nor would Juftice be fo often violated. 
 Moreover, I was of Opinion, fince in the 
 European Courts of Law, Caufes were fofoon 
 determin'd, that fuch fudden and hafty De- 
 terminations, were they to undergo a ftricl: 
 Scrutiny, would by no Mea'is pafs without 
 lure. To proceed to explain fome other 
 I hings. The Reafon of the Vcna-feStion or 
 ting Blood, I underflood to be this: 
 len anv one was conviaed of a Crime, 
 inftead of whipping, maiming, or capital 
 Punifhments, he was condemned to the 
 ■ r-Jcc/ion, that is, to have a Vein open'd, 
 by which it fhould appear, whether his 
 Crime proceeded from Malice, or from the 
 -ted Blood, and whether by fuch an O- 
 tion he could l>ecur'd. So that thefe 
 irts of Juftice regarded the Amendment, 
 C lather 
 
iG A Tourney to the 
 
 rather than thcPunifhment of the Offender. 
 Yet the very Method of Amendment had a 
 Sort of Punifhment in it, becaufe it was a 
 Mark of Ignominy to undergo this Opera- 
 tion by judicial Sentence. If any one fell 
 a fecond Time into the fame Crime, he was 
 deem'd an unworthy Member of the State, 
 and as fuch was to be banijh'd to the Firma- 
 ment , where all were receiv'd without Di- 
 ltinclion. But of this fort of Exile we fhall 
 enlarge hereafter. Then as to the Reafou 
 why upon the Opening of my Vein the Chi- 
 rurgeon was (o aftonihYd at the Sight of my 
 Blood, it was this, namely, that the Na- 
 tives of this Globe had a white fluid Juice 
 in their Veins. And the whiter this was, fo 
 much the greater Mark it bore of Inno- 
 cence and Probity. 
 
 All thefe Things, when I had perfectly 
 learn'd the fubtcrranean Tongue, I tho- 
 roughly underftood, and thenceforward be- 
 can to form a milder Judgment of a Peo- 
 ple I had too haftily cenfur'd. And tho* 
 at firft 1 was of Opinion that thefe Trees 
 wereexceflively ftupid and brutifh, yet I foon 
 found Reafon to think that they were not 
 altogether deftitute of Humanity, and that 
 therefore I was in no Danger of my Life, 
 And what confirm'd me in this was, that 
 twice a Day I law my Food duly brought me. 
 This Food confided of Fruits, Herbs, and 
 Pulfe, and my Drink was a Liquor (he molt 
 delicious and grateful I ever tafted. 
 
 The 
 
World Under-Ground. 27 
 
 The Magiftrate, in whofe Cuftody I was, 
 foon fent Advice to the Sovereign of the 
 Empire, who refided at Potu, (not far from 
 this City) that a certain rational Animal, 
 of a very unufual Make, had fallen into his 
 Hands, The Sovereign, excited by the 
 Xovelty of the Thing, gave Orders that I 
 ihould be- inftructed in their Language, and 
 then fent to Court. Hereupon I had a 
 Language Matter appointed me, under whofe 
 Care in the Space of fix Months I made fo 
 great a Proficiency, that I was enabled to 
 converfe pretty readily with the Natives. 
 After having pafs'd thro* this firft Exercife, 
 a new Order arriv'd from Court, concern- 
 ing my farther Inft ruction, by which I was 
 commanded to be enter'd into the Seminary, 
 that the natural Powers of my Underftanding 
 might be enquir'd into by the Karatti, and 
 in what Kind of Learning I gave the moft 
 hopeful Promifes of Succefs. All this was 
 <lone with great Exactnefs. While I was 
 performing my Exercifes here, they were 
 as careful of my Body as they were of my 
 Mind, and particularly, they us'd their ut- 
 moft Art to bring me into their own Shape, 
 and accordingly they skilfully fitted artificial 
 Branches to my Body. 
 
 During this, the Magiftrate, at whole 
 Houfe I lodg'd, every Evening as I return' d 
 from the Seminary, enter'd into various 
 Conferences with me. He heard me with 
 the utmoft Pleafure defcanting on thofe 
 Things that had occur'd to me in this fub- 
 C 2 terranean 
 
28 A Journey to the 
 
 terranean Tour. But he was above Mea- 
 fure amaz'd at the Defcription I gave him 
 of our Earth, and of that immenfe Heaven 
 that furrounded it, ftudded with infinite 
 Stars. All this he heard with the utmoit 
 Aviditv. But it kindled his Bluflies, when 
 I told him of the Trees of our Globe, which 
 were lifelefs, immoveable, and fattened bv 
 the Roots to the Ground ; nay, he beheld 
 me with fome Refentment, when I attetted 
 that our Trees were cut down for Fuel to 
 heat our Furnaces and drefs our Provifions. 
 But confidering the Thing more gravely, his 
 Indignation fubiided, and extending his five 
 .Branches to the Skies (tor Co many he had) 
 heador'd the Wifdom of the great Creator, 
 whole Wayi are paft finding out ; and hence- 
 forward he heard me with ttill greater At- 
 tention. His Wife, who had hitherto a- 
 voided me, when (he learnt the true Reafon 
 for which I was brought to Judgment, 
 and that I was deceiv'd in the Appearance 
 of a Tree, which in our Countrv 'twas a 
 cuftomarv Thing to climb, now laid afide 
 all Sufpicion, and was entirely reconciled. 
 But yet, that I might not at the Beginning 
 of our Reconciliation open an old Wound, 
 I declin'd all Converfation with her, unlefs 
 in the Pretence, and at the exprefb Command 
 ui her Husband. 
 
 CH 
 
World Under-Ground. 2g 
 
 C H A, P. III. 
 
 A Defcription of the City of Keba. 
 
 IN the mean while, and during the 
 Courfe of this Difcipline under the Ka- 
 ra tti, my Hoft walk'd me about the City to 
 fhew me whatever was curious and obferva- 
 ble. We walk'd up and down without any 
 Moleftation, and what was more to be ad- 
 mir'd, without any crowding or joftling; 
 quite otherwife than it is with us, where 
 People flock in Heaps to any Thing that is 
 new and uncommon, that they may feaft 
 their Curiofity. For the Inhabitants of this 
 Planet have very little Tafte for Novelty, 
 and purfue only (olid Things. The Name 
 of this City is Keba, and it is the fecond 
 in Dignity of the whole Potuan Empire. 
 The Inhabitants are fo fedate and grave, you 
 would fwear they were all Senators. Age 
 is particularly honourable here ; nor is 
 there a profounder Deference and Venera- 
 tion anywhere paid it ; for it carries Autho- 
 rity not only in its Sentiments, but in its 
 Looks and Nods. But I much wonder'd that 
 a Nation fofober, fo modeft as this, fhould 
 be delighted with Comedies and certain lu- 
 dicrous Shews and Spectacles that were there 
 exhibited. This did not feem to fuit with 
 fo much Gravity. Which my Hoft per- 
 ceiving, Through all thefe Dominions, fays 
 he, the Subjects divide their Time between 
 C 3 Things 
 
£0 A Journey to the 
 
 Things ferious and Things of a gayer Turn, 
 
 Satumumq-, gravem noftro Jovefrangimus una. 
 
 For, among other laudable Inftitutions of 
 this Empire, there is an Indulgence of inno- 
 cent Pleafures, by which it is believ'd the Soul 
 is ftrengthen'd, and prepar'd to iuirain the 
 more arduous Duties, and by which thofe 
 black Clouds of Melancholy are difpell'd, 
 which are thought to be the Sources of Riots, 
 Seditions, and pernicious Couniels. There- 
 fore they chequer the feverer Toils wiih 
 Sports and Plays, fo liappiiy tempering Se- 
 rioufnefs with PieaGntiy, that the hi it 
 cannot degenerate into SourneiF, nor the 
 latter into Impertinence. But it w?.s not 
 without Indignation I obferv'd that School- 
 Difputations do there make a Part of the 
 Shews and Theatrical Performances. For 
 at fet Times of the Year, Wagers being 
 laid, and a Reward aflign'd to the Conque- 
 rors, the Difputants engage like a Couple 
 ©f Gladiators, and much upon the fame 
 Terms that fighting Cocks or any fuch bat- 
 tling Animals do among us. Hence it was 
 a Cuftom among the Great, to maintain a. 
 Set of Difputants, as we do a Pack of 
 Hounds, and to give them a logical Educa- 
 tion,, that they may be fit for Engagement 
 at the flated Times of the Year. Thus a 
 certain wealthy Citizen in three Years Time 
 had made prodigious Gains, even to the 
 Sum of 4000 Ricatu, from one Difputant, 
 whom he maintained for that Purpofe. This 
 
 Dif- 
 
World Under-Ground. 1 1 
 
 Difputant, with an amazing Volubility of 
 Tongue, 
 
 Dimity esdificat r mutat quadrata rotundis* 
 
 By enfnarirtg Syllogifms and every Artifice 
 of Logick, by Diftinctions, Refervations, 
 and Exceptions, eluded every Opponent, 
 and filenc'd whom he would. I was often 
 prefent at thefe Entertainments, and that 
 with no fmall Vexation. For it feem'd to 
 me a horrid and (hameful Thing, that fuch 
 noble Exercifes, which give Luftre to our 
 Schools, mould here be proftituted on the 
 Stage. And when I call'd to Mind, that I 
 myfelf with the higheft Applaufe had dif- 
 puted in Publick, and had obtained the 
 ILaurel, I could fcarce withhold my Tears. 
 And not only the Difpute, but the Method 
 of difputing incenfed me. For they hir'd 
 certain Stimulators, in their Language Ca- 
 bald, who when they obferv'd the Ardor of 
 the Dlfputants to flag, juft prick' d their Sides 
 with Lancets to re-kindle it, and to rally 
 their declining Spirits. Other Things thro 3 
 Shame I omit, which in fo polifh'd a Na- 
 tion I could not but condemn. Befides 
 thefe Difputants, call'd in their Tongue, by 
 way of Contempt, Masbaki^ that is ftri&ly, 
 Wranglers, there were other Trials of 
 Skill between Beafts, both of the wild and 
 tame Kind, and alfo between Birds of Prey, 
 which were exhibited to the Spectators at a 
 certain Price. I beggM to know of my 
 Hoft, how it was poflible that fo judicious 
 
 C 4 a 
 
o "> 
 
 A Journey to the 
 
 a Nation could think of leaving to the 
 Theatre thofe noble Exercifes, whereby a 
 Faculty of Speaking is acquir'd, Truth is 
 difcover'd, and the Underftanding fharpen'd? 
 He reply'd, tliat formerly thefe Exercifes 
 were in high Reputation among their bar- 
 barous Anceftors ; but fince they had been 
 convinced by Experience, That Truth was 
 rather ft i fled by Difputes, that their Youtli 
 were rendered petulant and forward thereby, 
 that Diiturbances arofe from them, and that 
 the more generous Studies were fo much 
 the more fctter'd, they turn'd over thefe 
 Exercifes from the Univerfity to the Play- 
 houfe; and the Event has fhewM us, that 
 by Reading, Silence, and Meditation, the 
 Students now make far greater Advances in 
 Learning. With this Reply, tho' very fpe- 
 cious, 1 was not however altogether fatif- 
 fy'd. 
 
 In this City there was an Academy or 
 School, where with the utmoft Decency and 
 Solidity the Liberal Arts were taught. My 
 Hoft introdue'd me into the Auditory of 
 this School on a particular Day, when a 
 Madic, or Doctor of Philofophy, was to be 
 created. The whole Ceremony was this : 
 The Candidate made a learned and elegant 
 Diflertation upon a Problem in natural Phi- 
 lofophv, which being ended, the Governors 
 of the School inferted his Name in the Re- 
 gifter of Doctors, who from thence had 
 Authority to teach publicklv. My Hoft 
 asking how I liked it? lanlwer'd that it ap- 
 pear 'd 
 
World Under -Ground. 33 
 
 pear'd to me a mighty dry Bufinefs in Com- 
 panion of our Promotions. Then I ex- 
 plain'd to him how Mafters and Doctors 
 were created among us, namely, by exhi- 
 biting certain Specimens of their Skill in 
 Difputation. At this, contracting his Brows, 
 he defir'd to know the Nature of our Dif- 
 putations, and in what they differ from the 
 Subterranean. I reply'd, that they were 
 ufually upon curious and learned Subjects, 
 particularly fuch as relate to the Manners, 
 Language, or Drefs of two ancient Nations 
 who formerly flourifh'd in Europe, and that 
 I for my Part had wrote three Diflertations 
 upon the Slippers of the Ancients. With 
 that he fet up fuch a Laugh, as made the 
 whole Houfe ring. His Wife, alarm' d with 
 the Noife, flies to know the Caufe of it : But 
 I was fo much out of Humour, that I dif- 
 dained to anfwer her ; for I thought it a 
 burning Shame, fo grave and folid a Matter 
 fhould be treated with that Ridicule and 
 Contempt. But understanding from her 
 Husband the Truth of the Cafe, (lie laugh'd 
 as violently. This Thing taking Air, gave 
 a Handle to endlefs Sneers ; nay, the Wife 
 of a certain Senator, of herfelf exceedingly 
 prone to laugh, was fo delighted, that (he 
 had like to have burfi herfelf. And (he foon 
 after dying accidentally of a Fever, it was 
 thought her Death v/as occafion'd by that 
 immoderate Laugh, which had inflam'd her 
 Lungs. They were not indeed quite certain 1 
 that fuch was the Cafe ; however, fo it was 
 C 5 whif- 
 
34 A' Journey to the 
 
 whifper'd. She was otherwife a Matron of a 
 fine Underftanding, and a moft ufeful Lady, 
 for fhe had feven Branches, which is fome- 
 thing rare in that Sex. All the better Sort 
 of Trees were much concern'd at her Death. 
 She was bury'd at Midnight without the 
 City Gates, and in the fame Garments (he 
 happen'd to have on when fhe dy'd. For 
 there is a Provision by Law,- that no Body 
 can be bury'd in the City, becaufe they be- 
 lieve the Air may be corrupted by the Ef- 
 fluvia of the Carcafes. It is alfo by Law 
 provided, that the dead Bodies fhall be in- 
 terr'd without any Funeral Pomp, or rich 
 Drefles, inafmuch 2s all is mortly to be the 
 Food of Worms. And thefe appear'd to 
 me to be very wile Ihftitutions. Yet they had 
 Feafts in Honour of the Dead, and alfo Fu- 
 neral Orations, which fimply contain'd an- 
 Fxhortation to a virtuous Life, and which 
 plac'd before their Eyes an Image of Mor- 
 tality. At this the Cenfors were prefent, to 
 obfVrve whether the Orators rais'd or de- 
 prefs'd the Character of the Deceas'd beyond 
 Juftice. And hence the fubterranean Ora- 
 tors were extremely fparing of their F.n- 
 comiums, fince to give immoderate Praifes 
 was punifhable by Law. Not long after, 
 when I was going to one of thefe Funeral 
 Orations, I ask'd my Hoft what was the 
 State and Condition of the departed Hero ? 
 He reply'd, he was an Husbandman who dy'd 
 fuddenly upon the Road to this City. Here- 
 upon,, in my Turn, I burft into an exceilivc 
 
 Laughter, 
 
World Under ~Groiiiid. 35 
 
 Eaughter, retorting thus their own Wea- 
 pons upon them. And pray, fays I, why 
 have not Bulls and Oxen, thofe Companions 
 of Husbandmen, the Honour of a Funeral 
 Oration ? They can equally fupply Matter, 
 for they equally perform the fame Office. But 
 my Hoft dehYd me to fpare my Jefts ; for 
 that in thefe Dominions Husbandmen were 
 held in the highelt. Efteem y on account of 
 the great Excellence of the Duties they were 
 employ'd in ; and that no Way of Life was 
 more honourable than that of Agriculture. 
 Thus every honeft and induftrious Farmer 
 was regarded by the Citizens as their Feed- 
 er and Fofter- Father. And hence arofe 
 the Cuftom, that when the Farmers about 
 Autumn, or in the Month of Palm-Trees, 
 repair to the City with a Multitude of Car- 
 riages loaden with Corn, the Magiftrates 
 meet them without the Gates, and introduce 
 them into the City with Trumpets and ci- 
 ther Inftruments in Concert, after the 
 Manner of a Triumph. At this ftrange 
 Account I was (truck dumb, efpecially re- 
 collecting the hard Fate of our Husbandmen, 
 groaning under the deepeft Slavery, and 
 whofe Employments are look'd upon as low 
 and illiberal, in Comparifon of thofe which 
 are Pandars to our Pleafures ; fuch as Cooks, 
 Poulterers, Perfumers, and fuch like. And 
 this I fairly own'd to my Hoft, at the fame 
 Time enjoining him Silence, fearing left the 
 Subterraneans fhould pafs very unfavourable 
 Judgments upon Mankind. Having pro- 
 
 mifed 
 
36 A Journey to the 
 
 mi fed Secrecy, he carrv'd me to the Halt 
 where the Funeral Oration was to be made. 
 I own I never heard anv Thins executed 
 more folidly, with greater Veracity, or with 
 fo Hale an Appearance of Flattery as this ; 
 and I judg'd it a proper Pattern, to which 
 all \ uneral Orations mould conform. The 
 Orator firlt. gave us a View of the Virtues 
 of the Deceas'd, and then enumerated his 
 Vices and Failings, with an Admonition to 
 his Audience to avoid "cm. 
 
 As we rcturn'd from the Hall, we met an 
 Offender in Cuftody of three Keepers. The 
 fame by Decree in Court had lately under- 
 gone the Puni/bment of the Arm (fo they call 
 the letting Blood) and was now going to be 
 coniign'd over to the publick Hofpital or 
 BcJuhti. Upon Enquiry into the Rcalon of 
 fuch Sentence, I was inform'd, that the 
 Criminal had difputed publickly about the 
 Qualities and EiTence of the Supreme Being, 
 a Thing here prohibited, where all theft; 
 over curious Difquifitions are thought to be 
 fuch cxquilite Folly and Rafhnefs, that a 
 Creature of a found Understanding could 
 not well fall into it. Therefore thefe fubtle 
 Difputants, after the Vcna-feclion^ were, like 
 Madmen, condemned to Confinement, till 
 they got out of this Delirium. Ah ! thought 
 I to rayielr, what would become of our 
 Divines, whom wc every Day hear wran- 
 gling about the Quality and Attributes of 
 the Deity, about the Nature of fpiritual Be- 
 ings, and other Myfteries of that Kind ? 
 
 Whal 
 
World Under-Ground. 3.7 
 
 What alfo would become of our Meta- 
 phyficians, who by their tranfcendental Jar- 
 gon, affedfc a Degree of Wifdom far above 
 the Vulgar, and even above Human Na- 
 ture itfelf? Certainly, inftead of Hoods, 
 Caps, and other Academical Honours, which 
 in our World are fo liberally granted them, 
 they would in this be fhew'd the Way to the 
 publick Hofpital. 
 
 All this, and other Things full as paradoxi- 
 cal, I remark'd during the Time of my Pro- 
 bation in the Seminary. At length the 
 appointed Time arriv'd, when, by Order of 
 the Prince, I was to be conducted to Court 
 with a Teftimonial. I flatter'd mvfelf, that* 
 I mould have the mofr. honourable Enco- 
 miums and Approbations, depending partly 
 upon my own Acccmplifhments, iince I 
 had learn'd the fubterranean Tongue fooner 
 than could be expected, and partly upon 
 the Intereft of my Hoit, together with the 
 renovvn'd Integrity of my Judges. At lad 
 my Teftimonial was deliver'd me, which I 
 open'd with the utmofr. Tranfport, impa- 
 tient of reading my own Praifes, and of 
 concluding from thence what my Deftiny 
 was to be. JBut the Perufal of it threw me 
 into Fits of Rage and Defpair. The Tenor 
 of it was this : 
 
 " In Obedience to the Commands of 
 " your Serene Highnefs, the Animal lately 
 " arriv'd from another World, and calling 
 " himfelf a Man, we herewith fend, moft 
 
 it care- 
 
38 A Journey^ to the 
 
 * carefully inftrucled in our Seminary. 
 1 Upon the niceft Inquiry into his Genius 
 8 and Manners, we have found him to be 
 
 * of competent Docility, and extremely 
 1 quick of Apprehenfion, but of fo weak and 
 8 uneven a Judgment, that he hardly merits 
 4 to be confider'd as a rational Creature, 
 
 * much Ids to be admitted to any impor- 
 
 * tant Office in the Government. But 
 1 iince he excels cvervonc in Swiftnefs of 
 fc Foot, we are humbly of Opinion that 
 1 he is extremely qualify'd for the Poft of 
 4 King's AfeJJengtr, Given at our Semi- 
 nary of ifirir, in the Month of Brambles, 
 by your Serene Highnefs's moil humble 
 
 * Servants, 
 
 Nebec, Jctbtan, Rapafi^ Ch'ilac. 
 
 Upon this I went to my Hoft in a Torrent 
 of Tears, and humbly implor'd that he 
 would interpofe his Authority to procure a 
 inilder Teltimonial from the Karatti, and 
 that he would (hew them my Univcrfity- 
 Teftimonial, in which I was complimented 
 with Epithets of Ingenious and Honourable. 
 He replv'd, that that Teltimonial might 
 have its Weight in our World, where they 
 regarded perhaps the Shadow more than the 
 Subftance, the outward Bark more than the 
 inward Texture j but that it would be of no 
 Value with them, where they penetrate into 
 the inmoft Nature of Things : And exhorted 
 me moreover to bear my Fate as temperately 
 as I could, efpecially as the Teftimonial 
 
 could 
 
World Under-Ground.- 39* 
 
 could be neither revok'd or alter'd ; for that 
 there was no greater Crime than to afcribe 
 undeferved Virtues to any-one. But what 
 Comfort it was in the Power of Words to 
 give, he gave. 
 — Verba fac it, quibus hunc lenire dolor em 
 PoJJit, iff ingentem morbi partem remover e. 
 Ne cures hac, quce Jiulte miraris iff optas. 
 ^uos non prcecipitat jubjecla potcntia magna 
 inv'idics ? mergit longa atq\ infignis honor um' 
 Pagina 5 namq\ homini, nimios qui capiat horn - 
 
 res, 
 £t nimias venatur opes, numerofa paraniur 
 Excelfte turris tabulata, wide aiiior illi 
 Cafus, iff impulfcs praceps immane ruin a. 
 As to the Teftimonial of the Karatti, he 
 added, that they were the raoft incorrupt 
 and upright Judges,, who could be brib'd by 
 no Prefents, nor aw 5 d by no Threats, to 
 recede a Hair's Breadth from Truth ; and 
 that therefore there was no Room for Suf- 
 picion in this Cafe. He alfo candidly ac- 
 knowledged, that the Poverty of my Judg- 
 ment was a Thing not unobferv'd by him* 
 felf, and that he inferred from the Readi- 
 nefs of my Memory, and the Quicknefs of 
 my Apprehenfion, that I was not that Sort 
 of Wood out of which Mercury was to be 
 made, and that I could not poflibly meet 
 with Preferment upon aecountof that re- 
 markable Defect in my Judgment : That 
 he had gathered, from my Difcourfes and 
 Defcription of Europe, that Iwas 
 Siultorum in patria,. pravoq; ful > aere natum. 
 3 And 
 
40 A Journey to the 
 
 And with thefe and a great many more Pro 
 te .lions of Friendfhip, he defir'd me with- 
 out Delay to prepare for my Journey. 1 fol- 
 row'd the Advice of this molt fagacious 
 Perfon, efpecially as Neceflity requii'd it, 
 
 I as it would have been Ramnefs to have 
 opposed the Order ot the Prince. 
 
 We now began our Journey in Company 
 with fome other young Trees, which were 
 
 lilVd from the Seminary at the fame 
 
 Time, and lent to Court for the fame 
 
 End, Our Leader was one of the Karatti^ 
 
 who, upon account of his Age and a Weak- 
 
 nefs in his Feet, was carry'd by an Ox ; 
 
 .t is an unufual Thing here to have Ve- 
 hicles, the! ■ indulg'd only to the De- 
 crepit and Dhc.b'd ; tho' the Inhabitants of 
 Planet are really more excu fable for it 
 than thofe of our World, by reafon of tie 
 Slownefs of their Gait I remember, when 
 1 gave a Defcriptionof our Vehicles, that i-, 
 our Coaches with I lories, into which we 
 were ftufPd like f'o much Lumber, and 
 
 i n thro' the City, the Subterraneans 
 fmil'd at mv Account, efpecially when they 
 heard that no Neighbour envy'd another, 
 unlefs he kept hia Coach and was drawn in 
 it through the Streets by a Pair of mettle- 
 fome four-footed Beaffs. What with the 
 Slownefs of the Motion of thefe rational 
 Trees, we were three Davs upon this Jour- 
 ney, tho' Keba is hardly four Miles diftant 
 from the Capital. Had I been alone, a 
 Day would have been fufEcient. 'Twas a 
 
 Pleafurt 
 
World Under- Ground. ^t 
 
 Pleafure indeed that I excell'd thefe Subter- 
 raneans in that Advantage of Foot, but it 
 griev'd me to the Soul that for that very- 
 Excellence I was condemn'd to a vile igno- 
 minious Office. Would to God ! faid I, 
 that I labourM under the fame Infirmity 
 with them) fince by this Defect alone I 
 might have efcap'd the low and ignoble 
 Drudgery I was deitin'd to. Our Leader, 
 over-hearing me, reply'd thus, If Nature 
 had not made you Amends for the Defects of 
 your Mind by fome one Excellence of Body, 
 all would behold you as an unprofitable 
 Load upon the Earth ; for that very Quick- 
 nefs of Parts permits you only to fee the 
 Surface of Things, and not the Subftance ; 
 and fince you have but two Branches, you 
 are inferior to the Subterraneans in every 
 Thing that depends upon the Hands. Hear- 
 ing this, I thank'd God who had given me 
 this Swiftnefs of Feet, fince without this 
 Virtue I had no Chance to be reckon'd 
 in the Number of rational Creatures. 
 
 During our Journey, I was furpriz'd to 
 fee all around me the Natives fo intent up- 
 on their Labouis, that at the Approach of 
 Pafiengers nobodv left off Work, or even 
 threw their Eyes round, tho v fomething ex- 
 traordinary fhould even pafs along. But at 
 the Clofe of Day, their Toils all ended, 
 then they indulg'd in every Amufement or 
 the Mind, the chief Magiftrate conniving 
 and tolerating thefe Diverfrons, as R.eliefs 
 and Strengthened of the Body and Mind,, 
 
 and 
 
42 A Journey to tie 
 
 and fomething full as neceilary as Meat and 
 Drink. This and other Things made the 
 Journey highly grateful. The whole Coun- 
 try is perfectly beautiful. Imagine it a fpa- 
 cious Amphitheatre, and iuch an one as 
 Nature alone could make. Where Nature 
 was lefs profufe, all was fupply'd by the ln- 
 duftry of the Inhabitants, who were animated 
 to thefe rural Toils, and to the cultivating 
 and improving their Land, by Rewards from 
 ihe Magiftrate ; and whoever fuffcr'd his 
 Grounds to run to Ruin, afterwards wrought 
 tor Hire. We pali'd by many fair Villages, 
 which from the Multitude of them look'dlikc 
 one continued Citv r and exhibited the fame 
 Appearance all along. Yet we were fome- 
 thing infefted by the Monkeys from the 
 Woods, which rambling up and down, and 
 from an Affinity in my Shape, imagining 
 I was of their Race, were continually teaz- 
 ing me with their Approaches and Touches. 
 I could fcarce fupprefs my Rage,, whon I 
 perceiv'd that this was a perfect Comedy to 
 liune of the Trees ; fur I was conducted to 
 Court (by exprefs Order of his Majefty) 
 in the fame Drefs, in which I alighted upon 
 the Planet, namely, with my Harpoon in my 
 ri'/ht Hand, that his Majefty might behold 
 what the Drefs of our World was, and par- 
 ticularly what was my own Appearance upon 
 my Arrival. And very opportunely it wa^ 
 that I had mv Harpoon in my Hand, that I 
 might chace awav thofe Swarms of Mon- 
 keys that gather'd apace at laft round me i 
 
 tho' 
 
JVorld Under-Ground. 4 j 
 
 tho' it was all in vain \ for in the room of thofe 
 that fled more came, fo that I was forced to 
 move every Step like a Man upon his Guard . 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 The Court of the Potuan Empire. 
 
 AT length we came to the Royal City 
 of Potu, which for Beauty and Mag- 
 nificence might vie with any. The Build- 
 ings there are more numerous and extenfive 
 than at Keba^ and the Streets wider and more 
 commodious. The Forum, which was the 
 firft Place we were brought to, was fhTd 
 with Numbers of Merchants, and furround- 
 ed every Way with Shops of Artifts and 
 Tradefmen. But I faw with fome Afto- 
 nifhment in the Middle of the Forum a cer- 
 tain Criminal with a Halter about his Neck r , 
 and a large Company of grave and elderly 
 Trees (landing round him.. Upon my afk- 
 ing what was the Matter, and for what 
 Crime he deferved Hanging, efpecially as I 
 thought no Crime here was Captital, it was 
 told me, that this Offender was a Projector, 
 who had advis'd the Abolition of a certain 
 old Cuftom ; that thofe who flood round 
 him were the Senators and Lawyers, who 
 then and there examined the Projector's 
 Scheme, fo that if it fhould appear that it 
 was a well digefled Thing, and falutary to 
 the Commonwealth, the Offender was not 
 
 only 
 
44 -A Journey to tu>c 
 
 only abfolv'd, but rewarded ; but if injur^ 
 to the Publick, or if the Projector by the 
 Repeal of this Law appear' d to have glani/J 
 at his own Advantage, he was prefently to 
 be hang'd as a Ditturber of the Realm. And 
 this is the Reafon why few are found to run. 
 this Rifquc, or have Courage enough to ad- 
 vife the Abrogation of any Law, unlefs the 
 Thing be (o demon ft rably evident and julr, 
 that the Succefs of it cannot be doubted of: 
 So perfuaded are the Subterraneans, that 
 the ancient Laws and Inftitutions of their 
 Anceftors are to be maintain'd and rever'd. 
 For they believe the Government would be 
 in Danger, if for the Wantonnefs of every 
 Body, thole Laws were to be chang'd or 
 difannul'd. What, alas! faid I to mvfelf, 
 would become of the Projectors of our 
 World, who, under a Pretence of publick 
 Emolument, are daily hatching and invent- 
 ing new Laws, with an Eye only to their 
 private Gains, inftead of the common Be- 
 nefit ? 
 
 At length we were introduced into a f 
 cious H life, which was the ufual Place of 
 Reception for all who were fent from the 
 Seminaries throughout the Empire. In the 
 fame Place are brought up thole who 
 to attend upon the Prince. Our Captain, 
 the Karatti, bid us be in Readineft, while he 
 went to acquaint his Highnefs with our Ar- 
 rival. He had fcarce left us when we heard 
 a Noife, like that of great Rejoicings, and 
 
 ! nediatelv the Air echo'd with the Sound 
 
 of 
 
World Under-Ground, 45 
 
 of Trumpets and Beat of Drums. Alarm'd 
 at this Noife we went out, and beheld a cer- 
 tain Tree magnificentlyattended and crown'd 
 with a Chaplet of Flowers, and prefently 
 difcover'd that it was the fame Citizen 
 whom we juft now faw in the Forum with 
 his Neck in a Halter. The Reafon of this 
 Triumph was the Approbation of that Law, 
 which at the Peril of his Head he had ad- 
 vifed. But by what Arguments he attack'd 
 the old Law, I could never reach to the 
 Knowledge, by Reafon of the great Silence 
 of the People ; and hence it is, that the lead 
 Matter tranfacled in the Senate in relation 
 to the Government never tranfpires, or 
 takes the lean: Air. Farotherwife it is with 
 us, where the Actions of the Senate and the 
 whole of their Debates are reported, weigh'd 
 and criticiz'd upon in every Tavern and 
 Street. 
 
 Jn the Space of an Hour the Karatti re- 
 turns, and commands us all to follow him. 
 We obey'd. As we went, we met certain 
 young Trees, who ofrer'd to Sale little print- 
 ed Books of curious and memorable Things. 
 Among the reft, I call: my Eye upon a 
 fmall Book, the Title of which was, u A 
 u full and true Account of the ftrange 
 " flying Dragon, that appear'd in the Ele- 
 " nient laft Year." There did I behold 
 myfelf, that is, my Effigies engrav'd jufr as 
 I appear'd when I was whirling round this 
 Planet with my Harpoon and my long Rope. 
 
 I 
 
^46 A Journey to the 
 
 I could not help fmiling at the Figure, and 
 fa id to myielf, 
 
 Hel ! quails fades ! & quail dig?] a tabella ! 
 
 -Having bought the Book for three Kikes*, 
 which is equivalent to about two Shillings of 
 our Money, I walk'd on gravely to the Pa- 
 lace. Art and Elegance feem'd to prefide 
 iiere, rather than Profufion and a vain Mag- 
 nificence. I obfervM the Prince had very 
 few Attendants ; for fuch was his Tempe- 
 rance, that he had difcarded whatever was 
 fuperfluous. Nor is there indeed the fame 
 Neceffity for as many Servants as our Courts 
 require. For as many Branches as thefe 
 Trees had, fo many Arms ; fo that the com- 
 mon Labours and Bufinefs of the Houfe- 
 hold could be done with at leaft thrice the 
 Expedition. 
 
 It was about Dinner-time when we ar- 
 nv'd at Court : And fince it was his High- 
 nefs's Pleafure to talk with me alone, I was 
 introduced into the Prefence-Chamber. 
 There is in this Prince a very remarkable 
 Mixture of Mildnefs and Gravitv. Such 
 was his Stead inefs, that his Countenance 
 was never known to have the leaft Cloud 
 upon it. Seeing the Prince, 1 inftantly fell 
 •upon my Knees. The Courtiers were afto- 
 jihried at this Adoration, and when I told 
 his Highnefs (who afk'd me) the Reafon 
 why I bent my Knee, he commanded me to 
 rife, faying, that fuch a fort of Reverence 
 was due to the Deity alone ■; adding, that 
 
 nothing 
 
World Under-Ground. 47 
 
 nothing could obtain the Favour of the 
 Prince but Obedience and Iuduftry. When 
 I role, he afk'd me fundry Queftions, 
 
 Qua veniam, caufamq\ vice, nomenq\ rogatus^ 
 Et patrium : P atria ejr, refpendeo, grandlor 
 
 Orbis. 
 Klimius efl Komcn ; veni nee puppc per undas. 
 Nee pede per terras ; patuit ?mbi pervius di- 
 ther. 
 
 - He then proceeded to enquire what I had 
 met with in my Journev, and what were 
 the Cuftoms and Ufages of our World. Af- 
 ter which I proceeded to explain, as fenfiblv 
 as I could, the Wit, the Virtues, the civi- 
 liz'd Manners of the Men of our World, 
 and every Thing that Mankind pride them- 
 selves in. He recciv'd my Account verv 
 coldly, and at fome Things which I thought 
 would not have raiVd his Admiration, he 
 perfectly yawn'd. Lord \ faid I to mvfelf, 
 how different are the Taftcs of Mortals ! 
 that what gives One the moft fenfiblc 
 Pleafure, to Another mail be quite naufeous! 
 .But what moft offended his Highncfs was 
 the Relation I gave him of our Law-Pro- 
 ceedings, of the Eloquence of our Lawyers, 
 and the quick Difpatch of the Judges in 
 pronouncing Sentence. "While I was en- 
 deavouring to make this ftill clearer to him, 
 he interrupted me bv turning the Difcourfe 
 tofomething elfe, and at length he proceed- 
 ed to an Enquiry into our Religion and 
 Worfhip. I then explained to him in a 
 
 concife 
 
A Journey to the 
 
 concife Manner, the feveral Articles of out 
 Faith ; at the Recital of which he fome- 
 what foften'd his Countenance, attefting 
 that he could readily fubfcribe to them, and 
 lie could not chufe but wonder how a 
 Race of People of fuch weak Judgments 
 fhould entertain fuch found Notions of God 
 and his Worfhip. But when he heard tliat 
 the Chriftians were divided into Seels with- 
 out Number, and that upon fome Diffe- 
 rences in Matters of Faith, People of the 
 fame Blood and Family would cruelly per- 
 fecute one another, he anfwer'd thus: " A- 
 4 * mong us alfo there are a large Variety of 
 4; different Sentiments concerning Things 
 <c pertaining to divine Worfhip: But one 
 *• Man does not pel fecute another for that. 
 u All Perfecution for fpeculative Matters or 
 " Errors arifing from the fole Variety of our 
 * ; Perceptions, can fpring from nothing but 
 M Pride, one thinking himfclf wifer and 
 " more penetrating than the reft. But fuch 
 44 Pride muft be highly difpleafing in the 
 14 Eyes of the Supreme Being, who muft be 
 44 a Lover of Humilty and Meeknefs in 
 44 Mortals. We never teaze an Ailembly 
 n of Judges about any one who (hall hap- 
 " pen to diilent from the receiv'd Opini 
 4 * in Points of Speculation, provided he 
 <c does it fincerclv, and alfo conforms in 
 M practical Matters to the publick Worfhip- 
 44 of the Deitv. And in this we purfue the 
 " Track chalk'J out to us by ourAnceftois, 
 v4 who always I \i it inhuman to fetter 
 
 44 the 
 
World Under -Ground. 49 
 
 x( the Underftanding, and tyrannize over 
 " the Confcience. In our Politicks we 
 " extremely recommend the Obfervance of 
 u this Rule, fo that if my Subjects fhould 
 " differ about the Make of my Body, the 
 <e Manner of my Life, or about my Oeco- 
 u nomy or any fuch fort of Thing, yet at 
 " the fame time acknowledg'd me for their 
 " lawful Sovereign to whom Obedience is 
 " due, 1 think them all good Subjects." 
 To this I reply'd, May it pleafe your moft 
 Serene Highnefs, fuch a Conduct would in 
 our World be call'd Syncretifm y and would 
 be highly condemned by the Learned. He 
 did not give me room to fay any more, and 
 feemingto be a little difpleas'd walk'd away, 
 and commanded me to itay till Dinner was 
 over. 
 
 His Highnefs fat down to Table with his 
 Royal Confort and their Son, together with 
 the High Chancellor, or Kadoku This fame 
 Kadoki was in the -firft Efteem among the 
 Potuans for the Politenefs of his Manners, 
 as well as his Prudence and Warinefs. For 
 full twenty Years he never once gave his 
 Sentiments in the Senate-Houfe, but the reft 
 immediately came into them, nor ever decreed 
 any thing with regard to the Publick, but 
 what flood firm and unfhaken, fo that his 
 Decrees were fo many Axioms. But then 
 he was fo flow of Apprehenfion, that for the 
 leaft of them he ufed to require the Space of 
 fourteen Days ; and therefore in our World 
 he would hardly be thought fit for Bufinefs 
 
 D of 
 
50 A Journey to the 
 
 of great Moment, where all Delay pafles 
 for Sloth and Lazinefs But ilnce whatever 
 he once apprehended he underftood through 
 and through, and fince he executed no- 
 thing but upon the fevered Examination, 
 hence he might be faid to do more in Rea- 
 lity than ten others, who migkty readily (et 
 about Bufinefs, and are frequently ftyTd Great 
 Geniuies, but whofe Decrees muft afterwards 
 be mended, alter'd, and lick'd into Shape ; 
 infomuch that at the Expiration of their 
 Office, it is difcover'd that they have at- 
 tempted everything and brought nothing to 
 Perfection. Among the Maxims therefore 
 of the Potuan Court, this is one, That they 
 who are fo forward at Bufinefs, are like 
 thofe who walk to and fro and tread a great 
 deal of Ground, but gain none. 
 
 When the Family were feated, a Virgin 
 enter'd with eight Branches and as many 
 Diihes, fo that in a Moment the whole Ta- 
 ble was cover'd. Prefently another Tree 
 enter'd with eight Veflels of different Kinds 
 of Wine. This latter had nine Branches, 
 and fo was judg'd extremely qualified for 
 the domeftick Bufinefs of the Court. And 
 thus by two Servants only this whole Affair 
 was commodiouily performed, which in 
 terreftrial Courts is not to be done without 
 a perfect Army of Servants. With the 
 fame Dexterity the Diihes were remov'd, 
 as they had been at flrft placed. It was a 
 frugal but not inelegant Meal. Of the 
 whole Number of Diihes, the Sovereign con- 
 
 fin'd 
 
World Under -Graund. 51 
 
 fin'd himfclf to one. Not (o the great Ones 
 of our Globe, who never think a Supper 
 grand, unlefs one Courfe of Diflres give 
 way to a finer and more exquifiteSuccefiion. 
 During the Repaft, the Converfation run 
 upon Morality or Politicks; fo that even 
 thefe fenfual Pleafures had a Seafoning of 
 Learning. Mention alfo was made of me, 
 whom from the Quicknefs of my Appre- 
 hcnfion they took to be not the Wood out of 
 ivhich Mercury ivas to be made. 
 
 The Repaft being ended, I was orderd 
 to produce my Teftimonial ; which being 
 perus'd, the Prince directing his Eyes down 
 to my Feet, faid, the Karatti had judg'd 
 right, and that fo it ought to be. Quite 
 thunderftruck with this Anfwer, and over- 
 whelm^ in Tears, I implor'd a Revifal of 
 the Teftimonial, fince upon a more inti- 
 mate Scrutiny into the Virtues of my Mind, 
 and the Endowments of my Underftanding, 
 I might reafonably expecf. a milder Judg- 
 ment to be made. His Highnefs being a 
 merciful and equitable Prince, not at all 
 incenfed at this forward and unufual Re- 
 queft, enjoin'd the Karatti then prefent, to 
 examine me anew, and as accurately as 
 poifibly. During this Trial, the Prince 
 ftept afide to read fome other Teftimonials. 
 The Prince having withdrawn himfelf, the 
 Karatti propofed a new Set of Queftions to 
 be iblv'd by me. I anfwer'd them with 
 my ufual Readinefs ; upon which he fpake 
 thus to me : You take a Thing prefentfy, but 
 
 D 2 not 
 
ri A Journey to the 
 
 not entirely \ for your Solutions Jhew that the 
 ^ucjlion is readily perceivd, but not inti- 
 mately under/food. 
 
 The Examination being finifiYd, the 
 Prince went into the Council-Chamber, 
 and foon return'd with a final Sentence to 
 this Purpofe : That I had a£ted imprudent- 
 ly in calling in Queftion the Judgment of 
 Karatti) and that therefore I had incurr'd 
 the Penalty which the third lejjer Space of 
 the fourth greater Space inflicts upon Slan- 
 derers (by the greater and leiler Spaces, or 
 Skibal and Kibal, they mean Books and 
 Chapters) and that I deferv'd to undergo 
 the Vence-feclion in both my Branches, and 
 alfo to be imprifon'd. The Words of the 
 Law, lib. 4. cap. 3. concerning Defamation 
 are thefe, Spik. antri. Flak. Shak. ?nak. Tabu 
 Mihalatti Silac. But tho' the Senfe of the 
 Words was very clear and evident, and the 
 Law too facred to be evaded, yet his molt 
 Serene Highnefs, by a Stretch of his Prero- 
 gative, thought fit to pardon this Offence 
 of mine, occafioned through an Immatu- 
 rity of Judgment, as well as Ignorance of 
 the Law, which could hardly be laid to be 
 infring'd by this Indulgence to mc, inaf- 
 much as I was a Stranger and a Foreigner. 
 And to give me a more ample Teftimony of 
 his molt gracious Favour, he appointed me 
 one of his MeiTengers in Ordinary, an Ho- 
 nour I ought to hold myfelf highly fatisfy'd 
 with. 
 
 Im- 
 
World Under-Ground. S3 
 
 immediately the Kiva^ or Secretary, was 
 fent for, who enroll'd my Name in the 
 Book of Promotions, together with the 
 Names of feveral other Candidates. This 
 Secretary was a moft extraordinary Perfon; 
 for he had eleven Pair of Branches, and 
 could confequently write eleven Letters all 
 at the fame Time, and with the fame Eafe 
 and Expedition that we can one; yet he 
 had a very indifferent Judgment, upon 
 which Account he never could expecl: any 
 farther Promotion, and fo he grew old in 
 the fame Poft which he had flil'd for thirty 
 Years. I contracted a clofe Friendfhip with 
 him, and indeed I could not help cultiva- 
 ting an AffecTion for him, becaufe all the 
 Edicts and Letters of State, which he wrote, 
 J, as Meffenger in Ordinary, difpers'd over 
 the Province. I was- often aftorrifh'd to fee 
 him execute Bufinefs with fo much Dexte- 
 rity ; for it was a common Thing with 
 him to write eleven Letters at once, and 
 afterward feal them all in the fame In- 
 frant. Among the Bleffings therefore of 
 a P'amily, a large Number of Branches is 
 reckon'd one. And hence the Women in 
 Child-Bed, immediatelv after the Birth of 
 the Infant, are wont to fignify to the Neigh- 
 bours how many Branches it has brought 
 into the World with it. It was reported, 
 that the Father of our Secretary was born 
 with twelve, and that his Family had long 
 been famous for a Plurality of Branches. 
 
 D ? The 
 
54 & Journey to the 
 
 The Diploma, which conftituted me In 
 my Office, being order'd to be drawn 
 our, I now retir'd to my Repofe. But tho' 
 my Limbs were exceffively tiVd, yet was X 
 notable to compofe myfelf to Sleep. That 
 ignoble Employment, to which I was con - 
 dtmn\), run continually in my Head, and 
 I thought it the greateft Debafemenr is 
 ginable for cne who was a Candidate for 
 Holy Orders, and a Bachelor of" Arts in 
 the Upper World, to be chang'd into a 
 vile Subterranean Court-Meflenger. With 
 thefe mortifying Thoughts did I waile a 
 great Part of the Night, and during this 
 Agitation, I feveral Times perus'd my Uni- 
 verfity-Teftimonium, which I had brought 
 with me ; (for as I obferv'd above, the 
 Night is almoft as light as the Day.) At 
 length quite jaded with thinking, I funk in- 
 to the Arms of Sleep. But what a Variety 
 of Scenes prefented themfelves to my dif- 
 turb'd Imagination ! I thought I was rc- 
 turn'd to my own Country, and relating 
 aloud to vaft Numbers of People all that 
 had befel me in my fubterranean Tour ; 
 prefently I was failing in the Air again, 
 and engag'd with the Griffin once more, 
 who gave me fo warm a Reception, as that 
 it wak'd me out of my Sleep. But how 
 was I fhock'd when I beheld by my Bed- 
 fide a Monkey of the largeft Size, which, 
 by Reafon of the Doors being left open, 
 had got into my Chamber. This unlook'J 
 for Spectacle chhTd all my Blood, and made 
 
 me 
 
World Under-Ground. 55 
 
 alarm the Houfe with my Cries for 
 Aififtancc. Some Trees, which lay in the 
 adjacent Chambers, immediately entering, 
 difengag'd me from the Struggle, and drove 
 the beaftly Creature away. I underftood 
 afterwards, that this Accident afforded the 
 Prince plentiful Matter for Laughter. But 
 that I might run no fuch Rifque for the fu- 
 ture, he gave Command that I mould be 
 habited after the fubterranean Fafhion, and 
 adorn'd with artificial Branches. As for 
 my European Garments, they were taken 
 from me, and for their Novelty hung up 
 in the Prince's Wardrobe, with this In- 
 fcription : " The Drefs of a fuperterranean 
 " Animal" Blefs me ! laid I to myfelf, if 
 Matter Andrevjs, the Taylor at Bergen, who 
 made this Suit, ihould know th?.t his Worfc- 
 manfhip was prefer v'd among the Curiofities 
 of a fubterranean Prince, without Doubt 
 he would grow vain, and think himfelf as 
 great a Man as any in the City. 
 
 After this Misfortune Sleep quite forfook 
 me. In the Morning myDiploma was brought 
 me, which part me the full Powers to ex- 
 ecute mv Oiiice. A Multiplicity of Bufi- 
 nefs pour'd in upon me foon, and carrying 
 the Royal Edicts and Letters to every City 
 of his Dominions, I was the perpetual Mo- 
 tion itfelf. In thefe Expeditions I explor'd 
 the Genius of the Country, and in many 
 Places difcover'd an uncommon Meafure 
 of Politenefs and Underftanding. Only the 
 inhabitants of the City of Mabolki^ which 
 
 D a. were 
 
56 A Journey to ihe 
 
 were all Brambles, feem'd to me fomething 
 rude and uncultivated. Every Province 
 has its peculiar Trees, or Natives of the 
 Place, particularly the Province of Huf- 
 Uandmen. Tho' in the great Cities, and 
 efpecially in the Capital, there is a Mix- 
 ture of all Sorts. The high Sentiments I 
 had entertain'd of the Wifdom of this 
 People encreafed, as fait as 1 had frefh Op- 
 portunities of infpecting into them. Thofe 
 very Laws and Cuitoms, which I had dis- 
 approved, upon mature Reflection,, extorted 
 all my Admiration. I could eafily bring a 
 Cloud of Inftancet of certain Manners and 
 Ulages, which upon a tranfient View ap- 
 pear'd abfurd, but which to the curious 
 Enquirer, would be full of Solidity and 
 Wifdom. Out of a thoufand I mall pro- 
 duce but this one, which gives you a perfect 
 Idea of this People. A certain Student in 
 Humanity flood Candidate for the vacant 
 Maiterfhip of a School. His Pretentions 
 were ftrengthen'd in this Manner, to wit, 
 the Inhabitants of the City of Nabami cer- 
 tify'd, that the Candidate had liv'd very 
 quietly for four Years together with a wan- 
 ton and unfaithful Wife, and wore his 
 Horns very patiently. The Certificate was 
 couch'd in the following Style : " Where- 
 " as the learned and venerable Joctban Hu 
 u has requir'd of his Neighbours a Teitimn- 
 " nial of his Life and Morals, We the Ci- 
 " tizens living in that Street or Portion of 
 " the City call'd Posh, do teftifv, that the 
 
World Under-Ground. 57 
 
 u faid Joctban Hu has liv'd in Wedlock for 
 tc full four Years with a difloyal Wife, and 
 " that without the leaft Noife or Diftur- 
 " bance ; that he has wore his Horns with 
 <c a laudable Patience, and with fuch Meek- 
 " nefs has bore this Misfortune, that we 
 judge him highly worthy to fucceed to 
 the vacant Mafterfhip, if his Learning be 
 but equal to his Morals. Given under 
 our Hands this 10th Day of the Month 
 Palm, in the 3COondth Year after the 
 " great Deluge.'' 
 
 To this Recommendation was annex'd a 
 Teftimonial from the Seminary of the Ka^ 
 ratti, of his Learning and Studies, which 
 feem'd to be more to the Purpofe. For 
 what great Merit Cuckoldom had to bear 
 the Bell from all other Doctors, I could- 
 not readily apprehend, But here lay tb© 
 Senfe and Meaning of this ftrange Tefti- 
 monial, viz. Among the Virtues that prin- 
 cipally recommend a Teacher, Moderation 
 is one. For with all his Pomp of Learn- 
 ing, unlefs he has an invincible Patience, he 
 mult be but indifferently qualifv'd for the 
 Scholaftick Employment, which mould be 
 exercifed without Severity or Paflio% left 
 by untimely Corrections the Minds of the 
 Youths fhould be harden'd. And fince a 
 greater Inftance of Moderation could hard- 
 ly be given, than this of the Candidate^ 
 therefore his Neighbours infilled chiefly on 
 this Argument, as every Thing was to be 
 hop'd for from a Teacher fo renown'd for 
 D 5^ this 
 
5.1 A J'OL'RNET io the 
 
 this neceilary Virtue. It is faid his Majefty 
 laugh'd immoderately at to unufual a Re- 
 commendation, but fince it was far from be- 
 ins; abfurd, he conferr'd the vacant Mafter- 
 fhip upon the Petitioner. And in EffecTy 
 he underftood and difcharg'd his Duty with 
 fuch Addrefs, and fo engag'd his Pupils byhis 
 Mildnefs and Clemency, that they regarded 
 him rather as a Parent than a Tutor, and 
 fuch was their Paffion for Learning under 
 fuch loft and gentle Government, that thro' 
 the whole Dominions there were few Schools 
 that annually fent out fuch eminent, learned 
 and civiliz'd Trace. 
 
 As during the fcven.il Years of my Em- 
 ployment, I had frequent Opportunities of in- 
 ipe&ing into the Nature of the Soil, into the 
 Genius and Manners of the People, into 
 their Policv, Religion, Laws and Studies, I 
 hope it will not be unacceptable to the Reader, 
 if I collecl into one View what he will meet 
 with feparately thoughout the whole Book. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Of the Nature of the Country, and the 
 Manners of the People. 
 
 THE Potuan Empire is of no very 
 great Extent. The whole Globe is 
 Ntizar, and is about two hundred 
 German MilesinCircumferer.ee. A Tra- 
 veller 
 
TForU Under-Ground. 59 
 
 veiler may eafily go round it without a 
 Guide, for the fame Language obtains every 
 where, tho' the Potuans differ greatly in 
 their Cuftoms and Manners from the other 
 States and Principalities. And as in our 
 World the Europeans excel the reft of Man- 
 kind, fo the Poiuans are diftinguifhed by 
 their fuperior Virtue and Wifdom from the 
 reft of the Globe. The high Road?, at pro- 
 per Diftances, are adorn'd with Stones, that 
 mark the Miles, and abound with DirecV 
 ing-Pofts, which fhew the Ways and Turn- 
 ings to every City and Village. It is indeed 
 a very memorable Circumftance, and wor- 
 thy of Admiration, that the fame Lan- 
 guage is fpoke every where, altho' the fe- 
 veral Kingdoms differ fo widely in other 
 Refpe&s, namely, in their Manners, Un- 
 derftanding, Cuftoms, and Condition, that 
 we fee here all that Variety which Nature 
 delights in, and which does not only fimply 
 move or affe<St the Traveller, but even 
 throws him into an Extafy of Wonder. 
 
 There are alfo Seas and Rivers which 
 bear Veffels, whofe Oars feem to be mov'd 
 by a Kind of magick Impulfe, for they are 
 not work'd by the Labour of the Arm, but 
 by Machines like our Clock-work. The 
 Nature of this Device I cannot explain, as 
 being not well vers'd in Mechanicks ; and 
 befides, thefe Trees contrive every Thing 
 with fuch Subtilty, that no Mortal without 
 the Eyes of Argus, or the Power of Divi- 
 nation, can arrive at the Secret. This 
 3 Globe, 
 
6q A Journey to the 
 
 Globe, like ours, has a triple Motion,- io 
 that the Seafons here, namely, thole of Day 
 and Night, Winter and Summer, Spring 
 and Autumn, are diftinguinYd like ours j 
 alio towards the Poles it grows colder. As to 
 Light, here is little Difference between Day 
 and Night, for the Reafons before aflign'd. 
 Nay, the Night may be thought more 
 grateful than the Day ; for nothing can 
 be conceiv'd more bright and fplendid, than 
 that Light which the folid Firmament re- 
 ceives from the Sun, and reflects back upon 
 the Planet, infomuch that it looks, (if I 
 may be allow 'd the Expreflion) like one 
 univerfal Moon. The Inhabitants confift 
 of various Species of Trees, as Oaks, Limes, 
 Poplars, Palms, Brambles, tjfe. from whence 
 the fixteen Months, into which the fub- 
 terranean Year is divided, have their Names. 
 For every fixteenth Month the Planet Na~ 
 %ar returns to its full Station, yet not upon 
 the fame Day, upon account of the Ine- 
 quality of its Motion ; for juft like our 
 Moon, by its manifold Phafes, it perplexes 
 the Literati of the Firmament. Their 
 Dates or ^Eras of Time are. various *, thefe 
 they fix from fome memorable Circum- 
 ftance, and particularly from the great 
 Comet which appear'd 3000 Years ago, 
 and is faid to have caus'd an univerfal De- 
 luge, in which the whole Race of Trees, 
 and other Animals perifh'd, except a few 
 which on the Tops of Mountains efcap'd 
 the general Wreck, and from whom the 
 
 prefent 
 
World Under-Ground. 6>i 
 
 prefent Inhabitants are defcended. The Soil 
 abounds with Corn, Herbs, and Pulfe ; and 
 produces all the Fruits of Europe, except 
 Oats, of which there is no Want, fince 
 there are no Horfes. The Seas and Lakes 
 afford delicious Fiflv and the Shoars and 
 Banks are adorn'd with the moft entertain- 
 ing Variety of Villages, forae contiguous, 
 and forne divided. The Liquor they drink 
 is extracted from certain Herbs which flou- 
 rim all the Year.. The Venders of this 
 Liquor are call'd Minhalpi, that is, Herb«- 
 DrefTers, who in every City are reftrained 
 to a certain Number, and who alone have the 
 Privilege of preparing it. Thofe who en^ 
 joy this Advantage, are commanded to ab- 
 frain from all other Bufinefs or lucrative 
 Employment. In particular it is provided, 
 that thofe vv ho already are in any publick 
 Offices, or who have Salaries from theGovern- 
 ment, mall never concern themfelves in this 
 Branch of Trade ; becaufe thefe by their 
 Power and Authority in the City might 
 monopolize the Bufinefs, and be able to un- 
 derfel the reft, from the Revenues they alrea- 
 dy enjoy. An Artifice often praclifed by 
 the Courtiers and great Men of our World, 
 who in the Shape of Merchants or Jobbers, 
 become immenfely rich. 
 
 Their Populoufnefs is mightily promos- 
 led by a certain falutary Law concerning 
 Procreation j for according to the Number 
 of Children, their Privileges and Immuni- 
 ties are increas'd or diminifh'd. He who is 
 
 the 
 
6i A Journey to the 
 
 the Father of fix Children is exempted from 
 all Taxes, ordinary and extraordinary. Hence 
 a numerous Iflue is deem'd as advantageous 
 there as it is hurtful and inconvenient in our 
 World, where often a Tax is impos'd in 
 the Way of Capitation. No one here fills 
 two Pofts at once, becaufe they are of O- 
 pfmon, that the lead Employment requires 
 the whole Activity of the Soul. And there - 
 
 , with the Leave of my fellow Creatures, 
 I muff, fav, that Bufinels is better done with 
 mem than with us. So facred is the Obfer- 
 
 ce of this Law, that a Phyfician does 
 
 direct his Studies to the whole Circle 
 of Phyfick, but bends all his Application to 
 
 Mature and Cure of one only Diforder. 
 Vfufician plays upon only one Inftrumenr, 
 c t tite otherwtfe than it is upon our Earth, 
 Wh e re bv the Variety of our Pretenfions, 
 Humanity is trampled on, BitternefTes in- 
 creafe, and our Duty is neglected ; and 
 where, by aiming at every Thing, we do 
 nothing to good Purpofe. Thus a Phyfician, 
 while he affects to rectify the Diforders of 
 the State, as well as thofe of the Body, per- 
 forms neither well. Thus, if another will 
 be both a Senator and a Mufician, we can 
 expect nothing but Difcord. We are apt 
 to admire fuch daring Spirits as fly at all 
 Things, who mix officioufly in Matters of 
 the higheft Concern, and think there is no- 
 thing they are unfit for. But it is all Rafh- 
 nefs, Presumption, and a total Want of 
 Senfe of their own Strength, that we thus 
 
 blindly 
 
World Under-Ground. 63 
 
 blindly admire. Did they but thoroughly 
 know the Weight of publick Office, and 
 the Shortnefs of their own Abilities, they 
 would reject the o-Fer'd Honours, and trem- 
 ble at the Sound, No one here undertakes 
 the leaft Employment inviia -Minerva, Ire- 
 member to have heard an illuftrious Phi- 
 lofopher, by Name Rakbaft^ defcanting up- 
 on this Subject, and thus exprefling himfelf: 
 " Every one of us mould be acquainted 
 " with b»- own Abilities, and be the itriet- 
 M eit Judge of his own Virtues and Vices ; 
 " otherwrie Stac;e-Players will appear to 
 ** have more Wifdom than we ; for they 
 " do not chufe the fineft Parts, but thofe 
 " that are the fitteft for them. And fhall 
 tC a Player fee that on a Stage, which a 
 " wife Man cannot ice in Life? " 
 
 The Natives of this Empire are not di- 
 vided into Nobles and Commons. Formerly 
 indeed this Diltincfion ohtain'd. But when 
 the Sovereigns obferv'd that the Seeds of 
 Difcord fprang from hence, they wifely re- 
 moved all fuch Privileges as were deriv'd 
 from Birth, fo that Virtue alone is now the 
 Ted of Honour j and this will appear 
 plainer hereafter. The fole Prehcminence 
 of Birth confiits in a. Plurality of Branches. 
 The Offspring is accounted Noble or Igno- 
 ble, according to the Plenty or Want of 
 thofe, for this Reafon, becaufe the greater 
 Plenty they have, the fitter they are for all 
 laanual. Operations. 
 
 Enough 
 
64 A Journey to the 
 
 Enough has been faid in the foregoing 
 Part of this Work concerning the Genius 
 and Manners of this People ; and therefore 
 referring the Reader to thofe PaiTages, I 
 conclude this Chapter, and proceed to fome 
 other Particulars. 
 
 C H A P. VI. 
 
 Of the Religion of the Potuan Nation: 
 
 THE Potuan Syftem of Religion lies in 
 a narrow Compafs, and contains a 
 Confeffion of Faith, fornething longer than; 
 our Apoftles Creed. It is prohibited here, 
 jnder Pain of Banifhment to the Firma- 
 ,t, to comment upon the facred Book?/ 
 And if any prefume to difpute about the Ef- 
 fence and Atrributes of God, or about the 
 Nature of Spirits and Soul 1 ;, he is condemned 
 to the Vena-jeftion, and then confin'd in rhe 
 publick Bedlam. For they think it the height 
 of Folly to offer to defcribe or define thofe 
 Things, to which the human Mind is 
 blind as the Eyes of an Owl to the Light of 
 the Sun. They are all unanimous in adoring 
 one Supreme Being, by whofe Almighty 
 Power all Things were created, and by 
 whofe Providence they fublift. Let but this 
 Principle beuncontroverted, and they never 
 moleft any one for entertaining different 
 Sentiments concerning a Method of Wor- 
 ship. Thofe alone who openly attack this 
 
 Religi- 
 
World Under-Ground. &g 
 
 Religion, as by Law eftablifhed, are re~ 
 garded as Difturbers of the publick Tran- 
 quillity. Hence I had the free Exercife of 
 my own Religion, nor fuffer'd the leaft. Af- 
 front upon that Account. The Potuans 
 pray but feldom, but then it is with great 
 Ardency, infomuch that they feem to be 
 in an Extafy. And when I related that we 
 pray and iing Pfalms very often while em- 
 ploy'd about the common Affairs of Life, 
 the Potuans thought it a vicious Cuftcm, 
 replying, that an earthly Sovereign would 
 take it extremely ill, to fee any one humbly 
 approaching him with a Petition, and at 
 the fame Time brufhing his Cloaths, or 
 buckling his Hair. Nor had they a much 
 greater Relifh for our Hymns, and An- 
 thems, as holding it ridiculous to exprefs 
 Grief and Penitence in mufical Meafures, 
 fince the Difpleafure of the Deity is to be 
 appeas'd by Sighs and Tears of real Sorrow, 
 not by the Artifice of Tunes and Inftru- 
 ments. This and more I heard, but not 
 without fome Indignation, efpecially as my 
 own Father of blefled Memory, who was 
 once Chanter of a Cathedral, had compos'd 
 feveral Anthems in Vogue to this Day, and 
 as I myfclf intended once to have flood for 
 a vacant Chanterihip. But I ftifled my 
 Refentment ; for the Subterraneans fo flre- 
 nuoufly defend their Opinions, and fo fpe- 
 cioufly let every Thing out to View, that it 
 is noeafy Matter to refute even the plaineft 
 of their Errors. There were alfb feveral 
 
 other 
 
66 A Journey to the 
 
 other Opinions upon religious Subjects, 
 which they maintained with the fame Art, 
 anii Appearance of" Truth. Thus, when I 
 hail often obferv'd to fome Acquaintance, 
 that they could hope for no Salvation after 
 Death, as living in utter Darknefs, they 
 reply 'd, That thofewho were fo free of deal- 
 ing Damnation to others, run the greater!: 
 Rifque of it themfelves ; that the Source of 
 all that, is Arrogance, which God mult 
 hate and difallow ; and that to condemn the 
 Judgment of others, and to ufe Force to 
 convince them, was the fame Thing as to 
 me the whole Light of Reafon ; which 
 is juft the Conduct of Fools, who think 
 tlut they alone are wife. Moreover, when 
 I was proving a certain Opinion, and had 
 oppos'd to my Advcrfary's Reafonings the 
 Dictates of mv own Conscience, he extol'd 
 my Argument, and defir'd me ftill to perfift 
 in following thofe Dictates of Confcience, 
 as he himfelf would always do; for that 
 then, everyone following the Teltimony of 
 his Confcience, all Contention would ceafe, 
 much Matter of Controvcrfv be cut 
 
 Among other religious MifTakes main- 
 timed In the People of this Globe, were 
 thcte : They did not deny that good Ac- 
 tions were rewarded, and bad ones punifh'd 
 by God ; but then they thought that Branch 
 of Juftice, confiding in the Diftributior 
 Rewards and Punifhments took Place onlv 
 i future State. I brought various Ex- 
 am] 
 
World Under-Ground. Gj 
 
 amples of fuch as for their Impieties had 
 been puniih'd in this Life ; but they al- 
 ledgM as many oppofite Examples of very 
 wicked Trees, who yet were as fortunate as 
 they were wicked to the End of their L ives 
 In a Difpute, fa id they, we are too apt to 
 borrow only thofe Weapons, and attend to 
 only thofe Inftances, which make for our 
 Purpofe and itrengthen our Caufe, over- 
 looking and difregarding fuel) as might in- 
 jure it. With that I initane'd in myfclf, 
 by (hewing that many who had injur'd mc 
 came to a miferable End. In Anfwer they 
 urg'd, that all this proceeded from Self- 
 Love, from my over-weening Opinion, - 
 that in the Eyes of the Supreme Being I 
 was of more Confcquence, than many o- 
 thers, who, like me, had fuffered the fe- 
 vereft Injuries undefervedly, and yet had 
 beheld their Perfecutors blefs'd and profpe- 
 rous to the laft Day of their Lives. Again, 
 when accidentallv I was commending the 
 Practice of daily Prayer, they reply'd,That 
 indeed they did not deny the Neceffity of 
 Prayer, but that they were thoroughly per- 
 fuaded that the trueft Piety confiilcd in a 
 prailical Obfervance cf the divine Law. 
 To prove this, they borrowed an Argument 
 from a Prince, or Lawgiver : This Prince 
 has two Sorts cf Subjects ; fome are continu- 
 ally offending and tranfgreiling his Laws 
 thro' Infirmity or Contumacy ; and yet thefe 
 (hall be found continually haunting the 
 Court tp procure Pardon for Faults, to be 
 
 re- 
 
68 A Jou r n e y to the 
 
 repeated as loon as pardon'd. Others 
 proach the Court very rarely, but remain- 
 ing peaceable at Home, are habitual Obfer- 
 vers of their Sovereign's Laws. Who can 
 doubt but that he muft think this latter Sort 
 more worthy of his Favour, and regard the 
 firfr. as bad Subje&s and troublefome Crea- 
 tures ? 
 
 In thcfe and the like Controverfies was I 
 often engag'd, tho' without Succefs ; for I 
 was able to bring: nobody over to my Way 
 of thinking. And therefore omitting all 
 other religious Difputes, I fhall only give 
 you their general and mofr obfervable Doc- 
 trines, leaving it to the intelligent Reader 
 to applaud or cenfure them as he fhall judge 
 belt. 
 
 The Potuans believe in one God, Omni- 
 potent, Creator and Preferver of allThi' 
 whofe Omnipotence and Unitv they demon- 
 frrate from this ample and harmonious 
 Creation. And fince they are admirably 
 fkill'd in the Study of Nature, they have 
 fuch magnificent and exalted Sentiments of 
 the Nature and Attributes of the Deity, 
 that they look upon it as a Defect in the 
 Underftanding to attempt to define what 
 tranfeendi their Capacities. The Year is 
 diftinguilh'd by five Feftival Days; the 
 hrit of which is celebrated with the utmoit 
 Devotion in fuch obfeure Places as that no 
 Rays of Light can pierce them, indicating 
 bv this, that the Bein^. they adore is in- 
 iomprehenfiblct There the Worfhipers 
 
 remain - 
 
World Under-Ground, o'g 
 
 remain almoft immoveable, from the Rifing 
 to the Setting of the Sun, as tho' they were 
 in an Extafy. This high Day is called, the 
 Day of the incomprehenfible God, and it falls 
 on the firit Day of the Month of Oaks. 
 The other Feflivals are celebrated at four 
 other Seafons of the Year, and were infti- 
 tuted to return Thanks to God for the Blef- 
 lingsof his Providence. The Abfentees, 
 unlefs they are able to give very juft Rea- 
 fons for their Abfence, are deem'd bad 
 Subje&s, and live totally difregarded.. The 
 Publick Forms of Prayer are fo devis'd, as 
 not to regard the People who pray, but the 
 Welfare of the Prince or the State. None 
 prays in Publick for himfelf. The Defign 
 of which Inftitution is, that the Potuans may 
 believe that the Happinefs of Individuals is 
 io clofely conneaed with that of the Pub- 
 lick, that they cannot be feparated. None 
 are compell'd by Force or by Fines to at- 
 tend the Publick Worfhip, for as they are 
 of Opinion that Piety confifts chiefly in 
 Love, and as Experience teaches them that 
 Love is dampt and not inflam'd by Force, 
 therefore it mutt be an unprofitable and a 
 wicked Thing, to ufe Compulfion in the 
 Cafe of Religion. This Point they thus il- 
 luftrate. Should a Husband defire a recipro- 
 cal Affeaion from his Confort, and fhould 
 he hope to conquer her Coldnefs and In- 
 difference by Blows, he would be fo far 
 from kindling up her Love by this Me- 
 
 thod 3 
 
ij A Journey to the 
 
 thod, that her Indifference would increafe, 
 and end in Abhorence and Deteitation. 
 
 Thefe are Tome of the principal Doc- 
 trines of the Potuan Divinity, which to 
 fome mud appear like mere natural Reli- 
 gion ; and fo indeed it did at firfr. to me. 
 But they afleVt that all was divinely reveal'd 
 to them, and that fome Ages ago they re- 
 ceiv'd a Book, which contain'd their Syftem 
 of Faith and Practice. Formerly, fay thev, 
 our Anceftors liv'd contented with the Reli- 
 gion of Nature only ; hut Experience taught 
 them, that the fole Light of Nature was 
 inefficient, fmce all thofe noble Principles 
 thro' the Sloth and Carelefnefs of fome were 
 forgot, and thro' an airv Philofophy of 
 others, (nothing being able to check 
 their licentious Career) were utterly de- 
 prav'd and corrupted. Hereupon God 
 gave them a written Law. Hence it ap- 
 pears how great is their Error, who obfti- 
 liately deny the Neceffity of a Revelation. 
 For my Part, I freelv own, that many 
 Points of this Theology feem'd to me, if 
 not Praife-worthv, \et by no Means to be 
 defpifed. To fome I could not aifent. But 
 there is deferving all cur Admi- 
 ii. fmely, that in Times of War the 
 Conquerors, returning from the Field, in- 
 ilead of that Jov and Triumph with which 
 we celebrate Victories, and (\v\vTe Dcum, pafs 
 fome Days in deep Silence, as if they were a- 
 fhamed of having been obliged to fhed Blood. 
 Therefore there is very little Mention of 
 
 military 
 
World Under-Ground. 
 
 *-, T 
 
 .military Affairs in the Subterranean Annals, 
 which are chiefly Records of Civil Matters, 
 fuch as their Laws, Inftitutions, and Foun- 
 dations. 
 
 I 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Of their Policy, 
 
 N the Potuan Empire an hereditary, 
 . and indeed lineal Succeffion has floii- 
 nfh'd for a full Thoufand Years ; and the 
 fame! is at this Day religioufly obferv'd. 
 Their Annals indeed difcover, that in one 
 Inftance they departed from this Order of 
 Succeffion. For fince right Reafon feem'd 
 to require, that Rulers mould excel their 
 Subjects in Wifdom and all the Endow- 
 ments of the Mind, hence it was thought 
 neceflary that Virtue mould be more re- 
 garded than Birth, and that he mould be 
 eleded for their Sovereign, who mould be 
 thought the moft excellent and worthy a- 
 mong the Subjeas. Upon this the ancient 
 Succeffion being laid afide, the fuprcme 
 I ower by the general Voice was conferrd 
 upon a Philofopher, nam'd Rabbacku. At 
 hrft he governed with fuch Prudence and 
 with fuch Mildnefs, that he feem'd a Pattern 
 for fucceeding Princes. But thefehappy Times 
 were but of fhort Duration ; and the P~ 
 tuans were too late con vine'd of the Falf 
 hood of that Maxim, which holds, « That 
 
 " the 
 
72 A Journey to the 
 
 " the Kingdom is happv, where aPhilofophei 
 " is at the Helm." For fince the new So- 
 vereign was rais'd from the meaneit Fortune 
 to the Height of Power, his Virtues and all 
 his Arts of Government could not procure 
 or maintain that Veneration, that Refpec~t, 
 that Majefty, which is the great Support of 
 a Monarch's Power. Thofe who but lately 
 had been his Equals or Superiors, could 
 hardly be brought to bow to an Equal or In- 
 ferior, or to pay the new Prince that Mea- 
 fure of Obedience due from Subjects to their 
 Rulers ; and therefore when any Uriel or 
 troublefome Commands were laid upon 
 them, they murmur'd loud, and never re- 
 garded what the Prince then was, but what 
 he was before his Exaltation. Hence he 
 was forc'd to have Recourfe to fubmiffive 
 Flatteries ; and even this availed not ; for 
 after thefe Submiflions, being obliged to 
 ifliie out his Commands and Edi£ts, they 
 were (till receiv'd with Frowns and with 
 Reluctance. Rabbacku then perceiving, 
 that other Means were necefTary to keep 
 the Subjects to their Duty, from a mild and 
 popuk.r Behaviour, he now chang'd his 
 Mcafures, and treated his People with Seve- 
 rity. But alas ! by this Extream, thole 
 Sparks which lay conceal'd under the Afhes, 
 now broke into an open Flame ; the Subjects 
 rofe in Arms againfr their Prince, and one 
 Rebellion not thoroughly fubdued and 
 laid afleep, was the Beginning of another. 
 The Monarch finding; at length that the 
 
 Go- 
 
World Under -Ground. j* 
 
 Government could no longer fubfift but 
 under a Sovereign of illuftrious Defcent, 
 vvhofe high Birth might extort a Veneration 
 from the People, made a voluntary Abdica- 
 tion of the Empire in Favour of the Prince, 
 who in Right of Birth mould have Suc- 
 ceeded. The ancient Family being thus 
 reftor'd, Peace was reftor'd with it, and all 
 thofe Storms, which had fhatter'd the Vef- 
 fel of the Commonwealth, at once fubfided. 
 From that Time it was made Capital to at- 
 tempt any Innovation in the Order of Suc- 
 cefiion. 
 
 The Empire therefore is now hereditary, 
 and probably will remain fo till Time fhall 
 be no more, unlefs the mod urgent and 
 extreme Neceflity oblige them to deviate 
 from this Rule. Mention is made in the 
 Potuan Annals, of a Philofopher who de- 
 vis'd an Expedient to break thro' this Law. 
 His Counfel was not to fet afide the Royai 
 Family, but to make Choice of that Son 
 of the deceas'd Sovereign, be it elder or 
 younger, whofe Virtues were more eminent, 
 and who mould be deem'd moft equal to 
 the Weight. This Philofopher, having- 
 proposed this Law, fubmitted himfelf (ac- 
 cording to the Cuftom of his Country) to 
 the ufual Teft, namely, to have his Neck 
 in a Halter, while they were debating about 
 the Utility of the propos'd Law. The Se- 
 nate being aflembled, and the Votes caft up, 
 the Propofal was condemn'd as a Thing de- 
 trimental to the Commonwealth. They 
 
 E be- 
 
74 -A Journey to the 
 
 believ'd it would be the Source of perpe- 
 tual Troubles, and would fow the Seeds of 
 Difcord between the Royal Progeny ; that 
 therefore it was more advifable for the old 
 Law to take Place, and that the Right of 
 Dominion fhould ftill devolve upon the 
 Firft-Born, altho' the younger IiTue might 
 excel in the Endowments of the Mind. 
 The Law therefore not patting, the Pro- 
 jector was flrangled. And thefe are the 
 only Species of Criminals that are punifh'd 
 with Death. For the Potuans are perfuaded, 
 that every Change or Reformation, how- 
 ever well digefted, gives Occafion to Dif- 
 turbance and Commotion, and puts the 
 whole State into a fluctuating and unfettled 
 Condition ; but if it be a ram and ill-digeft- 
 ed Alteration, it is followed with inevitable 
 Ruin. 
 
 The Power of the Potuan Monarchs, al~ 
 tho' fubject to no Laws, is yet rather a pa- 
 ternal than a regal Power. For being natu- 
 rally Lovers of Juftice, Power, and Liber- 
 ty, Things totally incompatible elfewhere, 
 do here go Hand in Hand. 
 
 Among the Lalfc of this Kingdom, the 
 mod falutary is that by which the Princes 
 endeavour to prefervc an Equality between 
 the Subjects, that is, as far as the Nature of 
 Government will admit. You fee here no 
 different Ranks and Titles of Honour. In- 
 feriors obey their Superiors, and the Younger 
 the Elder ; and this is all. 
 
 The 
 
World Under-Ground. 75 
 
 The fubterranean Memoirs mew, that 
 fome Acres ago fuch Clatles of Dignities 
 were in ufe, and that they were eftablifh'd 
 by Law; but it appear'd that they were the 
 Source of infinite Diforders. It was an in- 
 tolerable Evil, for an elder Brother to give 
 Place to his younger, or a Parent to his 
 Child ; fo that at length each fhunning 
 the other's Company, it put a Stop to all 
 Converfation and good Fellowfhip. But 
 thefe were not the only Grievances. For in 
 Procefs of Time it came to that Pafs, that 
 the more noble and worthy Trees, whom 
 Nature had blefs'd with the ftrongeff. Capa- 
 cities, and with the grcateft Number of 
 Branches, were feated in the loweft Places 
 at Feafts and Aflemblies. For no Tree of 
 real Virtue and intriniick Worth, could 
 bring himfelf to fue for a Title or Mark of 
 Preheminence, which from his Soul he de- 
 fpis'd. And on the contrary, the more 
 profligate and worthless Sort of Trees would 
 inceflantly teaze their Royal Mafter with 
 Petitions, till they had even extorted a Title 
 that might in a Manner hide the Poverty 
 of their Nature, and be a Skreen for their 
 Vices. Hence it came to pafs, that Titles 
 were at laft look'd upon as certain Indica- 
 tions of the vileft Trees. Their Feftivals 
 and iblemn Meetings, were, to Strangers, a 
 Speclacle the mod abfurd that can be ima- 
 gin'd. There might they behold Brambles 
 and Bufhes in the moft honourable Seats, 
 while the lofty Cedar and the noble Oak, each 
 
 E 2 of 
 
y6 A Journey to the 
 
 of whom Nature had adorn'd with ten or 
 twelve Tire of Branches, took the remoteft 
 and moll obfcure Seats. Even the Ladies 
 had Titles ; they were Counfellors of the 
 Houfhold, Counfellors of State, Counfellors 
 ef Court. And this blew up the Coals of 
 Difcord more in that weaker Sex than in the 
 other. To fuch an Excefs this vain Am- 
 bition rofe, that they to whom Nature had 
 been fo unkind, as to afford them no more 
 than two or three Pair of Branches, even 
 they abfurdly affecled the Title of Trees of ten 
 or twelve Branches* This Vanity is juft as 
 ridiculous, as if the mod deform'd Monftcr 
 in Nature fhould affect to pafs for a Beauty, 
 or a Man of the meaneft Original give him- 
 fclf the Airs of a Man of Quality. When 
 this Evil had arriv'd to its higheft Pitch, and 
 the whole Kingdom upon the Brink of be- 
 ing ruin'd, every Mortal grafping at empty 
 Names, and difhonourable Titles, a certain 
 Native of Keba had the Hardinefs to propofe 
 a Law for the abolishing this Cuftom. This 
 fame Perfon was, according to the ufual 
 Cuftom, brought into the Forum, with a 
 Halter about his Neck. The Senate being 
 Jet, and proceeding to vote, the Propofai 
 paffeJ without any open Oppofition, and was 
 judg'd ufeful to the Commonwealth. Up- 
 on this he was crown'd with a Garland of 
 Flowers, and led into the City in Triumph, 
 amidft the Shouts and Acclamations of the 
 Populace. And when in Procefs of Time 
 it was difcover'd how advantageous the Re- 
 peal 
 
World Under-Ground. 77 
 
 peal of thefe Laws was, the Proje&or was 
 advane'd to the Honour of Kadoki, or High 
 Chancellor. 
 
 Ever fince this Time, the Law for pre- 
 ferving this Equality among the Subjects, 
 has been inviolably obferv'd. Yet the Re- 
 peal did not put a Stop to all Emulation 5 
 for every one now endeavour'd to fhine by 
 true Virtue and real Merit. It appears 
 from the Annals of this Empire, that from 
 that Time to this, has been but one Pro- 
 jector who twice attempted to revive the 
 Diftinc"tion of Dignities ; but for his firft 
 Effort he was condemn'd to the Vena~feftion 9 
 and fince he perfifted in his Attempt, he was 
 banifh'd to the Firmament. Now there- 
 fore no Ranks or Titles of Honour obtain 
 here, only the fupreme Magiftrate declares 
 fome Profeflions to be nobier than others, 
 by which Declaration, notwithftanding, no- 
 body has a Right of affuming the chief Seats 
 in publick Affemblies. This fmall Diffe- 
 rence we find in the Edicts and Letters man- 
 datory of the Sovereign, which generally end 
 with thefe Words : " We command and 
 " enjoin all Husbandmen, Inventors of 
 " Machines for the Manufactures, Mer- 
 " chants, Tradefmen, Philofophers, OfH- 
 " cers of the Court, &c" 
 
 I was inform'd, that in the Archivesof the 
 Prince, this Catalogue of Honour was pre- 
 ferv'd. 
 
 E 3 1. Thofe 
 
y% A Journey to the 
 
 1. Thofe who had affifted the Govern- 
 ment with their Wealth and Fortunes in 
 its greateft Streights. 
 
 2. Officers who ferve gratis and without 
 Salary or Penfion. 
 
 3. Husbandmen of eight Branches and 
 upwards. 
 
 4. Husbandmen of feven Branches and 
 under. 
 
 5. Inventors or Erectors of Machines for 
 Manufactures. 
 
 6. Operators who exercife the more nc- 
 ceirary Callings and Employments. 
 
 7. Philofophers and graduate Doctors of 
 b'.-tl] Sexes. 
 
 8. Artifans. 
 
 9. Merchants. 
 
 10. Officers of the Court, with a Salary 
 of 5 co Rnpats. 
 
 11. Officers of the Court, with a Salary 
 of 1 coo Rupats 
 
 This Series of Honours feem'd very ridi- 
 culous to me, as it muft to every one of 
 our Globe. I guefc'd indeed at fome of the 
 Reafons for this inverted Order, what Foun- 
 dation it was grounded on, and by what 
 Arguments the Subterraneans would defend 
 it. But I confefs upon the whole it was a 
 Paradox I could not comprehend. 
 
 Among other Things worthy of Obfer- 
 vation, I remark'd the following : The 
 more Benefit any one receiv'd from the 
 Government^ with a proportional Modefty 
 
 and 
 
World Under-Ground, 79 
 
 .and Humility he carry'd himfelf. Thus I 
 frequently faw Bcjpolak, the richeft Man 
 in the Potuan Dominions, receive all he 
 met with fuch Condefcenfion, that he low- 
 er'd all his Branches, and by inclining his 
 Head, teftify'd to every common Tree his 
 grateful Senfe of the Publick Favours. Up- 
 on my afking the Reafon, I was told, that 
 thus it ought to be, fince upon no Subject 
 more Benefits were confer'd, and that there- 
 fore he was the greater! Debtor to the Com- 
 monwealth. Not that he was oblig'd by 
 any Law to this Condefcenfion ; but as the 
 Potuans in general act wifely and judicioufly, 
 fo they make a voluntary Virtue of it, hold- 
 ing themfelves bound to ufe fuch a Beha- 
 viour as Gratitude would dictate ; far other- 
 wife than it is with us, where thofe, whom 
 their Country has loaded with Wealth and 
 Titles, receive their Inferiors with a lofty 
 and contemptuous Air. 
 
 But the moft deferving Subjects of all, 
 and who receive the moft univerfal Honour 
 and Refpect, are the Parents of a numerous 
 Offspring. Thefe are the Heroes of the 
 Subterranean World, and their Memory is 
 held facred with Pofterity. They are alfo 
 the only Perfons upon whom the Name of 
 Great is conferr'd. Not fo with us; 
 where the Deftroyers of Mankind are com- 
 plimented with that Title. One may eafily 
 guefs what Sentiments they would entertain 
 here of Alexander the Great and Julius C*- 
 lar, each of whom having /lain their Mil- 
 E 4 lions, 
 
£o A Journey to fhe 
 
 lions, died without Offspring. I remember 
 to have feen at Keba this Epitaph of a Huf- 
 bandman : " Here lies Joebtan the Great, 
 <c Father of thirty Children, the Heroe of his 
 " Time." It muft be obferv'd, that in or- 
 der to acquire this Glory, the mere Procrea- 
 tion of Children is not alone fufficient, 
 unlefs they be alfo liberally and virtuoufly 
 educated. 
 
 In the enacting Laws, they proceed with a 
 Deliberation equal to that of the old Romans. 
 The Propofal of a new Law is fix'd upon 
 .ill the Courts and Places of Refort through 
 out the City. The Citizens are free to exa- 
 mine it, and fend their Sentiments and Ad- 
 vices upon it to the College of Wife Men, in- 
 stituted for this very Purpofe. Here every 
 Thing is weighed that concerns the enact- 
 ing, the difannulling, approving, correct- 
 ing, limiting, or extending this Law. And 
 when it has thus gone through all this Trial 
 ::nd Examination, it is ofFer'd to the Prince 
 tor his Confent and Authority. This De- 
 lay may feem abfurd to fome ; but the Con- 
 fequence of this Caution is, that their Laws 
 are immortal; and I have been inform'd, that 
 not one of their Laws for thefe five hundred 
 Years pad has fuffer'd the leaft Alteration. 
 
 In the Cuftody of the Sovereign, there is a 
 Lift of the moft worthy and valuable Trees, 
 together with Certificates of their Learning 
 from the Karatti, and of their Life and 
 Morals from their Neighbours. Hence the 
 Republick are never in Want of proper Per- 
 
 fonj 
 
World Under -Ground. Si 
 
 fons to fill the vacant Offices. It is parti- 
 cularly worth remarking, that no one has 
 a Right or Freedom to live in any City or 
 Village without a Certificate from the Place 
 they came from, and Security for their fu- 
 ture Behaviour. 
 
 A Law once enacted by pub-lick Autho- 
 rity, all future can vailing and criticifing up- 
 on it is prohibited upon Pain of Death. So 
 that in their Politicks, their Liberty feems to 
 be more reftrained than in their Religion. 
 The Reafon they affign is this: " If any 
 " one err in Matters of Faith and Specula- 
 <c tion, at his own Peril he errs ; but if 
 M any one call in Queftion the eftablifh'd 
 " Laws, or endeavour to pervert the Senfe 
 u of them by fome new Glofs or Inter- 
 M pretation, he is an Enemy to Society. " 
 
 Something has already been faid of the 
 State and Oeconomy of the Court. It has 
 been obferv'd, that the Kadoki, or High 
 Chancellor, is the Supreme Officer. Next 
 to him is the Smirian^ or High Treafurer, 
 This Poft was in my Time difcharg'd by a 
 Widow of feven Branches, calPd Rahagna^ 
 who for her eminent Integrity and other 
 great Endowments, was advanced to an 
 Office of that Weight and Truft. Long had 
 lhe prefided at the Head of the Treafury, 
 even many Years before the Death of her 
 Husband, who, tho' extremely well vers'd 
 in the State of the Finances, yet was entire- 
 ly ruled by the Counfels and Authority of 
 hi* Wifej and never ventured to acl upoa 
 
 E 5 
 
8* A Journey to the 
 
 his own Judgment ; hence he was more 
 her Official or Deputy than her Husband. 
 The Edicts and Ordinances indeed were if- 
 fued out in his Name, as often as fhe was 
 hundred, by L) ings-in, or any other Ma- 
 lady j yet nothing was efteem'd firm and 
 authentic till her Subfcrfption or Seal was 
 affixed to it. Rahagna had two Brothers, 
 one of which was Butler, and the other 
 Butcher to the Court ; nor, tho* they had 
 a Sifter in the higheft Exaltation, did they 
 dare to aim at any Thing greater by Rea- 
 fon of the Poverty and Slendernefs of their 
 Abilities : With fo much Equity are Pre- 
 ferments here diftributed. 
 
 This Lady, tho' ingag'd in the moft ar- 
 duous Affairs of the Kingdom, yet at the 
 fame Time fuckled an Infant fhe was de- 
 li ver'd of foon after the Death of her Huf- 
 band. This I thought was too troublefome 
 end too mean an Employment for fo great 
 a Matron. And upon my giving my Opi- 
 nion, they reply'd in this Manner : " Can 
 11 you imagine that Nature has given Breafb 
 44 to Women only as a fofter Ornament, 
 ** and not rather for the Nourifhment of 
 ** their Offspring? The Quality of the 
 " Milk, and the Temper of the Nurfe, go 
 M farther than we imagine, in forming the 
 " Difpofitton of the Infant. And Mothers 
 u who difdain to nourifh their own IfTue, 
 M d "ff Ive one of the fmeft and ftrongell 
 * 4 Tics of Nature." And hence there is 
 
 hardly 
 
World Under -Ground, 83 
 
 hardly a Lady throughout all thefe Domi- 
 nions but buckles her own Children. 
 
 The Heir apparent of the Crown was a 
 Youth of fix Years old, in whom 'twas 
 eafy to difcover the Seeds of many great 
 and mining Virtues. Nature had been fo 
 liberal, as to adorn him with fix Pair 
 of Branches ; an uncommon Circumftance 
 in that tender Age. His Preceptor, the 
 wifeft Tree in all the Empire, inftrucled 
 him in the Knowledge of the Creator, in 
 Hiftory, in Mathematicks and moral Phi- 
 lofophy. I obtain'd a Sight of that Mo- 
 ral Syftem or Political Compendium, which 
 he compos'd for the Ufe of his Pupil. The 
 Title of it was, Mahalda Libab held, which 
 in the Subterranean Language fignifies a 
 Key to Government. It confifts of a Collec- 
 tion of Precepts and Maxims, the moft 
 iblid and advantageous ; fome of which I yet 
 perfectly remember, and fhall here fet them 
 down. 
 
 1. Afperfions or Encomiums are not ha- 
 ftily to be credited ; but the Judgment is 
 to be fufpended, till an indubitable Know- 
 ledge can be procur'd. 
 
 2. When any one is accus'd and convict- 
 ed of a Crime, it mould be examin'd what 
 Good the Delinquent has ever done ; thus 
 his good Actions being compar'd with his 
 bad, let Reafon interpole and pronounce 
 Sentence. 
 
 3. Thofe 
 
34 A Journey to the 
 
 3. Thofe Counfellors who are given to- 
 Contradiction and Conteft, the Sovereign- 
 may fafely confide in as the heartieft Sub- 
 jects ; for no one will expofe themfelves to 
 Danger, but thofe to whom the Welfare 
 of their Country is dearer than their private 
 Safety. 
 
 4. Let none but large- efta ted Men com- 
 pofe the Senate. Their Advantage is united 
 with the Publick Advantage : Whereas 
 thofe who poftefs but a moveable Eftatej 
 look upon the Kingdom nor as their Coun- 
 try, but as an Inn, and themfelves as Tra- 
 vellers. 
 
 5. The Prince may make ufe of the Mi- 
 niftry or Agency of bad Men, if they mould 
 happen to be fit for a particular Buhnefs, but 
 never load them with uncommon Favours j 
 for if a wicked or an obnoxious Man be re- 
 ceiv'd into Favour, the word of Subjects 
 will rife under his Patronage, and work 
 themfelves into Office. 
 
 6. Let him moft of all fufpecl thofe, 
 who perpetually haunt the Court : Such 1 ei- 
 ther have committed, or are prepared to 
 commit the moft daring Things. 
 
 7. Let him be very backward to reward 
 thofe who are moft impatient of Honours. 
 For as no one begs an Alms till opprefs'd 
 with Poverty and Hunger, fo none infatia- 
 bly haunt after Dignities, but who defpair 
 to rife by real Merit and Virtue. 
 
 8. The eighth Precept is indeed a very 
 ufeful one, but what I couid not be pleas'd. 
 
 WUU 
 
World Under -Ground. 8j 
 
 with upon Account of the odious Example 
 with which it was illuftrated. The Precept 
 is this : No Subject is to be confider'd as 
 altogether ufelefs ; none are fo dull but may 
 be made fubfervient to fome good Purpofe, 
 nay even may be made to excel in ibms 
 Point. For Inftance, one excels in Judg- 
 ment, another in Ingenuity > one's Excel- 
 lence fhall be in the Mind, another's in the 
 Body ; this fhall make a. good Judge, that a 
 tetter Advocate. One fhall have a vaft 
 Power of Invention, another fhall labour at 
 the Execution of a Thing j infomuch, that 
 there are few entirely unprofitable. That 
 fome Creatures indeed feem fo,. is not the 
 Fault of the Creator, but of thofe who will 
 not perceive or enquire where their chief 
 Strength lies, and follow that Clue. This 
 Pofition he thus illuftrated. We have feen, 
 fays he, in this our Age, one of the Superter- 
 ranean Animals, who, by the unanimous 
 Suffrage of all was deem'd as an unprofita- 
 ble Load upon the Earth, by reafon of that 
 Quicknefs and Forwardnefs of his Judg- 
 ment ; but yet we fee his great Swiftnefs 
 of Foot is of no fmall Service to us. Upon 
 reading this Paragraph, 1 could not help 
 faying, This is a very honeji Preface^ but a 
 fcandalous Conclufion. 
 
 9. It is of no fmall Importance to a Prince 
 who would know the Arts of governing, to 
 be very nice and cautious in the Choice of 
 a Preceptor to the Heir of his Dominions. 
 Let iii m therefore chufc one of remarkable 
 
 Pi 
 
86 A Journey to the 
 
 Piety, and eminent Learning, fince from 
 the Inftitution of the future Succefibr, the 
 Welfare of the State muft be determin'd. 
 What we learn in the tender Age of Life, 
 pafTes into Nature. Hence it is neceflary, 
 that the young Prince's Tutor fhould be a 
 Lover of his Country, that he may inftil 
 into his Prince a Love for his Subjects, the 
 firft and principal Mark that all his Precepts 
 (hould be aim'd at. 
 
 io. Tie neceflary the Prince fhould ftu- 
 dy the Genius of his Government, and con- 
 form to it ; and if he would correct the 
 Diforders of his Subjects, let him do it 
 rather from his own Example than the 
 Laws. 
 
 " Velocius iff citius nos 
 
 Corrumpunt vitiorum exempla domejiica r 
 
 magnis 
 Cum fubeant animos autoribus. 
 
 II. Let none be fuffcr'd to be idle, fince 
 fuch are a dead Weight upon their Coun- 
 try. Bv conitant Induftry and Toil, the 
 Republick riles into Strength and Power $ 
 nor is there any Room left for pernicious 
 Counfels and Contrivances againft the State. 
 And therefore it is fafer for the State to al- 
 low the Subjects their infignmcant Diver- 
 fions, than to indulge them in a LazintiV, 
 which would be a Source of Confpiracies. 
 
 3 2. Let 
 
World Under-Ground. %j 
 
 12. Let the Prince preferve Peace among 
 his Subjects ; however, it would not be amifs 
 to encourage an Emulation among his 
 Counfellors, as it leads to the Difcovery of 
 Truth. A fkilful Judge will often extract 
 the Truth from the Paffions of the Ad- 
 vocates, 
 
 13. He would aft wifely, if in Affairs of 
 the laft Moment he heard the Sentiments 
 of every Member of the Senate, and that, 
 rather apart than when convened. For in 
 a full Senate, where Opinions are openly 
 given, it often falls out that the moft fluent 
 Speaker bears all before him with a Torrent 
 of Eloquence, and fo the Sovereign hears 
 but one Opinion. 
 
 14. Punifhments are not lefs neceiTary 
 than Rewards : The flrft puts a Stop to 
 Evil, as the latter encourages Good. Hence 
 it may not be wrong even to reward a bad 
 Subject for a good Action, if it were only, 
 that others may thereby be whetted up and 
 incited to do their Duty vigorously. 
 
 15. In Promotions to Honours and pub- 
 lick Pofts, let Regard be had principally to 
 the Perfon's Dexterity and Adroitnefs for 
 that particular Employment. Though Piety 
 and Integrity are of themfelves moft com- 
 mendable Virtues, yet 'tis pofnble we may 
 be deceiv'd by their Appearance. Every 
 one would afre£t a Sanctity of Behaviour, if 
 he knew that this Shew of Virtue was the 
 Road to Honours* and would in Words 
 profefs the utmoft rrobity and Uprightneis, 
 
 with 
 
88 A Journey to the 
 
 with the fame View. Befides, it is no eafy 
 Matter to form a Judgment of a Performs 
 Virtues, till he is admitted to Employment, 
 in which, as upon a Stage, he is to exhi- 
 bit Specimens of his Virtues. But nothing 
 is eafier than to make Experiment of any 
 one's Aptnefs for Bufinefs before-hand. It 
 is infinitely harder for the Stupid and the 
 Ignorant to conceal their Stupidity and Igno- 
 rance, than for a Hypocrite to cover bis 
 Impiety, or a Knave his Roguery. Befides, 
 great Abilities and much Virtue are not fo 
 very oppofite but they may be often found 
 united in the fame Character. And if a 
 Perfon of large Abilities be at the fame 
 Time honeft and virtuous, nothing more 
 can be wanting. An Ignorant is either 
 good or bad ; if bad, who knows what 
 Monfters Ignorance and Wickednefs m 
 Conjunction produce ? If good, his very 
 Dulnefs muft indubitably hinder the Ex- 
 ercife of his Virtues. And if lie of him- 
 (elf neither can nor dare attempt the Com- 
 milTion of fome atrocious Crime, yet the 
 Servant, whofe Afliftance he muft make ufe 
 of, in all Likelihood may. A foolifh 
 Landlord has commonly a joguifh Bailiff, 
 and a dull Juftice a knavifh Clerk, who 
 fearlefly commits Frauds and Errors under 
 the Protection of his Mafter. In Promo- 
 tions therefore, let Dexterity be the principal 
 Thing regarded. 
 
 16. Let none be haftilv cenfur'd as ambi- 
 tious, for aiming at an Employment he 
 k 
 
World Under-Ground. S9 
 
 in Reality unfit for, or for that Reafon ex- 
 cluded from all Hopes of Preferment. For 
 if, in the Diftribution of publick Honours, 
 the Prince fhoukl happen to adhere to this 
 Rule too clofely, the mod Ambitious will 
 foon put on the Mafk of Humility, as a fa- 
 fer Road and a (horter Cut to Preferment. 
 And thus the Sovereign would, contrary to 
 his Inclination, prefer the moft forward Wor- 
 fhippers of Fortune, as being to all Appear- 
 ance the moft humble; that is, he would 
 prefer thofe, who about the Time of any 
 Vacancy pretend to fly from Court and re- 
 tire into the Shade, giving out by their 
 Friends that they are averfe to Grandeur. 
 To illuftrate this Point, he inferted an Ex- 
 ample of one who, during the Vacancy of 
 a confiderable Employment he was all on 
 Fire to obtain, wrote to the Prince to this 
 Effect, viz. *' That it was reported, that 
 *' his Serene Highnefs defign'd the vacant 
 <c Dignity for him, tho' follicited for it by 
 M Numbers ; that he for his Part muft beg 
 tC Leave to decline an Office to which he 
 " profefs'd himfelf unequal ; that he in- 
 *' treated his Majefty to confer it upon 
 " fome more proper Perfon, and that be- 
 <c ing perfectly contented with his prefent 
 ** Station, he afpir'd to nothing greater." 
 The Monarch mov'd with fo ftrong an At- 
 teftation of Humility, preferr'd this humble 
 Hypocrite to the faid Dignity. But he foon 
 karnt that he was abus'd ;. for no Minifies 
 
 GY£J» 
 
fo A Journey to the 
 
 ever behav'd with fuch Pride, or acted with 
 fuch Weaknefs. 
 
 17. To fet a poor Infolvent at the Head 
 of the Treafury, is the fame Thing as to 
 put a hungry Man in your Pantry. Nor 
 is a covetous rich Man a better Choice. 
 The former has nothing, and the other 
 thinks nothing enough. 
 
 18. Let there be no Foundations or 
 Eftabliftiments for the Maintenance of 
 flothful Trees. Accordingly, throughout 
 this Empire, the Monafteries and Colleges 
 admit only the Induftrious and the Dili- 
 gent ; thofe who either by fome ufeful Ma- 
 nufacture help to advance the Intereft of 
 the Republick, or who by their Studies and 
 Learning can be an Ornament to the So- 
 ciety they are Members of. A few Mo- 
 nasteries indeed are to be excepted, which 
 maintain the Aged and the Helplefs ; fuch 
 by the Privilege of Age being exempted 
 from all Labour. 
 
 19. When the Diforders of the State call 
 loud for Reformation, it will be right to 
 proceed flowly in it. For to endeavour to 
 extirpate inveterate Evils at a Blow is as ab- 
 furd as to prefcribe Purging, Bleeding, and 
 Vomiting all at once to a Patient. 
 
 20. Thofe who boldly attempt every 
 Thing, and undertake a Multitude of Af- 
 fairs together, are either Fools who have 
 not duly compar'd their own Strength with 
 the Weight of the Things, or elfe they are 
 wicked and unnatural Members of their 
 
 Society, 
 
World Under-Ground. gi 
 
 Society, who confult their own Intereft 
 alone, inftead of that of the Common- 
 wealth. A prudent Man will try his Arms 
 before he takes his Burden up ; and an ho- 
 ned: Subject, who loves his Country, will not 
 tranfacl: the Affairs of it fuperficially. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 Of the Academy. 
 
 IN this Empire there are three great 
 Schools or Univerfities, one at Potu, an- 
 other at Keba, and a third at Nahami. The 
 Studies purfued there are Hiftory, CEcono- 
 my 9 Mathematicks, and Law. As to their 
 Divinity, fince it is fo fhort and concife, as 
 that the Whole is contain' d in the Com pais 
 of a couple of Pages, importing, That we 
 ought to love and adore Almighty God, the 
 Creator and Governor of Things, who in 
 fome State of Exiftence hereafter will re- 
 ward Virtue and punifh Vice ; as this, I 
 fay, is the Main of their Divinity, fo it is 
 no academical Study, nor indeed can it be v 
 fince it is prohibited by Law to have any 
 Controverfy about the Eflence or Attributes 
 of God. Phyfick, in like Manner, is not 
 reckon'd among; the Studies of the Univer- 
 nty ; for fince thefe Trees live all fober Lives, 
 internal Difeafes are almoft wholly unknown. 
 1 fay nothing of Metaphyficks, and fuch 
 
 tranfcen- 
 
9* A Journey to the 
 
 tranfcendental Learning, fince it has been 
 obferv'd above, that to difpute about the 
 Effence of the Divine Being, about the Qua^ 
 lities of Angels, or the Nature of Spirits, 
 incurrM the Punifhment of the Arrn^ and 
 Confinement in their Bedlam. 
 
 The academical Exercifes are thefe : The 
 VOung Students, during the Time of their 
 Probation, are oblig'd to give Solutions of 
 certain difihcult and curious Qiieftions, which 
 are propos'd at ftated Times, with a Re- 
 ward to thofe who give the molt ingenious 
 and elegant Expofitions. By thefe Means, 
 the true Genius of the Students is difco- 
 ver'd, what the utmoft Reach of their Ca- 
 pacity is, and in what Branch of Know- 
 ledge they are moft likely to fhine. Every 
 one imploys himfelf in one only Science. 
 An univerfal Scholar is a Chimnera ; and 
 the Affectation of fuch a Character is a 
 Mark of a loofe and unfettled Genius. 
 Hence it is, that the Sciences, confin'd 
 within fuch narrow Bounds, are foon 
 brought to Perfection. The feveral Doc- 
 tors likewife exhibit yearly Specimens of 
 their Learning. The moral Philofopher 
 clears fome abftrufe fpeculative Point. The 
 Hiftorian compiles a Hiftory, or fome Part 
 of Hiftory. The Mathematician throws 
 frefh Light upon his Science by fome new 
 and ingenious Hypothecs. The Lawyers 
 are oblig'd to make fome eloquent Ha- 
 rangues : And thefe alone ftudy Rhetoric 
 or Oratory, becaufe it is to thefe alone fuch 
 
World Under --Ground. 93 
 
 a Study will be advantageous when they 
 come to be Advocates. When I told them, 
 that all our academical Specimens of all 
 Sorts were in the labour d and oratorical 
 Style, they freely condemn'd fuch an Infti- 
 tution, replying, that if every Artifan were 
 oblig'd to make a Shoe, and exhibit Speci- 
 mens of fuch their Work, 'tis certain that 
 Shoemakers alone would bear away the Prize. 
 I purpofely omitted to fpeak of our fcholaftic 
 Difputations, becaufe fuch Exercifes were 
 there but in equal Eftimation with drama- 
 tical Performances. Their Doctors and 
 publick Teachers never deliver their In- 
 ftru£t.ions in a harfh, pedantick, and impe- 
 rious Manner, as the Philofophers of our 
 W T orld, but forming fome agreeable and de- 
 lightful Fiction, they drefs up and inculcate 
 a falutary Truth with all the Charms of 
 Fancy and Imagination. 
 
 'Tis furprizing to behold with what So- 
 lemnity the academical Promotions are 
 made. For they take the extremeft Care 
 not to furnifti the leaft Matter for Ridicule, 
 or to be guilty of any theatrical Levities, 
 rightly judging that a plain and grave 
 Simplicity mould diftinguifh the Exercifes 
 of an Univerfity from the Diverfions of a 
 Stage, left otherwife the liberal Arts mould 
 run into Difefteem. Upon this, I would 
 not venture to mention the leaft Syllable of 
 our academical Degrees and Promotions, 
 fince what happened to me at Keba, when 
 I gave a Defcription of this Kind of Ho- 
 nours. 
 
94 A Journey to the 
 
 nours, was ample Reafon for my eternal Si- 
 lence upon this Head. 
 
 Befides thefe Academies, the great Cities 
 have their feveral Seminaries or Colleges, 
 where the niceft Examination is made into 
 the Talents of every Scholar, what his 
 particular Capacity is, and in what Kind of 
 Learning he gives the moll: promifing Hopes 
 of excelling. During the Time of my 
 Probation in the Seminary at Keba, there 
 were four Sons of the High Prieft who were 
 all educated in the Art of War ; four o- 
 thers of Senatorian Quality were inftru&ed 
 in Trade; and two young Virgins learnt 
 Navigation. For here the Genius alone is 
 regarded, without any Refpecl to Sex or 
 Condition. The Examination being made, 
 the Governors of the Seminaries give Tefti- 
 monials to the Examinants with a Veracity 
 I have clfc where fpoke of. Thefe Tefti- 
 monials are perfectly juft and impartial ; 
 tho' I myfelf thought otherwife, fince that 
 which I obtain*d from them appear'd to me 
 abfurd, ridiculous and unjuir. 
 
 None is here fuffer'd to be an Author till 
 after thirty Years of Age, and till he fhall 
 be deem'd by his Judges ripe and fit 
 for fuch an Undertaking; confequently, 
 few Books are here publifh'd ; but then they 
 are well digefted, and full of Meaning. 
 Hence, tho* I had wrote five or fix DilTerta- 
 tions while under Age, I never difcover'd 
 it to any Creature for fear of drawing down 
 their Ridicule. Enough has now been faid 
 
 of 
 
World Under-Ground. a? 
 
 •of the Religion, Policy, and Literature of 
 this People. But there are, befides, feve- 
 ral Tilings peculiar to them, which are wor- 
 thy of our Obfervation and Remembrance. 
 H one Tree challenges another, the Chal- 
 lenger is for ever forbid the Ufe of Arms. 
 He is^condemn'd, like a Minor, to live un- 
 der Guardianfhip, as not knowing how to 
 rule his Afteflions. With us the Cafe is 
 different, where Appeals to the Sword are 
 Marks of an heroic Soul, efpecially in the 
 North, which muft have given Birth to 
 this abominable Cuftom, fince Challenges 
 and Duels were entirely unknown among 
 the Greeks, Romans, and other ancienter 
 Nations. 
 
 I obferv'd one ftrange Cuftom in their 
 Manner of adminiftring Juftice. The 
 Names of the conceding Parties are con- 
 ceals from the Judges j and the Differen- 
 ces are not decided in the Place where they 
 arofe, but the Cafe is fent to the more re- 
 mote Provinces to be determine. The 
 Reafon of this ftrange Cuftom is this. Ex- 
 perience taught them, that Judges were of- 
 ten corrupted by Prefents, or^fway'd bv 
 Partiality. Thefe Temptations they think 
 they effeaually remove, if the Parties are 
 conceal'd, if the Names of the Plaintiff 
 and Defendant, together with the Names 
 of the Lands or Eftates litigated, be all 
 unknown. The Reafons and Arguments 
 alone are fent, at the Difcretion of the 
 Prmce, to whatever Court of Juftice he 
 
 thinks 
 
96 A Journey to the 
 
 thinks fit, with certain Marks and Charac- 
 ters ; for Example, " JVhether A who is in 
 " Poffeflion, ought to rejlore the Thing pojfefs'd 
 " at the Suit and Motion of B." I mould 
 rejoice to find fuch a Cuftom introduc'd 
 among us, fince we often experience the 
 fatal Force of Corruption and Partiality in 
 the Minds of our Judges. 
 
 Juftice in general is freely adminifter'd 
 without Refpect of Perfons. Againft the 
 Prince only no Action can lie during his 
 Life, but upon his Death the publick Accu- 
 fers, or (if one may fo call them) the Coun- 
 cil for the Kingdom, cite him to Judgment. 
 There in full Senate the Actions of the de- 
 parted Monarch are ftrictly examin'd, and 
 at length Sentence is pronoun'd, which ac- 
 cording to the Merit of the Deceas'd is 
 diftinguifh'd by different Words and Cha- 
 racters, fuch as thefe, Laudably j Not illau- 
 dably, Well', Not illy Tolerably, Indifferent- 
 ly ; which Words are proclaimed aloud to 
 the People, and afterwards engrav'd on the 
 Monument of the Deceas'd. The Potuans 
 give this Account of that Cuftom: That 
 the Prince while living cannot be proceeded 
 againft without great Commotions and Dif- 
 turbances ; for that during his Life a perfect 
 Obedience and inviolable Veneration ftiould 
 ftill be paid him, which indeed is the very 
 Bafis of Government. But when that Ob - 
 ligation is diflblv'd by Death, the Subjects 
 then have Liberty to call his Actions to a 
 ftrict Account. Thus by this falutary, tho' 
 
 very 
 
World Under -Ground. 97 
 
 very paradoxical Law, the Security of the 
 Sovereign is provided for, his Authority not 
 at all invaded, and the Welfare of the Peo- 
 ple at the fame Time promoted. For thefe 
 Characters, tho' given to the Dead, are to 
 the Living fo many Spurs to Virtue. The 
 Potuan Hiitorics for four hundred Years af- 
 ford only two Inftances of Princes who hore 
 the la ft mention'd Chara6ler, that is, that 
 of Indifferent. All the others. obtain'd ei- 
 ther the Laudable or the Not illaudabk Cha- 
 racter, as appears from the Infer ipt ions upon 
 their fepulchral Monuments, which have 
 efcap'd the Injuries of Time. The Cha- 
 racter of Indifferent^ which in the Potuan 
 Language is call'd Rip-fac-fi^ caufes fucii 
 Grief in the Royal family, that the Suc- 
 cefTor of the deceas'd Prince, with all his 
 Kindred, mourn for fix whole Months. 
 And fo far arc the Heirs from refecting the 
 odious Character given by the Judges, that 
 it becomes a new Incentive to them to 
 fignalize themfelves by noble and worthy 
 Actions, and to efface the Infamy of the 
 Family by a Conduct full of Virtue, Pru- 
 dence, Jufticc and Moderation. 
 
 The Caufe why one of the two Princes 
 above-mention'd had the Title of Indiffe- 
 rent given him, was this : The Potuans are 
 a lira\c and warlike People ; thev never de- 
 clare War themfelves, but if War be de- 
 clar'd againfl: them they pufh it with all 
 imaginable Vigour. By thefe Means they 
 are the Umpires between contending Na- 
 
 F (tons. 
 
98 A Journey to the 
 
 tions, and the feveral Kingdoms of this 
 Globe fubmit to their mild and pacific 
 Sway. But a Prince, by Name Mikleta^ 
 feiz'd with the Ambition of extending his 
 Dominions, made War upon a neighbour- 
 ing Kingdom, and fubdued it. But as 
 much as the victorious Potuans gain'd by 
 the Conquetr, fo much they left of their 
 ancient Renown ; the Love of the border- 
 ing Nations was now changed into Dread 
 and Jealoufy ; and that high Idea of their 
 Juftice, by which the State grew into Re- 
 putation, was now vanifh'd. The Potuans 
 finding this, to regain the loft AfFedlions 
 of thtir angry Neighbours, branded the 
 Memory of the deceas'd Prince with this 
 Mark of Infamy. What the Crime of the 
 other indifferent Prince was, is not altoge- 
 ther fo clear. 
 
 Their publick Doctors or Teachers are 
 fuch as have attain' d to the third Age. To 
 explain this it muft be obferv'd, that here 
 Lite is divided into three Ages. The firft 
 is that in which they are inftrucled in pub- 
 lick Affairs. In the fecond they publickly 
 purfue and exercife what they have learnt. 
 And in the third, being honourably dif- 
 mifs'd from their Employments, they then 
 take upon them the Inftruction of the Ju- 
 niors. Hence, none have a Right to teach 
 in publick but fuch as are grown old in the 
 Ad minift ration of publick Affairs, fince 
 none are fo capable of laying down folid 
 
 Rules 
 
World Under-Ground. 99 
 
 Rules as thofe who have drawn their Know- 
 ledge from long Experience. 
 
 If any one already infamous for the Im- 
 morality of his Life mould however give 
 wholefome Advice to the State, the Name 
 of the Perfon is fupprefs'd, left it mould 
 lofe its Effect from the Character of its 
 Author, and the Decree purfuant to fuch 
 Advice is fhelter'd under the Name of fome 
 more honourable Perfon. Thus the good 
 Opinion is known, and the bad Author 
 conceal'd. 
 
 I was inform'd, that with refpedt to Reli- 
 gion, it was prohibited to difpute about the 
 prime Articles of Faith, particularly about 
 the Effence and Attributes of the Deity. 
 But as to all other Points, it is free for every 
 one to propofe their Opinions and engage in 
 Controverfies. For, fay they, the Incon- 
 veniences which arife from fuch Conten- 
 tions may be compar'd to Storms, which 
 indeed throw down Houfes, but at the fame 
 Time cleanfe the Air, and prevent thag 
 Putrefaction which would arife from a fta2> 
 nant Atmufphere. The Reafun of their 
 having few Holidays, is, left a Spirit of Idle- 
 nefs Ihould creep upon them ; for the Potu- 
 ■ans believe that good People as duly worfhip 
 (jod when employed in ufeful Labours, as 
 tl.ey do by Vows and Pra)ers. 
 
 The Study of Poetry meets with but cold 
 Encouragement ; yet they are not altoge- 
 ther deltitute of Poets. But the fubterra- 
 nean Poetry differs from Profe only in the 
 F 2 Subli- 
 
ioo A Journey to the 
 
 Sublimity of Style ; and they receiv'd what 
 I told them concerning our Rhime and 
 Meafure with the utmoft Derifion. 
 
 Among the Potuan Doctors fome are call'd 
 Profeffors of Tafte. It is their Province to 
 fee that the Minds of the Youth are not 
 employ'd in fenfelefs Controversies and 
 Things of no Ufe ; to take Care that no 
 trivial and vulgar Writings get abroad to 
 poifon and debauch the Tafte ; and to fup- 
 prefs or blot out from every Book whatever 
 is writ in Defiance of common Senfe. And 
 to this End alone certain Perfons are ap- 
 pointed to revife and cenfure Books; far 
 otherwife than it is in our World, where 
 the Licenfers of Books ihall fupprefs the 
 very bed, only perhaps becaufe they deviate 
 fomething from the reigning Opinions, from 
 the receiv'd Manner of Expreilion, or be- 
 caufe they lafh the Vices of the Age with 
 too ftrong a Sincerity, and too fine a Viva- 
 city. By this Means, great Geniufes are 
 in a Manner fufFocated and ftifled, and 
 Writings of a good Stamp are for ever bu- 
 ried. But yet, as the Potuans have a free 
 Commerce with the Neighbour Nations, 
 among other Commodities, fome Books of a 
 poor and trivial Turn will creep abroad* 
 Upon which Account Cenfors are appointed 
 by the State, who from Time to Time vi- 
 fit the Bookfellers Shops. Thefe are call'd 
 Syla-Macati) that is, Purgers of Bookfellers 
 Shops. For as among us there is a certain 
 Sort of Men, who brufti and cleanfe our 
 
 Chimnies 
 
World Under-Ground. 101 
 
 Chimnies once a Year, (o thofe Cenfors, 
 who pry and examine into the Books that 
 are put to Sale, cleanfe away all the Dregs, 
 that is, Rich Books, or Parts of Books, as 
 would deprave the Tafte, and convey them 
 to the Jaques. Blefs me ! faid I to myfelf, 
 What Havock would be made among our 
 Books, if fuch an Inftitution were to take 
 Place among us ! 
 
 But what cannot k enough commended, 
 is the Care they take in founding the Ge- 
 nius of their Youth, in order to know 
 what Courfe of Life they will be ntteft for. 
 For as in Mufick a judicious Ear diftin- 
 guifhes every little Sound; in the fame Man- 
 ner thefe piercing Judges of the Virtues and 
 Vices of the Mind, form their Sentiments 
 from fome feemingly inconsiderable Hints, 
 from perhaps a Caft of the Eye, from a 
 Frown, from Dejection, Mirth, Laughter, 
 Speech, and even Silence. 'Tis by thefe 
 Things they eafily know every one's Pro- 
 penfity, and alfo what is contrary to his 
 Conftitution. 
 
 But to return to what concerns myfelf. I 
 pafs'd my Time, it may be well imagin'd, 
 not in the moft agreeable Manner with 
 thefe paradoxical Trees, who treated me 
 with Difdain upon Account of that too for- 
 ward and unfettled Judgment which they 
 imputed to me. I grew impatient under 
 thofe Scoffs they were ever flinging out ; for 
 they even went fo far, as to give me the 
 Nick-name of Skabba^ which in their Lan- 
 F 3 guagc 
 
102 A .Jour key to the 
 
 guage fignifies over-ba/iy. But what cha> 
 grin'd me moft, was that my very Laun- 
 drefs, tho' of the Dregs of the Populace, 
 and one of the moft miferable and indigent 
 Trees herfelf, did not even fcruple to call 
 me by that Name of Reproach. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 %'bc Author's Journey round the Plana 
 
 Nazar, 
 
 TTTTAVING continued in the unpleafing 
 Employment of King's MefTenger 
 for two whole Years, and earry'd the Royal 
 Mandates and Letters Patents to every Pro- 
 vince of the Empire, I at laft grew tfPd of 
 fo troublefome and fo unworthy an Office. 
 Accordingly I again and again petition'd his 
 Serene Highnefs to grant me an honourable 
 Difmiffion, and at the fame Time follicited 
 a more reputable Employment. But I met 
 with nothing but Repulfes from his High- 
 ne( ; , whofe conftant Reply was, that a more 
 important Office was above my Strength 
 and Capacity. He alledg'd alfo, that the 
 Laws and Cuftoms of the Country were 
 Death to my Hopes, in that they admitted 
 only fit and proper Perfons to the moft emi- 
 r.ent and arduous Polls of Government ; 
 that therefore I muff make a Virtue of Ne- 
 cefrtv, and reft myfelf contented, till I had 
 
 done 
 
World Under-Ground. 103 
 
 done fomething to merit better Fortune. 
 He concluded his Advice in Terms like 
 thofe of the Poet, 
 
 Metiri fe quemque fuo modulo ac pede fas cji. 
 E ccelo magnum defcendit Nofce teipfum, 
 Figendum ac memori traclandum peclore. 
 
 Thefe repeated Refufals were enough to 
 throw me upon the moft daring; and defpe- 
 rate Defigns. PYom that Day forward my 
 Invention was upon the Rack to produce 
 f >mething, that fhoulcl demonfirate the Ex- 
 cellence of my Genius, and wipe away my 
 prefent Infamy. Accordingly, for a whole 
 Year I ftudy'd the Laws and Cuiloms of 
 the Country with an invincible Application, 
 refolv'd to difcover, whether there were in 
 them any Defects that requir'd a Reforma- 
 tion. 1 open'd my Defign to a certain Bufh, 
 with whom I had . contracted a clofe Inti- 
 macy, and with whom I us'd to converfe 
 very freely upon all Subjects, whether grave 
 or gay. He thought my Defign not altoge- 
 ther abfurd, but extremely queftion'd, whe- 
 ther it would be of any Service to the 
 State. He added, that it fhould be the 
 Care of a Reformer, to be a thorough Ma- 
 tter of the Nature and Genius of the Coun- 
 try he intends to reform ; becaufe the fame 
 Thing might, in different Countries, pro- 
 duce different Effects, as the fame Medicine 
 may be good for lbme Bodies, and perni- 
 cious to others. He like wife inform'd me 
 of the Danger I expos'd myfelf to in this 
 F 4 Experi- 
 
104 -A Journey to the 
 
 Experiment, that no lefs than my Life depend- 
 ed on it, which mutt be a Forfeit to the State, 
 fhould my Project have the Misfortune to 
 be condemn'd by the Judges. He therefore 
 ardently intreated me to beftow a little more 
 ReBexion on this Affair ; tho* he did not 
 plainly diffuade me from my Attempt, fince 
 he thought it not impoffible, that a Sagacity, 
 like mine, might at length difcover fome- 
 thing ufeful, as well to myfelf, as to the 
 State. I took the Advice of my Friend, 
 and for a Time la id afide my Scheme, and 
 with a laudable Patience continued to dif- 
 charge my Duty, by viiiting the various 
 Cities and Provinces of the Kingdom after 
 the ufual Manner. Thcfe repeated Expe- 
 ditious furniih'd me with an Opportunity 
 of making Enquiries into the State of the 
 Kingdom, as well as that of the bordering 
 Nations ; and left what I had obferv'd in 
 my Travels mould efcape my Memory, I 
 penn'd it all down, and making a little Vo- 
 lume of it, humbly prefented it to the 
 Prince. How much his Serene Highnefs was 
 taken with this Work appear'd afterward, 
 by his doing me the Honour to commend 
 my Labours in full Senate ; and having 
 again attentively perus'd my Book, he was 
 pleas'd to make ufe of mv Services in a far- 
 ther Difcovery of the whole Planet Nazar. 
 I expected a different Recompence for my 
 Labours, but was forc'd to fay with the 
 Poet, 
 
 — — Virtus laudatur & alget. 
 
 But 
 
World Under- Ground. 105 
 
 But fince I was fond of Novelty, and had 
 Hopes that fo bountiful a Prince would ne- 
 ver leave me unrewarded after my Return, 
 1 fet about the Work with a good Degree 
 of Pleafure. 
 
 The whole Globe of the Planet Nazar 9 
 altho' fcarce fix hundred Miles in Circum- 
 ference, yet to the Inhabitants appears of an 
 immenfe Extent, by Reafon of the Slow- 
 nefs of their Motion. And hence to this 
 Day a great many Countries, and parti- 
 cularly the more remote ones, are ut- 
 terly unknown to the Natives. A Potuan 
 would hardly be able to travel over this 
 Globe on foot in two Years. But what 
 embarrafsM me moit, was the Fear I had 
 that a Variety of Languages would put me 
 to great Difficulties. But I wis foon unde- 
 ceiv'd, and reviv'd to hear, that the Inha- 
 bitants of the whole Planet, tho' wonder- 
 fully different in their Manners, yet all 
 fpoke the fame Tongue ; and befides this, 
 that the whole Race of Trees were in the 
 main harmlefs, fociable, and beneficent Be- 
 ings, fo that I might, without the leafr. 
 Danger, make the Tour of the whole 
 Globe. This redoubled my Ardour, and 
 in the Month of Poplars I began my 
 Journey. 
 
 What follows is fo marvellous, that it 
 looks more like a poetic Ficlion, or the 
 Chimaeras of ungovern'd Fancy, than Rea- 
 lity and Truth ; efpecially fince thofe Varie- 
 ties, both of Body Mind, which in this 
 F 5 Journey 
 
io6 A Journey to the 
 
 Journey I met with, are fuch as one would 
 never expecl to find between the mod dis- 
 tant Nations. It muft be obferv'd, that 
 many Kingdoms here are feparated from 
 each other by Seas and Straits, not unlike 
 the Archipelago in Europe, Thefe Straits are 
 feldom crofs'd ; but tor the Benefit of Tra- 
 vellers, there are certain Ferrymen that 
 keep their Stations on the Banks in Readi- 
 nefs to tranfport the Paffengers. It is very 
 rare, that the Natives ever venture beyond 
 the Limits of their own Country ; and it 
 compelFd, by Neceffity, to make a Voyage, 
 they foon return, as if impatient of a fo- 
 reign Soil. Hence, as many Nations as 
 there are, vou fee fo many new Worlds in a 
 Manner. The principal Caufe of this vaft 
 Diflimilitude, is the different Nature of the 
 Lands, as appears from the various Colours 
 on the Surface, and from the furprizing 
 Difference between the Plants, Herbs, and 
 Fruits ; it is the lefs Wonder, therefore, if 
 with that Diverfity of the Soil, and the 
 Vroducls of it, there mould alfo be found a 
 no lefs furprizing Variety of Inhabitants, 
 and even oppofite Natures and Tempers. 
 In our World, indeed, even Nations the 
 moft remote, differ very little from tach 
 other in pen i us, Manners, Learning, Shape 
 and Colour. For fince the Nature of the 
 Farth is aim oft every where the fame, ex- 
 cept that one Pait is more fruitful than an- 
 other, and fince the Nature of our Plants, 
 Herbs, and Water, is nearly the fame every 
 
 2 where, 
 
World Under-Ground, 107 
 
 where, hence nothing heterogeneous or un- 
 common is produc'd, as in this fubterrancan 
 Planet, where every Tract of Land has its 
 own peculiar Property. Strangers arc al- 
 low'd to trade and travel, but not to fettle 
 out of their own Country ; nor, indeed, could 
 fuch a Liberty be well granted, confidering 
 the great Diverfity and Oppofition of Na- 
 tures between each other. Hence all Fo- 
 reigners that you meet with, are either Mer- 
 chants or Travellers. The Countries which 
 border upon the Potuan Dominions, are 
 nearly of the fame Nature with them. 
 Their Inhabitants were formerly often at 
 War with the Pctuans ; but at this Day 
 they are cither in Alliance with them, or 
 having been fubdued, they now reft con- 
 tented in their Subjection to fo mild a Power. 
 But if vou once crofs the great Sea, which 
 divides their whole Globe, new Scenes pre- 
 fent themfelves, together with new and 
 ftrange Creatures unknown to the Potuans. 
 One only Thing they have in confmon, 
 and that is, that all the Creatures of this 
 Globe are rational Trees, and all ufe the 
 fame Dialect. This makes Travelling very 
 pbafant, efpecially as the Merchants and 
 Foreigners, perpetually pafling thro' every 
 Province, give People an Opportunity of 
 feeing Creatines extreamly ftrange and un- 
 like themfelves. Thus much I thought 
 proper to prcmife, left tender Eais fhould 
 be offended with the fubfequent Narration, 
 
 . and 
 
io8 A Journey to the 
 
 and the Author reproach'd with Want of 
 Veracity. 
 
 It would be a tirefome and an unprofita- 
 ble Tafk, to recount every Thing fingly, 
 and in exact hiitorical Order, that I met 
 with in my Travels. Let it fuffice, that I 
 give an Account of thofe particular People 
 only, whofe Character, Defcription, and 
 Manners have fomething fo unufual and 
 marvellous in them, that upon their Ac- 
 count this Planet of Nazar may be reckon'd. 
 one of the principal Prodigies of the Uni- 
 verfe. 1 muft here call to Mind an Obfer- 
 vation I have before made, that this whole 
 Race and Country of rational Trees differ 
 very little in Senfe and Judgment from the 
 Potuans ; but in their Rites and Cuftoms, 
 in their Make and Temper, there is fo 
 much Diversity, that every Province you 
 would fwear to be a new World. 
 
 In the Province of ^uamfe, which is the 
 fir ft beyond the Sea, the Inhabitants are 
 fub'eel to no Infirmities or Difeafes of Bo- 
 dy, but each enjoys a perfect Health from 
 Youth to lateft Age. I could not help 
 thinking; them the moft happy of Mortals. 
 But upon a flight Acquaintance with them, 
 I found mvfelf infinitely miftaken. For as, 
 upon one Hand, I faw nobody fad or for- 
 rovvful ; fo upon the other, I faw nobody 
 pleas'd and joyful. For as we never highly 
 relifh the Serenity of the Heavens, and the 
 Weather, unlefs we have been fenfible of 
 the Hardships of a different Temperature 
 
 of 
 
World Under-Ground, 109 
 
 of the Air ; (o thefe Trees tafte no 
 Felicity, becaufe it is perpetual and unin- 
 terrupted, and never know the Pleafure of 
 Health, for want of knowing the Mifery of 
 Difeafes. Their Life is one eternal Indo- 
 lence. Their Enjoyments are never exqui- 
 fite, and thofe alone can tafte the Sweets 
 of Life, who have their Pleafures feafon'd 
 with a little Pain. I proteft, that I never 
 found, in any Country upon the Face of 
 the Earth, fuch lifelefs Creatures, or fuch 
 cold and infipid Converfatiohs. The Peo- 
 ple are harmlefs, but deferve neither your 
 Love or Hatred. You fear no Affront, 
 and you expect no Favour. In a Word* 
 here is nothing either to pleafe or difpleafe. 
 Befides, as that continual Health never 
 brings the Image of Death before their Eyes, 
 nor ever moves their Concern towards the 
 Afflicted and Difeafed, fo they pafs their 
 Days in dull Security, and never know the 
 generous Warmths of Pity and Compaflion ; 
 nor do the leaft Footfteps of Love, or any 
 fuch tender Affection appear there. In 
 Truth, Difeafes remind us of our Mortality, 
 excite us to die well, and keep the Soul as 
 it were equipt for its Journey to that World 
 from whence none return - 3 and as they af- 
 flict us with Pain, fo they infpire a Sym- 
 pathy towards others when afflicted. This 
 leads one eafily to difcern how much Difeafes, 
 and the Danger of dying, contribute to 
 Charity, Love, and all the facial Affections, 
 and that thofe People unjuftly complain of 
 
 their 
 
no A Journey to the 
 
 their Creator for appointing thefe Afflic- 
 tions, which are fo full of real Advantage. 
 It mufl be obferv'd, that thefe Trees, as 
 often as they remove into other Places, are 
 exposM to the fame Evils and Cafualties of 
 Life that others are. This is a Proof to 
 me, that they are indebted to the Climate 
 for this peculiar Advantage, if indeed it 
 can be call'd an Advantage. 
 
 The Province of Lalac, furnam'd Maf- 
 catta, or the Bte/t, feems to correfpond with 
 its Name ; for there the Earth produces all 
 Things fpontaneoufly. 
 
 Flumina jam Iaelis, jam flumina Neman's 
 
 ibant, 
 Flavaque de viridi Jlillabant ilice mella : 
 Ipfa quoque immnmsy rajtroquc intaJ/a, nee 
 
 ullis 
 Saucia vsmeribus, per fe dabai omnia tcllus. 
 
 But this extraordinary Circumftance does 
 not render the Natives one Jot happier. 
 For as there is no Need of Labour to pro- 
 cure their daily Suftenance, they fpend their 
 Days in Softnefs, Sloth, and Luxury, and 
 fo lay the Foundation of innumerable Dif- 
 cafes, and untimely Deaths. The Nature 
 of this Country affords ample Master for 
 our ferious Reflexion ; in particular it ap- 
 pears, from the Condition of the People, 
 that Hufbandmen, Servants and Labourers, 
 are far happier than thofe, who, free from 
 the Fatigue of providing for themfelvcs, are 
 devoted to Idlenefs and Pleafure. 
 
 Nempe 
 
World Under-Ground. in 
 
 Nempe inamareficunt epula fine fine petit*?, 
 Illufique pedes vhiojwn fierre rccufant 
 Corpus. 
 
 Hence follows a Train of vicious Anions,, 
 defperate Refolutions, and violent Deaths, 
 which are here obferv'd to be very com- 
 mon. For the perpetual Affluence in which 
 they live, in Length of Time quite wears away 
 all Tafte and Senfe of Pleafure, and almoft 
 infallibly introduces a downright Loathing 
 of Life. Thus this Region, which appear'd 
 at firft like the Abodes of the Bleft, was in 
 Reality the Seat of Sorrow, and more an 
 Objeft of my Companion than my Envy. 
 
 Hoc eclerare fugam, terraque excedere jujfit. 
 
 The next Province is that of Mardak \ 
 they are Cyprejfes, all of the fame Form and 
 Height, and differ only from each other by 
 the different Make of their Eyes. Some 
 have long Eyes, fome fquare Eyes ; fome 
 have fmall ones, others have Fyes (o large 
 as to take up the whole Space of the Fore- 
 head. Some are born with two, others 
 with three, and fome with four Eyes. There 
 are alfo thofe who have only one Eye ; and 
 thefe might be reputed the Offspring of Po- 
 lyphemus, but that their one Eye is feated in 
 the hinder Part of the Head. And hence, 
 according to the different Shape of their 
 Eyes, they are divided into fo many Tribes* 
 the Names of which are as follows : 
 
 I. Nagiri, 
 
ii2 A Journey to the 
 
 1. Nagiri, or thofe who have long Eyes,, 
 and to whom confequently every Objecl: ap- 
 pears long. 
 
 2. Naquiri, thofe who have fquare Eyes. 
 
 3. Tala?npi, the fmall Eyes. 
 
 4. yaraku, thofe who have two Eyes, 
 one of which is more oblique than the 
 other. 
 
 5. Mcbanki, three Eyes. 
 
 6. Tarrafuki, four Eyes. 
 
 7. Harramba, thofe whofe Eyes occupy 
 the Space of the whole Forehead. 
 
 8. Skadrfki) thofe who have only one Eye 
 in the hinder Part of the Head. 
 
 The mod numerous, and of courfe the 
 mod powerful Tribe, is that of the Nagiri y 
 or thofe who have long Eyes, and to whom 
 confequently all Objects appear long. From 
 this Tribe are taken the Senators, the 
 Priefts, and all fuch as bear Office in the 
 State. Thefe fit at the Helm, nor do they ad- 
 mit any one from another Tribe to a Poft in 
 the Government, unlefs he fhall firft con- 
 fefs, and confirm his Confeflion with an 
 Oath, that a certain Tablet, dedicated to 
 the Sun, and plac'd in the moft confpicu- 
 ous Part of the Temple, appears $0 himvto 
 be long. This facred Tablet of the Sun 
 is the principal Object of the Mardakanian 
 Worfhip. Hence the honelter Part of the 
 Citizens, who (tart at Perjury, are exclu- 
 ded from all publick Honours, and what is 
 worfe, are expos' d to a thoufand Sneers, 
 Railleries, and even Perfecutions \ and tho' 
 
 they 
 
World Under-Ground. 113 
 
 they over and over protefr, that they can- 
 not difbelieve their Eyes, they are (till com- 
 plain'd of, and what is only a Fault of Na- 
 ture, is imputed to their Obitinacy and 
 Malice. 
 
 The Form of the Oath, which all, who 
 are admitted to publick Employments and 
 Honours, are forc'd to fubfcribe to, is this, 
 
 Kaka manafca quihompu miriac Jacku me- 
 fimbrii Caphani Crukkia Man aj car quebnac 
 Krufundora. 
 
 That is, I A. B. do fwear, that the fa- 
 cred Tablet of the Sun appears to me to be 
 long, and I promife that I will perfift in 
 this Opinion to my lafl Breath. 
 
 After this Oath, they are declar'd fit for 
 the Service of the State, and are incorpo- 
 rated into the Tribe of the Nagiri. 
 
 The Day after my Arrival, as I was faun- 
 tring in the Market -Place, I beheld an old 
 Man, whom they were hurrying away to 
 be fcourg'd. A large Croud of Cyprejps 
 follow'd him, with Scoffs and Revilings. 
 Upon my inquiring the Caufe, I was in- 
 formed, that he was a Heretick, who open- 
 ly taught, that the Tablet of the Sun feem'd 
 to him to be fquare ; and in that diabolical 
 Opinion he had obftinately perfifted, after 
 repeated Admonitions. 
 
 This rous'd my Curiofity to go to the 
 Temple, and try whether I had orthodox 
 Eyes or no. I examin'd the aforefaid Ta- 
 blet with all the Eyes I had, and really it 
 appear'd fquare to me. This I ingenuoufly 
 
 told 
 
ii4 A Journey to the 
 
 told my Hoft, who at that Time had the 
 Port of JEdlle. With that he fetch'd a 
 deep Sigh, and confefs'd to me, that it ap- 
 peafd fquare to him too, but that he dare 
 not fay fo publickly, for fear of being dif- 
 pofTefs'd of his Employment by the govern- 
 ing Tribe. 
 
 All pale and trembling I left this execra- 
 ble City, fearing left my Back mutt expiate 
 the Crime of my Eyes, or left branded 
 With the Title of Heretick, I mould be 
 fent with Ignominy out of their Domi- 
 nions. In Truth, no Inftitution ever ap- 
 pear'd more horrid, barbarous, and unjuft, 
 than this, where Hypocrifies and Perjuries 
 ;:lone are the Avenues to Preferment. * And 
 when I return'd to the Potmvu, I took 
 every Opportunity to exnrefs my Indigna- 
 tion againft that deteftable Race of People. 
 But while I was in one of my angry Moods, 
 and venting my Spleen according to Cuf- 
 tom, a certain Juniper Tree, with whom I 
 had liv'd in a good Degree of Intimacy, 
 mace me this Anfwer : u It k true, fays 
 " he, that the Conduct of the Naghi will 
 " always appear abfurd and iniquitous to 
 " the Potuans \ but to you it fhould not 
 feem at all ftrange, that this Diverfity of 
 Eyes fhould caufe fuch Cruelties, becaufe 
 you have formerly afTur'd me, that in 
 moft of the European Dominions there 
 are governing Tribes, which fall upon 
 the reft with Eire and Sword, upon Ac- 
 " count of fome Dcfcft, not of their Eyes 
 
 4i indeed, 
 
World Under-Ground. 1 1 5 
 
 " indeed, but of their Reafon ; and you 
 " yourfelf cxtoll'd fuch a Proceeding as a 
 " pious A&, and of Advantage to the Go- 
 " vernment.' , I prefently underftood the 
 Drift of this Obfervation, and blufht for 
 Shame. I left him foon, and was ever after 
 a fhnch Advocate for Toleration, and en- 
 tertained milder Sentiments of People under 
 Error. 
 
 Kimal, the next Principality, is account- 
 ed the moil potent, by reafon of its immenfe 
 Wealth. For befides the Silver Mines, 
 which are there in great Abundance, vaft 
 Quantities of Gold are gather'd from among 
 the Sands of their Rivers. Their Seas too 
 .-tftord the moft coftly Pearls. And yet 
 upon a due Examination of this Country, I 
 could difcover, that Happinefe did not con- 
 fift in Wealth alone. For as many Inhabi- 
 tants, fo many Divers and Diggers there 
 were, who, bent upon Gain, feem'd con- 
 demn'd to perpetual Slavery, and fuch a 
 Slavery as one would think was fit only for 
 Criminals, l^hofe who are rich enough to 
 be exempted from thefe Toils, are oblig'd 
 to keep conftant Watch. The whole Coun- 
 try is fo infefted with Thieves and Robbers, 
 that it is not fafe to go without a Guard. 
 
 Non tarn fefia dies, ut cejfet prod ere fur em, 
 Perfidiam,fraudes, atq\ c?nni ex crimine lucrum. 
 Vhitur ex rapto ; non bofpes ab hofpite tutus, 
 Non focer a genero, fratritm quoque gratia 
 vara ejf. 
 
 Filiut 
 
1 1 6 A Journey to the 
 
 Filius ante diem patrics inquirit in annos ; 
 Vicia jacet pietas, iff virgo ccsde madentes 
 Ultima ccelejlum terras Ajir&a reliquit. 
 
 Hence this Nation, beheld with envious 
 Eyes by their Neighbours, drew Pity from 
 me more than Envy. Fear, Jealoufy, Suf- 
 picion, and Diftruft, reign in every Mind, 
 and each looks upon his Neighbour as a de- 
 signing Enemy. So that endlefs Solicitude, 
 wafting Cares, and pallid Complexions, are 
 the Fruits of the boaftcd Felicity of this 
 Province. It was not without Anxiety I 
 traveli'd over this Region ; for in every 
 Rond, and upon every Frontier, I was 
 oblig'd to give an Account of my Bufinefs, 
 Name, and Country, to the Guards and 
 Examiners, and I found myfelf expos'd to 
 all thofe Vexations which Travellers expe- 
 rience in Countries that are jealous of Stran- 
 gers. There is a Volcano, or burning 
 Mountain, in this Province, from whence 
 afcend perpetual Whirlwinds of Fire. 
 
 After having run over this Principality, 
 and that with more Trouble than I experi- 
 ence throughout my whole Journey, I 
 purfued my Courfe full Eaft. I every where 
 found the Inhabitants fociable and well- 
 behav'd, but extremely paradoxical. The 
 Natives of the little Kingdom of Quamboia 
 furpriz'd me mod. There the Order of 
 Nature is inverted. The more the Natives 
 advance in Years, the more wanton and 
 voluptuous they grow j and Age produces 
 
 fuc& 
 
World Under-Ground. i r 7 
 
 &ch fantaftfc Vices, and fuch Jafcivious 
 freaks, as Youth alone, in every other 
 1 lace, is guilty of. Here none are intruded 
 with the Cares of State, unlefs they are 
 under forty Years of Age. When they 
 exceed this Term, they are too giddy for 
 kufinefs, like Children, f 
 
 £$uos dura premit cujlodia matrum. 
 
 I faw here the Aged frifking and gambo- 
 ling m the Streets like Boys, and fpendino- 
 their Time in puerile Diverfions. They 
 did, as the Poet fays, 
 
 JEdificare cafas, plojlello adjungere mures, 
 Luderc par impar, equitare in arundine hnga % 
 While on the other Hand the Youths took 
 the Liberty to reprove them, and fometimes 
 drive them home before them with a Whip. 
 I faw an old decrepit Male Tree whipping 
 a Top in the Market-Place, and was in- 
 form'd he was fome Years ago a Perfon of 
 very great Confequence, no lefs than Prefi- 
 dent of the Grand Council. This inverted 
 Order obtain'd alfo in the weaker Sex. 
 Hence, when a certain Youth was to be 
 marry'd to an old Lady, all were of Opi- 
 nion he muft undergo the Fate of Aft am ; 
 which is diametrically oppofite to what hap- 
 pens among us, where if an old Man has a 
 Mind for a young Bride, he has ample 
 Reafon to fear an Injury of that Sort. Once 
 I remember I met two old Bald-Heads en- 
 gag'd in a Duel. Amaz'd to find fuch Vi- 
 2 gour 
 
1 1 8 A Journey to the 
 
 gour at fuch an Age, I enquir'd the Caufe 
 of this Duel, and was told, that the Quar- 
 rel arofe about a Miftrefs they had met with 
 at one of their Haunts, and who had equal- 
 ly pleas' d them both. They who told me 
 this, added, that if the Governors of thefe 
 two old Sinners were to know of their Dif- 
 ference, their Backs would be fure to fmart 
 for it. The fame E\ening a Report flew 
 about, that a certain venerable Matron had 
 hang'd herfelf for Defpair, becaufe fhe had 
 met with a Repulfe from a young Beech fhe 
 was enamour'd of. 
 
 This inverted Order of Nature demands 
 of courfe an Inverfion of the Laws. Hence, 
 in that Chapter of the Law which treats 
 of Guardianfhip, it is enacted, That the Ad- 
 miniitration of Goods mall not be granted 
 to any one, unlefs he be under forty Years 
 of Age. Moreover, Contracts are deem'd 
 ineffectual, if enter'd into by Perfons above 
 Forty, unlefs fuch Contracts are fign'd by 
 their Tutors or Children. In the Chapter 
 concerningSubordination, there is this Injunc- 
 tion, Let the dged of both Sexes be obedient to 
 their Children. Every Perfon in Office is 
 always difmifs'd before he arrives to the 
 Age of Forty. 
 
 — — Interdiclo hide cmne adimat jus 
 Prator^ cjf ad juvenes a beat tut e la propinquos. 
 
 I did not think it convenient to continue 
 longer in this Place, Where if I had hap- 
 
 pen'd 
 
World Under-Ground. 119 
 
 pen'd to have fhy'd but ten Years, I muft 
 have been oblig'd by Law to become a Child * 
 
 again. 
 
 In the Province of Cocklecu there is a very 
 perverfe Cuftom, and fuch as would be 
 highly condemn'd among us. The Order 
 of Things is indeed inverted, but the Fault 
 is not owing to Nature, but folely to the 
 Laws. The Natives are all Junipers of 
 both Sexes : But the Males alone perform 
 the Drudgery of the Kitchen, and every 
 fuch ignoble Labour. In Time of War 
 indeed, they ferve their Country, but rarely 
 rife above the Rank of common Soldiers. 
 Some few get to be Enilgns, which is the 
 very higheft military Honour the Males ever 
 arrive to. The Females, on the other 
 Hand, are in Pofleflion of all Honours and 
 Employments facred, civil, or military. I 
 had lately derided the Potuans for obferving 
 no Difference of Sex in the Diftribution 
 of publick Offices : But that was nothing to 
 the Phrenzy of this People. I could not 
 conceive the Meaning of fo much Indolence 
 in the Males, who, tho* of far fuperior 
 Strength of Body, could yet fo tamely fub- 
 mit to fuch a Yoke, and for Ages toge- 
 ther digeft fuch an Ignominy. For it would 
 have been very eafy, at any Time, to have 
 freed themfelves from fo fhameful a Tyran- 
 ny. But long and ancient Cuftom had Co 
 blinded them, that none ever thought of 
 attempting to remove fuch a Difgrace, but 
 quietly believ'd it was Nature's Appoint- 
 ment, 
 
120 A Journey to the 
 
 ment, that the Government mould be lodg'd 
 in Female Hands, and that it was the Bufi- 
 nefs of the other Sex to (pin, to weave, to 
 clean the Houfe, and upon Occafion take a 
 Beating from their Wives. The Argu- 
 ments, by which the Ladies juftify'd this 
 Cuftom, were thefe : That as Nature had 
 furnifh'd the Males with greater Strength of 
 Body, her Intention in that could only be 
 to deftine them to the more laborious and 
 fcrvile Duties of Life. Strangers are amaz'd, 
 when going into a Houfe they fee the Mif- 
 trefs of the Family in the Compting- Houfe, 
 with a Pen in her Hand, and her Books be- 
 fore her, and at the fame Time find her 
 Hufband in the Kitchen fcouring the Dimes. 
 And, indeed, whatever Houfe I went to, 
 if I enquir'd for the Mafter of the Family, 
 I was ftill conducted into the Kitchin. 
 
 Hie lavet argentum, vafa afpera tergeat alter ; 
 Vox domince f remit injjantis virgamque tenentis. 
 
 Horrible were the Effecls of this unnatural 
 Cuftom. For as in other Countries there 
 are abandon'd Women, who proftitute 
 themfelves for Hire, (o here the young Men 
 fell their Favours, and to that End hire 
 fome Houfe of Pleafure, which fhall be 
 eafily known, either by a Writing over it, 
 or fome other infallible Sign. And when 
 the Men drive this wicked Trade with too 
 great Effrontery, and in too barefae'd a 
 Manner, they are had to Prifon, and whipt 
 like our Street-Walkers. On the other 
 
 Hand, 
 
World Under-Ground. i 2 i 
 
 Hand, the Matrons and Virgins here, with- 
 out the leaft Reproach, can prowl up and 
 down, gaze at the young Fellows, nod 
 whittle, tip the Wink, pluck them by the 
 Sleeve, importune them, write Love-Verfes 
 upon their Doors, boaft of their Conquefts 
 and reckon up their Gallantries with as 
 much Satisfaaion as the fine Gentlemen of 
 our World entertain you with their Amours 
 Moreover, it is no Crime for the Ladies 
 here to make amorous Poems, and fend 
 Prefents to" the Youths; who, on the con- 
 trary, counterfeit Covnefs and Modefty, as 
 knowing it- indecent to furrender to a Lady 
 upon the firft Summons. There was at the 
 lime I was there, a mighty Dinurbance 
 about a noble Youth, the Son of a Senator, 
 who had been ravifh'd by a voung Woman 
 I heard, that it was whifper'd amon? the 
 Friends of the injur'd Youth, that a Suit 
 would be commenced agairift the Ravifher 
 and that at the next Confiftory Court file 
 would be fentenc'd to repair the Dishonour 
 by Marriage, fince it could be indubitably 
 prov d 5 that he was a Perfon of an innocent 
 Life and Convention. During mv Stay 
 here, I had not the Courage openlv to con- 
 demn this deprav'd Cufrom : But upon my 
 leaving the City, I told fever*!, that thefe 
 Junipers afted in downright Contradiction 
 to Nature, fince from the univerfal Voice 
 
 thl AM? ° f NatiGnS lt was evidfenMhat 
 the Males alone were form'd for all the ar- 
 duous and important Affairs of Life. 
 
 G 
 
12 2 ^Journey lo the 
 
 this they reply'd, that I confounded Cuftqm 
 with Nature, fince the Weaknefs we im- 
 pute to the Female Sex is deriv'd'folely from 
 Education. This is clear, from the Form 
 of Government efrablifh'd at Cocilecu, where 
 in that Sex you find all the Virtues, and 
 large Endowments of Mind, which the maf-. 
 culine Sex, in other Places, arrogate to 
 themfelves. For the Cocklecuanlan Women 
 are grave, prudent, conftant, and fecret. 
 The Men, on the contrary, are light, emp- 
 ty^ frothy Creatures. Hence, when any 
 Thing abfurd is related, the common Say- 
 ing is, That's a manly Trifle, Again, when 
 any Thing is done ralhly and unthinkingly, 
 the Proverb is, JVe mufl make Allowances for 
 m.itily Weahiefi. Notwithstanding this, I 
 could not acquiefce in thefe Arguments, be- 
 ing thoroughly convine'd of the Improprie- 
 ty and Deformity of this Cuftom. The 
 Indignation I conceiv'd againft fo much 
 Female Pride and Infolence, gave Birth to 
 an unfortunate Defign, which I put in Ex- 
 ecution foon after my Travels, as in its 
 proper Place fhall be related. 
 
 Among the fumptuous Edifices of this 
 City, the mofl admirable was the Royal Se- 
 raglio, the Refidence of three hundred 
 Youths of exquifite Beauty. They were 
 all maintain'd at the Expence of the Queen, 
 and kept for her private Pleafures. As I 
 happen' d to hear, that my Perfon was much 
 commended, I was afraid of being clapp'd 
 
 up 
 
World Under-Ground. t*o 
 
 up in the Seraglio, and hurry'd away with 
 all imaginable Hafte. 
 
 Pedibus metus addidit alas. 
 
 From this Place I proceeded to the Phik- 
 fophical Region, fo ftyl'd from the Inhabi- 
 tants, who are continually bury'd in the 
 profound Speculations of Philofophy. I was 
 all on Fire to fee this Country, which I fan- 
 cy'd muft be the Center of Sciences, and 
 the true Seat of the Mufes. Inftead of vul- 
 gar Fields and Meadows, I expe&ed to find 
 one continued lovely Garden ; and in this 
 Imagination I haften'd my Pace, and count- 
 ed the Hours and Minutes as they flew 
 However, the Ways thro' which I pafs'd 
 were very ftony, with every now and then 
 a Ditch or Cavern, infomuch that fome- 
 times I was forc'd to go thro* a Length of 
 craggy Way, and fometimes thro' miry 
 Bogs, where for want of Bridges, I was 
 oblig'd to wade thro', and drag my weary 
 Limbs after me, quite dirty'd to the Waift • 
 Yet I fortify'd myfelf againft thefe Acci- 
 dents, with all the confoling Arguments I 
 could think of. While for a full Hour I 
 had been labouring under thefe Difficulties, 
 I met a Peafant, of whom I inquiVd how 
 Jar I had to Mafcattia, or the PhiloMica/ 
 Province. He reply 'd, / ought rather to cfk 
 him, how much there was left of the Journey, 
 jince I zvas in the very Heart of the Place 
 Amaz'd at this Anfwer, How is it pofflble, 
 iafd I, that a Land inhabited only by Philafo- 
 
 G ^ pi )crs 
 
124 A Journev to the 
 
 pbers fiould appear rather like the Haunts of 
 favage Beafls, than like a cultivated Country ? 
 He return'd, That in a little Time Things 
 would have a better Face, as fooa as ever the 
 Natives could get Time to think upon fuch 
 Trifles. At this prefent, fays he, we are 
 all folely intent upon an extraordinary Difco- 
 very, no lefs than that of a Pajjage to the 
 Sun ; that therefore it was very excufable to 
 leave the Soil to it f elf, it being imfojfible ta 
 do two Things at once. I prefently under- 
 flood the Drift of this cunning Country- 
 man's Difcourfe ; and purfuing my Jour- 
 ney, I at laft arriv'd at the Metropolitan 
 City Caska. In and about the Gates, in- 
 ftead of Guards and Centinels, I faw only 
 a few tame Fowl, and upon the Walls 
 Heaps of Birds-Nells and Cobwebs. Phi- 
 lofophers and Swine indifferently walk'd the 
 Streets, nor was the one diftinguifh'd from 
 the other but by Shape, being otherwife 
 perfectly alike in Dirt and Naftinefs. The 
 Philofophers had all Cloaks of the fame 
 Form, but what the Colour was, I could 
 not difcern for the Dull upon them. There 
 was one quite bury'd in Thought coming 
 direclly towards me ; and meeting him, 
 iVtfv, Sir, fays I, what may be the Name of 
 phis lUty? At this he paus'd, and for a 
 Time continued as immoveable as if he had 
 no Life in him; at laft, fays he, turning 
 his Eyes upwards, J Tis almofl Noon. An 
 Anfwer (o foreign to the Purpofe, was a 
 Demon ft ration of great Abfence of Mind, 
 
World Under-Ground. 125 
 
 and convinc'd me, that it was better to ftu- 
 dy fparingly, than to run mad with too 
 much Learning. I proceeded directly to 
 the Center of the City, to fee, if befide 
 Philofophers, I could have the good Luck 
 to meet with a reafonable Creature. The 
 Forum of the City, which was very fpacious, 
 was adorn'd with Statues and Columns. I 
 was endeavouring to read the Infcription 
 upon one of them, and being thus employ'd, 
 fuddenly I felt my Back grow warm and 
 moift. Turning my Head, to fee from 
 whence this warm Shower proceeded, I 
 faw a Phiiofopher making Water againft 
 me. For being bury'd in profound Thought, 
 he had taken me for one of the Statues there, 
 that are us'd for Neceffities of this Kind. 
 Stung to the Soul with fuch an Affront, efpe- 
 cially as the Phiiofopher, inftead of apolo- 
 gizing for the Miftake, only laugh'd in my 
 Face, I gave him a fmart Box on the Ear. 
 Enrag'd at this, he fell upon me, feiz'd me 
 by the Hair, and dragg'd me round the 
 Forum. But when I found there was no 
 Profpecl of appeafing his Wrath, I endea- 
 vour'd to make Reprifals upon him with 
 all my Might and Vigour ; and I believe, 
 with Regard to our Blows, the Receipts 
 and Diiburfements might be pretty equal on 
 both Sides. At length, after a long Con- 
 teft, we both fell upon the Ground. At 
 this Spectacle, a Croud of Philofophers 
 flock'd from all Parts, and with inexprefli- 
 ble Fury fell upon me with their Fifts nnd 
 G 3 Sticks, 
 
i2b A Journey to m 
 
 Sticks, and then once more draggM me by 
 the Hair all round the Market; infomuch 
 that I was juft upon the Point of giving up 
 the Ghofr. At iaft, rather tir'd than fa- 
 tiated, they left off beating me, and brought 
 me to a fpacious Houfe, where when I 
 ftruggled againft the Door with both my 
 Feet, and vow'd I would not enter, Mef- 
 fieurs the Philofophers threw a Rope round 
 my Neck, and tugging me in, like an Ox 
 at a Slaughter-Houfe, they fell'd me flat 
 upon the Floor. The Houfe, and all Things 
 in it, were in the utmoft Confufion, and 
 not unlike the Diforder People are in at 
 Lady- Day or Michaelmas^ when they are 
 moving Houfe. I then humbly intreated 
 thefe wife Men to put an End to their Re- 
 fentment, and fufTer themfelves to be mov'd 
 to Pitv and Companion, reprefenting to 
 them how little for the Honour of Philofo- 
 phy it was to abandon themfelves to a blind 
 Rage, and give a Loofe to thofe very Paffions 
 they are the forwarded: to declaim againft. 
 But I preach'd to the Winds. For that 
 very Philofopher, who had fo plentifully 
 water'd my Back, forthwith renevv'd the 
 Fight, and redoubled his Blows upon me, 
 like a Smith upon an Anvil, as if nothing 
 but my Death could ftop his Fury. This 
 plainly taught me, that no Anger equals a 
 philofophical Anger; and that they who 
 can talk fo well upon the Beauty of Virtue, 
 care to praclife it as little as any. 
 
 —•Nee 
 
World Under -Ground. 127 
 
 — — — Nee en'im minor ira rebuilt t ■ 
 Ptctore in hoc, leviorve exurit flamma me- 
 dullas. 
 
 At length there came in four Philofophers, 
 the Form of whofe Robes fpoke them of a 
 fingular Older. They prefently appeas'd 
 the Uproar, and feem'd to commiferate my 
 Fate ; and after they had conferr'd apart, 
 they remov'd me to another Houfe. Glad 
 was I, that I had efcap'd thefe Barbarians, 
 and at laft fallen into honed Hands. They 
 enquir'd the Caufe cf all this Tumult, and 
 I told them every Tittle. They fmil'd at 
 fo pleafant an Accident, telling me, that it 
 was a common Thing for the Philofophers 
 to make "Water againft the Statues, and 
 that probably my Antagonift, wholly ab- 
 forb'd in Meditation, had miftook me for 
 a Statue. They inform'd me likewife, that 
 that Perfon was an Aftronomer of great 
 Eminence, and that my other Perfecutors 
 were ProfefTors of Moral Philofophy. I 
 could now hear all this with Pleafure, be- 
 lieving myfelf intirely out of Danger. Yet 
 one Thing alarm'd me mightily, and that 
 was the great Attention with which they 
 furvev'd my Form. Befides, their reiterated 
 Queflions concerning my Manner of Life, 
 my Country, and the Caufe of my Jour- 
 ney, together with the Whifpers that en- 
 fued, gave me a violent Jealoufy. But, 
 good God ! what Horror invaded my Soul, 
 n they conducted me into an Anatomy- 
 G 4 Chamber, 
 
12-8 A Journhy to the 
 
 Chamber, where there was a frightful Heap 
 of Bones and Carcafes upon the Floor, that 
 gave a Stench enough to poifon me. I 
 thought I was fallen into a Den of Thieves 
 and Murderers ; but the anatomical Inftru- 
 ments which hung upon the Walls took 
 away that Fear, and convinc'd me, that my 
 Hoft muft be a Phyfician, or a Surgeon. 
 Half an Hour was I left alone in this Place, 
 when a Matron enters with my Dinner. 
 She feem'd very humane, and eying me at- 
 tentively, me would every now and then 
 fetch a deep Sigh. Upon my enquiring the 
 Caufe of her Grief, (he reply'd, that my 
 impending Fate drew thofe Sighs from her ; 
 a hat 1 was indeed fallen into very hcncjl 
 Hands, for my Husband, continues fhe, is 
 Lord cf ibis lfland, being publiek Phyfician of 
 the City, and Profejfbr of Medicine \ end the 
 others you Jaw are his Collegues : But aflo- 
 nijtid at the extraordinary Make of your 
 Body, they have determind to examine the 
 inward Machinery of it, and to make a Dif- 
 fetlion of you, in order to add forne new 
 Light to Anatomy. This Account threw 
 me into a moft violent Palpitation, and fet- 
 ting up a horrible Cry, Oh! how! Madam, 
 faid I, can you call them honefi Men, who 
 make no Scruple to rip up the Bowels of an in- 
 nocent Perfon? To which me anfwered, 
 / fay again you are fallen into the Hands 
 of honefi Men, who will do nothing with a 
 bad Defign, and have refolv'd upon this Ope- 
 ration for the fole lllujlration of the Science of 
 
 Ana- 
 
World Under-Ground, 129 
 
 Anatomy. Alas ! faid I, / had rather fall 
 into the Hands of Tlneves and Murderers^ 
 from whom I might pojfibly make my Efcape, 
 than be dijfecled by juch very honejl Gentle- 
 men\ and immediately throwing myfelf at 
 her Feet, fhedding at the fame Time a 
 Flood of Tears, I implor'd her to intercede 
 for my Life. She told me, her Interceflion 
 would avail very little againft the Refolution 
 of the Faculty, which was irrevocable ; but 
 however, that fhe would deliver me from 
 Death by fome other Means. With thefe 
 Words, fhe took me by the Hand, and 
 leading me thro' a back Door, brought me 
 as far as to the Gate of the City. Being 
 now ready to take my Leave of my Pre- 
 ferver, I endeavour'd to exprefs my Grati- 
 tude in the heft Language I was Mafter of; 
 but (he prefently interrupted me, and telling 
 me fhe would not leave me till fhe faw me 
 out of all Danger, (he continued to accom- 
 pany me. As we walk'd together, we en- 
 ter'd into various Converfations concern- 
 ing the State of the Country, and I heard 
 her with the utmoft Avidity. But at length 
 fhe made a Digreflion to a Circumvtance not 
 very agreeable to my Ears, and I conjec- 
 tur'd, that for her Services, fhe requir'd 
 fcme Things of me which were morally im- 
 pojfible. For fhe told me with the greateft 
 Concern, that in this Country the Fate of 
 marr)'d Ladies was extremely hard, for 
 that their philofophick Hufbands, immers'd 
 in Learning, neglected conjugal Duties. 
 G 5 Fvr 
 
130 A Journey to the 
 
 For my Part, I proteft y fays fhe, with an 
 Oath, we Jhould all be very ivretcbed, if 
 tisw and then a good-natur'd, companionate 
 Stranger did not adminijler Comfort to us in 
 cur Misfortunes^ and occafionally apply a Re- 
 rncdy to them. I pretended not to under- 
 Hand this Harangue, and mended my Pace. 
 But this Coldnefs ferv'd only to enflame her. 
 Whereupon, 
 
 Confumptis precibus, violentam tranfit ad iram 9 
 Intendenfque manus^ paffts furibunda cap'tllis, 
 
 fhe reproach'd me with Ingratitude. I ne- 
 vcrthelefs continued my Pace, till at lafl {he 
 laid Hands upon my Cloaths, and endea- 
 vour'd to flop me. With that I forcibly 
 ftai ted from her, and having vaftly the Ad- 
 vantage of lscr in Svviftnefs, I quickly got 
 out of her Sight. One may judge of the 
 Extremity of the Rage fhe was in, by the 
 Words I could hear her pronounce, name- 
 ly, Kaki fpalaki, that is, ungrateful Dog. I 
 digefted this Affront with a Spartan Noble- 
 nefs of Mind, and was glad at my Heart, 
 that I could any Way efcape from this Land 
 of Philofopbers, the bare Remembrance of 
 which fills mc with Horror. 
 
 The next Province I arriv'd at, was 
 that of Nakir ; the Capital of which is a 
 fine, large City of the fame Name. I can- 
 not fay much of this Place, becaufe I pafs'd 
 with the utmoft Halle thro' the Countries 
 adjoining to that I lately left, and long'd 
 to be among People lefs philofophically, and 
 
 efpe- 
 
World Under-Ground. 131 
 
 efpecially lefs anatomically given. For fuch 
 a Terror had feiz'd me, that I could not 
 help afking every one I met, whether he 
 were a Philofopher ; and even in my 
 Dreams, the Carcafes and Inftruments of 
 DiiTeclion ftill fwam before me. The Na- 
 tives of Nakir were very courteous ; for 
 every one I met ofFer'd me his Service un- 
 afk'd, with long Atteftations of his Honour 
 and Honefty. I thought this very ridicu- 
 lous, fince I fufpecled none of them, nor 
 caird their Integrity in Queftion. I ex- 
 prefs'd my Wonder at thefe Compliments, 
 and obferv'd, that I could not conceive to 
 what Purpofe they were made ; at which 
 they only renew'd their Proteflations of 
 Service with a thoufand Oaths. Leaving 
 this Place, I overtook a Traveller bending 
 beneath the Weight of his Burden. Seeing 
 me, he ftopt, and enquir'd whence I came. 
 When I told him I had pafs'd thro* the 
 Province of Nakir, he congratulated me 
 upon my Efcape, alluring me, that the In- 
 habitants were a People famous for their 
 Skill in Tricking, and hardly a Traveller 
 pafs'd, but was their Prey. I anfwer'd, If 
 their Actions at all correfponded with their 
 Words, they muft be People of the greater! 
 Honour, of which every one boafted ex- 
 tremely, and aflur'U me of it with a Mul- 
 titude of Execrations. The Stranger fmir* 
 ling at thefe Words, Take Care, fays he, 
 cf thofe who trumpet their own Virtues, and 
 (fpeiially of thofe who readily fend them/elves 
 
 r 
 
132 A Journey to the 
 
 to the Devil to convince you. That Piece of 
 Advice I bury'd deep in my Mind, and I 
 have fince experiene'd that my Advifer had 
 Reafon. 
 
 I now arriv'd at a Lake, the Waters of 
 which were of a yellowifh Colour. On 
 the Bank there was a Veflel of three Ranks 
 of Oars, in which PafTengers, for a fmall 
 Confideration, were ferry'd over into the 
 Land of Reafon. Having agreed for my 
 Paflage, I went aboard, and with the high- 
 eft Pleafure imaginable began my Voyage, 
 inafmuch as I prefently obferv'd, that thefe 
 fubterranean VefTels are impell'd by fecret 
 Springs and Machines, which cleave the 
 Waters with an aftonilhing Rapidity, and 
 all without the Agency of Rowers. Be- 
 ing landed on the other Side of the Lake, I 
 hir'd one of the Guides, which ply in the 
 feveral Ports, and under his Conduit I tra- 
 vell'd on. In the mean Time my Guide 
 told me every Thing that related to the 
 Government of the City, and the Manners 
 of the People. I underftood from him, 
 that they were all Logicians to a Man, and 
 that this City was the true Seat of Rea- 
 fon, from whence it had its Name. And 
 upon my Arrival, I found all he had told 
 me was true. Every Citizen from his great 
 Penetration, and the Compofednefs of his 
 Manners, had the Appearance of a Judge. 
 I could not forbear lifting my Hands to 
 Heaven, and crying out, Oh ! infinitely 
 happy Country, where every Member is a 
 
 Cato. 
 
World Under-Ground. 133 
 
 Cato. But when I had more accurately ex- 
 amin'd the Condition of the City, I ob- 
 ferv'd that Bufinefs went but dully on, and 
 that the Republick in a Manner languifh'd 
 for want of Fools. For as their good Senfe 
 weighs every Thing in the jufteft Balance, 
 and as not a Soul can be cajoFd by fpecious 
 Promifes and ftudied Words, it follows, 
 that all thofe prudent Means and Methods, 
 by which the Minds of Subjects are excited 
 to the beft and nobleft Actions, and that 
 too at the cheapeft and eafieft Rate, muff 
 here lofe all their Efficacy. In fhort, the 
 bad Effects of fuch an exact Knowledge of 
 Things were explain'd to me, and patheti- 
 cally lamented by the Super-Intendant of 
 the Treafury. ** One Tree, fays he, is 
 4 here diftinguifh'd from another by no- 
 4 thing elfe but his Name, and the Make 
 4 of his Body. No Emulation among the 
 * Subjects, fince Marks of Diftinction are 
 4 thought not worth acquiring, and nobody 
 4 is wife, becaufe every body is fo. Folly, 
 4 I confefs, is a Defect, but to have it 
 4 wholly banifh'd, may not be fo defirable. 
 4 Let every State, indeed, have a com- 
 4 petent Number of wife Men for the 
 4 publick Employments. Some muff go- 
 vern, and fome muft fubmit to be go- 
 vern'd. What other States effect by the 
 moft trifling Inducements, our Magi- 
 ftrates can procure only by folid Re- 
 wards, which often drain the Treafury. 
 Wife Men require the Kernel if they 
 
1^4 d Journey to the 
 
 " ferve their Country, but Fools are put off 
 « c with the Shell! Thus, for lnftance, the 
 " Diftribution of Honours and Titles, with 
 V which Fools are taken as with a Hook, 
 c< and fpirited up to the mod hazardous 
 " Enterprizes, can be of little Force 
 <£ among a People, who know that folid 
 <c Fame and Honour is to be acquir'd only 
 " by inward Worth and Virtue. A Peo- 
 ci pie of this Stamp are not to be deceiv'd 
 " with fpecious Sounds. Your Soldiers, I 
 " think I have heard you fay, are anima- 
 * € ted to undergo the utmoft Severities, 
 " from the Hope of an immortal Name in 
 <£ Hiltory. This is what our People can- 
 c < not conceive. They think, that this 
 « Mode of Seech, for Inftance, Dying 
 
 " IN EARNEST, AND LIVING IN A 
 
 cc History, is the veriefr. Jargon in the 
 " World, and that it is mere Dotage to 
 " proclaim aloud the Praifes of one, who 
 M cannot hear nor underftand them. 1 
 " pafs over numberlefs Inconveniences, 
 *« which flow only from our exquifite 
 " Knowledge, and which prove to De- 
 " mon(l ration, that at leafl half the Mem- 
 " bcis of every civil Eitublifhment ought 
 " to be Fools. Folly is to Society, what 
 " Fermentation is to the Stomach ; too 
 c < much, or none at all, are alike injurious." 
 I heard ail this with the greateft Amaze- 
 ment. But when in the Name of the 
 ita he offcr'd me the Freedom of the 
 Citv, and repeated his Intrcaties, that I 
 
 WOuk! 
 
World Under-Ground. 135 
 
 would fix my Abode here, I could not for- 
 bear blufhing, from a Sufpicion that his Re- 
 queft proceeded from a pre-conceiv'd Opi- 
 nion of my Foolifhnefs, and that he took 
 me for fuch a Sort of Ferment as might be 
 of Ufe to a State labouring under the Mif- 
 fortune of too much Wifdom. I was con- 
 firm'd in this Sufpicion, when I heard the 
 Senate had decreed to fend a Colony abroad, 
 and in their Places to take in an equal 
 Number of Fools from the neighbouring 
 Nations. And fo with a Sort of Refent- 
 ment, I left this Race of Reafoners. Yet 
 for a long Time I could not help reflecting 
 upon that fubterranean Axiom of theirs, 
 unknown to the Politicians of our World, 
 namely, That in a tvellconftituted Society, it 
 is necejfary that at leaft half the Members 
 fnould be Fools. I wonder'd fo falutary a 
 Adaxim mould remain undifcover'd by the 
 worthy Spirits of our Age. But poilibly it 
 might be known to fome, who** were how- 
 ever unwilling to have it inferted in the 
 Clafs of political Truths, fince with us 
 there are great Plenty of Fools, nor is there 
 (Envy apart!) a Village or City with us, 
 but what is handfomely flor'd with this 
 goodly Ferment. 
 
 Having refted fome Time, I renew 'd my 
 Travels, and vifited feveral Countries, which 
 I pafs over in Silence, as having nothing re- 
 markable in them. I fuppos'd I had now 
 feen all the marvellous Things in the Planet 
 Nazar. But arriving at the Province of 
 
 Cabac^ 
 
136 A Journey to the 
 
 Cabac, frefh Wonders offer themfelves, and 
 even fuch as exceed the Bounds of Credibi- 
 lity. Among the Natives of this Region, 
 fome are born without Heads. They (peak 
 by a Mouth plac'd in the Middle of the 
 Breaft. Upon Account of this great Defect 
 in Nature, they are exempted from all fuch 
 difficult Employments as require the leaft 
 Headpiece. The only Ports they are ad- 
 mitted to, are chieflv thofe about the Court. 
 Thus the Chamberlain, the Matter of the 
 Ceremonies, the Prefident of the Seraglio, 
 and the like, are all taken from the Clafs of 
 People that are without Heads. Neverthe- 
 1 fs fome that have no Heads are, by the 
 fpeciaJ Indulgence of the Government, re- 
 ceiv'd into the Senate for fome Merit of 
 their Anceftors, and tnat without much De- 
 triment to the Republick. For Experience 
 tells us, that the whole Authority of the 
 Senate is lodg'd in the Hands of a few leading 
 Members, and that the reft only help to fill up 
 the Number, and to aflent and fubferibe to 
 the Refoluticns of others. And in my 
 Time, there were in the Senate two that 
 were born without Heads, who nevertheless 
 enjoy'd the fenatorial Stipends. For tho* 
 they were deftitute of Senfe, by reafon of 
 that Defect of Nature, ytt furely they 
 might give their Vote with others; happier 
 in one Thing than their Collegue , namely, 
 that nobody was angry with thofe who had 
 no Heads, but vented all their Rage againft 
 the others. And hence it is evidt nt, that it is 
 1 kfer 
 
World Under-Ground. 137 
 
 fafer fometimes to be born without a Head , 
 This City may vie with any in Magnifi- 
 cence and Splendour. It has a Court, an 
 Univerfity, and feveral noble Temples. 
 
 Cambara and Spelek are the two next 
 Provinces. The Natives are all Limes. But 
 in this they differ, that the former feldom 
 live beyond the Age of four Years, whereas 
 the others feldom fall fhort of four hun- 
 dred. Here you might fee Fathers, Grand- 
 fathers, Great Grandfathers, . and fc on ; 
 they would tell you old Stories and Adven- 
 tures of their own that happen' d Ages ago, 
 and by their lively Reprefentations make you 
 think you was almoft prefent at them. As 
 much as I pity'd the firft, I envy'd the 
 laft. But after I had more inly examined 
 the State of both, I found my Error, in 
 Cambara every one, within a few Months 
 after their Nativity, arriv'd to their full Ma- 
 turity of Body and Mind. One Year was 
 enough to form and perfect them ; in the reft 
 they prepar'd for Death. NotP/tf/c's felf could 
 have imagin'd a more charming Republick ', 
 here all the Virtues flourifh'd to Perfection. 
 Being hourly conVinc'd of the Shortnefs of 
 Life, they are always ready for Death, and 
 regard this Life only as a PaiTage to a better. 
 We may imagine every one of them a Phi- 
 lofopher, who with a happy Indifference to 
 his prefent State, aims only at fecuring that 
 (olid and durable Pleafure, which is the Re- 
 ward of Virtue and Piety. In a Word, 
 this feem'd to be the Abode, of Angel?, the 
 
 King- 
 
i%$ d Journey to the 
 
 Kingdom of Saints, and the trucft School 
 bf Wifdom and Virtue. Hence one may 
 judge how unjuft their Murmurs are, who 
 complain of the Brevity of Life, making it 
 the Foundation of a Quarrel at their Ma- 
 ker. Our Life is fhort, becaufe we lofe 
 the greateft Part in Sloth and Pleafure ; it 
 would be long enough if our Time were 
 better employ'd. But in the other Region, 
 where Life is lengthen'd to four hundred 
 Years, I difcover'd all the Vices under Hea- 
 ven. The prefent State of Things they 
 look upon as eternal and immortal. 
 
 Hlnc fugere pudor^ verumque, fidefque &f lo~ 
 
 nejium : 
 In quorum fubiere locum dolus infidiaque. 
 
 There was alfo another Inconvenience re- 
 fulting from long Life. Thofe who had 
 unhappily loft their Eftate or Fortunes, thofe 
 who were maim'd in their Limbs, or were 
 fallen into incurable Difeafes, made the 
 moft piercing Complaints, and knowing no 
 End to their Miferies, often laid violent 
 Hands on themfelves. The Shortnefs of 
 Life, therefore, is to the Wretched the beft 
 of Remedies. Both thefe Countries afford- 
 ed me Matter of much Admiration, and 
 upon my Departure fill'd me with very phi- 
 lofophical Reflexions. 
 
 I purfued my Journey thro* certain de- 
 fert and rocky Places, which lead to Spa- 
 lank^ or the Country of Innocence. This 
 Place is fo call'd from the Innocence and 
 
 peace- 
 
World Under-Ground. 139 
 
 peaceful Humour of the Natives. Thefe 
 are all Beeches, and efteem'd the happieft of 
 the whole Creation. They are fubject. to 
 no Paffions and AfTe&ions, and confequent- 
 ]y free from all Vices. 
 
 Spwte fna,fme lege^ fidem retlumque colebant\ 
 Poena metufque aberant^ (fc. 
 
 Upon my Arrival, I found all I had heard 
 was true, and that actually they were go- 
 vern'd not by Laws, but by their own in- 
 nate Virtue and Difpofition. Envy, Anger, 
 Hatred, Pride, Vain-Glory, Difcord, and 
 all which among Mankind bears the Name 
 of Vice, is here profcrib'd and banifh'd. 
 But with the Vices there were alfo many 
 Things wanting, which adorn the human 
 Species, and feem to diftinguifh them from 
 Brutes. Except Divinity, Natural Philofo- 
 phy and Afrronomy, all the Arts and Sci- 
 ences were wholly unknown. They had 
 not the lead Idea of Law, Politicks, Hif- 
 tory, Ethicks, and Eloquence, the very 
 Names of which were never heard of. 
 As there was not the leaft Spark of En- 
 vy, fo there was no Emulation to excite and 
 animate the Soul to worthy Deeds. There 
 weie no fplendid Edifices, no Palace, no 
 Senate-Houfe, no Forum, no Magi (Irate, 
 no Riches, and conlequently no Defire of 
 them, or Contention about them. In two 
 Words, if they had no Vices, they had 
 no Politenefs, Art, or Elegance ; nor any 
 of thofe Things, which, tho* in Reality 
 
 no 
 
140 A Journey to the 
 
 no Virtues, are yet extremely like Virtuei, 
 and render Men civtfiz'd and facial. To 
 fay the Truth, I feenrd here to be rather in 
 
 -a Foreft of real Trees, than in a rational 
 Society. I flood a long Time in doubt 
 what Judgment to form of thefe People, 
 and whether fuch a State were in Reality 
 definable. At length reflecting, that an un- 
 cultivated Creature was however better than 
 
 .a vicious Creature, and that tho' they had 
 no Arts, they had alfo no Thefts, Mur- 
 ders, and other atrocious Crimes, which 
 defrroy both Body and Soul, I could not 
 help pronouncing them happy. Walking 
 carelefly along one Dav, while I was a- 
 mong them, J (truck my left Leg Bgaiaft a 
 Stone. Jt fweli'd violent)?, and gave me 
 exceflive Pain. An honeifc Countryman 
 feeing this Accident, prefently ran to me, 
 and with a certain Herb he held in his Hand 
 and apply'd to the Wound, the Anguifh 
 forthwith abated, and the Swelling decreab'd. 
 Thefe People, thought I, mult have extra- 
 ordinary Skill in the Art of Healing. Nor 
 was my Conjecture wrong. For fince their 
 Studies were confin'd within fo narrow a 
 Compafs, they were not contented with the 
 outward Rind of Knowledge, like our mo- 
 dern Connoifeurs, but went to the Bottom 
 of Things. When I thank'd my Benefac- 
 tor for his Services, and told him that God 
 would be his Reward, he anfwer'd me in fo 
 folid, fo learned, and fo devout a Manner, 
 tho* in Terms perfectly fimple and rural, 
 
 that 
 
JVorld Under-Ground. 141 
 
 that I haJ really fome Apprehenfions it was 
 an Angel in the Shape of a Tree. It ap- 
 pears hence, with what little Reafon we 
 diflike that calm Philofophy of fome Men, 
 who neither wifh nor grieve, are neither 
 angry, nor pleas'd, who divert themfelves 
 of all the impetuous Paffions of the Soul, 
 and whom we therefore accufe of leading a 
 Life of Indolence and Softnefs. It appears 
 alio how much miftaken they are, who are 
 Advocates for the Neceflity of Vices among 
 Men ; who ftiie Anger the Whetftone of 
 Courage, Emulation the Spur of Induftry, 
 and Diftrufr. the Parent of Difcretion. For 
 who does not know, that from ill Eggs ill 
 Birds are hatched, and that many Virtues 
 which Mortals pride themfelves in, and 
 which are celebrated in Verfe, are rather 
 the Difgrace than Ornament of Humanity, 
 if beheld with a philofophical Eye. 
 
 I left this Place, and arriv'd at Kiliac y 
 where the Inhabitants are born with cer- 
 tain Marks imprefs'd upon their Forehead, 
 iignifying the exact Number of Years they 
 have to live. Thefe furely I thought muft 
 be the molt fortunate People under the Sun, 
 fince an unexpected Death could furprize 
 none of them in a finful Action. But then, 
 as their laft Day of Life was known to 
 every one, they deferr'd their Repentance to 
 the laft -, infomuch that if you found one 
 among them fincerely devout and honeft, it 
 was one whom the Marks upon his Fore- 
 head directed to think of his Quietus. Some 
 
 1 
 
142 A Journey to the 
 
 I obferv'd who walk'd with their Heads 
 hanging down ; they had almofr. liv'd out 
 their Time, and were counting the Re- 
 mainder of their Days and Hours upon their 
 Fingers, expecting with Horror their laft 
 approaching Moment. This gave me to 
 fee the general Wifdom of the Creator in 
 concealing from Mortals the Time of their 
 Death. 
 
 Having travell'd over this Country, I 
 came to a Streight, the Water of which 
 was black ; and being ferry'd over, I land- 
 ed upon the Province of Askarac. Here 
 new Monfters met my Eyes. As Cahac 
 produces Animals without a Head, fome 
 among thefe People are born with kven 
 Heads. To thefe, as being poflefs'd of an 
 amazing Knowledge, the Citizens formerly 
 paid almoft divine Honours ; and out of 
 their Tribes alone, Commanders, Confuh, 
 Senators, and other great Officers were 
 elected. But, alas! as many Heads as they 
 had, fo many different Geniufes they had. 
 They confidently and readily undertook to 
 difefiarge various Employments at one and 
 the fame Time ; and left nothing unat- 
 tempted while they held the Reins of Pow- 
 er : But from that Multiplicity of Bufinefs, 
 and from their various Ideas interfering and 
 joftling with each other, they made wretch- 
 ed Work of it ; and in Procefs of Time i'o 
 sreat was the Confufion, that it requir'd the 
 Labour of an Age to recover from the Dif- 
 order thefe omnifcient Magiftrates had 
 
 thrown 
 
World Under-Ground. 143 
 
 thrown Things into. Hence a Law was 
 enacted, to exclude for ever thefe feven- 
 headed Trees from all publick Offices of 
 Importance, and that the Government 
 fhould hereafter be intruded to fimple Heads* 
 that is to fay, thofe who have only one 
 Head. Ever fince, thofe very People, who 
 had been rever'd as Gods, have been fink- 
 ing into the fame Contempt as the headlefs 
 Inhabitants of Cabac. For as they, who 
 had no Head at all, could do nothing ; fo 
 thefe with many Heads did. every Thing 
 perverfely. 33ut tho' they are for ever re- 
 mov'd from all State-Trufts, yet they ferve 
 as an Ornament to the Kingdom. They 
 are carry'd about like publick Spectacles, to 
 fhew the World how liberal Nature has 
 been in their Formation. Tho' to fay the 
 Truth, had fhe been lefs lavifh of her Fa- 
 vours, fhe had been in Reality much kinder. 
 Of all this Race, there were only three in 
 my Time in Employment, to which, how- 
 ever, they were not admitted, till they had 
 confented to an Amputation of fix of their 
 Heads. After this, the confus'd Ideas they 
 labour'd under vanihYd, and they were 
 brought to common Senfe. Thus Men prune 
 Trees of their fuperfluous Branches, to de- 
 rive more Health and Vigour to the reft. 
 Very few undergo this Operation, upon 
 Account of the extreme Pain and Danger. 
 From hence I drew this ufeful Maxim, That 
 all Excefs is hurtful, and that Simplicity is 
 true Wifdom. 
 
 From 
 
144 d Journey to the 
 
 From hence I pafs'd to the Principality 
 of Bo/tan.ki, a People, as to their outward 
 Make, little different from the Potuans ; but 
 as to the inward, they have this Singularity, 
 that their Heart is fituated in their Thigh ; 
 fo that it may be truly faid of them, that 
 they carry their Heart in their Breeches. 
 Hence, among all the Inhabitants of this 
 Globe, thefe are accounted the mofl fear- 
 ful and pufillanimous. Upon my Arrival, 
 I enter'd into an Inn near the Gate, and 
 as the Fatigue of Travelling had made me 
 fomething weary and fretful, I rattled my 
 Hoft for being flow in his Attendance. But 
 he, falling on his Knees, implor'd for Mer- 
 cy, and extending his Thigh for me to feel 
 the great Palpitation of Heart he was in, 
 from ftorming I fell to laughing, and bid 
 him dry his Tears, and caft away all P^ear : 
 He rofe, and in a Tranfport kifs'd my 
 Hand, and fet about Supper immediately. 
 In a Minute or two the whole Kitchen re- 
 founded with Cries and Lamentations. I ran 
 thither, and to my vaft Aftonifhmenr, there 
 did I behold my very fearful Hoft beating and 
 whipping his Wife and the Maids about. 
 Seeing me, he took to his Heels, and run 
 away. I turn'd to the weeping Family, 
 and begg'd to know what Crime they had 
 committed, to provoke fo meek a Man to 
 fo great Rage. They, on the other Hand, 
 ftood mute, with their Eyes faften'd to the 
 Ground, not daring to tell the Caufe of 
 their Affliction. Buc upon my perfifting to 
 
 enquire, 
 
World Under-Ground. 145 
 
 enquire, and adding Threats to my Intreaty, 
 the Miftrefs fpoke to me in this Manner : 
 " You feem, Sir, to be a great Stranger to 
 " the Manners of the World. The Na- 
 " tives of this Principality can't bear the 
 *« Sight of an armed Enemy, and out of 
 M their own Houfes tremble at the lealt 
 " Noife ; yet they all domineer in the 
 " Kitchen, they exert their Bravery on 
 " their defencelefs Family, and are only 
 4t then valiant, when no Reiiir.ance can be 
 " made. On this Account they are the 
 - 4 Jeft, as well as the Prey, of the neigh* 
 - 4 bouring States. But in the bordering 
 i; Kingdom, to which we are Tributaries, 
 t( - the Cafe is ctherwife. There they ne- 
 rt ver fight but againft an arm'd Enemy. 
 cc There the Males command abroad, and 
 " ierve at home." I admir'd the Wifdcm 
 of the Hoflefs, whom I look'd upon as wor- 
 thy of a better Condition. And, indeed, 
 upon a clofer InfpectJon into the Nature and 
 Difpoiition of People, this Matron, it muft 
 be own'd, was extremely in the right, fince 
 from innumerable Examples it is clear, that 
 Hercules is not the only one who has yielded 
 to a Difraff, but that it is the common Fate 
 of brave and warlike Men to fubmit, with 
 all due Patience, to the Female Yoke : And 
 that, on the other Hand, the verieit Cow- 
 ards in all Nature, who like the Bofiankians^ 
 cany their Hearts in their Breeches, are 
 vet Heroes in the Kitchen. This People 
 
 H live 
 
146 d Journey to the 
 
 live under the Protection of a neighbouring 
 Kingdom, to whom they pay Tribute for it. 
 From hence I pafs'd by Water to Miko- 
 lac. Coming out of the Boat I mifVd my 
 Cloak-Bag. I prefently charg'd the Boat- 
 Man with the Theft, who ft i fly ccny'd it. 
 Upon this I went and complain'd to the 
 Magi (Irate, telling him, that if I had not 
 the Liberty of bringing an Action againft 
 the Boat- Man for Breach of Truft or Theft, 
 1 hop'd he would at leaft compel him to 
 make fimple Reftitution. But my Advcr- 
 not only per lifted in denying the Fact, 
 but threaten'd me with an Action of Slan- 
 der. In a Cafe fo doubtful the Court call'VI 
 for Witncfles. But as I could bring none, 
 I dcfir'd my Antagonift might purge him- 
 felf by Oath. At this the Judge fmiPd, 
 and fpoke as follows. " My Friend, fays 
 44 he, in this Province we are bound by no 
 li Religion, nor have we any other Gods 
 " befide the Laws of our Country. Ac- 
 44 cufations here mull: be made good by le- 
 41 gal Methods, fuch as proving the Delive- 
 44 ry, eftimatfng the Value, exhibiting Re- 
 44 celpts, and producing WitnefTes. Who- 
 44 ever is deftitute of thefc, not only lofes 
 44 his Caufe, but is liable to be fued for Ca- 
 44 lumny. Make the Cafe plain by proper 
 44 Evidence, and what you have loft mall 
 46 be reftor'd to you." Thus lofing my 
 Caufe for want of WitnefTes, I not only 
 lamented my own Misfortune, but that of 
 the Republick itfelf. For from hence it 
 
 appear'd, 
 
World Under >-GrounL 147 
 
 Sppear'd, what a weak unfettled Society that 
 niuft be which depends for its Security upon 
 human Laws alone, and how frail are all 
 political Edifices unlcfs cemented together 
 by Religion. I (laid three Days here in 
 continual Fears. For tho' the Laws of the 
 Country are in Reality very good, and tho* 
 Crimes are punifh'd with the utmoft Severi- 
 ty, yet no Safety can be reafonably expected 
 in a Country too atheiftical to have the leaft 
 ^enfe of religious Obligation, and where 
 they ferupk the Commiffion of no Crimes, 
 provided they can but conceal them. 
 
 From this Land of Atheifb, I travelPd 
 on over a fteep Mountain to the City of 
 Bracmat, which was (ituated in the Plain at 
 the Foot of the Mountain. The Inhabi- 
 tants are J unipers. The firfr. Perfon I met, 
 came directly rufhing at me, and threw me 
 backwards. I did not well underftand this, 
 and afking the Reafon of it, the Juniper 
 begg'd my Pardon a thoufand Times. Pre- 
 fently after, another with a Staff he had in 
 his Hand, gave me a Blow upon the Reins 
 that almoft took away my Senfes : But in 
 the fame Moment he made a lona; Harangue 
 to me in Excufe of his Imprudence. Suf- 
 pecling, therefore, this People to be either 
 totally blind, or very weak-fighted, I took 
 Care to avoid every one I met. In fact, all 
 this arofe from the exquilite Senfe of Sight 
 which (6m& are here endued with. 7'hey 
 can clearly difcern remote Objects, which 
 are impenetrable to vulgar Eyes ; but then 
 H Z they 
 
14-8 A Journey to the 
 
 they do not fee what is nearer and almoft at 
 hand. Thefe are call'd Makatti ; and they 
 devote themfelves principally to the Studies 
 cf Metaphyficks and Aftronomy. They 
 are of very little Service in the World, by 
 reafon of their too delicate Vifion. They 
 make \ery pretty minute Philofophers ; but in 
 iblid Matters and Things of daily Ufe, they 
 commit innumerable Blunders. However, 
 the Government makes fome Ufe of them, 
 and fends them to the Mines for the Difco- 
 very of Metal*. For tho' they fee fcarce 
 any Thing upon the Surface of the Earth, 
 their Sight exerts itfelf upon any Thing be- 
 neath it. I concluded from hence, that 
 there are fome who are blind from too great 
 a Delicacy in the Organs of Vifion, and 
 
 they would fee better if their I 
 were worfe. 
 
 Having gain'd the Top of another very 
 fteep and rocky Mountain, I now enter'd 
 the Province of Mutak, the Capital of 
 which look'd like a Grove of Willows, the 
 Inhabitants being all of that Species. Pro- 
 ceeding to the Market, I there found a ro- 
 buh:, healthy young Man, fitting in a Place 
 cf Eafe (of which there are many round the 
 Market-Place) and imploring the Mercy of 
 the Senate. I enquir'd the Meaning of 
 this, and was inform'd, that the faid Perfon 
 was a Criminal, to whom they were going 
 to give the fifteenth Dofe. Surpriz'd at 
 the Anfvver, I ftep'd afide, and defir'd my 
 Hoib to explain this Riddle. He reply'd 
 
 thus : 
 
World Under -Ground. i$g 
 
 thus: " Moft Nations punifh Crimes by 
 whipping, branding, hanging and the 
 like : But nothing of that Kind obtains 
 in this Country. For we fludy not fo 
 much to punifh dimes, as to mend the 
 Criminal. The Culprit upon the Seat is 
 a wretched Author, who for his violent 
 Itch of Writing, which neither Lay/ 
 nor Advice could refhain, has been con- 
 demned by the Senate to the publick Pu- 
 nifhment. This is left to the Cenfors of 
 the City, who are all Doctors of Phy- 
 fick, and who are now going to mace- 
 rate and bring him low by frequent Pur- 
 gings, till they have conquer'd and ex- 
 tinguifh'd the Lull: cf Scribbling.'' He 
 ended his Difcourfe with defiring me to go 
 to the Shop of a publick Apothecary. I 
 went with him accordingly, and to my vail; 
 Amazement beheld Phials and Gallipots all 
 properly arrang'd, with fuch Infcriptions as 
 thefe : Powder of Avarice. Pills for Lujl. 
 Tlnclure againji Cruelty. Lenitive of Ambi- 
 tion. Cortex againji Pleafure^ Sec. Words 
 cannot exprefs the ftrange Confufion of 
 Mind this odd Spectacle threw me into. 
 But a perfect Ecftafy of Surprize enfued, 
 when 1 obferved a Parcel of Manufcripts 
 with thefe Titles : Sermons of Majlcr Pifa- 
 gus, a Morning s Perufal of which gives fix 
 Stools. Meditations of Dr. Jukes, a Specific 
 in the Coma Vigil, or IVant of Sleeps Sic. 
 I thought the People out of their Senfes, 
 and to examine more accurately the Virtue 
 H 3 Of: 
 
I50 A JOURNIY tO ths 
 
 of their Medicines, I open'd the firft of 
 thefe Books. It was fuch infipid Stuff, that 
 at the firft Chapter I began to make Faces ; 
 and reading on, I found my Bowels rumble, 
 and foon after had a Tenefmtts. But as I 
 knew I had no Occafion for Purging, I 
 threw the Book down, and run away. I 
 then obferv'd, that nothing in the whole 
 World was without its Ufe, and that the 
 moft pitiful Performances were ferviceable 
 fbr fomething. I found alio, that this Peo- 
 ple were no Fools, however abfurd I at firft 
 took them to be. Mv Hoir. averr'd to me, 
 that he was cur'd of 1\ ing awake from only 
 perufing Doclor Jukis Book, the Virtue of 
 wh ; ch was Co profound arid potent, that 
 V . ;:i nee ltfelf muft fnore at it. Thefe 
 Things occafion'd iji me a tumultuous Va- 
 riety of Thought. And left they fhould 
 break in upon that Chain of philofophical 
 Reflexions I had heretofore made, 1 refolv'd 
 foon to leave the Country. And happily 
 enough, the ftrange Things I foon faw in 
 other Provinces, joftled out almoft all 
 Thoughts of this Place. But notwithstand- 
 ing, after I had fininYd my Tour round 
 this Globe, and was reflecting upon the 
 Mutak'ian Philofophy, their Manner of cu- 
 ring Disorders was not altogether fo abfurd. 
 For I am convine'd, that in our Europe 
 there are fome Books that would purge the 
 moft coftive, or give Sleep to the moft 
 wakeful. As to the Diforders of the Mind, 
 I own I could not fubferibe to the Alutakian 
 
 Princi- 
 
World Under -Ground. 151 
 
 Principles in this Point, tho' it muit. be 
 confefs'd, there are fome Infirmities of Bo- 
 dv, which we confound with the Diforders 
 of the Mind ; as a witty Poet of our World 
 lias obferv'd in the following Epigram. 
 
 Sexte, diu mecum morbo vexaris eodem, 
 
 Humor es acres nos cruciare folent. 
 Cum ?nibi fit morbus circum prtecordia verfans y 
 
 Exofus, querulus, dijfcilifque vocor. 
 At te (Zgrotantem plorant, miferantur amici 7 
 
 In pedibus morbi vis quia iota fedet. 
 Counter excufant te, cum faltare rccufas, 
 
 Immunem clamant, namque podagra tenet. 
 Inter convivas at me cantare negantem, 
 
 Fafofum, querulum, difficilemque vocant. 
 Cum minus ardua res tibi fit faltatio, Sexte> 
 
 £j)uam fit cardiac pfallere fcepe mibi. 
 
 1 departed from Mzttak, and crofling over 
 a Lake of a yellow Hue, I arriv'd at Adik- 
 rok y and proceeding to the capital City, I 
 found the Gate fhut. I was oblig'd to wait 
 till the drowfy Centinel was pleas'cl to open 
 it, which was fome confiderabie Time, it 
 being fecur'd with a Multitude of Lock*, 
 Bolts, and Bars. Entring, I obferv'd a deep 
 Silence reign throughout the whole City, 
 except that my Ears were now and then 
 afTaulted by a Noife as of People fnoring. I 
 could not help fancying I was got into the 
 Region of Sleep, as the Poets talk. Would 
 to God, ^ fays I to myfelf, that feveral of 
 the Magiftrates, Senators, and a few other 
 honcfl Countrymen of mine, who are dear 
 H 4 Lovers 
 
*5 2 A Journey to the 
 
 Lovers of Peace, had had the Luck to be 
 born in this blefTed City ! How fweetly and 
 quietly would they live ! And yet from the 
 •Signs in the Streets, and Infcriptions on the 
 Houfes, it was evident, that Arts and Sci- 
 ences were not unknown here, and that 
 Laws were exercis'd. Led by thefe Signs, I 
 iound out an Inn. No Entrance to be had. 
 The Doors were all fafr. And tho' it was 
 Noon with the reft of the World, it mould 
 i^em it was Night to the Inhabitants of this 
 City. At laft, after having knock'd and 
 bqune'd a long while, I was let in. Time 
 is here divided into twenty-three Hours ; 
 nineteen of them are facred to Sleep, the 
 other four to Bufinefs. Sufpecling, there- 
 fore, thefe People to be monftroufly negli- 
 gent both in their publick and private Affairs, 
 I defir'd fomething to be brought me to eat, 
 which they had ready in the Houfe, fearing, 
 if I had order'c! anyThing to be drefs'd, the 
 Cook fhould fall afleep while it was about. 
 But all Things are here done in the con- 
 cifeft and moft compendious Manner ; every 
 Thing fuperfluous is omitted ; and there- 
 fore this diminutive Day of theirs is long 
 enough for all Sorts of Bufinefs. After 
 Dinner, which was brought upon Table 
 with a furprizing Expedition, my Hoft 
 waited on me round the City. We went 
 into a Temple, where we heard a Dif- 
 courfe, fho:t indeed, with refpecl: to the 
 Time, but Ions; enough confidering its 
 Importance. The Preacher went direclly 
 
 to 
 
World Under -C j ggi 
 
 to his Subject. He us'd no Flourifhes, no 
 Tautologies, nor faid one fuperfluous Thing. 
 So that when I compare this Difcourfe with 
 the long naufeous ones of Mailer Petre, the 
 former is \n Reality more copious than the 
 latter. With the fame Brevity Proceedings 
 in Law are difpatch'd : The Advocates fay- 
 all in few Words, and then produce their 
 WitneiTes. I remember to have feen a Co- 
 py of a Treaty of Alliance between this 
 and a neighbouring Kingdom. It 
 couch'd in thefe Terms : Let there be per:-. 
 
 . Friendjbip between the Mikrekians and 
 Splendikanians. Let the Limits of the 
 Kingdoms be the River Klimac, and the Tof> 
 cf Metmi Zabor. Sign'dy he. Thus in 
 three Lines they exprefs, what with uj 
 would require a Volume. Hence I am pel - 
 fuaded one mav come to the Point with Lis 
 Noife and lefs Lofs of Time, if Superflui- 
 ties were to be retrench'd ; as a Traveller 
 would find his Journey half as fhort again, 
 w- re he always to go dire&ly ft rait. 1 
 Natives here are Cypreftes, and are diffin- 
 guifh'd from other Trees by Wens in t; 1 ir 
 head, which Wens have a ftated In- 
 creafe and Decneafe. When thev incre; 
 s oertain Humour diftils from them, which 
 falling upon the Eyes brings on a Drowfin 
 and is an Indication of the approaching Night. 
 From hence to .v is cue Day 1 
 
 Journey. Here the Inhabitants nevej Q 
 ring into the City, I ftopp'd a Perfoi 
 m'J to be in Haffe, and begged 
 H 5 
 
154 d Jo urn fi y to the 
 
 he would be pleas'd to direct me to a good 
 Inn. He reply'd he was very bufy, and 
 made the belt of his Way forward. So 
 great was the general Hurry of this Place, 
 that they feem'd not to walk thro' the 
 Streets, but to run or fly, as if they were 
 afraid of being too late. The leaft I could 
 think was, that fome Part of the City was on 
 Fire, or that fome other fudden and un- 
 look'd for Difafter had frighted the Citi- 
 zens out of their Senfes. At laft I cad my 
 Eyes upon a Sign before a Houfe, which 
 fignify'd it was an Inn. Here fome were 
 entring, others departing, others (tumbling 
 for Hafte, infomuch that I was a Quarter 
 of an Hour buftlins; in the Yard before I 
 could eain Admittance. In a Moment I 
 was afk'd a Multitude of impertinent Quef- 
 rions. One laid, Where do you come 
 
 i ? Where are vou going to? How 
 . do you Oay here? Another faid, Will 
 dine alone, or with Company ? If the 
 latter, what Room will vou dine in, the 
 red, the green, the white, or the black 
 Room ? Or will you dine above Stairs, or 
 fclow ? with a thoufand Impertinences of 
 this Kind. My Hoft, who was a Clerk of 
 
 of the inferior Courts of Juftice here, 
 v/ent away to Dinner, but foon return'd, 
 and then gave me a 1 >ng tedious Account of 
 a La\v-Su;t that had been depending thefe 
 ten Years, the Hearing of which was now 
 
 ing ' n before the fourteenth Court. 
 He told me, he hop'd it would be ended 
 
 within 
 
World Under-Ground. 155 
 
 within two Years, fmce there were but two 
 Courts remaining, beyond which there waa 
 no Appeal. He "left me in great Aftonim- 
 ment, and convine'd me, that this Nation 
 was extremely bufy in doing nothing. When 
 my Landlord was gone, I walk'd about the 
 Houfe, and by Chance dropt upon a Library. 
 It was large and well ftock'd, with lefpect to 
 the Number of Books, but a very indifferent 
 one with refpect to the Contents. Among 
 thofe Books, which to Appearance were in- 
 beft Condition, I obferv'd the following, 
 
 1. Defcription of the Cathedral 24 Vols. 
 
 2. Relation of the Siege of Pehunc 36 Vols. 
 
 3. Of the Ufe of the Herb Slac 13 Vols 
 
 4. Funeral Oration upon the 7 n y » 
 
 Death of Senator Jackfi S 
 My Landlord, at his Return to me, en- 
 tertain'd me with a Defcription of the State 
 of the City ; and from what he faid, I 
 concluded that more Bufinefs was tranfacted 
 by the fleepy Mikrokians, than by the wa- 
 king Alakrokians \ that thefe play'd with 
 the Shell, while the other eat the Kernel. 
 The People here too are all Cypreffes, and 
 as to the outward Make of their Bodies, 
 differ very little from the Mikrokians y ex- 
 cepting the Wens upon their Foreheads. 
 They have not the fame Blood or Juice in 
 their Bodies which other Trees of this Globe 
 have, but iriftead of Blood, they have a 
 thicker Juice in their Veins, which is of' a 
 mercurial Quality and Appearance. Nay 
 feme think it is Quick filvcr itfelf, inafmuch 
 
 as 
 
ijO A Journey to the 
 
 as in a Barometer it is found to have the 
 fame Effect. 
 
 At the Diftance of about two Days Jour- 
 ney from hence lies the Republick of 67/6- 
 lok^ which is divided into two Societies, in 
 Alliance with each other, but govern'd by 
 different and oppoiite Laws. The firft is 
 call'd Miho, founded by Afibac, a famous 
 Lawgiver of old, and the Lycurgus of the 
 Subterraneans. In order to render his Re- 
 publick lfronger and more lafting, he made 
 Sumptuary Laws, which forbid all Luxury 
 on the fevereft Penalties. And accordingly 
 this Society, for its great Continence and 
 Pariimonv, may be juftly call'd another 
 Sparta. One Thing I wonder'd at, and 
 that was, that in a Government fo well 
 conflitutec!, and which piqu'd itfelf upon 
 the Excellence of its Laws, there Ihould be 
 fo many Beggars. For wherever I turn'd 
 my Eyes, there was a Tree begging an 
 Alms, which is a very troublefome Thing 
 to Travellers. Upon a nice Infpeclion into 
 the State of the Republick, I was con- 
 vinced, that thefe Miferies flow'd from the 
 too great CEconomy of the People. For all 
 Luxury being profcrib'd, and the Rich baulk- 
 ing their Genius, and giving into no Indul- 
 gences, the common People of courfe muff 
 lead an indolent, idle, and beggarly Life, 
 for want of Matter to make a proper Gain 
 of. I concluded from hence, that rigid 
 Parfimony in a State produces the fame In- 
 conveniences as an Obftru£tion of the Blood 
 
 2 in 
 
World Under -Ground. 157- 
 
 in a human Body. In the other Province, 
 that of Liho y they live fplendidly and jo- 
 vially, and fpare no Expence. Here Arts 
 and Profeflions flourifh ; the People are en- 
 courag'd to Induftry, and every Citizen has- 
 an Opportunity to raife a Fortune. Who- 
 ever is poor among them may fairly impute 
 it to his own Negligence. Thus the Profu- 
 iion of the Rich gives Life to the Body po- 
 litick, as the Circulation of the Blood in 
 the human Body gives Strength and Vigour 
 to the Limbs. 
 
 The Territory of Lama borders upon 
 this. Here is the celebrated School of Phv- 
 ficians. With fo much Ardour is the Study 
 of Phyfick here purfued, that none are 
 look'd upon as genuine Doclors, unlefs 
 they come from the illuftrious School of 
 Lama. And hence this City is crouded 
 with fo many Doclors, that you fee more of 
 them than of all other Sorts of People pui 
 together. Whole Streets are fill'd with 
 Shops of Apothecaries, and anatomical In- 
 strument- Makers. Loitering about the Ci^ 
 ty, I. met a Tree offering to Sale the Bills of 
 Mortality for the Year laft paft. I bought 
 one of them, and to my great Surprize 
 found the Births and Burials ftand thus : 
 Born fifty ; buried fix hundred. I could not 
 conceive that in a Place, where Apollo him- 
 felf feem'd to have fix'd his Refidence, there 
 Should be fuch a yearly Havock among the 
 Citizens. I afk'd the Tree what unufual 
 Plague or Peftilence had rag'd in the City 
 
 the 
 
153 A Journev to the 
 
 the lafft Year. He reply'd, that two Years 
 ago the Number of the DececVd was great- 
 er, that this was the common Proportion 
 between the Births and Burials, and that 
 the Inhabitants of Lama were perpetually 
 afflicled with Diilempers, which haften'd 
 their Deaths ; inlbmuch that in a ihort 
 Time the City would be empty, if it were 
 not fupplied and recruited from the neigh- 
 bouring Provinces. Upon this I hurry'd 
 out of the City, not thinking it prudent to 
 fray longer here, especially as the Name of 
 a Phyfician, and the Sight of the anato- 
 mical Inftruments, after what I had fufTer'd 
 in the Country of Philofophcrs, could not 
 be i : reeahle. Therefore leaving this 
 Place, 1 never ftopt, till 1 came to a Town 
 
 - Miles diftant, where the People live 
 without Phyficiins, and 
 Jn the fpace ot two Days, 1 arriv'd at the 
 Land of Liberty The People here are ac- 
 countable to no Authority. They con fill 
 of feparate Families, wit; ;ing fubjedr. 
 
 ,.nv Laws or Power whaiibever. Vet 
 an Appearance of Society is pretrrv'd, 
 in publick they confult the : : 
 
 who perpetual]) exhort them to Peace and 
 Unanimity, an J admomfh them never to 
 depart from that primary Pre. . Nature, 
 
 bf** to as you i be done by. 
 
 On all the G i th and Villi 
 
 a Statue of Liberty is en ampltng upon 
 
 Chains and Fetters, this Inicription. 
 
 over the Head, GOLDEN LIBERTY. 
 
 In 
 
World, Under-Ground. 159 
 
 In the firft City I enter'd, all was quiet 
 enough ; yet I obferv'd fome of the Citi- 
 zens diftinguifh'd themfelves by certain Rib- 
 bands which they wore, and which, as I 
 afterward underftood, were Marks and Sym- 
 bols of two Factions which then divided the 
 People. The Avenues and Court- Yards of 
 the Houfes of the Great were lin'd with 
 arm'd Soldiers, who always held themfelves 
 in Readinefs, becaufe the Truce being about 
 two Days ago expir'd, the War was upon 
 breaking out afrefh. I fled away trembling 
 as faft as I could, nor thought myfclf free, 
 till I had convey 'd myfelf out of Sight of 
 this Land of Liberty. 
 
 The next Province is "Jochtan, of which I 
 had heard a fhort Defcription, which very 
 much alarm'd me, and led me to think it 
 muft be the Seat of Diforder, Confufion, 
 and Infecurity. For this Country was the 
 Sink and Receptacle of all Religions. Ail 
 the feveral Principles and Doclrir.es which 
 prevail in anv Part of this Globe, retire 
 here as to their Center, and are taught pub- 
 lickly. Recollecting, therefore, what Trou- 
 bles had been excited in Europe by religious 
 Differences, I was almoft afraid to approach 
 the capital City, the feveral Streets and Por- 
 tions of which have all Churches and Tem- 
 ples for different and oppofite Seels. But 
 my Fears foon vaniuYd, when I obferv'd a 
 profound Agreement and Concord reign in 
 every Part. With refpeel to their Politicks, 
 there was the fame Face, the fame Senti- 
 
 2 ments. 
 
i Go A Journey to the 
 
 ments, the fame Tranquillity, and the fame 
 Care in all. For as the Laws made it 
 capital for one Member of the State to dif- 
 turb another in his Way of Worfhip, or 
 to moleft him upon Account of any religi- 
 ous Difference, hence whatever Diffenfions 
 they had were without the leaft Appearance 
 of Hoftility, their Difputes were without 
 Bitternefs or Invecfives, and they had no 
 Aversions, becaufe thev had no Perfecutions. 
 There was a perpetual, but very honeft and 
 worthy Emulation among the feveral Seels, 
 i'Y one of which endeuvour'd to demon- 
 ftiate the Excellence of their Religion by 
 the Puritv of their Life and Morals. Thus 
 by the Wifdom of the Magiftrate, all thefe 
 differentSentiments excited no moreTroi. 
 in theState, than did the different Shops of the 
 Artifts and Merchants in the Forum, where 
 the Buyers are invited by the fole Goodneis 
 of the Commodity, and where they ufe 
 neither Fraud, Force, or Difparagement. 
 By thefe Means, the leaft Seed of Dilcord 
 is ftifled in the Birth, and that Sort of Emu- 
 lation only cncourag'd, which is honourable 
 in itfelf, and advantageous to the State. 
 This convinc'd me, that the religious Trou- 
 bles which reign in many Places arife not 
 from the Variety of Religions, but from Per- 
 fection alone. A fenlible and learned 'Jcchta- 
 nian explain'd to me more at large the Ge- 
 nius of this Government, and the Caufes of 
 its Tranquillity. I heard him with Rap- 
 tttrej ajid his Obfcrvations I {hall keep en.- 
 
 grav'd 
 
World Under -Ground. 161 
 
 grav'd on the Table of my Heart. I did 
 indeed, for fonie Time, make Replies- and 
 Objections to him, but was at laft fore'd to 
 own myfelf vanquim'd, fince he irrefiflibly 
 prov'd all his Points by Arguments drawn 
 from Experience. Afham'd, therefore, to 
 contradict my Senfes, and give the Lie to 
 pofitive Matter of Fact, I was fore'd to 
 own, that Liberty of Belief was the true 
 Fountain of this Tranquillity and Concord. 
 However, once more I attacked my Adver- 
 fary with an Argument different from all 
 I had us'd. I told him it was the Duty of 
 a Lawgiver, in erecting a Government, to 
 regard the future, rather than the prefent 
 Happinefs of Mortals, and that he fhould 
 conform his Scheme not fo much to their 
 Palate as to the Laws of God. To this he 
 reply'd in this Manner : " My good Friend* 
 " fays he, you are greatly deceivM, if you 
 " imagine that God, the Fountain of 
 f* Truth, can be pleas'd with diffembled 
 " Worfhip. In other Nations, where 
 " all are oblig'd by publiek Authority to 
 " one certain Rule of Faith, what a Door is 
 H open'd for Ignorance and Hypocrify ! 
 <6 Few, or none, have the Will or the 
 " Courage to difcover their true Sentiments, 
 *' and fo they profefs one Thing, and be- 
 " lieve another. This makes the Study of 
 " Divinity a cold, lifelefs Thing, and be- 
 '* gets a Negligence in the Difcovery of 
 " Truth. This alfo makes profane Learn- 
 " ing more cultivated : For the Prieib 
 
 " thenv 
 
tGi A Journey to the 
 
 •' themfelves, left they fhould be branded 
 " with the Title of Hereticks, relinquifh 
 " the Purfuit of facred Things, and divert 
 " their Studies to other Subjects, where 
 " their Minds may range without Danger, 
 " and where their Liberty is not fetter'd. 
 M The Vulgar will ftill condemn all who de- 
 11 part from the reigning Doctrines. But 
 Hypocrites and Dillemblers mull be hate- 
 ful to God, to whom a fmcere, tho' er- 
 roneous Belief, muft be infinitely lefs dii- 
 pleafirg than an orthodox, but pretended 
 M Faith.** Hearing this, I kept Silence, 
 lbl« to difpnte the Point anv longer with 
 fb wife a People. 
 
 I had now been almoft two Months out 
 upon my Travels, when at Lift I arriv'd at 
 Tumbac, a Territory contiguous to the Pa- 
 tuan Dominions. 1 thought myfelf now at 
 home, my wearifomti Journey being almoir. 
 rlni(h\l. The Inhabitants of this Region 
 are chiefly Wild Olives, extremely devout, 
 and extremely cenforious. In the firft Inn 
 I enter'd, 1 waited two Hours for my 
 Breaktaft, knocking and calling for it al- 
 moft all that Time in vain. The Rcafon 
 of this Delay, was the unieafonable Devo~ 
 tion of my Hoft, who would not, for the 
 World, put his Hand to the leail Thing, 
 till he had finifhM his Morning Prayers. 
 
 Tandem intrans magna porr exit murmur e pancm 
 Pallidas, izf caulem mifero mihl ponit olentem 
 Lanteram. 
 
 However, 
 
World Under-Ground. 163 
 
 However, that Breakfaft was one of the 
 deareft in all my Travels, and I proteft I 
 never met with a Landlord more devout, or 
 more unmerciful. Well ! thought I to 
 myfelf, this Landlord had better have pray'd 
 lefs, and been more honeft. But I diflem- 
 bled my Refentment, well knowing how 
 dangerous it is to provoke a Saint. The 
 Citizens here were all Cato's^ all Cenfors 
 of Manners. They walk'd up and down 
 the Streets with penfive Looks and folded 
 Arms, declaiming againft the Vanity of the 
 Times, and condemning every innocent 
 Pleafure. Not a Gefture, not a Smile 
 efcap'd their Obfervation. And thus by 
 their perpetual Cenfures, and envenom'd 
 Zeal, they pafs'd for Perfons of eminent 
 Sanctity. For my Part, as I was fpent and 
 exhaufted with Fatigues, I made no Scruple 
 of indulging in feveral innocent Diver- 
 fions. But I got a bad Name by fo doing, 
 infomuch that every Houfe I enter' d was 
 like a Court of Juftice, where I was fure 
 to be arraign'd. Some, when they faw I 
 was not at all mov'd by their Rebukes and 
 Admonitions, fhunn'd me like a Plague or a 
 Contagion. I forbear to fay more upon the 
 Morofenefs of this People : However, one 
 Circumftance I muft not omit, becaufe it 
 gives you their exact Character ; and from, 
 this Sample you may judge of the reft. A 
 certain Tumbacian^ with whom I had been 
 acquainted at Potu, being at an Inn, and 
 feeing me go b,y, ftept out to me, and prefs'd 
 
 me 
 
164 A Journey to the 
 
 me to go in. I waited on him. As he 
 had heard that I was far from being an 
 Enemy to Pleafure, he gave me fuch a Lec- 
 ture, and upbraided me with my Lire and 
 Morals in fuch Terms, that my Hair 
 flood on End, and every Joint of me 
 ihook. But while our Cato was difcharging 
 thus the Artillery of his Cenfures, the Gla(s 
 had pafs'd very infenfibly, but very brifkly, 
 from one to the other, till in fhort we both 
 fell fairly fuddled on the Floor, and were 
 carried off half dead. Having flept off 
 this Debauch, and recover'd my Reafon, I 
 fct myfelf to examine into the Nature of 
 thefe People's Religion ; and I made a fair 
 Difcovery, that their Zeal flow'd rather 
 from fome vicious Humours, or a Predomi- 
 nancy of the bilious Juices, than from true 
 Piety. But I never communicated this to 
 any one, and left them without faying a 
 Word. 
 
 At laft, after two compleat Months, I 
 arriv'd at Potu y fo extremely weary with 
 fuch inceffant Exercife, that my Legs had 
 fcarce Strength to fupport my Body. It was • 
 on the tenth Day of the Month of Beeches 
 that I enter'd this Capital. I went forth- 
 with to his Serene Highnefs, and offer'd 
 him my little Hiftorical Collections which 
 he immediately order'd to be printed. (For 
 it mull: be noted, that the Art of Printing, 
 of which the Europeans and Chinefe boait 
 themfelves to be Inventors, was of far greater 
 Antiquity among the Potuans.) The Pe 
 
 ilk 
 
World Under-Ground.. 165 
 
 in general were fo pleas'd with this Account 
 of my Travels, that they were never weary 
 of reading it. All Day long they were 
 running about the Streets felling my Jour- 
 nal, and crying, as loud as they could, 
 A journey round the JVorld, by Scabba, the 
 King's Mcjfenger. Elated with this Succefs, 
 I gave a Loofe to my Ambition, and afpir'd 
 to fome Employment of greater Weight and 
 Dignity. But feeing my Hopes not quick- 
 ly anfvver'd, I preferr'd a new Petition to 
 the Prince, wherein extolling my late La- 
 bours, I earneftly implor'd his Highnefs to 
 vouchfafe me a proper Recompence. The 
 Prir.ce, who was Humanity in the Abftracf, 
 was knfibly touch'd with my Cafe, and 
 graejpufly promis'd that he would ha\e a 
 due Regard to me. He was as gocd as his 
 Word : But his whole Favour terminated 
 in the Enlargement of my annual Salary. 
 I thought I had Reafon to expedr. a far bet- 
 ter Recompence, and therefore I could not 
 reft contented with this. But as I would 
 not trouble his Highnefs any further, I 
 open'd my Grief to the Chancellor. He 
 heard me with his ufual Humanity, and 
 promis'd me all the good Offices in his 
 Power; but at the fame Time admcnifh'd 
 me to defift from fo wild a Petition, and 
 begg'd me to confider the Meafure of my 
 Abilities, and the Weaknefs of my Judg- 
 ment. " Nature, fays he, has been but a 
 " Step-Mother to you, and has deny'd 
 44 you thofe Powers of the Mind, which 
 
 are 
 
 (4 
 
1 66 A Journey to the 
 
 ** are requifite for the more arduous Offices 
 " of the State; and therefore you mould 
 " not aim at what it is not poflible for you 
 " to procure. Nay, the Prince himfelf, 
 * c were he to comply with this weak Re- 
 <c queft of yours, muft fufFer in his Fame, 
 u as a Violator of the Laws. Reft con- 
 <•'' tented therefore with your Condition, 
 cc and renounce a Hope, which Nature has 
 c< made unrcafonable." In Conclufion, he 
 oWn'd I had fome Merit, and particularly 
 extoll'd my late Performance. But it is 
 not, fays he, Merit of this Kind that paves 
 the Way to State-Preferment. 'Tis true, 
 you have drawn a very pretty Picture of the 
 XVorld ; but if for a Performance of this 
 Kind we were to gratify you with the moft 
 honourable Employments, why might not 
 a Painter for drawing a great Likcnefs, or a 
 Sculptor for exhibiting a Statue in juft Pro- 
 portion, with as much Reafon expect to be 
 made a Senator ? Merit fhould doubtlefs 
 meet with a Recompcnce, and Rewards 
 should be aflign'd to the Deferving; but then 
 they fhould be Rewards of fuch a Nature, 
 that the Commonwealth receive no De- 
 triment, and fuffer no Ridicule. 
 
 Thefe Admonitions filene'd me for a 
 While. But as I could not bear to think 
 of growing old in this vile Employ, I re- 
 fum'd that defperate Refolution, which had 
 laid dormant a long Time, of attempting 
 a Reformation in the State, by which Pro- 
 ject. I might, at one and the fame Time, 
 
 help 
 
World Under -Ground. \£y 
 
 help forward the publick Good, and my 
 own too. 
 
 A little before I Ct out upon my late 
 Travels, I had clofely ftudy'd the Nature of 
 this Government, to fee if I could difcover 
 any Defects, and at the fame Time what 
 Remedies were proper for them. Since 
 that, in the P/ovince of Cockleku^ I had ob- 
 ferv'd that the Government there was in a 
 tottering Condition, by reafon of the Ad- 
 miffion of Women to the Management of 
 publick Affairs, that Sex being naturally 
 ambitious, ftill aiming to extend their Pow- 
 er, nor ever refting till they have acquir'd a 
 full and abfolute Authority. Hereupon I 
 determined to bring in a Bill to exclude that 
 Sex from the Adminiftration of publick 
 Affairs. I flatter'd myfelf I ihouid find 
 Multitudes to abet and efpoufe this Point 
 fince it was an eafy Matter to make it very 
 clear, and to (hew beyond Contradiction 
 the Misfortunes that flow from this De- 
 fecl: in the State, and the Danger the Male 
 Sex was in, unlefs the Wings of fuch an 
 unnatural Power were timelv dipt. And 
 if it fhould fo happen, that the Abolition of 
 this ancient Cuftom ihouid appear to fome 
 to be too hazardous an Attempt, in fuch 
 Cafe I humbly offer'd, that the Female 
 Power mould be at leaft reftrain'd and 
 abridg'd. 
 
 This Scheme of mine had three Ends 
 in view. Firft, to remove an Inconveni- 
 ence the State labour'd under. Secondly 
 
 by 
 
<i68 A Journey to the 
 
 by producing a Specimen of my Sagacity 
 and Judgment, I had Hopes to mend my 
 Condition. And, thirdly, I thought by 
 thefe Means to revenge certain Taunts and 
 Affronts I had receiv'd from many of the 
 Females of this Country. I frankly con- 
 fefs, that my own private Intereft, and a 
 Defire of Revenge, were the primum Mo- 
 bile of this Project. But then I artfully 
 conceal'd thefe Views, left under a Pretence 
 of publick Good, I fhould feem only to 
 purfue my own, and (o tread in the Steps of 
 other Innovators, whole Schemes breathe 
 nothing but the publick Good, when it is 
 evident to the dulleftObfcrver, that their pri- 
 vate Intercft is the Spring that moves the 
 whole Machine. 
 
 And now, having dreft mv Project out 
 to the beft Advantage, and ilrengthen'd it 
 by the moft powerful Reafons I could in- 
 vent, I waited upon the Prince, and hum- 
 bly offer' d it to him. His Highncfs, who 
 had always teftify'd a great Regard to me, 
 was thunderftruck at the Boldnefs and Folly 
 of my Undertaking, which he foreboded 
 muft end in my irreparable Ruin. Where- 
 fore he endeavour'd to difluade me from this 
 mad Attempt by the ftrongeft Intreaties: 
 
 Precibufque tnlnas rcgalhcr addit. 
 
 I, for my Part, relying as well upon the 
 Utility of my Project, as upon the Favour 
 of the Male Sex (who I was in Hopes would 
 not defer t the common Caufe) remained im- 
 movable 
 
World Under-Ground. 169 
 
 movable to all his Highnefs faid, nor could 
 his repeated Admonitions vanquifh my Ob- 
 ftinacy. In fine, according to the Cuftom 
 of the Country, I was brought to the Forum y 
 and there, with my Neck in a Halter, I 
 flood waiting the Judgment of the Senate. 
 That venerable Body debated the Matter, 
 and foon came to a Refolution ; which Re- 
 solution was fent up to the Prince for his 
 Confirmation $ and being rcturn'd by him, 
 was read aloud by a publick Officer. It 
 run thus: 
 
 " After due Examination, we are of 
 <c Opinion as follows : That the Project of 
 " Scabba^ the King's Meflenger, to exclude 
 " the Female Sex from publick Bufinefs, 
 " cannot take EfFecT: without the highefi 
 " Detriment to the Commonwealth, fince 
 <c no lefs than Half of the Nation, which 
 " confifts of the faid Sex, muft look upon 
 " this Innovation as a very great Hardfhip, 
 " and their Refentment may occafion infi- 
 cc nite Diforders. Moreover we are of Opi- 
 " nion, that it is abfurd and unjufr, intirely 
 " to exclude Trees of the fineir. Talents 
 " from publick Honours, efpecially as Na- 
 " ture, who does nothing in vain, can ne- 
 " ver be fuppos'd to have given them all 
 " thofe noble Advantages to no Purpofe. 
 M We are perfuaded, that for the Welfare 
 " of the State, Regard ought to be had not 
 " to the Name, but the Abilities of a Per- 
 u fon. And as a Country may often la- 
 *- 4 hour under a Want of able Perfons, we 
 I 4t think 
 
170 A Journey to the 
 
 " think it a great Folly, by one A£ of 
 " Senate, to render one intire Half of the 
 " Nation incapable and unworthy of Em- 
 <c ployment, folely upon Account of their 
 " Birth. For thefe and divers other good 
 <c Reafons we are of Opinion, that the faid 
 " Scabba, for this foolilh and rafh Attempt, 
 <c ought to be punifh'd according to the 
 " Cuftom of our Anceftors." 
 
 The Prince was extremely concern'd for 
 my Misfortune, but as he never refcinded 
 the Decree of the Senate, he fign'd it with 
 his own Hand, and affix'd the Royal Seal to 
 it, and commanded it to be made publick, 
 inferting however this mollifying Claufe, 
 That as I was a Foreigner, a Native of a 
 new and unknown World, where forward 
 Geniufes are in great Efteem, I mould be 
 exempted from capital Punifhment. But 
 left by a total Remiflion of the Sentence the 
 Laws mould fuffer an Infringement, it was 
 therefore thought fit to detain me in Prifon 
 till the Beginning of the Month of Birches, 
 and that then, with other Violators of the 
 Law, I mould be banifh'd to the Firma- 
 ment. 
 
 This Sentence being publim'd, I was 
 clapt into Prifon. Some of my Friends 
 perfuaded me to proteft againft this Sen- 
 tence, fince among my Judges there were 
 fo many Matrons and Virgins, all Judges in 
 their own Caufe. Some advis'd me, as the 
 fafer Way, to make a fair Acknowledg- 
 ment of my Crime, and lay the Blame 
 
 upon 
 
World Under-Ground. iyi 
 
 upon my own native human Weaknefs. 
 But this laft Advice I rejected with great 
 Conilancy, out of RefpecT: to Mankind, 
 uptfl whofe Chara&er fuch a Confeflion 
 would leave an indelible Blemifh. 
 
 1 heard Toon after, that his Highnefs had 
 dctcrmin'd to give me an abfolute Pardon, 
 if I would but only proftrate myfelf at his 
 Feet, confefs my Fault, and implore his Fa- 
 vour, although Rahagna the Treafurer op- 
 pos'd that Motion with Might and Main. 
 But, to fpeak the Truth, I was nor difpfeas'd 
 with the Sentence. For Death was not 
 half fo terrible to me as that Employment 
 they pick'd out for me j and I was weary 
 of converfing longer with thefe Trees, who 
 had fo hi^h an Opinion of their Wifdom. 
 I hop'd alfo to meet with better Treatment 
 in the Firmament, where I had heard, that 
 all Strangers, without Dillinction, were 
 kindly receiv'd. 
 
 C II A P. X. 
 The Author's Banijhment to the Fir- 
 
 M A Ai EXT. 
 
 I.vf hitherto (aid nothing concerning 
 the and very Angular Punifliment 
 
 the I have, of hanifhing to the Finna- 
 
 t: Wherefore I think myfelf oblig'd in 
 Pace, to give fome Account of it. 
 
 I ? - Twice 
 
172 A Journey to tie 
 
 Twice every Year certain Birds of au 
 enormous Magnitude appear upon this Globe. 
 They are call'd Cupac, that is to fay, Birds 
 of Pott, and at itated Seafons they come 
 and go. It has long perplex'd the Subterra- 
 nean Naturalifts to account for this periodi- 
 cal Vifit. Some think they defcend upon 
 this Planet in Queft of certain Infe&s, or 
 large Flies, of which there are prodigious 
 Numbers about this Time of the Year, and 
 of which thefe Birds are exceedingly vora- 
 cious. This Opinion is ftrcngthen'd by this 
 Circumflance, that when thefe Flies difap- 
 pear, the Birds fly off" towards the Firma- 
 ment. An evident Proof of this we have 
 in other Countries, where Birds bv the fame 
 Imtindt of Nature appear, and for the very 
 fame Caufes. Others think that thefe Birds 
 are train'd up and inftrucled to this very 
 End and Purpofe by the Inhabitants of the 
 Firmament, like our Falcons and other 
 Birds of Prey. This Hypothecs receives 
 ibmc Countenance from that Tendernefs, 
 Care, and Dexterity, which thefe Birds ufe 
 in bringing home their Prey, and laying it 
 gently down before their Matters. Other 
 Circumftances alfo (hew, that thefe Crea- 
 tures are either thus inftrudled, or elfe that 
 thev have a certain Portion of Reafon to 
 direct them ; for at the Approach of the 
 Scafon of Departure, they are fo tractable 
 and tame, that they fuffer certain Nets, or 
 fmall Chains, to be thrown over them, un- 
 der which they lie quiet for many Days, 
 
 and 
 
World Under-Ground. 173 
 
 and are fed out of Hand by the Inhabitants 
 with the aforefaid Flies, of which they take 
 Care to provide a great Quantity for this 
 very Purpofe. For it is neceiTary to keep 
 feeding them till all Thing? are prepar'd and 
 got ready for thofe who are to be banilh'd. 
 The Apparatus for their Departure is as fol- 
 lows: On thofe Nets, in which they are 
 intanglcd, a Box or Cage is fatten' d with 
 Cords. Every Cage is capable of containing 
 one Perfon. The Time now drawing near, 
 and trie Infe£b failing which fupply'd them 
 with Food, the Birds mount upon Wing, and 
 cutting the Air, return to the Place from 
 whence they came. Such was this won- 
 derful PafTage, by which I and feveral other 
 Exiles were to be tranflated to a new World. 
 There were alfo at this Time two Citi- 
 zens of PotUy who for different Crimes 
 were fentene'd to Banifhment, and were 
 now preparing for their Journey. One of 
 thefc was a Metaphyfician, who had in- 
 curr'd this Punifhment by difputing con- 
 cerning the Effence of God, and the Nature 
 of fpiritual Subftanccs. He had fatisfy'd the 
 Law for his fir ft Offence of this Kind, by 
 undergoing the Punifhment of the Arm-,. 
 but being a fecond Time detected, he was 
 condemn'd to be banilh'd. to the Firmament. 
 1 he other was a Fanatick, who having 
 conceiv'd forne Doubts concerning Religion, 
 and concerning the civil Rights of the State, 
 attempted to fubvert the Foundations of 
 each. He refus'd to obey the publick Laws, 
 I 3 under 
 
174 -A Journey to the 
 
 under Pretence that fuch Obedience was 
 contrary to the Dictates of his Conscience. 
 His Friends endeavour'd, by the moft pow- 
 erful Arguments, to cure him of this Con- 
 ceit, by fhewing him how many Delufions 
 thefe Impulfes of Confcience and imagina- 
 ry Infpirations were fubject. to \ they told 
 him, that Zeal and Confcience were often 
 confounded with Melancholy and certain 
 corrupt Humours of the Body ; they de- 
 monftrated to him the egregious Follv of 
 thus appealing to the Authority of Con- 
 fcience, and how unjuft it was to contend 
 that the Impulfes of his Mind fhould be a 
 Rule to others, who might make ufe of the 
 fame Argument, and oppofc Confcience to 
 Confcience. At laft they prov'd to him, 
 that whoever firmly held this Principle, pre- 
 tending Confcience for his Difobedience, 
 ought to be excluded from the Rights and 
 Benefits of the Community, fince every 
 good Subject fhould pay an implicit Obe- 
 dience to the Laws ; but that a Fanatick 
 neither cou'd nor wou'd pay fuch an Obedi- 
 ence, fince his Confcience was his fole Rule 
 of Politicks. But as thefe Reafons had no 
 Effect upon the Mind of our Fanatick, he- 
 continued obftinate and incorrigible, and 
 fo was condemn'd to the Firmament. Thus 
 at this Time there were only three of us to 
 undergo this Punifhment, a Projector, a 
 Metaphyhcian, and a Fanatick. 
 
 About the Beginning of the Month of 
 BircbiSy we were all carry'd from Prifon to 
 
 feparate 
 
IVorU Under-Ground. 175 
 
 Separate Places. What became of the Me- 
 taphyfician and the Fanatick I know not, 
 as being too full of Cares for myfelf to mind 
 anv Thinsr elfe. Being; brought to the de- 
 ftin'd Place of Departure, I was forthwith 
 thruft into the Box or Cage, with as much 
 Provifion as would ferve me for two or three 
 Days. Soon after this, when the Birds 
 found no more Flies brought them, as if 
 they took the Hint, they left the Place, and 
 flew off with incredible Celerity. The 
 Diftance of the Firmament from the Planet 
 Nazar, is reputed by the Subterraneans to 
 be about an hundred Miles. How long I 
 was in palling from the one to the other I 
 cannot fay, but to me this aetherial Voyage 
 feem'd to be no more than about four and 
 twenty Hours. After a profound Silence, 
 at laft a confus'd Noife feem'd to reach my 
 Ears, from whence I conje&ur'd I was not 
 far from Land. Then it was I perceiv'd 
 that thefe Birds had been carefully exercis'd 
 and inftru&ed ; for with great Art and Care 
 they landed their Burden, fo as not in- the 
 leait to injure or hurt it. In a Moment I 
 was furrounded with a prodigious Number 
 of Monkies, the Sight of which put me 
 into a very great Fright, remembring what 
 I had fuffer'd from thefe Animals upon the 
 Planet Nazar. But my Fright redoubled, 
 when I heard thefe Monkies articulately dif- 
 courfe with one another, and when I be- 
 held them clad in diverfe-colour'd Veft- 
 mcnts. I then conjectur'd that they were 
 I 4 the 
 
i Jo A Journey to the 
 
 the Inhabitants of this Country. But as 
 after that Heap of Wonders I had been ac- 
 cuftom'd to, nothing now could well feem 
 new or ftrange, I began to recover my Cou- 
 rage, efpecially as I had obferv'd that thefe 
 Creatures approach' d me with an Air of Ci- 
 vility and Good-nature, taking me gently 
 out of my Cage, and receiving me with the 
 Humanity due to Strangers. Even Am* 
 bafTadors in our World are hardly recciv'd 
 with more Ceremony than 1 was. They 
 all came one after another, and addrcls'd 
 me in thefe Words, Put AJfer. When they 
 had repeated this Salutation pretty often, I 
 repeated the fame Words. Upon this they 
 fet up an immoderate Laugh, and by a 
 Multitude of comic Geftures, fignifyM they 
 were highly delighted to hear me pronounce 
 them. This made me conclude thefe Peo- 
 ple to be a light, babbling Race of Creatures, 
 and vaft Admirers of Novelty. When they 
 fpoke, you wou'd think fo many Drums 
 were beating, with fo much Volubility, and 
 fo little out of Breath, they held on their 
 Chattering. In a Word, as to Drefs, Man- 
 ners, Speech, and Form of Body, they were 
 the very Reverfe of the Potuans. At firft 
 they were all aftonifh'd at my Figure, and 
 the chief Reafon of that Aitonifhment was, 
 that I wanted a Tail. For as among the 
 whole Brute Creation none (o much re- 
 femble the human Form as Monkies, fo, 
 had I had a Tail, they would have taken 
 me for one of their own Species, efpecially 
 
World Under-Ground, 177; 
 
 as all thofe who had hitherto been tranf- 
 ported from the Planet Nazar to this Place, 
 were of a Form extremely unlike their 
 own. About the Time of my Arrival here 
 the Sea run very high, by reafon of the 
 near Approach of the Planet Nazar: For 
 as with us the Tides of the Ocean corre- 
 fpond with the Courfe of the Moon, fo the 
 Ocean of this Firmament increafes and de- 
 creafes according to the Vicinity or Remote- 
 nefs of the aforefaid Planet. . 
 
 Prefently I was conducted to a verv noble 
 Houfe, all beautifully fet off with coftly Stone, 
 Marble, Mirrors, Vafes, and Tapeftry. At 
 the Gate were Centinels pofted, which gave 
 me to underftand that this could not be the 
 Dwelling of a vulgar Monkey. And I was 
 foon inform'd, that it was the Houfe of the 
 Conful or chief Magiftrate. He was very 
 defirous of converfing with me, and there- 
 fore hir'd fome Matters to inftrucl me in 
 their Language. Near three Months had 
 been fpent upon my Inftruclion, at the 
 Expiration of which, as I. could now fpeak 
 the Tongue pretty fluently, I hop'd to gain 
 the Applaufe and Admiration of all, upon 
 Account of the Forwardnefs of my Genius 
 and the Strength of my Memory. But my 
 Tutors thought me flower and duller than 
 ordinary, infomuch that they loft all Pati- 
 ence, and threaten'd to leave me off*. And 
 as at Potu I was call'd in Deri lion Scabba^ or 
 Quick -Parts, fo here, by reafon of my Stu- 
 pidity and.Dulnefs, they gave me the Name 
 I 5 o£ 
 
178 A Journey to the 
 
 of Kadicoran, which fignifies a Clown, or 
 Dunce. For thofe alone are here efteem'd, 
 who are quick and nimble, and cover their 
 Senfe in a confus'd and rapid Volley of 
 Words. While I was learning the Monkey- 
 Language, my Hoft took me round the Ci- 
 ty, which I beheld diflblv'd in every Kind 
 of Luxury. What with the Multitude of 
 Coaches, Chaifes, Valets, and a Croud of 
 People hurrying every Wav, we were obli- 
 ged to ufe a Sort of Force to get on. Yet 
 this was nothing, if compar'd to that Lux- 
 ury which reign'd in the Metropolis, where, 
 as in its Center, you might fee all that mor- 
 tal Vanity could invent. Being now taught 
 the Language, 1 was brought to this famous 
 Capital by my Hoft, who hop'd to purchafe 
 the Favour of a Senator, by making him 
 a Prefent of fo uncommon a Curiofity as I 
 was. For the Form of Government here 
 is ariftocratical, fo that the Sovereign Au- 
 thority refides in the Grand Senate, the 
 Members of which are all noble from firft 
 to laft. None of plebeian Family can ever 
 hope to be more than a Centurion or Prae- 
 tor in'the Provinces or leiFer Cities. Some- 
 times, indeed, one of this Clafs may arrive 
 at the Confulate, yet never without fome 
 very extraordinary Merit. Thus it was 
 my Hoft obtained the Confuhhip ; for fo 
 fertile was his Genius, that in the Space of 
 one Month, he projected twenty-eight new 
 Laws. And though not half of them were 
 calculated for the Good of the Publick, 
 
 yet 
 
World Under-Ground. 179 
 
 yet they were Specimens of a fruitful In- 
 vention, and procur'd him a great Charac- 
 ter. For throughout the whole fubterranean 
 World, there is no Place where Projectors 
 are in more Efteem than in this. The 
 capital City is calPd Martini a ; it gives 
 Name to the whole Country, and is famous 
 for its fine Situation, for the Grandeur of 
 its Buildings, its Commerce, and naval 
 Force. For Extent of Ground, and Num- 
 ber of Inhabitants, I believe it may rival 
 Paris. So crouded was every Street, that 
 we were fore'd to beat our Way through to 
 go to that Part of the City where the Syn- 
 dick of the Senate liv'd. For he it was to 
 whom the Conful was to prefent me. 
 
 ■When we drew near to the Syndick's 
 Houfe, my Friend the' Conful went into an 
 Inn, to put himfelf in Order, and to com- 
 pofe his Perfon and Habit in a Manner fit 
 to appear before the Syndick. Immediately 
 there appear'd a little Army of occafional 
 Valets or Footmen, commonly- call' d Maf- 
 katti, whofe Afliftance every one makes ufe 
 of before they enter the Palaces of the Se- 
 nators. Thefe brum your Cloaths, take 
 Out the Spots, and with the exacteft Care 
 adjuft whatever is difcompos'd, even to the 
 fmalleft Plait. One of thefe Maskatti took 
 the ConfuPs Sword, and wip'd it clean and 
 bright, and then return'd it him. Another 
 drefs'd his Tail with Ribbands of various 
 Colours : For thefe Monkies have nothing 
 more at Heart than the Ornaments of their 
 
 Tails. 
 
i So A Journey to the 
 
 Tails. There were forae Senators, and 
 efpecially fome of the Wives of the Sena- 
 tors, whofe Tails on high Occafions could 
 fcarcely be drefs'd out to the bed Advantage 
 under two or three hundred Pounds Ster- 
 ling. A third approached the Conful with 
 a geometrical Inftrument, to take the Di- 
 mensions of his Cloaths, and to fee if all 
 hung in due Proportion. A fourth brought 
 a Bottle of Paint, and with it improved his 
 Vifage. A fifth cxamin'd his Feet, from 
 which he par'd the Superfluities. A fixth 
 brought him perfum'd Water to wain with. 
 In mort, one brought a Towel, another a 
 Comb, another a Looking-Glafs, and all 
 with an Exaclnefs not inferior to that of a 
 Geometrician meafuring and adorning his 
 Map. Oh ! thought I to myfelf, how much 
 Time and Expence muft the Drcfs of the 
 Ladies here require, when there is fo much 
 Eufs m tricking out one of our Sex? And, 
 indeed, the Martinian Ladies exceed all 
 Bounds, and cover their Defects with fuch 
 a Load of Paint, as makes their Perfons 
 ofFenlive. P'or when the Sweat and Paint 
 are pretty well united, it exhales an Odour 
 like that of your great Kitchens ; what you 
 fmell you know not, but this you know, 
 that it is fomething very difagreeable. 
 
 My Hoft thus painted, powder'd, comb'd 
 and polifh'd, went to the Syndick's Palace, 
 attended only with three Valets. When 
 he came to the Court-Yard he pulPd ofF his 
 Shoes 3 left he fhould afterwards difobliga 
 
 the 
 
World Under -Ground. 181 
 
 the Marble Floor with Dirt or Duft. He 
 was forc'd to ftay a full Hour before the 
 Syndick was inform'd that he was there,, 
 nor was he introduced without a proper Gra- 
 tification to fome of the Guards and Ser- 
 vants. The Syndick, feated on a gilt Set- 
 tee, as foon as he efpy'd me entring with 
 my Hofr,. burft out- into an ungovernable 
 Laughter, and afterward afk'd me a thou- 
 fand trifling, foolifh Queftions. To every 
 Reply I made him, he. redoubled his Fits of 
 Laughter. 
 
 Ingeminat tremuios nafo crifpar.te cachlnnos. 
 
 For my Part, Iwas of Opinion, that to* 
 play the Buffoon was reckon'd among the 
 Virtues here, fince the Government had 
 made this Perfon Syndick, which is the fe- 
 cond Dignity in the Senate ; and I obferv'd 
 as much to my FViend. But he aftur'd me, 
 he was a Monkey of great Abilities, as ap- 
 pear'd from the Multitude of Bufinefs of- 
 various Sorts, which even in his greener 
 Years he went through. For fuch was his 
 Readinefs of Perception, that even over a 
 Glafs he would tranfact Affairs of the ut-r 
 molt Weight ; nay even at Dinner, or at. 
 Supper, between the Courfes, he would ofr 
 ten draw up a new Law. I enquired if 
 fuch Laws r conceiv'd in fo fhort a Space of 
 Time, were of any confiderable Duration. 
 To this he only reply'd, that like other 
 Laws they continued in Force, till it pleas' d 
 the Senate to abrogate or repeal them. 
 
 The 
 
1 82 A Journey to the 
 
 The Syndick, having convers'd with me 
 about half an Hour, and with full as great 
 a Degree of Loquacity as our European Bar- 
 bers, turn'd himlelf about to my Friend, 
 and told him, he would take me into the 
 Number of his Servants, though upon Ac- 
 count of my flow Intellects he much doubt- 
 ed whether I could be good for any Thing. 
 / have myfelf, reply'd my Friend the Con- 
 ful, obfervd a natural Torpor or Dulncfs in 
 him, but give him Time for Reflexion, and 
 you will find be has no contemptible Judgment. 
 That lignifies little here, return'd the Syn- 
 dick, fince our Multiplicity of Bufinefs ad- 
 mits of no Delay. With thefe Words he 
 fell to examining my Limbs and my Body, 
 and after having furvey'd them a ihort 
 Time, he commanded me to lift up a cer- 
 tain Weight from the Ground, whicn I 
 did without much Trouble. Upon thifl he 
 told me, that though Nature had been un- 
 kind to me with refpeel: to my Intellects, 
 vet that (he had in a Manner compenfated 
 that Defect by an extraordinary Strength of 
 Body. I was then order'd to withdraw to 
 another Apartment, where the Domefticks 
 and Attendants receiv'd me with a good deal 
 of Pleafure, though their execflive Imperti- 
 nence and Geftures were troublefome enough. 
 So many Qiieftions they afk'd me concern- 
 ing our World, I knew not how to anfwer 
 them, and to gave them what came upper- 
 moft, fome Truth, fome Falfhood, juft to 
 allay their impatient Curiofity. 
 
 At 
 
World Under -Ground. 183 
 
 At length my Friend returning, told me 
 his Excellence did me the Honour to retain 
 me in his Court. From the foregoing Con- 
 vention of the Syndick I could guefs, that 
 the Employment defign'd for me was no 
 very important one, probably his Valet, or 
 his Butler ; and upon enquiring what it 
 was, my Friend faid to me, His Excellence 
 has been gracioufly pleas' d to appoint you 
 one of his Body Chairmen, with an annual 
 Salary of twenty- five Stercolates. (A Alar- 
 inilan Stcrcclate is equal to about feven Shil- 
 lings and Six-pence Sterling.) He has more- 
 over engag'd, that you mall have the Ho- 
 nour of carrying only himfelf, or his Lady. 
 I was thunderftruck with this Anfwer, and 
 remonftrated in the mod pathetic Manner 
 how unworthy an Office this was for one 
 of mv ingenuous Education and Family. 
 But fome Courtiers rufhing in in Heaps, in- 
 terrupted me from fpeaking more, and half 
 kill'd me with their Impertinence. For all 
 the Alartinlans are light, frothy, talking 
 Creatures, that have a fmooth, fluent Jar- 
 gon of Words, without the lead Mixture 
 of Serioufnefs or Gravity. At length I was 
 conducted to an Apartment, where Supper 
 was ready ; and having taken a moderate 
 Repair, I retir'd to my Repofe. 
 
 I threw myfelf upon mv Bed^ but fuch 
 was the Diforder of my Mind, I could take 
 no Sleep. The Difdain I was receiv'd with 
 fnock'd me to the highefr. Degree, and no- 
 thing lefs than a Spa? tan Patience could di- 
 
 geft 
 
184 A Journey to the 
 
 geft fo grofs an Indignity. I heartily de~ 
 plor'd my Fate, which feem'd feverer now 
 than what I had experiene'd in the Planet 
 Nazar, and I could not help faying to my- 
 felf, u What would here become of the 
 " Kadoki, or High Chancellor of Potu, a 
 " Perfon of inefiimable Worth in his own 
 " Country, but who requii'd at leafr. an 
 " intire Month to form a new Law ? What 
 M would be the Pate of Palmka in this 
 11 Place, where the Senators make Laws 
 " between the Courfes at Meals?" After a. 
 ferious Confideration, I found myfelf tranf- 
 lateJ from a Land of Sai;es to a Country of 
 Fools. At lait being tir'd with thinking,, 
 Sleep overpower'd me. I know not how 
 longlflept, fince there is here no Difference 
 between Night and Day. For it is never 
 d.^rk except at one ftated Time, when the 
 fubterranean Sun is in an Eclipfe by the In- 
 terpofition of the Planet Nazar. This E- 
 clipfe is very remarkable, becaufe the afore- 
 faid Planet, being not far from the Firma- 
 ment, overfhadows the whole Sun, and fo 
 always makes the Eclipfe total. But as this 
 happens but feldom, it makes no Alteration 
 of Seafon, which is here invariably the fame 
 upon Account of the conftant Prefence of 
 the Sun. Hence the Inhabitants are fore'd 
 to have Recourfe to various Inventions, as 
 Groves, Baths, Walks, and Grotto's, to 
 qualify the Heat. 
 
 I was fcarce awake, when a Monkey en- 
 ter'd my Chamber, who told me he was 
 
 my 
 
World Under -Ground. 185 
 
 my Comrade in Office, and with a flight 
 Cord (being order'd fo to do) he apply'd a 
 fictitious Tail to my Pofteriors, to make 
 me look more like a Monkey. He then 
 bid me get ready, becaufe the Syndick with- 
 in an Hour was to be carry'd to the Acade- 
 my, to which Place he and his Brother Se- 
 nators had receiv'd a formal Invitation. It 
 fcems there was to be a Promotion to a Doc- 
 tor's Degree at Ten o'Clock that Morning. 
 It muft be noted here, that though the 
 Days are not diftinguifh'd from the Nights, 
 by reafon of the perpetual Prefence of the 
 Sun, yet are they diftinguifh'd into Hours, 
 half Hours, and Quarters, and that by 
 Means of Clocks or Hour-Glades, fo that 
 Day and Night together take up about 
 twenty-two Hours. Hence, if all the Clocks 
 in the City were to ftop at once, it would 
 be impofiible for the Citizens to recover the 
 true Time, till they had confulted fome of 
 the Clocks in the next Neighbourhood. For 
 ther>e neither are, nor can be, any Sun- 
 Dials, becaufe there is never any Shadow, 
 the Sun continually darting perpendicular 
 Rays upon the Place. So that were you to 
 dig a Well here,, it would be illuminated to 
 the Bottom. As to the Year, that is re- 
 gulated and governed by the Courfe of the 
 Planet Na%ar round the Sun. 
 
 At Ten o'Clock we took up his Excel- 
 lence, and carry'd him to the Academy. 
 Entring into the Auditory, we beheld the 
 Do6lors. and Mailers fcated in Order, everv 
 
 one 
 
1 86 A Journey to the 
 
 one of which rofe up as the Syndick pafs'd 
 by, and turning themfelves about paid him 
 their Compliments with their Tail. This 
 is their Manner of doing Reverence. And 
 this accounts for their Care in adorning 
 their Tails. For my own Part, I confefs 
 thefe inverted Salutations feem'd extremely 
 foolifh and abfurd. P'or to turn one's Back 
 upon any one, is among us a Mark of In- 
 difference or Contempt : But every Nation 
 has its particular Tafte. The aforefaid Doc- 
 tors and Mailers were feated on each Side of 
 the Auditory. In the lower Part of it was 
 plac'd a Chair, in which fat the Candidate. 
 Before the Act of Promotion, the following 
 Qucftion was difcufs'd in a iblemn Difputa- 
 tion, namely, Whether the Sounds which 
 Flies and other Infecls make, comes through the 
 Mouth, or the Po/teriors ? The Prelident un- 
 dertook the Defence of the former Opinion, 
 which was attack'd by the Opponents with 
 fo much Ardour, that I was afraid it would 
 have terminated in a bloody Battle. And 
 moil certainlv they had come to Blows, but 
 that the Senate rofe up, and cool'd the 
 X lame by their Authority. During the Dif- 
 pute, a certain Monkey play'd upon a Pipe : 
 This was the Moderator, who by the Ma- 
 nagement of his Mufick, either in foft, or 
 in fmart Strains, would quicken the Difpute 
 when it flagg'd and languifh'd, or bring it 
 down when it was noifv and violent. Tho* 
 verv often all his Art had no Eftecl : So very 
 turd a Ma:ter it is to preferve the Temper, 
 
 when 
 
World Under-Ground. iSy 
 
 when the Difpute is upon fuch intertfting 
 Subjects. The fame Thing often happens 
 >n our World, where, when the Difpute 
 turns upon fome very dubious and almoft 
 inexplicable Point, one may obferve the 
 Combatants are often work'd up to the moft 
 violent Agitations of Mind or Body. How- 
 ever, this threatning Quarrel which pro- 
 mis'd nothing but Blood and Slaughter, end- 
 ed all in Compliments and Praifes. Some- 
 thing like this obtains in our European Uni- 
 versities, where, according to general Cu(- 
 tom, the Prefident, when the Difpute is 
 clos'd, defcends victorious and triumphant 
 from the Chair. 
 
 This Preamble ended, they proceeded to 
 the Acl: of Creation with thefe Ceremonies. 
 The Candidate was plac'd in the Middle of 
 the Auditory : Three of the Univerfity- 
 Beadles walk'd gravely up to him, and 
 threw a whole Pail-full of cold Water upon 
 his Head ; they then perfum'd him with 
 Incenfe, and lafily gave him a Vomit to 
 take off. Having perform'd this with the 
 utmoft Solcmnitv, they retir'd bowing, and 
 declared him aloud a true and legitimate 
 Doctor. Amaz'd at fo many wonderful 
 Ceremonies, I afk'd a certain learned Mon- 
 key who flood near me, the Meaning of all 
 this. He told me, (pitying at the fame 
 Time my Ignorance) that by the Water, 
 the Incenfe, and the Vomit, it was under- 
 flood that the Candidate was to forfake 
 his old Vices, and to affume a new Set of 
 
 Maimers, 
 
; 
 
 j8S A Journey to the 
 
 Manners, to diftinguifh him from the Vul- 
 gar. Hearing this, I deplor'd my own 
 Stupidity, and full of Admiration, forbore 
 to afk any farther Queftions, for fear I 
 fhould be thought to have never convers'd 
 with any Thing above Brutes. 
 
 At laft all the mufical Inftruments flruck 
 up at once, and the new Doclor, cloath'd 
 in a Robe of Green, and girt with a Safh of 
 
 he fame Colour, was efcorted home from 
 the Auditory with all ParnajTus at his Heels. 
 But as he was of a plebeian r amily, he had 
 not the Honour of a Coach, but was feated 
 in a Vehicle not unlike a Wheelbarrow, 
 and drawn by Hand, the Univerfity-Beadles 
 marching before in their refpe&ive Habits. 
 The Whole ended in a very handfome En- 
 tertainment, where the Guefh drank (o 
 plentifully, that many of them were car- 
 ried home extremely intoxicated, and were 
 (o ill for many Days after, that without the 
 Help of proper Medicines they would hard- 
 ly have racover'd. So that from the Be- 
 ginning to the Ending of this whole Cers- 
 
 11 'iiy,. nothing was wanting to the due So- 
 lemnity of it ; and I proteft, I never, even 
 in our World, faw a more truly academical 
 Promotion, or any Candidate commence 
 Doctor more legitimately than this. 
 
 In the Courts of Jnftice, Caufes are dif- 
 patch'd with a furprizing Dexterity, and I 
 was charm'd with that Readinefs of Appre- 
 henfion, that Velocity of conceiving Things, 
 Co. peculiar to this Nation. Very often, be- 
 fore 
 
World Under-Ground. 189 
 
 fore the Advocates have wound up their 
 Pleadings, the Judges rife and give Sentence 
 with equal Expedition and Elegance. I of- 
 ten frequented thefe Courts, to inform my- 
 felf thoroughly of their Manner of Pro- 
 ceeding. At firft. hearing, their Decrees 
 feem'd juft and equitable enough ; but upon 
 a more careful Examination, they were in 
 Reality abfurd, unjuft, and full of Contra- 
 dictions, infomuch that 1 would fooner 
 commit my Caufe to the Chance of a Die, 
 than to the Judgment of the Martinian 
 Lawyers. I forbear to fay any Thing con- 
 cerning the Laws of this People, by reafon 
 of the capricious Changes they perpetually 
 undergo. They are as fickle in thefe as in 
 their Fafhions. Many are here punifh'd for 
 Crimes, which were not Crimes at the 
 Time they were committed, but commence 
 fuch by Virtue of an After-Law to make 
 them fo. For which Reafon nothing is 
 more common than Appeals from the infe- 
 rior to the fuperior Courts, the Plaintiff 
 having Hopes, that, while the Suit is de- 
 pending, the old Law (which loft him his 
 Caufe in the lower Court) may be repealed. 
 This is owing to the Suddennefs with which 
 their Laws are invented and promulged. 
 Such Lovers of Novelty are this People, 
 that they perfectly naufeate the moft ufeful 
 Statutes, folely upon Account of their Anti- 
 quity. The Advocates are in great Reputa- 
 tion for their Shrewdnefs in Difputation. 
 Nay, there are fome among them, who 
 
 difdain 
 
190 A Journey to the 
 
 d'ifdain to undertake a Caufe that is not un- 
 juft, or at ieait very doubtful ; for in To do- 
 ing they might be deprived of an Occafion 
 of exerting their Parts, and giving Speci- 
 mens of their Ability to turn Black into 
 White. The Judges will often favour a bad 
 Caufe, in Compliment to the Council for 
 defending it fo well. " We perceive well 
 " enough, fay the Judges, the Injuflice of 
 " this Caufe, but then it has been manag'd 
 <c with fuch inimitable Art, that in Juftice 
 <c to the Advocate for his Performance, we 
 <c ought to drain a Point of Law." The 
 Students in this Profeflion are taught Law 
 at different Prices ; for Infhmce, Tho'e who 
 teach their Pupils to manage a bad Caufe, 
 or, according to the Proverb, to make the 
 bed of a bad Market, require twenty Sler- 
 alates for their Trouble; the Art of mana- 
 ging a good one fhall cod but ten. Their 
 Forms of Law are fo many, they re- 
 femble a huge Chaos^ without Bottom and 
 without Shore. For the Martin'ians, having 
 a fublime Genius and a quick Perception, 
 detelt every Thing that's plain and limpie, 
 and think nothing; worth their Care that is 
 not very knotty and intricate. 
 
 The fame Tafte prevails in Religion, 
 which does not confift in Practice, but in 
 idle Speculations. Thus there are two hun- 
 dred and thirtv different Opinions about the 
 Form or Figure of the Supream Being, and 
 three hundred and ninety-fix about the Na- 
 ture and Quality of Souls. The Martinians 
 
 never 
 
World Under-Ground. 191 
 
 Never refort to their Temples or Churches 
 with the View of hearing any Thing ufeful, 
 or of" improving tliemfelves in the Art of 
 living and dying weJl, but only to obferve 
 with what Art and Dexterity the holy Ora- 
 tors acquit themfelves; for the more obfeure 
 their Language is, the more they are ad- 
 mir'd, their Audience having very little Re- 
 lifh for what they understand. More Pains 
 are taken about the Expreflion, than about 
 the Matter, the Preachers affecting the 
 fmooth, round Period more than the 
 Strength of Reafon, and the Audience ex- 
 pecting to be amus'd with a founding Pomp 
 of Words without a Meaning. For this 
 Reafon I did not dare fay any Thing con- 
 cerning the Chrifrian Religion, whic|i con- 
 lifting of naked, fimple Truths, could ne- 
 ver recommend itfelf to their Gout. 
 
 Projectors are no where in fo high Repu- 
 tation as here. The more odd and imprac- 
 ticable the Scheme, the greater is the In- 
 ventor's Glory. When I had accidentally* 
 been explaining to a certain Monkey the 
 Nature of our terraqueous Globe, and had 
 inform'd him that the Surface of it was in- 
 habited, - he prefently conceiv'd a Project of 
 digging through the Earth, and opening a 
 Pallage to the Superterraneans. This Device 
 met with univerfal Applaufe, and a Society 
 was thereupon infututed, and call'd THE 
 SUPERTERRANEAN COMPANY, 
 to which the Inhabitants flock'd in Shoals, 
 and, according to the Language of thofe 
 
 Times, 
 
igi .//Journey to the 
 
 Times, bought in Stocks. However, as 
 this Affair introduc'd a great deal of Con- 
 fufion into the Kingdom, and ruin'd a 
 Multitude of" Families beyond Redemption, 
 they found the Folly of the Scheme, and 
 dropt it all at once. And though the Na- 
 tion fmarted fo feverely by it, yet the Pro- 
 jector not only efcap'd with Impunity, but 
 with almoft general Praife, this People en- 
 tertaining the highelt Idea of his great Abi- 
 lities. 
 
 Perceiving this Turn of Mind to prevail, 
 I endeavour' d by the fame Means to procure 
 myfelf a Reputation among the Martinians^ 
 and to mend my Fortune by fome new Pro- 
 ject of mv own. After a due Examination 
 of the State of the Publick, I difcover'd 
 feveral Flaws in it. I law the whole Coun- 
 try was full of the more fubtle Sort of Ar- 
 tifls, but that it labour'd under a Want of 
 ufeful Traders and Workmen. Upon this 
 I propos'd a Law for the Inftitution of cer- 
 tain Manufacturers, that might be of great 
 Service to the Nation. But every Propofal 
 of this Kind met with nothing but Sneers 
 and Contempt from this vain People. I 
 then accus'd my own Stupid itv in thefe 
 Terms, Ifhat a Sot have I been t and how 
 richly do I deferve to end my Days in the igno- 
 ble Office of Chairman ? Yet I did not alto- 
 gether defpond, and being convinc'd I 
 Ihould never do them, nor mvfelf, any 
 Good by falutary Counfels, I refoh'd to try 
 whether I could not get over the Difficulty 
 
 3 b r 
 
JVorld Un tier-Ground. 103 
 
 by fome ridiculous Invention or other. I 
 open'd my Defign to one of the graveif. 
 Monkeys I knew, who encouraged me to it 
 mightily. And when he prov'd to me, that 
 Numbers there had made their P'ortunes bv 
 mere Trifles and boyifh Gewgaws, and 
 more efpecially by the Invention of fome 
 new Fafhion, I then refolv'd to fwim with 
 the Tide, and among Fools to play the 
 Fool myfelf. Upon this I call'd to Mind 
 all the moft ridiculous and extravagant In- 
 ventions of Europe, and being at Liberty to 
 pick and chufe, I fix'd upon thofe Orna- 
 ments of the Head, which we .call Perriwigs^ 
 and determin'd with myfelf to introduce 
 this Fafhion. What contributed to bear 
 me out in this Attempt, was the great 
 Number of Goats in this Kingdom, whofe 
 Wool or Hair would be very proper for my 
 Purpofe. And as my good Tutor (now at 
 Reft) long exercis'd the Occupation of a 
 Perriwig-Maker, I was not altogether igno- 
 rant of the Art. In fhort, I procur'd fome 
 Goat's Hair, and made a Perriwig fitted to 
 my own Head, and thus adorn'd, I ap- 
 pear'd before the Syndick. Startled at fo 
 new and unufual an Appearance, he afk'd 
 me what it was, and immediately matching 
 it from my Head, he put it upon his own, 
 and run to the Glafs to furvey himfelf. But 
 how (hall I exprefs his Wonder and Delight? 
 He burft into an Ecftafy of Pleafure, cryl 
 ing, O ye Gods! and forthwith fent for his 
 Lady to join with him in his Joy. Her 
 
 K Won- 
 
194 d Journey to the 
 
 WoHdef was equal to his, and embracing 
 the Sy ndick, fhe vow'd (he never faw any 
 Thfing lb charming, and every Soul in the 
 Family was of the fame Opinion. The 
 Sy ndick then turning towards me, My dear 
 Kakidoran, fays he, if this Invention of yours 
 Jhould take with the Senate as it does with 
 me, you may promije y our f elf every Tiring. I 
 than k'd' his Excellence, and foon after put a 
 Petition into his Hands, addrefs'd to the Se- 
 nate, which I begg'd the Favour of him to 
 offer. It was conceiv'd in thefe Terms. 
 
 Mojl Excellent, mojl Generous, mojl IlluJ?rious, 
 mojl NobUy and mojl JVife Senators. 
 
 44 FT*! H E natural Propenfity, by which 
 «' I am influenc'd to promote the 
 
 <4 publick Good, has now mov'd me to 
 
 44 contrive this new and hitherto unheard- 
 
 <4 of Ornament for the Head, which here I 
 
 " molt humbly offer to your Excellencies, 
 
 44 and fubmit it to the Examination of 
 
 * 4 this auguft Tribunal, not doubting but it 
 
 44 will meet with a moft gracious Recep- 
 
 44 tion, efpecially as the Invention muft 
 
 44 conduce to the Glory, as well as Orna- 
 
 44 ment of the Nation, and make the ad- 
 
 44 miring World confefs, that the Marti- 
 
 4i nians excel the reft of Mortals, not only 
 
 44 in the Virtues and Endowments of the 
 
 4i Mind, but in thofe Ornaments of the 
 
 44 Body which render the Perfon grand and 
 
 44 majeftick. I fotfemnly vow to all your 
 i " Excel- 
 
JVorld Under-Ground. $9 g 
 
 p Excellencies, that in this I never con- 
 rulted my own Intereit, and therefore I 
 require no Reward : It is enough for me 
 in my flender Capacity to have promoted 
 the publick Welfare, and the Kingdom's 
 " Honour. But if the moft illuftrious Se- 
 f* nate are pleas' d to decree me a fuitable 
 cc Reward for my Labours, I fhail receive 
 " it with a grateful Heart, that (uch their 
 " Munificence may be known throughout 
 <c the World, and others animated to the 
 li like, or greater Inventions. In this View 
 " I cannot oppofe the Liberality of the Se- 
 " nate and People of Mart'inia. As to 
 cC the reft, I commend myfelf to the Fa- 
 c * vour of your Excellencies, and am, 
 
 Alay it pleafe your Excellencies^ 
 
 Martin ia, Tour mojl obedient l , 
 
 jth Day of Aftral. 
 
 And moji humble Servant , 
 
 Kakidoran. 
 
 The Syndick produe'd the Petition with 
 thePerriwig in open Senate. I heard that all 
 Bufinefs was laid afide that Day, fo much 
 did the Examination of the Perriwia; engage 
 the general Attention. Upon the Clofe of 
 all, they prais'd the Work, extoll'd the Ar- 
 titt, accepted of his Good-will, and ap- 
 pointed him a Reward. In the whole Se- 
 nate there were but three who oppos'd this 
 K 2 Motion i 
 
ig6 A Journey to the 
 
 Motion ; but they got no Credit by it, and 
 were look'd upon as rude, unpolifh'd Crea- 
 tures, totally unworthy of the fenatorial 
 Function. 
 
 This Decree being pafs'd, I was com- 
 manded to appear before the Senate, where 
 a fenior Monkey rifing up, thank'd me fit 
 the Name of the whole Commonwealth, 
 and aflur'd me they would reward me in a 
 Manner fuitable to my great Merit. He 
 likewife afk'd me, how much Time it 
 would require to make fuch another Or- 
 nament ? I reply'd, that as to the Reward, 
 it was fufficient Recompence to receive the 
 Applaufes of fo venerable a Body : As to 
 the other Point, the making a fecond Per- 
 riwig, provided I might have the Afliftance 
 of as many Monkeys as I could initrucl in 
 the Art, I could undertake in one Month to 
 furnifh almoft the whole Citv. At thefe 
 Words, the Syndick rofe and faid, Heav'n 
 forbid^ Kakidoran, that fuch an Ornament 
 Jhoidd be common to all the City^ and grew 
 into Difejleem by frequent UJe / No ; let the 
 Nobility be by this diflinguijW d from the Vul- 
 gar. This Opinion was feconded by all the 
 Senate, and the publick Cenfors were or- 
 der'd to take due Care that this Decree 
 lhould be inviolably obferv'd, that the No- 
 bilitv receive no Dishonour by the promifcu- 
 ous Ufe of Perriwigs, and that fo bright an 
 Ornament mould be referv'd folely for their 
 Vfe. But this Edict had the fame Effect 
 that all fumptuary Laws have, and only ex- 
 cited 
 
World Under-Ground. 197 
 
 cited a ftronger Defire in the Commons to 
 tranfgrefs them. And as this Invention had 
 the Happinefs to pleafe every one, the richer 
 Citizens, by Friends or Money, procur'd 
 Titles of Honour to qualify them to wear 
 Perriwigs, infomuch that in a fhort Time a 
 very great Part of the City was enobled. 
 At length, when Petitions arriv'd from the 
 feveral Provinces, to be allow'd to come into 
 this Fafhion, the Senate took the Matter un- 
 der Confideration, and made a Repeal of the 
 Law, with a Permiffion for the promifcuous 
 Ufe of Perriwigs ; fo that I had the Pleafure 
 to fee the whole Nation perriwigd, if I may 
 ufe the Expreflion, before I left Martinia. 
 And a moft delightful Sight it was ! Such 
 general Satisfaction did this Contrivance 
 give, that it gave Birth to a new Epoch, or 
 Date of Time, which was call'd in the 
 Mariinlan Annals, THE YEAR OF PER- 
 RIWIGS. 
 
 To return to myfelf. Surrounded with 
 Applaufes, and cloath'd in a Purple Robe, I 
 was carried back in a Chair to the Syndick's 
 Houfe, and my Comrade Chairman now 
 perform'd the Office of a Horfe for me. 
 From that Hour I was admitted to the Syn- 
 dick's Table. After this lucky Prelude of 
 my Fortune, I purfued my Deiign, and by 
 the joint Labours of thofe I inftru6led, I in a 
 fhort Time finifh'd off Perriwigs enough to 
 accommodate the whole Senate ; and about 
 the End of the Month the following Di- 
 ploma of Nobility was brought me. 
 K 3 " Whereas 
 
198 A Journey to the 
 
 " Whereas a certain Perfon, by Name 
 *' Kakidoran, Native of a City c&W'ii Europe 9 
 11 has by a glorious and ufeful Invention 
 iC highly oblig'd the whole Martlnian Na- 
 <( tion : It is our Will and Pleafure to aflb- 
 lC ciate him into the Body of our Nobility; 
 ct and we do accordingly decree, That he 
 " and his Heirs henceforth be reputed as 
 w true and genuine Nobles, and enjoy all 
 " fufch Privileges, Rights and Immunities, 
 " as are chim'd by the Martlnian Nobility. 
 •' Moreover wc have decreed to honour 
 46 him with a new Name, fo that inftead 
 iC of Kakidoran, he fhall now be fhTd Ki- 
 <c kidyrian. And laftly, it is our Will and 
 " Pleafurc to fettle an annual Stipend upon 
 4C him of two hundred Patari, to enable 
 " him to fupport his new Dignity." 
 
 Civ en at our Court of Senate 
 in Martinia, the \th Day 
 
 f/'Mcrian, under our Great 
 •SW, &c. 
 
 Thus from a poor Chairman was I tranf- 
 form'd to a Nobleman ; and for fome Time 
 I liv'd in the higheft Repute, and with the 
 utmoft Felicity. And as the Martimans 
 faw I was in high Favour with the Syndick, 
 every Ci'eature made his Court to me. 7'he 
 Fl ittefy of the Preferment-Hunters went fo 
 far as to ftrive which mould write the molt 
 fulfome Pancgyricks upon me, in which 
 they kindlv gave me a great many Virtues I 
 never had'. Some, though they knew I 
 
World Under -Ground. 199 
 
 was a Native of an unknown World, yet 
 reckon'd up for me a long Lift of Anceftors, 
 and drew out Genealogies in a direct Line 
 from Heroes of the earliefl Ages. Thefe 
 Computations could not be very agreeable to 
 me, nor was it poffible for me to think it 
 an Honour to be defcended from Monkeys. 
 Moreover, as it is ufual with the Martiniam 
 to celebrate the Tails of the Quality, as 
 our Poets fing the Beauties of their Mif- 
 trefTes, accordingly fome of the Mariinlan 
 Poets celebrated my Tail in Verfe, though 
 I never had any. In fhort, to fuch a 
 Height did their Flattery rife, that a cer- 
 tain Perfon of no mean Extraction, and 
 whofe Name I fpare upon Account of big 
 Family, actually ofFer'd me the Enjoyment 
 of his Wife, if in Return I would ufe all 
 my Intereft for him with the Syndick. This 
 vile Propenfity to Flattery, to which all the 
 Martiniam are extremely fubje£t, makes it 
 not worth one's while to read their Hifta- 
 ries, which are little more than a He;'p of 
 extravagant Encomiums, though the Lan- 
 guage of them is every where polite and 
 elegant. Hence this Country produces bet- 
 ter Poets than Hiftorians, which is owing; 
 to the fine Imagination of the Martinians. 
 
 I enjoy'd a tolerable good Share of Health 
 while I was in this Country, tho* the H 
 occafion'd by the continual Prefence of u 
 Sun, was not a little troublefome. Once i 
 was feiz'd with a Diarrhea, attended with a 
 high Fever; but it was of no great Ccn- 
 K 4 tinuance: 
 
200 A Journey to the 
 
 tinuance : But during my Illnefs, the Phyfi- 
 cian I made ufe of was ten Times more 
 troubiefome than my Diforder, by reafon of 
 his Impertinence and Loquacity, which are 
 fo peculiar to this People. Having Occa- 
 fion for a Phyfician in that ill State or' 
 Health, a Doclor of Phyfick came a Vo- 
 luntier, and offer'd me his AfTiftance : I 
 could not forbear laughing at the Sight of 
 him, becaufe who mould this be but my 
 very Barber? I queftion'd him, how it hap- 
 pen'd that from a Barber he was fo foon 
 metamorphos'd into a Doclor ? He reply'd, 
 he exercis'd both Profeffions. Upon this I 
 was a little dubious, whether I ought to 
 truil: the Care of my Health to fuch a gene- 
 ral Trader, and frankly told him, that I 
 had rather have a Phyfician who profefs'd 
 the Art of Phyfick alone ; but he vow'd 
 and protefted to me, that there was not one 
 fuch throughout the whole City. I was 
 therefore oblig'd to venture myfelf with 
 him. The Hafte the Doclor was in in- 
 creas'd my Wonder ; for having prefcrib'd 
 for me a Potion, he abruptly took his 
 Leave, declaring he could not pombly ftay 
 longer, becaufe he was oblig'd to attend up- 
 on fome other Affairs, in which he was en- 
 gas'd, at that very Time. And when I 
 afk'd him what thofe Affairs could be which 
 requir'd fuch violent Hafte, he told me, he 
 was under a NeceiTity of being at a Market- 
 Town in the Neighbourhood by fuch an 
 Hour, to act as a Notary-Publick, which 
 
 was 
 
World Under-Ground, 201 
 
 was another of his Employments. This 
 Multiplicity of Bufinefs is in great Vogue 
 here, and every body is very ready to un- 
 dertake any the molt oppofite and contra- 
 dictory Offices. This Confidence is occa- 
 fion'd by that wonderful Livelinefs of Ge- 
 nius, which difpatches Bufinefs in a Trice. 
 Yet from the various Miftakes and Blunders 
 they daily commit, I concluded that thefe 
 Geniufes, which are fo full of Fire, are ra- 
 ther an Ornament to the Commonwealth, 
 than of any real Ufe to it. 
 
 After I had fpent two Years in this Ter- 
 ritory, partly as a Chairman, and partly as 
 a Nobleman, I fell into an Adventure which 
 had like to have been fatal to me. In his 
 Excellency's Palace, I had met with the 
 highcft Civilities ; I had alfo the Honour to 
 be extremely in the good Graces of his La- 
 dv, infomuch that I feem'd to have the firfr. 
 riace in her Friendfhip. She often favoured 
 me with fete a tete Converfations ; and tho* 
 {he feem'd highly pleas'd with my Compa- 
 ny, yet all fhe faid was with fo much Mo- 
 Ci fty and Delicacy, that it was impo/Tible to 
 put a fmifrer Interpretation upon her Conduct 
 in this RefpecT:, nor could I with all my 
 Penetration guefs, that the Source of all 
 this wondrous Goodnefs was an impure Paf- 
 fion, more e-'pecially as file was a Lady of 
 Quality, and as eminent for her Virtue, as 
 for her Birth and Family. But, in Procefs 
 Time, from fome equivocal Speeches of 
 hers, I could not but entertain a few Sufpi- 
 K- 5 cions, 
 
202 A Journey to the 
 
 cions, which were confiderably increased by 
 feveral evident Symptoms, 
 
 The wan Complexion, and the dying Eye, 
 The fledialt Gaze, th' involuntary Sigh. 
 
 At length the Myftery was clear'd up, a 
 young Virgin, her Confidante, bringing me 
 the following Billet. 
 
 Lively KlKIDORIAN, 
 
 " "R JTY Birth, and the natural Modefty 
 
 " .IVjL or * mv Sex, have till now con- 
 
 ic ceal'u thofe Sparks of Love, which lurk'd 
 
 c< within my Bofom, and with-held them 
 
 " from burfting into an open Flame. But 
 
 kt now, finking under the Oppreilion, I 
 
 Kt can no longer reiift the Violence of my 
 
 " WiQies. 
 
 Let this foft Secret all thy Pity move, 
 Extorted from my Soul by raging Love. 
 
 / am Tours, 
 
 Ptarnusa. 
 
 Words cannot utter the Confufion this 
 pmTionatc Declaration threw me into. But 
 ;i<. I 'thought it better to be expos' d to the 
 Vengeance of diiappointed Love, than to 
 difturb the Laws of Nature by mixing my 
 Blood with a Creature not of the human 
 Specie?, I returned the following Anfwer. 
 
 Madam, 
 
World Under-Grciind. 203 
 
 Madam, 
 
 THE repeated Favours I have received 
 from his Excellency the Syndick, the 
 Benefits he has heap'd upon an undeferving 
 Stranger, the moral Impoflibility of com- 
 plying with your Rcqueff, together with in- 
 numerable other Reafons which I forbear to 
 recount ; all this, Madam, determines me 
 to hazard your Ladyfhip's Refentment, ra- 
 ther than confent to an Aclion which would 
 render me of all two-footed Creatures the 
 moft vile and abominable. Not Death it- 
 felf is half fo terrible. The Crime too 
 would bring an indelible Stain upon a moft 
 illuftrious Family, and fhe who commands 
 it mull be the greatefl Sufferer. Let me 
 conjure you, therefore, to pardon this Re- 
 fufal, and be fatisfy'd, that in everv other 
 Refpecl I {hall always pay the profoundeft 
 Obedience to your Ladyfhip's Commands. 
 I am, 
 
 Madam, 
 
 Tour ?no/i bumble. 
 
 And moft obedient Sei'vant, 
 
 KlK I DORIAN. 
 
 This Anfvver I feal'd up, and gave it to 
 ihc Bearer to deliver to her Miftrefs. It 
 had the Effed I fufpeacd. Her Love was 
 
 chang'd 
 
204 d Journey to the 
 
 chang'd into the ftrongeft Averfion. How- 
 ever, {he deferr'd her Revenge till (he had 
 recovered that Letter fhe fent to me. She 
 then fuborn'd falfe WitnefTes, who fwore 
 that I attempted to violate the Syndick's 
 Bed. This Story was cook'd up with fo 
 much Art, and fuch an Air of Probability, 
 that the Syndick, not making the leafr. Doubt 
 about it, threw me into Prifon. In this 
 Extremity, there was but one Thing to be 
 done, and that was, to make Confeffion of 
 the Crime, and implore his Excellency's 
 Mercy. By thefe Means, I hop'd to divert 
 or foften his Anger, and procure a Mitiga- 
 tion of my Punifhment. For it was ridicu- 
 lous to think of contending the Matter with 
 a powerful Family, efpecially in a Country, 
 where not the Merits of the Caufe, but the 
 fole Quality of the Perfon is regarded. 
 Therefore omitting all Sort of Defence, I 
 had Recourfe to the moft abject Supplica- 
 tions and Tears, imploring not a total Re- 
 miflion of my Punifhment, but only to 
 have it moderated. 
 
 Thus by the Confeffion of a Crime I ne- 
 ver dreamt of, I chang'd the Punifhment of 
 Death for a perpetual Captivity. My Di- 
 ploma of Nobility was taken from me, and 
 torn in Pieces by the Hands of the common 
 Hangman, and I myfelf was condemn'd to 
 be a Galley-Slave all my Days. The Gal- 
 lev, or Veflel, I was fent to work in, be- 
 longed to the Government, and lay in Rea- 
 dinefs for its Voyage to the Mezendores, or 
 
 Land 
 
World Under -Ground. 205 
 
 Land of Wonders. This Voyage is un- 
 dertaken at a ftated Time of the Year, 
 namely, in the Month Radir. They fail 
 to thefe Parts in Queft of fuch Commodi- 
 ties as are not to be had in their own 
 Country, fo that the Mezendores are a Kind 
 of Indies to the Martinians. A Body of 
 Merchants, as well Nobles as Citizens, are 
 erected into a Society called the Mezcndorian 
 Company^ among whom the Merchandife of 
 the returning VefTel is divided, according 
 to their feveral Subfcrrptions and Shares. 
 The VefTel moves both by Sails and Oars 5 
 and to every Oar two Slaves or Captives are 
 ailign'd : And to this Drudgery was I con- 
 demn'd during this Voyage. With what 
 Reluclance I enter'd upon it, it is eafy 
 to guefs, efpecially as I had done nothing to 
 deferve being thus expos'd to fervile Labour, 
 and to the Lafh, among Wretches and 
 Slaves. Various were the Sentiments of 
 the Martinians concerning my Misfortune. 
 Some were of Opinion I was culpable, and 
 therefore deferv'd the Punifhment ; but 
 then the Sight of me in that miferable Con- 
 dition drew Companion from them. Others 
 thought fome Regard ought to have been 
 had to my former Services, and that there- 
 fore my Punimment need not have been fo 
 fevere. But fome of the honefter Mon- 
 keys mutter'd among themfelves that I was 
 accus'd falfely, though no one dar'd openly 
 undertake my Defence, through Fear of 
 my powerful Accufers. I determin'd, how- 
 I ever, 
 
206 A Journey to the 
 
 ever, to bear mv Calamity with Patience. 
 My greateft Comfort was the approaching 
 Voyage ; for as I had always a ftrong Paffion 
 for' Novelty, I was in Hopes of meeting 
 with fomething new and wonderful, though 
 I could not give Credit to all the Sailors told 
 me, nor bring myfelf to think that there 
 were fuch Prodigies in Nature, as I after- 
 wards met with. There were feveral In- 
 terpreters in our Vefiel, whofe Afiiftance 
 the Me%enchrian Company made ufe of in 
 thefe Expeditions ; for all Contracts, as to 
 Buying and Selling, were made by them. 
 
 C H A P. XL 
 
 Author s Voyage to the Land of 
 W OND E R S. 
 
 BEFORE I proceed to the Defcripjion 
 of this Voyage, I muft caution the ri- 
 gid and cenfoiious Critick not to be too 
 much out of Humour at the Relation of 
 forac Things which perhaps may appear not 
 to deferve any Credit, as being ccntrary 
 to the ufual Courfe of Nature. I fhall here 
 recount Things very incredible, but very 
 true, and of which I myfelf was an Eye- 
 Witnefe. The Vulgar and Illiterate, who 
 never have fet a Foot beyond the Limits of 
 their own native Country, are apt to look 
 
 upon 
 
J For Id Under-Ground. 207 
 
 upon all fuch Things as fabulous to which 
 they have not been accuftom'd from their 
 Infancy. But the Learned, and efpecially 
 fuch of them as are convtrfant in phyfical 
 Enquiries, who know how fertile Nature is 
 in her Productions, v/ill look with a more 
 favourable Eye upon the wonderful Parts of 
 this Narration. 
 
 £)uis tumidum guttur miratiir in A/pi bus ? aut 
 
 qiits 
 In Mer'oe crcjfo major em infante ma mil/am, &c. 
 
 It is now well known, that there were a 
 People formerly in Scythia, called Arimafpi- 
 ans, who had only a Tingle Eye apiece in 
 the Middle of their Foreheads ; and others 
 in the fame Parts of the World, whofe 
 Feet were fet on the contrary Way to ours. 
 We read of People in Albania, who were 
 grey-headed from their Childhood. The 
 Saurcmatians us'd to make a Meal but once 
 in three Days, and to fait the intermediate 
 ones. Mention is made of ceitain Families 
 in Africa, who had the Art of fafcinating 
 or bewitching People with the Sound of 
 their Voices. The Inhabitants of lllyrium 
 were remarkable for having two Pupils in 
 each Eye, and us'd, when they were pro- 
 vok'd, to flare their Enemies to Death. In 
 the Mountains of India, there are fome Men 
 with Dogs Heads, and who have been heard 
 to bark like thofe Animals ; others, with 
 Eyes in their Shoulders. And in the far- 
 theft Parts of the fame Country, there have 
 
 been 
 
2oS A Journey to the 
 
 been found Animals refembling Men, with 
 hairy Bodies, and Wings like Birds, who 
 never eat, but live upon the Scent of Flow- 
 ers, which they draw through their Nofrrils. 
 Now I may afk, Who would have given 
 Credit to thefe, and the like Things, if 
 Pliny, a very grave Hiftorian, had not fo- 
 lemnly affirm'd, not that he had heard or 
 read of fuch Things, but that he himfelf 
 had feen them ? In like Manner, who would 
 ever have thought that the Earth was hol- 
 low, and that another Sun, and other Pla- 
 nets, were contain'd within its Bowels, had 
 not my own Experience clear'd up that 
 Myftery ? Or how could an Account of a 
 World, inhabited by Trees endued with 
 Reafon, and a Power of local Motion, have 
 ever gain'd Belief, had not my Difcoveries 
 prov'd the Exiftence of it beyond a Poflibi- 
 litv of Doubt. I am not inclin'd, however, 
 to quarrel with any Man for his Incredu- 
 lity, fince I mult confefs, that before I un- 
 dertook this Voyage, I was a little in doubt 
 myfelf, whether the Relations of Travellers 
 in general were any Thing better than 
 pompous Fables, and infignihcant Amufe- 
 ments. 
 
 It was in the Beginning of the Month 
 Rodir that we fet Sail. We had a fair 
 Wind for fome Days, and our VefTel fail- 
 ing right before it, we had no Occafion 
 to handle our Oars, and were therefore at 
 Liberty to divert ourfelves. But on the 
 fourth Day the Wind funk, and we were 
 
 fore'd 
 
World Under -Ground. 209 
 
 forc'd to take to our Oars. The Captain 
 perceiving I was unaccuftom'd to fuch hard 
 Labour, and unfit to bear it, would often 
 give me Leave to reft a while, and at length 
 he entirely freed me from this fervile Of- 
 fice. Whether he thought me innocent, 
 and therefore fhew'd me fo much Kindnefs, 
 or whether he judg'd me worthy, of better 
 Treatment on Account of the curious In- 
 vention of Perriwigs, which I had the Ho- 
 nour of, as I have before related, I cannot 
 take upon me to determine. I muft how- 
 ever obferve, that he carry'd three Wigs 
 along with him this Voyage, the Combing 
 and Buckling of which was committed to 
 my Charge. So that I was on a fudden 
 advanc'd from being a Galley-Slave, to the 
 Dignity of the Captain's Wig-Drefler. This 
 Civility of the Captain's to me was the 
 Reafon that as often as we arriv'd at any 
 Port, I was always one of the Number 
 who were appointed to go on Shore. This 
 was extremely agreeable to me, as it gave 
 me an Opportunity of fully fatisfying my 
 Curiofitv. 
 
 We kept on our Courfe for fome Time 
 without meeting with any Thing remarka- 
 ble ; but after we had loft Sight of Land 
 we fell among the Syrens, who as often as 
 the Wind abated, and the Sea grew calm, 
 would fwim to the Ship, and beg our Cha- 
 rity. The Language they fpoke refembled 
 the Martinefe, fo that fome of our Ship's 
 Crew were able to talk with them without 
 
 the 
 
210 A Journey to the 
 
 the Help of an Interpreter. One of the 
 Number, after I had given her a Piece of 
 Meat, fixing her Eyes fledfaftly upon me, 
 crv'd out, 
 
 Hero ! proceed, and rule a conquer'd Wo^rld ! 
 
 I only fmil'd at the Prophecy, as thinking 
 it an empty Piece of Flattery, though our 
 Sailors alliir'd me very ferioufly, that thefe 
 Syrens were feldom or never out in their 
 Preset ions. We had been under Sail about 
 ei^hc Days when we discovered Land, which 
 the IVfariners call'd Picardania. As we were 
 entring the Harbour, we few a Jack-Daw 
 hovering about us who upon Enquiry I 
 found to be a Perfon of great Dignitv, and 
 at that Time Infpec"tor-General of the Cuf- 
 toms. I could fcarce refrain from laughing, 
 when I heard that an Office of fo great 
 Trutr was committed to a Jack-Daw, and 
 from the Appearance of their Chief, 1 con- 
 jectur'd, that Wafps and Hornets muft be 
 the Tide- Waiters and Cuftom-Houfe Offi- 
 cers. After this Bird had flown two or 
 three Times round the Ship, he made for 
 the Shore again, and prefently after return'd 
 with three other Daws, and alighted upon 
 the Fore-caftle. I was ready to burft with 
 laughing, when I faw one of our Interpre- 
 ters approach thefe Birds with a profound 
 Refpecl, and immediately enter into a long 
 Converfation with them. The Reafon of 
 their coming, was to infpc£t what Merchan- 
 d-ife we had on board, it being their Buiinefs 
 
 to 
 
World Under -Ground. 2 1 1 
 
 to enquire, whether we had any contraband 
 Goods, and particularly any of the Herb 
 commonly call'd Slac. It is very common 
 for thefe Creatures to fearch every Corner 
 of the Ship, and to unpack every Bale of 
 Goods, to fee if they can difcover any of 
 this Herb, the Importation of which is pro- 
 hibited by the A4a gift rate, under a very fe- 
 vere Penalty. The Inhabitants barter Seve- 
 ral Sorts of Commodities, which ate very 
 ufeful and necefTary towards the Support of 
 Life, in Exchange for this Herb ; from 
 whence it happens, that the Plants which 
 grow in Picardama, though everv whit as 
 good as this, are held in no Eftcem. The 
 Picardanians in this refemble the Europeans^ 
 who are often fond of Things for no other 
 Reafon, but becaufe they are fetch'd from 
 remote Countries, and grow in foreign Soils. 
 The Infptclor, after he had had a long Confe- 
 rence with our Interpreters, went down in- 
 to the Hold with the reft of his Compani- 
 ons, and returning foon after, with an angry 
 Countenance declar'd, that he forbad us 
 trading with the PicardavlaJis, becaufe we 
 had a&ed contrary to the Faith of Treaties, 
 in importing prohibited Goods. But the 
 Captain, who knew by Experience jiow 
 to mitigate the Officer's Anger, prefented 
 him immediately with a few Pounds of Slac^ 
 upon which his Anger fubfided, and he gave 
 us Leave to unload our Cargo. As foon as 
 this was over, a vaft Flock of Daws came 
 fluttering about us. Thefe were all Mer- 
 chants, 
 
r. a A Journey to the 
 
 chants, who came to traffick. The Captain 
 intending to go afhore, order'd me, and 
 Tome others, to accompany him. Accord- 
 ingly four in Number of us left the Ship, 
 namely, the Captain, myfelf, and two other 
 Monkeys, to wit, our Supercargo and Inter- 
 preter. We were invited to Dinner by the 
 Infpec~tor-General. The Inhabitants have 
 no Tables, as not making any Ufe of 
 Chairs, for which Reafon the Cloth was 
 laid in the Middle of the Floor. A moft 
 delicate and magnificent Repaft was pre- 
 fently ferv'd up, but in very fmall Dimes : 
 And as the Kitchen was at the Top of the 
 Houfe, each Difh was brought in fupported 
 by two Pair of Jack- Daws, as if it descend- 
 ed from the Clouds. After Dinner the Of- 
 ficer took us along with him, to fhew us 
 his Library. There was a vafl: Collection 
 of Books, but of a mighty fmall Size, the 
 largeft Folios being fcarce fo big as one of 
 our Primmers. I had much ado to with- 
 hold laughing when I faw the Librarian fly 
 up to the Top-Shelves to fetch down fome 
 of the Oclavos and Duodecimos. The Houfes 
 of the Picanlariians are very little different 
 from ours, as to the Building, and the Dif- 
 pofition of the Apartments ; but the Bed- 
 chambers are fufpended juft beneath the 
 Roof, after the Manner of Birds-Neds. It 
 may be afk'd, perhaps, how it is poflible for 
 Daws, (who are reckon'd amongft the Birds 
 Mlnorum gentium) to build Houfes of fuch a 
 Magnitude ? But it was evident, from a 
 
 Houfe 
 
IVorld Under -Ground. 2 1 3 
 
 Houfe which was then building from the 
 Ground, that the Thing was very poffible ; 
 for feveral thoufand Labourers were employ'd 
 about it at the fame Time ; fo that what 
 was wanting in Strength was fupply'd by 
 Numbers, and by the Agility with which 
 they flew about their Work. For this Rea- 
 fon they will finifh a Houfe almoft as quick- 
 ly as our Bricklayers can. The Infpe&or's 
 Lady did not appear at Table, by reafon of 
 her Lying-in; for at fuch Times the Mother 
 never ftirs out as long as her little ones are 
 callow, but as foon as ever they begin to be 
 fledg'd, her Hufband gives her Leave to 
 go abroad. We did not flay long in this 
 Country, for which Reaion I can fay no- 
 thing as to the Government thereof, or the 
 Manners and Cultoms of the Inhabitants. 
 Every Thing was in great Confuiion at that 
 Time, on Account of a War which was juft 
 then broke out between the Daws and their 
 Neighbours the Tbrujbes, efpecially as News 
 was brought the Day after our Arrival, 
 that a great Battle had been fought in the 
 Air, in which the Daws were entirely rout- 
 ed. The General was afterwards try'd by a 
 Court-Martial, and fentenc'd to have his 
 W r ings dipt, which is look'd upon as a 
 very heavy Punifhment in this Country, 
 and very little different from what is in- 
 flicled for capital Offences. After we had 
 difpos'd of the Cargo, we fet Sail from 
 thence. At a little Diftance from the Shore, 
 we law great Quantities of Feathers floating 
 
 about 
 
21+ A Journey to the 
 
 about upon the Water, and from thence 
 conje&ur'd, that it was the Spot where the 
 late Battle had been fought. 
 
 After a profperous Voyage, which lallcd 
 only three Days, we arriv'd upon the Coaff. 
 of Crotchet- Ijland. We immediately came 
 to an Anchor, and went on Shore, prece- 
 ded by an Interpreter, who carry'd that 
 Sort of mufical Inftrument along with him, 
 which is generally call'd< a Bafe. This Ce- 
 remony appear' d very ridiculous to me, as I 
 could not comprehend for what Reafon he 
 fhould load himfelf with fuch an ufelefs Bur- 
 den. As the Coafts feem'd to be deferted, 
 and there was no Appearance of any living 
 Creature, the Captain order'd our Interpre- 
 ter to play a March, to give Notice of our 
 Coming* Upon this about thirty mufical 
 Inltruments, or Bafes, with one Leg, came 
 hopping towards us. I thought at firlt, that 
 what I law was all Inchantment, as 1 never, 
 in all my Travels, met with any Thing (o 
 wonderful. The Make of thefe Bafes, 
 whom I afterwards found to be the Inhabi- 
 tants of the Countrv, was as follows : Their 
 Necks were pretty long, with little Heads 
 upon them ; their Bodies were {lender, and 
 cover'd with a fmooth Kind of Bark or 
 Rind, in fuch a Manner, as that a pretty 
 large Vacuity was left between the Rind 
 and the Body itfelf. A little above the Na- 
 vel, Nature had plac'd a Sort of Bridge 
 with four Strings. The whole Machine 
 retted upon one Foot, fo that their Motion 
 
 was 
 
World Under -Ground. 215 
 
 was like that of Hopping, which they per- 
 form' d with wonderful Agility. In fhort 
 one would have took them for real Bales, 
 from their Similitude to that Inftrument, 
 had it not been for their Hands and Arms, 
 which were in every Refpect like our own. 
 One of thefe Hands was employ'd in hold- 
 ing the Bow, as the other was in flopping 
 the Strings. Our Interpreter begun the 
 Conference, by taking up the 'Inftrument 
 he .had brought with him, and playing a 
 flow Strain. 
 
 Sujlinct a lava, tenult manus altera plcclrum^ 
 Art'ificis Jlatus ipfe fait : Turn Jlamina dofio 
 Pollice follicitat. 
 
 An Anfwer was prefently return'd him in 
 the fame Strain, and thus they went on 
 warbling their Thoughts to one another for 
 a confiderable Time. Their Converfation 
 began with an Adagio, which I cannot but 
 fay had a good deal of Harmony in it, but 
 it foon flid into Difcords which were very 
 grating to the Ear. The Conference ended 
 with an harmonious and delightful Prajlo. 
 Upon hearing this laft our Men were ex- 
 ceedingly pleas'd, fince it was a Token, as 
 they told me, that the Price of their Cargo 
 was agreed upon. I was afterward inform'd, 
 that the flow Mufick in the Beginning was 
 only a Prelude to the Difcourfe, and was 
 employ'd in mutual Compliments on both 
 Sides : But that when we heard the Difcords 
 they were difputing about the Price of our 
 
 Commo- 
 
216 A Journey to the 
 
 Commodities, and that the Pr&fto in the 
 Conclusion fignify'd that the Bufinefs was 
 happily determin'd. Accordingly a little 
 while after we unloaded the Ship. The 
 Commodity for which there is the greateft 
 Demand in this Country is Rofin, with 
 which the Inhabitants rub their Bows, 
 which are their Inftruments of Speech. 
 Such as are convicted of any great Crime in 
 this Country, are generally fentene'd by the 
 Judge to be depriv'd of their Bows ; and a 
 perpetual Privation of the Bow is equal to 
 capital Punifhment amongft us. As I un- 
 derftood there was to be a final Hearing of a 
 Law-Suit in a neighbouring Court of Juftice, 
 while I ftaid there, my Curiofity prompted 
 me to hear fome of their mufical Law- 
 Proceedings. The Council, inftead of ma- 
 king a Speech, mov'd their Bows, and 
 play'd each of them a Kind of Tune. So 
 long as the Pleadings laired, I could diftin- 
 guifli nothing but difTonant and jarring 
 Sounds ; for all the Eloquence of the Bar 
 conn (Is in the Loudnefs of their Notes, and 
 the quick Motion of their Hands. After 
 the Hearing was over, the Judge rifing 
 flowly from the Bench, and taking up hi* 
 Bow, gave the Court an Adagio^ which is 
 the fame Thing as pronouncing Sentence. 
 For as foon as he had made an End, the 
 Executioners advane'd directly to the Cri- 
 minal, to take away his Bow. The Boys 
 in this Country refemble that Kind of In- 
 ftrument, which in our Parts of the World 
 
 w« 
 
World Under-Ground. 217 
 
 we call a Kitt. They are never fuffer'd to 
 handle a Bow till they are three Years old. 
 Upon their Entrance into their fourth Year 
 they are fent to School to learn their Ga- 
 mut, from Mafters appointed for that Pur- 
 pefe, as Children in Europe^ are to learn 
 their Alphabet. They are kept under the 
 Difcipline of the Ferula till they are able to 
 play thoroughly in Tune, and to give their 
 Inftruments a clear and diftincl Expreffion. 
 We were very much molefted by thefe Boys 
 during our Stay there, as they were perpe- 
 tually teazing us with their fcraping. Our 
 Interpreter, who had a very good Hand 
 himfelf, and perfectly underftood the Lan- 
 guage, told us, that the only Meaning of 
 this Mufick was to beg a little Rofin of us. 
 They begg'd in a whining Tone of the 
 Adagio Kind, but as foon as ever they had 
 got what they wanted, they run into the 
 Allegro^ or Jig-Time, which was their Me- 
 thod of returning Thanks. However, a 
 Repulfe would at any Time fpoil all their 
 Mufick. 
 
 Having difpatch'd our Affairs to our Sa- 
 tisfaction, we left this Place about the Month 
 Gufan, and after a Voyage of a few Days 
 came in Sight of another Coaft. Our Crew 
 guefs'd it to be Pygtoffia, from the foetid 
 Smell which came from thence. The In- 
 habitants of this Country are not unlike hu- 
 man Creatures, except in one Particular, 
 which is the Want of Mouths. This lays 
 them under a Neceflity of fpeaking a pojle- 
 
 L rion\ 
 
2i8 A Journey to the 
 
 rwri, if I may be allow'd the Phraie. The 
 firft Perfon who came aboard our Ship was 
 a wealthy Merchant. He very civilly falu- 
 ted us from behind, according to the Cuf- 
 tom of the Country, and then began to 
 talk with us about the Price of our Goods. 
 The Barber belonging to our Ship, to my 
 great Misfortune, was at that Time fick ; 
 for which Reafon I was oblig'd to make ufe 
 of a Pygloffian Barber. The People of this 
 Profeflion are more talkative, if poflible, in 
 this Country, than they are in Europe ; fo 
 that whilft he was {having me, he left fuch 
 a horrid Stench behind him in the Cabin, 
 that we were oblig'd to burn great Quanti- 
 ties of Incenfe to fweeten it again after 
 his Departure. I was fo accuftom'd to fee 
 ftrange Things, and fuch as were contrary 
 to the ufual Courfe of Nature, that nothing 
 now appear'd furprizing to me. As the 
 Converfation of the Pygloffians was difagree- 
 able and offenfive, by reafon of this natural 
 Imperfection, we were willing to get away 
 from thence as foon as pofTible, and there- 
 fore weigh'd Anchor before the Time we 
 had appointed. We haften'd our Depar- 
 ture the more on Account of our being in- 
 vited to Supper by one of the principal In- 
 habitants. We all fhrugg'd up our Shoulders 
 at this Invitation, and nobody would accept 
 of it, but upon Condition that a general Si- 
 lence fhould be obferv'd all Supper-Time. 
 As we were going out of the Harbour, the 
 Pyglcjjlans crouded to the Shore to wifh us a 
 
 good 
 
World Under -Ground, 219 
 
 good Voyage ; but as the Wind blew di- 
 rectly from the Land, we made all the Signs 
 we could, by nodding our Heads, and wa- 
 ving our Hands, to let them know we would 
 excufe their Compliments. I could not help 
 reflecting, upon this Occafion, how very 
 troublefome a Man may prove by ftriving to 
 be over-complaifant. The chief Trade of 
 the Martinians to this Country, confifts in 
 Rofe- Water, and divers Kinds of Spices 
 and Perfumes. We fteer'd our Courfe from 
 hence to Iceland^ a Country the molt hor- 
 rid, defert, and inhofpitable, that ever my 
 Eyes beheld. Hardly any Thing is to be 
 feen, but Mountains continually cover*d 
 over with Snow. The Inhabitants, who 
 are all made of Ice, are difpers'd here and 
 there amongft the Tops of the Hills, in 
 Places where the Sun never comes. For all 
 between the Summits of the Mountains, to 
 fpeak poetically, is '>ound up in eternal 
 Froft. On this Account likewife it is per- 
 petually dark here, or if there is any Light, 
 it is only what proceeds from the Glitter- 
 ing of the Hoar-Froft. But the Valleys 
 which lie between thefe Hills of Snow are 
 (full as miraculoufly) fcorch'd with Heat, 
 and burnt up by the fiery Vapours with 
 which the Atmofphere abounds. For this 
 Rcafon the Inhabitants never dare venture 
 down into the Valleys, unlefs it be in hazy 
 Weather, or when the Sky is overcaft. 
 And as foon as ever they perceive the leaft 
 Glimmering of the Sun s Rays, they either 
 L 2 get 
 
220 A Journey to fhe 
 
 get back into the Mountains, or plunge di- 
 rectly into fome Cavern. It often happens, 
 that whilft the Inhabitants are upon the 
 Road into thefe Valleys, they are either 
 melted, or come to fome other Misfortune. 
 The extraordinary Heat in thefe Places fur- 
 Jiifhes them with a ready Means of punifh- 
 ing notorious Criminals. The Executioners 
 take the Opportunity of the firfl cloudy Day 
 to carry fuch Criminals down into the Plain, 
 where they tie them to a Stake, and there 
 leave them expos'd to the burning Rays of 
 the Sun, which foon diflblves and melts 
 them. The Country produces all Kinds of 
 Minerals, except Gold. Thefe are bought 
 up by foreign Merchants, in the crude State 
 in which they are digg'd out of the Earth. 
 For the Natives being unable to bear the 
 Fire, know nothing of the Art of fmelting 
 or working up of Metals. 'Tis thought 
 that the Iceland Trade is the moft beneficial 
 of any that is carry'd on in thefe Parts. 
 
 All thefe Countries, which I have been 
 hitherto defcribing, are fubjecl: to the great 
 Emperor of Me%endoria^ properly fo call'd ; for 
 which Reafon thefe, as well as others which 
 have not been mention'd, are by Travel- 
 lers call'd by the general Name of the Ale- 
 •zendoreS) or Mexendorian Iflands, tho* they 
 are diftinguifh'd from one another by pecu- 
 liar Names, as has been fliewn in this Itine- 
 rary. That Empire, which is no lefs fpa- 
 cious than it is extraordinary, was the End, 
 2nd as it were the Center of our Voyage. 
 
 Eight 
 
World Under-Ground. 2 2 1 
 
 Eight Days after we left Iceland^ we arriv'd 
 at^the Imperial City. Whatever the Poets 
 have faid about Societies of Animals, or 
 Trees, we here found to be real. For Me- 
 zencloria is a Country which is actually pof- 
 fefs'd in common by Animals and Trees, 
 who are alike endued with Reafon. Any 
 Kind of Animal or Tree whatfoever is al- 
 low'd to enjoy the Privileges of this City, 
 provided he is obedient to the Laws, and to 
 the eftablim'd Government. One would 
 be apt to think, that a Mixture of fo many 
 Creatures of different Forms and oppofite 
 Natures mould neceffarily create Diforder 
 and Confufion. Bat by Virtue of prudent 
 Laws and Conftitutions, this Contrariety is 
 made to produce happy Effects. For by- 
 Means thereof, a different Office or Em- 
 ployment, and fuch as is fuited to his diffe- 
 rent Genius, Temper, and Abilities, Is pru- 
 dently aftign'd to each of thefe mifcellaneous 
 Subjects. Lions, becaufe of their innate 
 Magnanimity, are here made Generals of 
 Armies ; Elephants, by reafon of their na- 
 tural Sagacity, and the Soundnefs of their 
 Judgments, are appointed Members of the 
 Supreme Council of the Nation. All Offi- 
 ces at Court are fill'd up by Cameleons, 
 which Animals being by Nature fubjecl: to 
 Change, can the more readily accommodate 
 themfelves to Times and Circumftances. 
 The Land -Forces are made up of Bears 
 and Tygers, and fuch warlike Animals. 
 Bulls and Oxen are admitted into the Sea- 
 L 3 Service i 
 
222 A Journey to the 
 
 Service ; for thefe being fimple and well- 
 meaning Creatures, and at the fame Time 
 hardy and obftinate, and not overburden'd 
 with good Breeding, are therefore efteem'd 
 the propereft Inhabitants for that boifterous 
 Element. They have likewife a Seminary 
 of Calves, which are inftrucled in the Art 
 of Navigation, and train'd up for the Ser- 
 vice of the Fleet ; thefe are call'd Sea- Calves, 
 and are promoted by Degrees to the Dignity 
 of Captains and Admirals. Trees, by rea- 
 fon of their Uprightnefs, are created Judges. 
 Geefe are Advocates in the Supreme Courts 
 of Juftice, and Magpyes have the Manage- 
 ment of Caufes in the inferior Courts, 
 Foxes are made Plenipotentiaries, Envoys, 
 Confuls, Agents and Secretaries to Embaflies. 
 Rooks are generally appointed Adminiftra- 
 tors to the Goods and Chattels of fuch as 
 die inteftate. Goats are Philofophers, efpe- 
 cially Grammarians, as well out of Regard 
 to their Horns, with which they are us'd to 
 pufh their Adversaries upon the flighted 
 Provocation, as on Account of their vene- 
 rable Beards, in which Refpe& they furpafs 
 all other Animals. Horfes are Civil Magi- 
 ftrates ; and Vipers, Moles, and Dormice, 
 Farmers and Hufbandmen. Birds are em- 
 ploy'd as Couriers and Poft-Boys. Afles, 
 on Account of the Loudnefs of their Voices, 
 are made Deacons; and Nightingales exe- 
 cute the Office of Singing-Men and Choir- 
 ifters. Cocks are the Watchmen in great 
 Towns* and Dogs are Porters at the Gates. 
 
 Wolves 
 
World Under-Ground. 223 
 
 Wolves are the fuperior Officers in the Trea- 
 fury and Cuftom-Houfe, and Hawks and 
 Vultures are their Deputies. 
 
 By Means of thefe excellent Inftitutions 
 all publick Offices are duly and faithfully 
 executed, and every Thing tranfa&ed in 
 the moft orderly Manner. This Empire, 
 therefore, ought to be a Pattern for all Le- 
 giflators to copy after in the Eftabliihment 
 of new Forms of Government. For that 
 fo many worthlefs Wretches get into Em- 
 ployments is not owing to any Want of 
 Perfons of Abilities to fill them up, but fole- 
 ly to an improper Choice. But if this Mat- 
 ter was taken Care of as it ought to be, 
 and wife and able Men promoted not on 
 Account of their general Merits, but of 
 their Fitnefs to that particular Poft, we 
 mould fee publick Offices far better manag'd 
 than they now are, and Governments in a 
 more flourifhing Condition. What a falu- 
 tary Inftitution this is which we have been 
 fpeaking of, is evident from the Example of 
 this Empire. We find in the Annals of 
 Mtzendoria, that about three hundred Years 
 ago this Law was repeal'd by the Emperor 
 Lilaky and that publick Employments were 
 conferr'd upon all Sorts of People indiffe- 
 rently, provided they had Merit of any 
 Kind, or had fignaliz'd themfelves by any 
 extraordinary A&ion. But this promifcu- 
 ous Diftribution of Places of Truft occa- 
 fion'd (b many and fuch great Diforders, 
 that the Government fcem'd upon the Point 
 L 4. of 
 
224 A Journey to the 
 
 of being overturn'd thereby. Thus, for 
 Example, a Wolf having acquitted himfelf 
 with Reputation in the Management of the 
 publick Revenues, lays Claim, on that Ac- 
 count, to a fuperior Dignity, and becomes 
 a Senator ; on the other Hand a Tree, ha- 
 ving fignaliz'd himfelf by the Integrity of 
 his Decifions, was rewarded by an Em- 
 ployment in the Treafury. By this pre- 
 poflerous Promotion, two able Men at once 
 were rendered abfolutely ufelefs to the Pub- 
 lick. A Goat, or a Philofopher, who was 
 extoll'd to the Skies by the Scholafticks, for 
 his Keennefs and Obftinacy in defending an 
 Argument, defiring to advance himfelf, re- 
 queued the firft Place that mould happen to 
 be vacant at Court, and obtain'd it ; whilil 
 a Cameleon, noted for his Good-Breeding 
 and his Compliance with the Times, ob- 
 tain'd by thefe Qualities a Profeflor's Chair 
 in the Univerfity, which he follicited for 
 the Sake of the Salary. The EfTed of this 
 was, that the former from an able Philofo- 
 pher became an abfurd Courtier j and the 
 latter from an excellent Courtier, was tranf- 
 form'd into a moft empty Philofopher. For 
 that Perfeverance in maintaining his Opini- 
 ons, which does a Man Credit as a Philo- 
 fopher, is an Imperfection in the other Cha- 
 racter, fince Ficklenefs and Inconftancy are 
 cardinal Virtues at Court, and he that 
 would rife there muft regard not fo much 
 what is true, as what is fofe, and muft af- 
 fume a different Afpe& juft as the Face of 
 
 Affairs 
 
World Under-Ground. 225 
 
 Affairs happens to change. What is there 
 a Vice, is a Virtue in the Schools ; where 
 Pofitivenefs, and a determinM Refolutfon to 
 adhere, at all Events, to the Point you 
 have undertaken to defend, is a Token of a 
 very great Man. In fhort, the Subjects in 
 general, even fuch as were remarkable for 
 very extraordinary Abilities, were by this 
 Alteration in the Conftitution render'd ufe- 
 lefs to their Country, and the Republic k of 
 courfe began to totter. In this State of 
 Affairs, when every Thing was running to 
 Ruin, an Elephant of great Prudence, na- 
 med Baccari, at that Time a Senator, laid 
 this Grievance before the Emperor in very 
 pathetick Terms. That Prince, being con- 
 vinc'd of the Truth of what was told him, 
 determin'd to put an immediate Stop to the 
 growing Evil. The Manner in which a 
 Reformation was brought about was this. 
 Such as were in Employment were not im- 
 mediately turn'd out, for by that Means the 
 Remedy would have been worfe than the 
 Difeafe ; but as faft as Offices became va- 
 cant, fuch as already were in Employments, 
 for which they were unfit, were remov'd to 
 others better adapted to their Capacities. 
 The good Effects of this Change foon be- 
 came viiible ; and Baccari^ for the great 
 Service he had done his Country, had a Sta- 
 tue erected for him, which is to be feen in 
 the great Square in Mezendoria at this Day„ 
 Ever fince that Time the ancient Laws have 
 been religioufly obferv'd. Our Interpreter 
 L 5 affirm'd, 
 
2i6 A Journey to the 
 
 affirm'd, that he had this Relation from a 
 certain Goofe, with whom he was very in- 
 timate, and who was reckon'd one of the 
 mod eminent Lawyers in the whole City. 
 
 Many unufual, and even ftupendous Phe- 
 nomena, are daily offering themfelves to 
 View in this Country, and attracting the 
 Eyes of Strangers and Travellers. The 
 Sight alone of fo many Kinds of Animals, 
 to wit, Bears, Wolves, Geefe, Magpyes, 
 Iffc. walking up and down the different 
 Streets and Quarters of the City, and con- 
 verfing familiarly with each other, cannot 
 fail of exciting Admiration and Delight in 
 thofe who are unaccuftom'd to fuch Kind of 
 Sights. The firft Perfon who came on 
 board us was a meagre Wolf, or Cuftom- 
 Houfe Officer ; he was attended by four 
 Kites, or Under-Officers, fuch as in Europe 
 arc cali'd Searchers. They feiz'd whatever 
 they had a Mind to of our Cargo, and by 
 that Means made it appear that they had 
 learnt their Lcflbn perfectly, and were very 
 far from being Novices in their Trade. The 
 Captain, according to his ufual Civility, al- 
 ways took me along with him when he went 
 afhore. We were met at our Landing by a 
 Cock, who having afk*d the ufual Queftions, 
 namely, what our Bufinefs was, and from 
 whence we came, gave Notice of our Ar- 
 rival to the chief Officer of the Cuftoms. 
 We met with a very civil Reception, and 
 were invited to fup with him. His Wife, 
 who, as we were told, was a celebrated 
 
 Beauty 
 
World Under-Ground. 227 
 
 Beauty among the Wolves, did not make 
 her Appearance at Table. The Reafon ©f 
 her Abfence, we heard afterward, was her 
 Hufband's Jealoufy, who did not think it 
 proper to expofe a Perfon of her Beauty to 
 the View of Strangers, and efpecially of 
 Sailors, who by reafon of their long Abfti- 
 nence, being generally very loving when 
 they come on Shore, ufe little or no Diftinc- 
 tion in their Addrefles. Divers other mar- 
 ry'd Females fat down to Supper with us. 
 One of our Company, a white Cow with 
 black Spots, was the Wife of a Sea-Officer. 
 Next to her fat a black Cat, who was Wife 
 to one of the King's Huntfmen, and was 
 juft come up out of the Country. The 
 Perfon that fat next to me at Table was a 
 particoloured Sow, Wife to a Gold -finder, 
 all Offices of this Kind being fill'd up by 
 fuch as are of Hoggifh Extraction. She 
 was very fluttifh, and fat down to Table 
 without warning her Hands, which is a 
 common Thing amongft thofe of her Tribe ; 
 but then fhe was extremely officious, and 
 help'd me feveral Times with her own 
 Hands. Every body was furprizM at her 
 unufual Civility, efpecially as thefe Crea- 
 tures are by no Means remarkable for Po- 
 litenefs. For my Part, I wifh'd fhe had 
 not been quite fo well-bred, lince the being 
 help'd by fuch Hands was not in the leaft 
 agreeable to me. I muft here obferve, that 
 though the Inhabitants of Mezendoria re- 
 ferable Brutes, as to their Shapes, yet they 
 
 have 
 
2 25 A Journey to the 
 
 have Hands and Fingers which grow out of 
 their Forefeet, in which Refpe£t alone they 
 differ from our Quadrupeds. They have 
 no Occafion for Cloaths, as their Bodies are 
 cover'd over with Hair or Feathers^ The 
 Rich are diftinguiih'd from the Poor only 
 by certain Ornaments, as Collars of Gold, 
 or Pearls, or Garlands wound in a fpiral 
 Manner round about their Horns. The 
 Sea-Officer's Lady was fo fet off with Orna- 
 ments of this Kind, that one could fcarce 
 fee any Horns (he had. She excus'd her 
 Hufband's Abfence, by faying he was de- 
 tain'd at home by a Law -Suit, a Hearing of 
 which was to come on the Day following. 
 After Supper was over, the particolour'd 
 Sow, whom I have been fpeaking of, took 
 our Interpreter afide, and had a long Con- 
 ference with him, the Purport of which 
 was, that (he had conceiv'd a violent Paflion 
 for me. He comforted all he could, and 
 promifing her a mutual Paflion on my Part, 
 he next began to make his Attack on me. 
 But as he found his Words made no Im- 
 preilion upon mc, he advis'd me to make 
 my Elcape as foon as poflible, fince he knew 
 the Lady would leave no Stone unturn'd to 
 gratify her Wimes. From that Time for- 
 ward I kept clofe on board, efpecially after I 
 heard that a former Admirer of her Lady- 
 (hip's, a Student in Philofophy, who was 
 grown jealous of me, had form'd a Defign 
 againft my Life. I was fcarce fecure even 
 on board againft the repeated Attacks of 
 
 this 
 
World Under-GroimcL 229 
 
 this Inamorata^ who fometimes by MefTages, 
 and at other Times by Billet-doux and Love- 
 Verfes, endeavour'd to (often my obdurate 
 Heart. Had not I unfortunately loft thefe 
 Letters, when I afterwards fuffer'd Ship- 
 wreck, I could here have prefented the 
 Reader with a Specimen of Piggifh Poetry. 
 But they are now dipt out of Memory, and 
 all that I can at prefent recollect of them 
 are the following Lines, in which fhe thus 
 fets off her Beauties. 
 
 *Tis true, in dread Array my Briftles rife ; 
 But let me not for this be hateful to thee. 
 What is the Steed, without his flowing Mane ? 
 What are the feather'd Race, without their 
 
 Plumes ? 
 What is a Tree, ftript of its leafy Honours ? 
 What is a mortal Man without his Beard ?' 
 And what, ye Gods ! a Sow without her 
 
 Briftles I 
 
 We made an End of our Market with 
 fuch Expedition,, that we were in a Condi- 
 tion to fet Sail from thence in a few Days. 
 Our Voyage, however, was retarded fome 
 Time, by a Quarrel which happen'd be- 
 twixt our Sailors, and fome of the Inhabi- 
 tants of the Country. The Occafion of 
 the Quarrel was this. As one of our Men 
 was palling through the City, a Cuckoo, 
 who had a Mind to be arch upon him, call'd 
 him in Derifion Peripom, which fignifies the 
 fame as a Stage-Player amongft us. For as 
 
 Monkeys 
 
230 A Journey to the 
 
 Monkeys in this Country are commonly 
 Rope-Dancers and Comedians, the Cuckoo 
 took our Martlnian for a Player. The 
 Sailor, refenting the Affront, fell upon him 
 with a Cudgel, and repeating his Blow, 
 almofr. maim'd him. The Cuckoo calling 
 out for Help, dehVd the By-Standers to bear 
 Witnefs of the AfTault, and fummon'd them 
 the next jyny to give Evidence in a Court 
 of Juftice, The Witneffes having been ex- 
 amined, the Matter was laid before the Se- 
 nate. The Sailor being ignorant both of 
 the Laws and Language of the Mezendo- 
 rians, was forc'd to fee a Pye, or Lawyer, 
 to be Counfel for him. The Caufe was 
 thus brought before the Senate, and after a 
 Hearing, which laited about an Hour, Sen- 
 tence was given to the following Purpofe : 
 That the Cuckoo, as being the AggrefTor, 
 fhould undergo the Punifhment in that Cafe 
 provided, and pay the Cofts of the Suit- 
 However, the Lawyer's Fees had fwallow'd 
 up all his Cafh already. The Judges who 
 cetermin'd this Affair were Horfes, two of 
 which were Confuls, and the other four 
 Senators. An equal Number of Colts were 
 likewife prefent, who had a Right of giving 
 their Opinions, but not of voting, and were 
 admitted into the Court as Pupils and Can- 
 didates to fill up Vacancies upon the Bench. 
 Having finim'd our Affairs to our Satis- 
 faction, and got our Loading which was 
 \ery valuable on board, we thought of re- 
 turning home. Soon after we were out at 
 
 Sea, 
 
World Under -Ground. 231 
 
 Sea, a fudden Calm at once put a Stop to 
 our Courfe. Upon which we fell to our 
 Diverfions, fome to fpearing of Fifhes as 
 they leapt above the Surface, others to- 
 angling for them. By and by we had a 
 Gale of Wind, and proceeded in our Voyage. 
 Having long plough' d the Ocean with a 
 profperous Gale, we at length came in 
 Sight of other Syrens, who by Intervals 
 would fet up a moft hideous and difmal 
 Yell. This ftruck an uncommon Terror 
 into the Sailors, who knew, by woful Ex- 
 perience, that fuch mournful Mufick por- 
 tended Storms and Shipwrecks. Hereupon 
 we immediately took in our Sails, and every 
 Man was order'd to his Poft. We had 
 fcarce made an End of our Work before 
 we faw the Heavens cover'd with black 
 Clouds. The Waves began to fwell, and 
 fuch a Storm followed, that the Pilot, who 
 had us'd the Subterranean Seas for almoft 
 forty Years, declar'd he had never known 
 fo terrible a one. Every Thing that hap- 
 pen'd to be upon Deck was immediately 
 wafh'd overboard, partly by Means of the 
 Waves, which were every Moment break- 
 ing over it, and partly by the violent Rains 
 which fell at the fame Time, attended with 
 dreadful Lightning and loud Claps of Thun- 
 der. So that all the Elements feem'd to 
 confpire together for our Deftruclion. Our 
 Main-Malt was prefently broke fhort off 
 and carry'd away, and the reft fcon fol- 
 low'd it, We had nothing now but Death. 
 
 before 
 
2$2 A Journey to the 
 
 before our Eyes. One was calling out upon 
 his Wife and Children, another upon his 
 Friends and Relations, and the whole Vef- 
 fel refounded with their mournful Cries. 
 The Pilot, though without Hope himfelf, 
 was nevertheless oblig'd to footh the reft 
 with Hopes, and to advife them not to 
 give Way to unavailing Sorrows. Whilit 
 he was in the Midlt of this Difcourfe, a 
 fudden Guft of Wind hurry'd him over- 
 board, and he was quickly fwallow'd up 
 by the Waves. Three others underwent 
 the fame Fate, namely, the Purfer, and two 
 Sailors. I was the only one who bore the 
 genera] Calamity without repining. Life 
 was grown a Burden to me, and I had no 
 Inclination to return to Alartinia y where I 
 had forfeited my Liberty and good Name. 
 All the Companion I had left was for the 
 Captain, who had treated me with fo much 
 Kindnefs during our whole Voyage. I 
 ftrove with all the Eloquence I was Mailer 
 of, to raife his drooping Spirits ; but in 
 vain ; he perfifted in his Sighs and wo- 
 manifh Complaints, till a Wave came rolling 
 over us, and carry'd him away with it into 
 the Ocean. 
 
 The Storm increafing frill, no farther 
 Care was taken about the Ship. Not a 
 Maft, not a Rudder, or even fo much as a 
 Rope or Oar was left ; and our VefTel float- 
 ed at Random on the Waves. We were 
 tofs'd about in this Condition near three 
 whole Days, half dead with Fear and Hun- 
 ger. 
 
World Under-Ground. 233. 
 
 gcr. The Skv appear'd ferene by Intervals, 
 but neverthelefs the Storm continued with 
 its ufual Violence. At length we difcovered 
 Land, the Sight of which, though it ap- 
 pear'd to be nothing but craggy Rocks and 
 Precipices, was fome Comfort to thofe of 
 the Crew who were fr.il! left alive. As 
 the Wind blew towards the Shore, we 
 were in Hopes that we mould foon be 
 driven thither. But this could not happen 
 without our fuffering Shipwreck^ by reafon 
 of the Cragginefs of the Coaft. It feem'd 
 however probable, that fome of us, if not 
 all, by the Help of fome Fragments of the 
 Ship, might for the prefent at leaft efcape. 
 But whilft we were comforting ourfelves 
 with thefe Hopes, v/e ftruck upon a Rock, 
 which being under Water had efcap'd our 
 Notice, with fuch Violence, that the VefTel 
 was in an Inftant dafh'd into an hundred 
 Pieces. In the Midft of this Confufion I 
 laid hold of a Plank, being only anxious for 
 my own Safety, and little minding what 
 became of my Companions, whofe Fate I 
 am yet a Saanger to. It is moft likely 
 that they were all loft, fince I could net 
 hear of the Arrival of any of them into 
 that Country. I was carry'd with great 
 Rapidity to the Shore, by the Help of the 
 Tide and of the Waves. This was a Means 
 of faving me, for had I continued a little 
 longer in the State I was in, I fhould cer- 
 tainly have perifli'd through Hunger and 
 Fatigue. After I had doubled the Point of 
 
 a 
 
234 A Journey to the 
 
 a certain Promontory, the Waves abated^ 
 and I heard the Murmuring of them at a 
 Diftance only, and that too by Degrees 
 grew weaker and weaker, till it intirely va- 
 ninYd. 
 
 This whole Region is mountainous. And 
 hence the frequent Windings of the Moun- 
 tains, their overhanging Tops, together with 
 the Deepnefs of the Vales below, are the 
 Occafion of very great Echoes here. As 
 foon as I found myfelf near the Shore, I 
 hollow'd out as loud as I was able, in hopes 
 that fome of the Inhabitants upon the Coafts 
 might hear me, and come to my Afiiftance. 
 My firft Shout was not return'd, but after 1 
 had repeated it, I heard a Kind of Noifc 
 from the Shore, and at length faw the In- 
 habitants running out of the Woods, and 
 coming to meet me with a Boat, which 
 was made of Ofier Branches and Oaken 
 Twigs, a Proof that they were not a very 
 improved or civiliz'd People. But the Sight 
 of the Rowers gave me a Tranfport beyond 
 Defcription j for as to their exterior Figure, 
 they did not differ at all from Men, and 
 were the only Creatures of my own Species 
 that I had beheld during; this whole Subter- 
 ranean Tour. Thev are fomething like the 
 Inhabitants of the Torrid Zone. For they 
 have black Beards, and fhort, curl'd Hair ; 
 and thofe who have long, flaxen Hair, are 
 reputed a Kind of Monfters. At length 
 they drew near to the broken Piece of the 
 Ship I was upon, and took me into their 
 
 Boat 
 
World Under-Ground. 235 
 
 Boat in a dropping Condition. They then 
 row'd to Shore, where after I had been re- 
 fresh' d with fome Meat and Drink, though 
 in a very plain and coarfe Manner, I foon 
 recover'd my Vigour and Spirits, notwith- 
 ftanding I had been three whole Days and 
 Nights in a Manner combating with Thirft 
 and Hunger. 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 The Author's Arrival at Quama, 
 
 AND now a Croud of People furround- 
 T\ ed me. They talk'd to me in their 
 Language, of which, as I was wholly igno- 
 rant, I was at a Lofs what to anfwer. The/ 
 often repeated the Word Dank, Dank, which 
 founding like High Dutch, I anfwer'd firft 
 m that Language, then in the Danijh 
 Tongue, and laftly in Latin. But to ail 
 this they only {hook their Heads, to in- 
 timate that thefe Languages were utterly un- 
 known to them. Then I try'd them in the 
 Subterranean Languages, namely, the Na- 
 zaric, and the Martinian ; but all to no 
 Purpofe. This made me conclude, that they 
 were an unfociable Nation, who had no 
 Kind of Commerce with the reft of the 
 World, and that therefore 1 mould be un- 
 der a Neceffity in this Country of turning 
 
 Boy, 
 
236 A Journey to the 
 
 Boy, and going to School once mere to 
 learn my Letters. 
 
 After we had convers'd fome Time toge- 
 ther, but in fuch a Manner that we did not 
 underfhnd one another, they brought me to 
 a Cottage made of Ofiers. There were no 
 Seats, Benches, or Tables in it ; for they 
 eat upon the Ground, and for Want of 
 Beds, they ufe only Straw, and fleep pro- 
 mifcuoufly on the Floor, which is the more 
 to be admir'd, as they have Plenty of Tim- 
 ber among them. Their Food is Milk, 
 Cheefe, Barley-Bread, and Flefh j which 
 lair, they broil upon the Coals, having no 
 Notion of any other Sort of Cookery. In 
 fhort, they livM in as plain a Manner as 
 the firft Race of Mankind. So that I was 
 forc'd to live like a Cynic Philofopher, till I 
 had made fuch a Progrefs in their Language 
 as enabled me to converfe with the Inhabi- 
 tants, and aflifl their Ignorance. And, in- 
 deed, all my Orders and Directions were 
 obferv'd as fo many Oracles. Nay to fuch 
 a Height my Reputation rofe, that they 
 flock'd to me in Crouds from all the adja- 
 cent Towns and Villages, as to an illuftri- 
 ous Doctor, or a Teacher fent from Hea- 
 ven. I heard alfo, that a new Computation 
 of Time was made ufe of among thern^ 
 which commenc'd from my Arrival. All 
 this, I own, was fo much the more grateful 
 to me, as in the Planet Nazar, and at Mar- 
 Unia, I had been a publick Jeft ; in the former 
 Place for my Vivacity and quick Concep- 
 tion, 
 
World Under-Ground. 237 
 
 tion, and in the latter for my Dulnefs. 
 And here I experienced the Truth of that 
 vulvar Saying, " Among the Blind, he that 
 " fquints is~a King." For I was now in a 
 Country, where with a (lender Share of 
 Knowledge, and with ordinary Abilities, I 
 could arrive at the higheft Honours. And 
 Room enough there was here, to try my 
 own Strength, and exercife my Talents; 
 for the Country abounded to Profufion with 
 every Thing necefTary for the Ufe of Man. 
 Many Things it produe'd fpontaneoufly, 
 and whatever Grain was fow'd, repaid the 
 Hufbandman with ample Intereft. The Inha- 
 bitants were of a docil Difpofition, and by 
 no Means destitute of Wit and Underftand- 
 jng ; but then, as they had never been 
 taught any Thing, they remain'd in the 
 Depth of Ignorance. When I related to 
 them the Circumftances of my Family, my 
 Country, my Shipwreck, and the other Ac- 
 cidents 'that befel me' in my Travels, nobody 
 could be brought to believe it. For they 
 were pofitive, that I was an Inhabitant of 
 the Sun, and that I defcended from that 
 glorious Luminary. Agreeably to this Con- 
 ceit, they commonly call'd me by the Name 
 of Pikil-Su, that is, Embaffador of tht Sun. 
 As to their Religion, they did not deny the 
 Exigence of a Supreme Being, but then 
 they did not trouble their Heads about the 
 Proof of that high P int j it was fuffic \ 
 to them that their Fathers before them 
 liev'd it : And this is their whole Sj Rem of 
 o Divinity. 
 
238 A Journey to the 
 
 Divinity. As to their Morality, they knew 
 nothing except this fingle Precept of Not 
 doing to others what you would not have dong to 
 your/elf. They knew no Law befide the 
 fole Will and Pleafure of their Emperor, 
 and therefore no Crimes, but thofe of a 
 publick Nature, were ever punifh'd. What- 
 ever Mifdemeanour was otherwife commit- 
 ted, all the Revenge the Neighbours took, 
 was to avoid the Company of the Offenders, 
 to whom fuch a general Contempt was 
 ufually fo intolerable, that many have died 
 for Grief, and as many more have laid vio- 
 lent Hands upon t he mfelves through a Wea- 
 rinefs of Life. Chronology they know no- 
 thing of, only they compute their Years 
 from the Eclipfe of the Sun, which happens 
 by the Interpofition of the Planet Nazar ; 
 fo that when you enquire how old any one 
 is, their Anfwer is, that he is fo many 
 Eclipfes old. Their Phyficks are exceflively 
 barren and abfurd ; they believe the Sun is a 
 Golden Plate, and the Planet Nazar a 
 Cheefe. W'hen I enquir'd the Reafon why 
 at (rated Times the Planet Nazar increas'd 
 and decreas'd, they reply'd, trut they knew 
 nothing at all about it. Their Wealth and 
 Subftance connils chiefly in Swine, which 
 they diftinguim by fome particular Mark, 
 and then iuffer them to run loofe in the 
 Woods. They fcourge and beat all fuch 
 Trees as bear no Fruit, from a foolifh Opi- 
 nion, that their Sterility proceeds from Ma- 
 lice and Env\^ Such was the State of this 
 
 poor 
 
World "Under-Ground, 239 
 
 poor miferable People, whom I almoft de- 
 fpair'd of ever reducing to Humanity ; but 
 recollecting that Affertion of the Poet, 
 
 Nemo adeo fevus eft, ut non mitefcere pojjity 
 Si modo cultura patientem prabeat aurem, 
 
 I took Courage, and employ'd the whole 
 Force of my Capacity and Abilities in re- 
 forming thefe Barbarians. For thefe my 
 Endeavours, and the Succefs which attended 
 them, they regarded me as fomething above 
 the Race of Mortals, and fo extravagant 
 an Opinion did they entertain of my Wif- 
 dom, that they thought nothing was impof- 
 fible to me. Upon the Lofs of Cattle or 
 Goods, they would come, at all Hours, to 
 my Hut, and implore my Afliftance. One 
 Day 1 faw a poor Peafant proftrate before 
 my Door weeping and wringing his Hands, 
 and crying out to me to help him. Upon 
 Inquiry into the Occafion of his Grief, he 
 complain'd to me of the Perverfenefs and 
 Ill-Nature of his Trees, and begg'd me to 
 interpofe my Authority to make them bear 
 more Acorns. 
 
 I was inform'd, that the whole Country 
 was in Subjection to a Monarch, whofe Re- 
 fidence, at that Time, was about eight Dava 
 Journey from the Place I was now in. I 
 fay at that Time, becaufe the Metropolis of 
 the Empire was moveable, that is, his Ma- 
 jefty (whofe Place of Refidence was lookM 
 upon as the Capital) had no Palace, or fix'd 
 
 Habi- 
 
240 A Journey to the 
 
 Habitation, but liv'd in Tents, which he 
 tranfported, together with his Royal Family 
 and the whole Court, from one Province to 
 another. The Prince, who then fway'd 
 the Sceptre, was a Man in Years, and wa3 
 call'd Casba, which fignifies, Great Empe- 
 ror. This Territory, with refpect to the 
 Extent of it, merits indeed the Name of 
 an Empire ; but thro" the Ignorance of the 
 Inhabitants, who do not know their own 
 Strength, it makes no great Figure, but is 
 expos'd to the Infults and Ridicule of its 
 Neighbours, and is often oblig'd to become 
 tributary to Nations in Reality more con- 
 temptible than themfclves. 
 
 Fame had now fpread my Name and Vir- 
 tues over all the Provinces. Nothing of 
 Moment was undertook without firft con- 
 futing me, and every unfuccefsful Enter- 
 prize was afcrib'd to my Coldnefs and Want 
 of Favour. Nay, fome had it in their 
 Heads to appeafe my Anger with Sacrifices. 
 I forbear to recount all the Follies of this 
 ftupid Nation, and fhall only give one or 
 two Inftances, by which you may eafily 
 judge of the reft. A big-bellied \Voman 
 came to me, to defire (he might have a Boy. 
 Another intreated me to make his old Pa- 
 rents young again. Another begg'd me to 
 take him with me up to the Sun, that he 
 might return from thence with as much 
 Gold as he could carry. With thefe, and 
 fuch unaccountable Requefts, was I conti- 
 nually pefter'd, tho' I ftill reprimanded their 
 
 Folly 
 
World Under-Ground. 241 
 
 Folly in a fevere Tone : For I was afraii 
 left that abfurd Conceit of my Power might 
 terminate in divine Worfhip. 
 
 At length it reach'd the Ears of the Mo- 
 narch, that a Stranger was arriv'd in his 
 Dominions, who call'd himfelf the Ambaf- 
 fador of the Sun, and who by giving moft 
 wife and divine Inftructions to the ^uamite: 
 (fo were call'd the Inhabitants of this Coun- 
 try, the Name of which was Quama) had 
 convine'd the People that he was more than 
 Man. Upon this he prefently difpatch'd an 
 EmbafTy to me, inviting me to Court. The 
 EmbafTadors were in Number thirty, all 
 cloath'd with Tigers Skins, a Drefs fo much 
 the more honourable in this Country, as the 
 Ufe thereof is permitted to none but thofe 
 who have behav'd themfelves with Gallan- 
 try in the War againft the Tanachites. 
 (Thefe are rational Tigers, and implacable 
 Enemies to the Quamites.) But during all 
 this Time, in the Village where I conti- 
 nued, I had run up a Stone-Houfe of two 
 Stories, after the Manner of the Buildings 
 in Europe. The EmbafTadors beheld it as a 
 ftupendousW ork, exceeding human Strength, 
 and therefore when they came to me to fig- 
 nify his Imperial Majefty's Pleafure, they 
 enter'd my Houfe with a religious Awe, as 
 into a Temple or Sancluary. The Speech 
 they made to me, on this Occafion, wa* 
 nearlv this : 
 
 li Whereas the great Emperor Casba y our 
 
 Sovereign Lord and Matter, derives his 
 
 M « Origi* 
 
 c( 
 
242 A Journey to the 
 
 " Origin from the great Spynko, Son of the 
 " Sun, and Founder of the Quamitic Em- 
 ct pire, he therefore thinks nothing could 
 <c be more fortunate or agreeable, than your 
 <c Arrival, efpecially as it muft be of the 
 «' higheft Advantage to his Dominions, and 
 iC as there is all the Reafon in the World to 
 <c hope, that under fuch an illuftrious and 
 c< celeftial Teacher, the Kingdom will, in 
 <c a fhort Time, wear another Face. For 
 <c which Reafon he hopes you will fo much 
 " the more willingly honour his Court, as 
 " the Capital of the Empire is a more am- 
 tc pie Field for the Exercife of your Vir- 
 " tues." 
 
 This Harangue being ended, I returned 
 my humble Thanks to the EmbafTadors, and 
 accompanied them immediately to the Pa- 
 lace. Though they had taken up fourteen 
 Days in coming, yet in returning we fpent 
 only four, which was owing to a Contri- 
 vance of mine. For as I had obferv'd a vaft 
 Multitude of Horfes in this Country, which 
 were of no Manner of Ufe, but rather a 
 Burden upon the People, inafmuch as they 
 liv'd in the Woods like wild Beafts, I laid 
 open to the Natives the feveral Advantages 
 which would accrue from the Service of 
 thofe generous Brutes, and taught them the 
 Art of breaking them. In a fhort Time a 
 great Number were tam'd, and upon the 
 Arrival of the EmbafTadors, 1 had as many 
 broke and prepar'd, as would ferve us all in 
 v' Return. At the Sight of the Horfes 
 
 thus 
 
World Under-Ground, 243 
 
 thus inftructed, the EmbafTadors were ama- 
 zed, but were afraid to mount them. But 
 when they faw me and others guiding and 
 turning them which Way we pleas'd, by 
 Means of the Bridle, and that without Fear 
 or Danger, they took Courage, after two 
 or three Trials, and ventur'd upon the Jour- 
 ney. And this was the Reafon that they 
 return'd in one Third of the Time they 
 came. When we drew near the Place 
 where the Royal Gity was fuppos'd to be, 
 we heard that this famous Metropolis was re- 
 mov'd into another Province, which oblig'd 
 us to bend our Courfe another Way. 
 
 Upon our Approach to the Capital, the 
 Fright and Surprize of the People is not to 
 be exprefs'd. Many, flruck with a Panick, 
 abandon' d the Royal City. The Emperor 
 himfelf kept ftiuddring in his Pavilion, nor 
 dar'd to go out of it, till one of the Em- 
 bafTadors alighting from his Horfe, went 
 and explain'd the Myftery to him. I was 
 introduc'd foon after in great Form, and 
 with a Train of People behind me, to the 
 Emperor's Prefence. Casba was fitting on 
 a Carpet, furrounded by his Courtiers. 
 Having paid my Compliments to his Impe- 
 rial Highnefs, he role, and afk'd me how 
 the Emperor of the Sun did, the Founder of 
 the Royal Family of <%uama. To this 
 Queftion, as I conceiv'd it neceflary to keep 
 up the popular Error, I reply'd, " That I was 
 " fent from the Monarch of the Sun to re- 
 " form the favage Manners of the gua- 
 M 2 " mites 
 
?44 d Journey to the 
 
 " mites with falutary InftruiStions, and to 
 " open a Way for them not only to repel 
 u the Infults of their Neighbours, but alfo 
 M to enlarge the Bounds of their Empire, 
 " and that I had Orders to end my Days 
 " among them. M This Speech highly 
 pleas'd the Emperor. He commanded a 
 Tent to be erected for me near his own ; he 
 alfo aflign'd me fifteen Domefticks to attend 
 on me, and, laying aftde the Monarch, be- 
 hav'd to me always like a Friend. 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 The Rife of the fifth Monarchy. 
 
 FROM that Time forward, I was whol- 
 ly taken up in giving a new Form to 
 the Government, and inftructing the Youth 
 in military Difcipline. 
 
 Ante urbem hinc pueri, £ff primavi fore ju- 
 venilis [rus : 
 Exercentur equis y domitantque in pulvere cur- 
 jfut acres tendunt arcus> aut lenta lacertis 
 Spicula contorquent. 
 
 I began with teaching them the Manage- 
 ment of Horfes, and training them for War, 
 as I hopM that by our Horfe alone our 
 Neighbours might be kept in Awe. The 
 Emperor was foon fupply'd, through my 
 Diligence, with fix thoufand Horfe. The 
 
 Tana- 
 
World Undfr-Grcuvd.- 245. 
 
 Tanachltes were at tint Tinie preparing for 
 a frefh Invafion, on Account of the Belay 
 of the annual Tribute, the Payment of 
 which had often been follicited in vain, f 
 was order'd by the Emperor to go and meet 
 the Enemy with my new-rais'd Cavalry, to 
 which were added a Body of Infantry. 
 Thefe were arm'd with Pikes and Javelins, 
 with which they might engage the Tana- 
 ehites at a Diftance. For the Quamiles had 
 hitherto made ufe of fhort Swords or Dag- 
 gers only ; for which Reafon being oblig'J 
 to engage Hand to Hand with very fierce 
 Enemies, who were much fuperior to them 
 in Strength, they had always fought upon 
 unequal Terms. 
 
 Being appointed General in this Expedi- 
 tion, as foon as I heard that the Tanachites 
 were drawn up in Order of Battle, not far 
 from the Borders of our Empire, I march'd 
 to meet them with all my Forces. The 
 Enemy, thunderftruck with the Sight of an 
 unexpected Army, remain'd for fome Time 
 motionlefs : But our Forces advancing to- 
 wards them, began to handle their Pikes 
 and Javelins as foon as the Enemy came 
 within Reach, and made a heavy Slaughter 
 of them. The Tanachitesy however, did 
 not lofe Courage, but made a brifk Attack 
 upon our Infantry : But the new-rais'd 
 Horfe falling upon their Flanks, their Ranks 
 were quickly broken, and they themfelves 
 put to Flight ; fo that the Fortune of the 
 Battle wholly turn'd on this AfTault. A 
 M 3 terrible 
 
246 A Journey to the 
 
 terrible Slaughter enfued, and the General 
 of the TanachiteSy together with twenty Ti- 
 gers of the firft Quality, were taken Pri- 
 foners, and led in Triumph to Squama. 
 It is fcarce to be exprefs'd what Joy this 
 extraordinary Victory diffus'd throughout 
 the Empire ; for the Quamites had generally 
 been routed in all former Battles, and fore'd 
 to beg a Peace upon the moft difhonourable 
 Terms. The Emperor, according to Cuf- 
 tom, immediately fentene'd all the Prifoners 
 to be executed : But as I had an Abhorrence 
 of this Cuftom, I advis'd the keeping them 
 in Cuftody, thinking the Tanachites (with 
 whom we could neither be faid to be at 
 War, nor in Peace, at that Time) would 
 be quiet, until they faw what was to become 
 of their Prifoners. And befides I urg'd, 
 that a Truce was necefTary for me, to put 
 fome Schemes in Execution which I was 
 then projecting. I had before taken Notice, 
 that the Country abounded with Salt-Petre, 
 and had got together a large Quantity of it, 
 in order to make Gunpowder. I had not 
 however communicated my Defign to any 
 body but the Emperor, whofe Authority I 
 ftood in need of, to erect Offices for caft- 
 ing Barrels for Guns, and other Kinds of 
 Weapons : And I was in Hopes, that by 
 the Help of thefe Inftruments all the Ene- 
 mies of this Empire might in a fhort Time 
 be fubdued. After I had got fome Hun- 
 dreds of Mufkets made, together with a 
 Quantity of Ball, I gave a publick Speci- 
 men 
 
World Under-Ground. 247 
 
 men of my Invention, to the great Afto- 
 nifhment of every body. A certain Num- 
 ber of Men were immediately fet afide, to 
 be continually exercis'd in the Management 
 of thefe Mufkets. After the Pvfufketeers 
 came to be pretty ready in their Exercifes, 
 I was declar'd Jachal by the Emperor, or 
 Generalifiimo of all his Forces, and all the 
 fubordinate Officers were ordered to receive 
 their Commands from me. Whilft thefe 
 Affairs were tranfa&ing, I had frequent 
 Conferences with Tomophko^ the General 
 of the Tanachites y in order to difcover the 
 State, the Manners and Difpofition of that 
 Nation. I found him, to my great Sur- 
 prize, to be a Perfon of Prudence, Learn- 
 ing, and Politenefs, and was inform'd by 
 him, that Literature and Arts were in no 
 fmall Efteem in the Country of the Tana- 
 chites. He told me likewife, that there 
 were a very warlike iPeople Eaflward of 
 them, whom the Tanachites were oblig'd to 
 be perpetually upon their Guard againft. 
 The Inhabitants were fmall of Stature, and 
 much inferior to the Tanachites in Strength 
 of Body ; but then their Underftandings 
 were very acute, and they were eminent 
 for their Dexterity in managing their Jave- 
 lins, or Darts, and for this Reafon had of- 
 ten compell'd the Tanachites to fue for Peace. 
 I learnt afterward, that that Nation was 
 compos' d of Cats, and that of all the Inha- 
 bitants of the Firmament, they were the 
 moll remarkable for their able Judgment 
 M 4 and 
 
24S A Journey to the 
 
 and Skill in Politicks. It was no fmall Grief 
 to me to be inform'd, that Learning, Wif- 
 dom, and Politenefs, flourifh'd among all 
 the Creatures of this Subterraneous World, 
 Man only excepted, and that the Quamites 
 alone were barbarous and unciviliz'd. I 
 hop'd, however, that this Reproach would 
 foon be remov'd, and that the ®hiamites 
 would recover that Dominion which Nature 
 has given to Man over all other Animals. 
 
 The Tanacbitd continued quiet for a long 
 Time after their laft Defeat ; but after they 
 had difcover'd, by Means of their Spies, the 
 State and Difpoutiofi of the new Body of 
 Hbrfe, namely, that thofe Centaurs, which 
 h?A ftruck fuch a Terror into them, were 
 nothing elfe but Horfes, which had been 
 broke and manag'd, they refum'd new Cou- 
 rage, and rais'd frefh Forces, which the 
 King himfelf commanded in Perfon. The 
 Army conftfted of twenty thoufand Tigers, 
 all veteran Troops, except two Regiments 
 which had lately been inlifted. Thefe new- 
 rais'd Forces were however a nominal, and 
 not a real Addition to their Strength. This 
 Army, flufh'd with Hopes of Victory, (truck 
 a Terror into the whole Empire of £>uama. 
 Twelve thoufand of our Foot advanc'd to 
 meet them, among which were fix hun- 
 dred Mufketeers, together with four thou- 
 fand Horfe. As I had no Doubt about the 
 Succefs of the Battle, left the Emperor 
 fhould be defrauded of the Glory of the 
 Victory, I intreated the old Man to put 
 
 him/elf 
 
World Under-Ground. 249 
 
 himfelf at the Head of his Forces. I loft 
 nothing of my Credit by this feign'd Mo- 
 defty, fince the whole Army- look'd upon 
 me as their Leader. I thought it molt ad- 
 vifable not to let my Mufketeers have any 
 Share in the firft AfTault, having a Mind to 
 try, whether we could not carry the Victo- 
 ry by Means of the Horfe alone. But this 
 Piece of Management coft me dear. Fof 
 the Tanachltes attack* d our Foot with fo 
 much Violence, that they oblig'd them to 
 give Way: They flood like wife the Shock 
 of our Horfe fo valiantly, that for a long 
 Time it could not be faid to which Side the 
 Victory inclin'd. While we were in the 
 Heat of the Battle, I led my Mufketeers on 
 to the Attack. At the firft Difcharge of 
 our Artillery, thzTanacbites were in a Man- 
 ner ftupefy'd. They could not conceive 
 from whence thofe Thunders and Light- 
 nings proceeded; but when they faw the 
 dreadful' Effects thereof, they were feiz'd as 
 it were with a Panick. This firft Salutation 
 laid two hundred Tigers proftrate on the 
 Ground, amongft which were two Chap- 
 lains belonging to the Camp, who were 
 each of them pierc'd thro' with a Mufket- 
 Ball, whilft they were encouraging the Sol- 
 diers to do their Duty by very pathetick 
 Difcourfes in Praife of Valour. Their Fact 
 was bitterly lamented by all, for they were 
 reckon'd admirable Orators. As foon as I 
 perceiv'd the Terror our Enemies were in, - 
 I order'd a fecond Difcharge to be onade. 
 M 5 This- 
 
250 A Journey to the 
 
 This did more Execution than the former : 
 Great Numbers were kill'd, and among the 
 reft, the King himfelf. Upon this the Ene- 
 my lofing all Hopes, turn'd their Backs. 
 Our Horfe purfued them, and made fo great 
 a Slaughter of them as they fled, that the 
 Multitude of Carcafles with which the Field 
 was covered, at length put a Stop to their 
 Purfuit. After the Battle was over, and 
 we had Time to take an Account of the 
 Number of the Slain, they were found to 
 amount to thirteen thoufand. The Enemy 
 being thus intirely routed, the victorious 
 Army enter'd the Country of the Tanachites, 
 and after a few Days March encamp'd un- 
 der the Walls of the Metropolis. Such a 
 Terror had at that Time feiz'd all Peoples 
 Minds, that though the Town was ftrong, 
 and well fecur'd by its Situation, Walls, 
 and Forts, and well ftor'd with Provifions 
 cf all Kinds, yet the Magiftrates came out 
 in the moft fuppliant Manner to meet the 
 Conquerors, and to offer them the Keys of 
 tfce City. This City was no kfs remarka- 
 ble for its great Extent, than for the Clean- 
 nefs of its Streets, and the Neatnefs of its 
 Buildings. And it was certainly Matter of 
 great Wonder, that the 6>uamites> who 
 were encompafs'd on all Sides by Nations fo 
 polite, fhould have continued fo long in 
 their Barbarity. But they were in this Re- 
 fpe& like fame other Nations, who though 
 ignorant of what panes in foreign Coun- 
 tries, entertain a high Conceit of them- 
 
 felves, 
 
World Under -Ground. 251 
 
 felves, and who having no Commerce or 
 Communication with others, live hugely 
 contented in their own Sordidnefs and Igno- 
 rance, of which it would be very eafy to 
 produce Inftances among the Europeans. 
 This Defeat became a new iEra among the 
 Tanacbites 5 and as this decifive Battle was 
 fought, according to their Computation, 
 upon the third Day of the Month Toruly 
 they reckon this among the unlucky Days, 
 At this Seafon of the Year, the Planet Na- 
 %ar 9 whofe Revolution round the Subterra- 
 nean Sun regulates the Time, and diftin- 
 guifhes the Seafons, is at its fartheft Diftance 
 from this Part of the Firmament. The 
 whole Firmament likewife makes its Revo- 
 lution round the Sun, but as the Planet 
 moves with greater Velocity, Nazar feems 
 to increafe or decreafe, according as it is 
 nearer to, or more remote from this or that 
 Hemifphere. The Increafe or Decreafe of 
 this Planet, as alfo the Eclipfes of the Sun, 
 are the Subject of aftronomical Obfervations 
 in this Country. I once took the Pains, 
 at my Hours of Leifure, to examine the 
 Tanachitijh Kalendar, and it feem'd to me 
 to be an orderly and well digefted Thing. 
 
 The Taking of the capital City was fol- 
 low'd by the Surrender of the whole King- 
 dom ; fo that the Contempt with which 
 the ^uamites had been before ftigmatiz'd, 
 was chang'd into Renown ; and the Empire 
 of ghiama 9 by the Addition of this con- 
 quer'd Nation,, became almoft twice as 
 
 powerful 
 
25 2 if Journey to the 
 
 powerful as it was before. But as every 
 body look'd upon this Succefs to be owing to 
 my Induftry and Management, the Efteem 
 which they had for a long Time conceiv'd 
 for me was heighten' d almoft into Adora- 
 tion. The Tanachites being thus fubdued, 
 and Governors appointed in every City, to 
 keep this fierce and warlike People in their 
 Duty, I went to work, to finifh the Tafk 
 I had begun, and to root out that Barbarity 
 in which the ^uamites were as yet involved. 
 It was a Matter of great Difficulty, how- 
 ever, to introduce the Study of the liberal 
 Arts at once ; for the Latin Tongue, and a 
 few Scraps of Greek, which I'had learnt in 
 Europe, would not, I knew, be here of any 
 Ufe. For this Reafon, I caus'd twelve of 
 the moir learned Tigers to be fent for out of 
 the Enemies Country. Thefe were made 
 Profeflbrs, and commanded to found an 
 Univerfity upon the Model of thofe in their 
 own Country. I likewife order'd the Royal 
 Library of Tanach'in to be remov'd to £>ua- 
 ma. I was determin'd, however, that as- 
 foon as the ^ua mites had made fuch a Pro- 
 grefs in Literature as to be able to ftand 
 upon their own Legs, I would fend thefe- 
 Foreigners back into their own Country. 
 
 I was very defirous of feeing the Tana- 
 cbitijh Library, becaufe I had been inform'd 
 by their General Tomopoloko, that amongft 
 other Manufcripts in the Archives of the 
 Library, there was one compos'd by an Au- 
 thor who had been in our World, and had 
 
 left, 
 
World Under-Ground-. 253 
 
 left a Defcription of its different Kingdoms, 
 efpecially the European ones ; he told me 
 likewife, that the Tanachhes had got Poflef- 
 iion of this Book while they were at War 
 in a very dittant Country, but that the 
 Name of the Author was conceal'd, nor 
 could it ever be learnt who he was, or how 
 he was carry'd to the Superterranean Habi- 
 tations. 
 
 Upon looking over the Book, I found 
 what Tomopoloko had told me concerning the 
 Author was true, and therefore I candidly 
 difcover'd my Race and Country to him, 
 afluring him at the fame Time, that I had 
 declared the fame Thing to the Qua7nitcs at 
 my firft Arrival, but that the flupid Mortals 
 gave no Credit to my Narration, but would 
 needs have me to be an Embaflador from 
 the Sun, and ftill continued to periift obfti- 
 nately in that Error. I added likewife, 
 that as I look'd upon it to be a Crime to 
 keep fo vain a Title any longer, I v\asat 
 length determined to discover my Origin to 
 the Publick, bv which ingenuous Conftfiion 
 I thought iiiv Reputation would not in the 
 leafr. Puffer, efpecially as I hop'd, that the 
 Reading of this Book would convince 
 every body how much the Europeans ex- 
 cel all other People in Virtue and in 
 Knowledge. The prudent TcmcpGlcko did 
 not feem pleas'd with my Defign, and gave 
 me his Sentiments upon it, as I remember, 
 in the following Terms. " Good Sir, be- 
 *' fore you proceed in your Defign, it will 
 3 " be 
 
2 54 <A Tourney to the 
 
 ¥ be nece/Tary for you to fee the Book, the 
 <c Reading of which may, perhaps, divert 
 " you from your Purpofe -, for either the 
 
 * Author has mifreprefented them, or the 
 
 * Manners of the Superterraneans are fool- 
 " ifh and abfurd, and they are govern'd by 
 <c Laws and Cuftoms more worthy of 
 *■' Laughter than Regard. But after you 
 u have read the Book, you may ufe your 
 " own Difcretion. One Piece of Advice, 
 
 * however, I will prefume to give you, 
 ¥ and that is, not raflily to reject a Title 
 " which has render'd you fo venerable ia 
 " the Opinion of the £>uamites : For no- 
 " thing ferves more effectually to reftrain 
 M Men within the Bounds of Duty, than 
 " the Opinion which the Vulgar entertain 
 « of Birth and high Defcent." 
 
 1 took the Advice, and determin'd, with 
 the Afiiftance of Tcmopcloko, to read the 
 Book. The Title of it is this ; Tanian's 
 'Journey to the Superterranean IVorld, or a De- 
 scription of the Kingdoms and Countries upon 
 Earth. The Name of Tanian is thought 
 to be fictitious, and as the Book was grown 
 mouldy for want of being taken due Care 
 of, and imperfect in feveral Places through 
 Length of Time, what I wanted moft to 
 fee, namely, which Way the Author got 
 up to our World, and down again, was 
 miffing. Thefe are the Contents of what 
 remain' d of the Work. 
 
 Frag* 
 
World Under-Ground. 255 
 
 Fragments ^Tanian'* Journey above Ground? 
 tranjlated from the Original, by the cele- 
 brated, noble, and valiant Tomopoloko, 
 General of the Tanachkes. 
 
 * * * This Country (i. e. Germany) goes 
 by the Name of the Roman Empire ; but 
 this is merely titular, for the Roman Monar- 
 chy has been extinct for feveral Ages. The 
 Language, which the Germans ufe, is with 
 much Difficulty to be underftood, becaufe 
 the natural Order of the Words is inverted j 
 for what goes firft in other Languages, comes 
 laft in this, Co that you may be oblig'd tcr 
 read to the End of a Page before you can 
 comprehend the Meaning of it. The Form 
 of Government is ftrange. The German? 
 think they have a King, and yet in Reality 
 they have none. Germany is laid to be one 
 Empire, and yet it is divided into many 
 feparate Principalities, each of which has 
 the Sovereign Power within itfelf, fo that 
 they often make War upon one another, 
 and have moft certainly a Right fo to do. 
 The Empire is faid to be always dugufl T 
 though it is fometimes very much dimi- 
 nim'd ; Holy, tho' without any Holinefs ; In- 
 vincible, though often exposed to the Depre- 
 dations of its Neighbours. Nor are the 
 Rights and Privileges of this Nation lefs 
 wonderful, fince many have Rights, which 
 they are prohibited from making any Ufe 
 of. Infinite are the Comments which have 
 
 been, 
 
$56 A Journey to the 
 
 been publiftiM upon the State of the German 
 Empire, but To intricate is the Subject, that 
 in Spite of all their Labours they are at 
 every Turn as much at a Lofs as ever con- 
 cerning it 3 for * * * * 
 
 * * * *■ The Capital of this Kingdom 
 (France) which is very large, is call'd Paris. 
 It may in fome Senfe be ftyl'd the Capital of 
 Europe : For it exercifes a Kind of Jurifdic- 
 tion over all other European Nations. For 
 Example, it prefer ibes Ri.les to them about 
 fheir Eatin^, and about the Fafliion of 
 their Oloaths ; fo that let any Faihion be as 
 culous and as inconvenient as it will, 
 all other Nations are ublig'd to follow it, 
 \.h never the Pariftans are pleas' d to lead 
 the Wav. Hew or what Time they ac- 
 quirM this ili^h*-, I could never learn. 
 Their Authority, however, did not, ' as I 
 undeiftood, ex:end to other Things, for 
 the reft of the European Nations are often at 
 War with the French? and fometimes forcfe 
 them to accept of Peace upon very fevere 
 Terms ; but the Servitude they are under 
 with regard to Drek, and the Manner of 
 Eating is perpetual ; ib that whatever Fa- 
 ihion is invented at Paris? the reft of 
 Europe are ftriclly oblig'd to come into it. 
 The Parifians very much refemble the Mar- 
 tinians in Quicknefs of Apprehenfion, the 
 Love of Novelty, and a Fertility of In- 
 vention. 
 
 *** Having left Bononia, we went- to 
 Rome, This City is fubjec"t to a Prieit, 
 
 who,. 
 
World Under-Ground. 257 
 
 who, though his Dominions are very nar- 
 row, is reckon'd the moft powerful of all 
 the European Kings and Princes. For other 
 Princes exercife Dominion only over the 
 Perfons and Eftates of their Subjects, ^ but 
 this can defhoy their Sculs hkewife. The 
 Europeans in general believe, that the Keys 
 of Heaven are in the Cuftody of this Pricft. 
 I was very defirous of feeing fo great a Cu- 
 riofity, but I loll my Labour, nor do I 
 know, to this Day, what Form they are 
 of, or in what Cabiret they are kept. The 
 Authority which this Pontiff exercifes, not 
 only ever his own Subjects, but over all 
 Mankind, chiefly confifts in this, that he 
 can abfolve whom God condemns, and con- 
 demn whom he abfolvts. An enormous 
 Power, indeed ! and fuch an one as our 
 Subterraneans will never believe can fall to 
 any Mortal's Share. But it is an eafy 
 Matter to impofe upon the Europeans as 
 one pleafcs, and to make them fwallow the 
 greateft Abfurdities, though they imagine 
 that nobody has any Understanding but 
 themfelves ; and being puff'd with this Opi- 
 nion, they look down with Contempt upon 
 all other Mortals, as if they were Barba- 
 rians in Comparifon of them. 
 
 For my Part, I do not undertake to jufti- 
 fy the Manners, Laws, and Cufloms of our 
 Subterraneans ; I will only produce fume 
 Inltances of the Cufloms of the Europeans, 
 in order to make it appear how undefervedly 
 
 thev 
 
25$? A Journey to the 
 
 they pafs a Cenfure upon the Manners of 
 other Nations. 
 
 It is a Cuftom all over Europe for People 
 to fcatter a Kind of Meal, which is made 
 by grinding the Fruits of the Earth, and 
 which Nature intended for Food, over their 
 Hair and Cloaths. This Meal is commonly 
 call'd Powder, and great Care and Pains 
 are us'd to cleanfe their Hair from it every 
 Morning, with an Inftruraent call'd a 
 Comb, in order to make Room for more of 
 the fame Sort. They have another Cuftom 
 which appear'd to me no lefs ridiculous, 
 which is this. They have a Kind of little 
 Cover, or Hat, to defend their Heads againft 
 the Cold, which Cover they very often wear 
 under one of their Arms, even in the very 
 Depth of Winter. This appear'd as abfurd 
 to me, as it would have been to have feen a 
 Man walking through the Streets with his 
 Coat or his Breeches in his Hand, and leav- 
 ing his Body to be expos'd to the Inclemen- 
 cies of the Air, from which they were in- 
 tended to defend it. 
 
 The religious Opinions of the Europeans 
 are very found and agreeable to right Rea- 
 fon. T^hcy are under an Injunction care- 
 fully to ftudy the Books in which the Rule 
 of Faith and Practice is contained, in order 
 to difcover their true Senfe and Meaning. 
 Thefe Books recommend Indulgence to 
 weak Brethren, and fuch as happen to be 
 miftaken ; but if any mould chance to 
 underftand a Thing in a different Senfe 
 
 from 
 
World Under-Ground. 259 
 
 from the Majority, he is punifh'd for this 
 Defect of Judgment by Fines, Imprifon- 
 menr, Whipping, and even fometimes by 
 dying at a Stake. This feem'd to me the 
 fame' Thing, as if a Man, who happen'd to 
 be fhort-fighted, mould undergo the Bafti- 
 nado, only becaufe Objects, which kem 
 fquare to me, appear round to him. I was 
 inform'd, that Thoufands had been hang'd 
 and burnt, by Order of the Magiftrate, on 
 this Account. 
 
 In almoft every Town and Village, you 
 fee Men fianding up in Places of publick 
 Refort, and feverely reprimanding others 
 for thofe Sins which they themfelves are 
 daily guilty of ; which is juft as if one 
 Ihould hear a Man in Liquor declaiming 
 againft Drunkennefs. 
 
 Oftentimes a Perfon who is born hump- 
 back'd, crooked, or lame, mail be ambi- 
 tious of being thought handfome ; and 
 another fprung from the Dregs of the Peo- 
 ple, (hall be ambitious of a Coat of Arms,, 
 or a Title: Which is full as abfurJ as if a 
 Dwarf fhould affect to be call'd a Giant, or 
 an old Man, young. 
 
 It is a Cuftoni in great Towns, for 
 Friends and Acquaintance to vifit one ano- 
 ther after Dinner, in order to drink a Kind 
 of black Broth made of burnt Beans. This 
 Broth is commonly call'd Coffee. When 
 they make thefc Vifits, they are ihut up in 
 a Box, which is fix'd upon four Wheels, 
 and drawn to the Place of Rendezvous by 
 
 two 
 
260 A Journey to the 
 
 two BcaiTs of very great Strength : For the 
 Europeans think it a Difgrace to ufe their 
 Legs. 
 
 Upon the firft Day of the Year the Eu- 
 ropeans are feiz,'d with a Difeafe, which w r e 
 have no Knowledge of amongft: us. The 
 Symptoms of it are flrange Commotions 
 and Agitations of Mind, and an Inability 
 to fit frill in any Place. They run about at 
 fuch Times from one Houfe to another, as 
 if they were diflracfled, without knowing 
 why they do it. The Difeafe fometimes 
 Jafts for fourteen Days. At length, when 
 they are quite fatigu'd and fpent with conti- 
 nually running about, they come to tbem- 
 felves again, and recover their former 
 Health. 
 
 As the Europeans have innumerable Dif- 
 eafes of Mind, fo they have innumerable 
 Remedies. Some are feizM with a flrange 
 Paflion of walking in fuch a Manner, as 
 that the left Sides of their Bodies may be 
 turn'd towards the right Sides of others. 
 The farther North you go, the flronger 
 you find this Humour, which proves that it 
 is all owing to the Climate, and the Intem- 
 perature of the Air. This Difeafe is cur'd 
 by certain feal'd Papers, fill'd with Charac- 
 ters of a particular Kind. As long as the 
 Patient carries thefe Papers about him, by 
 Way of Talifman or Charm, he grows 
 better and better by Degrees, till he is quite 
 jecover'd. 
 
 Another 
 
World Under -Ground. 261 
 
 Another raging Diftempcr they have, 
 which is cur'd by the Sound of a Bell, at 
 the Noife of which the Mind immediately 
 grows calm, and the Diforder abates : Yet 
 this Remedy is by no Means efreclual, be- 
 caufe in two or three Hours Time the fame 
 raging Evil returns. 
 
 In Italy, France, and Spain, during the 
 Winter Seafon, an epidemick Madnefs pre- 
 vails for feveral Weeks. They put a Stop 
 to it at length, by fprinkling the Foreheads 
 of the Patients with Afhes, at an appointed 
 Time. But in the Northern Parts of Eu- 
 rope thefe Afhes have no Virtue, and the 
 Inhabitants of the North recover by the 
 Help of Nature only. 
 
 Molt of the Europeans enter into a folemn 
 Covenant with God, which they call the 
 Communion, three or four Times a Year, and 
 break it as foon as ever they have made it. 
 So that they feem to make it for no other 
 Reafon, but that they may (hew that they 
 are rcfolv'd not to ftand to their Agree- 
 ment. 
 
 When t hey confefs their Sins, and im- 
 plore the Mercy of God, their Words are 
 generally fet to Mufick. Flutes, Trum- 
 pets, and Drums, are fometimes added to 
 the Concert, according to the Grcatnefs of 
 the Crime, for which they arc Cuing Par- 
 don. 
 
 Almoft all the European Nations are obli- 
 ged to confefs their Belief of a Doctrine 
 contain'd in a certain facred Book. But 
 
 the 
 
262 A Journey to the 
 
 the reading this Book is totally prohibited in 
 the Southern Countries, fo that People there 
 are laid under a Neceflity of believing what 
 it is criminal to read or enquire into. 
 
 In the fame Countries, Men are forbad 
 to worfhip God in any, but an unknown 
 Tongue ; fo that fuch Prayers only are 
 thought to be legitimate, and agreeable to 
 the divine Being, as are put up by Perfons, 
 Who do not underftand a Word they fay. 
 
 In the great Cities, fuch as arrive at Ho- 
 nours and profitable Employments are all 
 paralytick ; for they are oblig'd to be car- 
 ry'd along the Streets, like weak and impo- 
 tent People, on a Kind of Couch, made in 
 the Figure of a Cheft or Box. 
 
 Moft of the Europeans (have their Heads, 
 and to conceal their Baldnefs, wear an ar- 
 tificial Covering made of other Peoples 
 Hair. 
 
 The Controverfies which are commonly 
 difcufs'd in the Schools in Europe, are about 
 Things, the Knowledge of which neither 
 concerns Mankind, nor is within the Reach 
 of their Comprehenfion. But the moft 
 learned Subjects of all, which the Europeans 
 comment upon, are the Rings, Robes, Slip- 
 pers, Shoes, and Bufkins of certain antiqua- 
 ted People, who liv'd many Centuries ago. 
 As to the Sciences, as well facred as pro- 
 fane, the Generality do not judge for them- 
 felves, but fubferibe implicitly to the Opi- 
 nion of others. Whatever Seel they hap- 
 pen to fall into, they flick to it with all 
 
 ima- 
 
World Under-Ground. 263 
 
 imaginable Firmnefs. As to what they fay 
 of pinning their Faith upon the Sleeve of 
 others who are wifer than themfelves, I 
 fhould approve of it, were the Vulgar and 
 Illiterate proper Judges of this Matter ; for 
 to be able to diftinguifh who is this wife 
 Man that may be rely'd upon, requires the 
 greateft Wifdom. 
 
 In the Southern Countries, a Sort of little 
 Cakes or Wafers are carry'd about the 
 Streets, which the Priefts fay are Gods : 
 But what is mofr. furprizing, the very Ba- 
 kers themfelves, who fhew you the Flour of 
 which they were made, will take their Oaths 
 upon it, that the World was created by thefe 
 Wafers. 
 
 The Englljh are very fond of Liberty, 
 and are fu eject to nobody but their Wives. 
 As to their Religion, it is hard to fay what 
 it is, for they take up an Opinion one Day, 
 and throw it afide the next. I imputed 
 this fickle Difpolition to the Situation of the 
 Country. For the Englljh live upon an 
 Ifland, and being a maritime People, par- 
 take much of the Nature of the inconftant 
 Element that furrounds them. 
 
 The Englljh are very follicitous about the 
 Health of every one they meet, fo that a 
 Man would take them all to be Phyficians. 
 But that common Queition, How do you do ? 
 I found to be only an empty Form of Speech, 
 anc a Sound without any Senfe or Meaning 
 in it. \ any of thefe Inlanders take fo much 
 Pains to improve their Minds, and polifh 
 3 their 
 
264 A Journey t* the 
 
 their Underftandings, that at length thej 
 intirely loib them. 
 
 Towards the North, there is a Republick 
 confifting of feven Provinces. Thefe go 
 by the Name of the United Provinces, tho* 
 there is but little Sign of Concord or Unity 
 amongfl: them. The People here boaft of 
 their Power, as if the whole Authority of 
 the Republick was lodg'd in their Hands ; 
 and yet the Populace are no where more ex- 
 cluded from publick Employments, and the 
 fupreme Power is vetted in a very few Fa- 
 milies. The Inhabitants of thefe Provinces 
 are deeply attentive upon heaping up Riches, 
 which they make no Ufe of; fo that while 
 their Purfes are full, their Bellies are empty. 
 They feem to live upon Smoke only, which 
 they fuck in thro' a Tube or Pipe, which is 
 made of Clay. It muft be allow'd, how- 
 ever, for the Honour of this Nation, that 
 they are the neateft of all People, for they 
 take great Care to warn every Thing except 
 their Hands. 
 
 In the Cities and great Towns in Europe^ 
 a Watch is kept in the Street by Night. 
 The Watchmen go their Rounds every 
 Hour, and wake People out of their Sleep, 
 by wifbing them a good Night. 
 
 Every Country has its peculiar Laws, and 
 its peculiar Cuftoms likewife, which are oft- 
 times diametrically oppofite to thofe Laws. 
 For Example : A Wife, according to the 
 Laws, ought to be fubjedf, to her Hufbjnd ; 
 
 but 
 
World Under-Ground. 265 
 
 but according to Cuftom, fhe has a Right 
 to govern him. 
 
 Thofe who live moft luxuriously, and 
 confume the greateft Quantity of the Pro- 
 duels of the Earth, are held in moft Efteem 
 in Europe ; and only Hufbandmen, and fuch 
 as fupply Materials for the Luxury of the 
 Great, are treated with Contempt. 
 
 The great Number of Gibbets, Gallows's, 
 and Places of Execution, which are evety 
 where to be feen, (hew the Europeans to be 
 People of very bad Difpofitions, and fubject 
 to many Kinds of Vices. There is a pub- 
 lick Executioner in every City. The Eng- 
 HJh are an Exception to this Rule, amongft 
 whom, I believe, there are no Executioners ; 
 for the People in that Country hang them- 
 felves. 
 
 One would fufpeel the Europeans to be 
 Anthropophagi , or Men-Eaters ; for it is a 
 Cuftom amongft them to fhut up a great 
 Number of able-body'd Men in Cloifters, 
 which they call Monafteries, for no other 
 End, but that they may grow fleek and fat: 
 And whilft they are kept in thefe Cells, 
 they are utterly exempted from all Labour, 
 and have nothing to do but to eat and 
 drink. 
 
 The Europeans have a Cuftom of drink- 
 ing Water every Morning, to moderate the 
 Heat of their Stomachs ; but before they are 
 well grown cool by this Means, they go to 
 work to warm them again, by fwal lowing 
 
 N down 
 
266 A Journey to the 
 
 «3own Draughts of fiery Liquors, which they 
 call Drams. 
 
 The Religion of the Europeans is divided 
 into two principal Seels, one of which are 
 call'd Proteftants, and the other Papifts. 
 The former worfhip one God only ; but 
 the latter adore feveral, for they have as 
 many Gods and GoddefTes, as there are 
 Towns and Villages. All thefe Gods and 
 GoddefTes are made by the Roman Pontiff, 
 or High-Prieft. This Pontiff himfelf is 
 made by Prefbyters, commonly call'd Car- 
 dinals. Hence it appears how great the 
 Power of thefe Cardinals mult be, fincc 
 thev can make him who makes the Gods. 
 
 The ancient Inhabitants of Italy con- 
 quer'd the whole World, and were only 
 fubjecr. to their Wives: But the modern 
 ones tyrannize over their Wives, and are 
 Slaves to all Mankind befides. 
 
 The Animals in Europe are divided into 
 terreftrial and aquatick. There are fome 
 amphibious ones likewife, as Frogs, Dol- 
 phins, and Dutchmen. The laft dwell in 
 a marfhy Soil, and live upon Land or Water 
 indifferentlv. 
 
 The Europeans ufe much the fame Food 
 that we do : But a Spaniard will live upon 
 Air. 
 
 Trade flourifhes much in every Part of 
 Europe, and many Commodities are fold 
 there in which we never traffick : Thus, for 
 Example, the Rcmijh Church fells Heaven; 
 the Swifs fell themfelves; and in *** Crowns, 
 
 Scepters, 
 
 
World Under-Ground. 26 J 
 
 Scepters, and the Royal Authority itfelf arc 
 fet to Sale. 
 
 In Spain, Lazinefs is the Token of a Gen- 
 tleman, and nothing is a greater Recom- 
 mendation of Nobility than fleeping much. 
 Thofe are call'd good Men and true Be- 
 lievers, who believe what they do not under- 
 ftand, and never think it worth their while 
 to examine what they hear. Some have even 
 been reckon'd Saints merely for their Sloth™ 
 fulnefs, their Want of Curiofity, and their 
 negleding to enquire into religious Matters. 
 But thofe who are follicitous about their own 
 Salvation, and happen, through a diligent 
 and accurate Enquiry, to diflent from any 
 reigning Opinion, are faid to be damn'd to 
 all Eternity. 
 
 It is a prevailing Opinion in Europe, that 
 future Happinefs or Mifery does not depend 
 upon good Works, or the Exercife of Vir- 
 tue and Religion, but upon the Place of 
 a Man's Nativity. For all agree, that if 
 they had been born in another Place, or of 
 other Parents, they mould have been of a 
 different Religion. Hence they in Reality 
 condemn People not fo much on Account 
 of their Religion, as the Place, or other 
 Circumftances of their Birth. But how 
 this Opinion is reconcileable with the divine 
 Juftice or Goodnefs, I cannot comprehend. 
 Amongft the Men of Letters, thofe are 
 moft efteem'd, whofe Bufinefs it is to invert 
 the natural Order of Words, and render 
 that obfcure and perplex'd, which before 
 N 2 was 
 
263 A Journey to the 
 
 was plain and eafy. Thefe are call'd Po- 
 ets, and this Art of disjointing Words goes 
 by the Name of Poetry. But Poetry does 
 not confift in this Perverfity of Stile only ; 
 becaufe to deferve that Name, a Compofi- 
 tion muft likewife be extremely full of Lies. 
 An ancient Poet, Homer by Name, is held 
 in high Efteem, and almofr. Adoration, be- 
 caufe he excell'd in both thefe Arts. Many 
 have imitated him, but nobody ever yet 
 came up to him, either in confounding 
 the Order of Words, or perverting the 
 Truth. 
 
 The Literati of Europe are very fond of 
 buying Books, but in this Point they do not 
 fo much regard the Matter they contain, 
 as thev do the Form and Neatnefs of them. 
 The Bookfellers, who are well aware of 
 this, and know that their learned Cuftomers 
 had rather feaft their Eyes than their Minds, 
 are perpetually reprinting their Books in a 
 different Size and Letter, and with new 
 Decorations ; by which Means they make 
 an infinite Advantage. For in this Country 
 the liberal Arts are made a Trade of, and 
 fome Authors are reckon'd as fharp and cun- 
 ning as any Trader at all. 
 
 The Universities in Europe are Shops, 
 where Degrees, Promotions, Dignities, and 
 various Kinds of Titles, and other learned 
 Wares, are fet to Sale at reafonable Rates: 
 All which are not to be acquir'd in our 
 Subterranean World without indefatigable 
 Pains and Study for Years together. Thofe 
 
 who 
 
World Under-Ground. 269 
 
 \vho have reach'd the Summit of all Erudi- 
 tion, or (in the European Phrafe) have got 
 to the Top of a certain Mountain, call'd 
 Parnajfus, inhabited by nine Virgins, are 
 ftyl'd Doctors. The next to thefe are Maf- 
 ters of Arts, who come at their Titles at 
 fomewhat a lefs Expence, and are therefore 
 thought to be lefs learned. The Good-will 
 which thefe Superterranean Schools bear to 
 Mankind is evident, from their thus ren- 
 dring the Way to Learning fmooth and eafy. 
 The Northern Seminaries were a little more 
 rigid in this Refpecl, fince the higheft Ho- 
 nours are not there conferr'd without a pre- 
 vious Examination. 
 
 The Learned are diftinguiuYd from the 
 Illiterate by their Drefs and Manners, but 
 chiefly by their Religion ; for the latter wor- 
 ship only one God, but the former pay their 
 Devotions to feveral. The principal Dei- 
 ties of the Learned are Apollo, Minerva, the 
 Nine Mufes, and others of an inferior Rank, 
 which Writers, and efpecially Poets, are 
 wont to invoke at fuch Times as they fall 
 into Raptures, or a Kind of Raving. 
 
 The Learned, according to the Diverfity 
 of their Studies, are diftinguim'd into va- 
 rious Clares; for Inftance, Philofophers, 
 Poets, Grammarians, Naturalifts, Meta- 
 phyficians, &c. 
 
 A Philofopher is a literary Merchant, who 
 
 fets to Sale Precepts concerning Self-Denial, 
 
 Temperance, and Poverty, at a ftated Price, 
 
 and fpends his Time in writing and declaim- 
 
 N 3 ing 
 
270 A Journey to the 
 
 ing againft Riches till he grows rich himfelf. 
 The Father of thefe Philofophers was one 
 Seneca, who, by this Method, amafs'd to- 
 gether a princely Fortune. 
 
 A Poet is a Perfon who acquires Renown 
 by being thought to be out of his Senfes. 
 Hence it is ufual to fpeak of all great Poets, 
 as poffefs'd with a divine Fury or Diffrac- 
 tion ; and all who exprefs their Thoughts 
 with Simplicity and Perfpicuity, are judg'd 
 unworthy of the Laurel. 
 
 The Grammarians are a Sort of Militia, 
 whofe onlv Buiinefs is to diflurb the publick 
 Peace. They differ from the other Sol- 
 diery in this Refpec~t, that inftead of a Coat 
 or" Mail, they wear a Gown, and fight 
 with their Pens inftead of Swords. They 
 contend as obfrinately for Letters and Sylla- 
 bles, as the onhers do for their Liberties and 
 Properties. The Reafon why they are kept 
 up, I believe, is this, that the European 
 Princes are afraid left People in a Time of 
 Peace fhould grow dull, and lofe their Spi- 
 rits for want of fomewhat like a War. 
 Sometimes, however, when thefe Differen- 
 ces begin to threaten Bloodfhed, the Senate 
 interpofes its Authoritv. An Accident of 
 this Kind happen'd not long ago at Paris, 
 as I was told. For a Difpute concerning 
 the Letters Q_and K growing to a Height 
 among the Doctors, the Senate wifely put 
 an End to it, by allowing every one to ufe 
 the Letter he lik'd beft. 
 
 A 
 
World Under-Ground, 2ji 
 A Naturalift, or Natural Philofopher, is 
 a Perfon who diligently enquires into the 
 Nature of Quadrupeds, Reptiles, and In- 
 feas of all Kinds, and who is acquainted 
 with every Thing, except himfelf. 
 
 A Metaphyfician is one who alone knows 
 thofe Things which are conceal'd from 
 others, and who can defcribe and define the 
 Eflence of Spirits and of Soul?, of Entities 
 and Non-Entities ; and who being very 
 foarp-fighted in fpying out Things at a Pit- 
 tance, overlooks fuch as are almoft under 
 
 his Nofe. . 
 
 Such is the State of Learning in Europe. 
 I could fay more upon this Head, but it is 
 fumcient to have touch' d upon the principal 
 Points. The Reader will eafily judge from 
 hence, whether the Europeans are right or 
 wrong, in thinking no People have any 
 Knowledge but themfelves. 
 
 It muft be confefs'd, however, that the 
 Doctors and Matters in Europe, are much 
 more dextrous in inftruaing Youth, than 
 our Subterraneans are. For they have Maf- 
 ters of Arts, and of Languages, among 
 them, who teach others not only what they 
 have learnt themfelves, but even what they 
 are utterly unacquainted with. If it is an 
 arduous Tafk, to communicate clearly to 
 others what we know ourfelves, furely it 
 is much more fo to teach them what we arc 
 intirely ignorant of. 
 
 Amongft the Men of Learning, there 
 
 are fome^who apply themfelves, with equal 
 
 N 4 Dili- 
 
2 7 2 ^ Journey to the 
 
 Diligence, both to Philofophy and Divinity. 
 Thefe Men, as Divines, dare not deny, 
 what as Philofophers they very much doubt 
 of. 
 
 The Europeans apply themfelves to Letters 
 "with as much Induftry as we do ; but they 
 hecome learned in much lefs Time, by 
 Means of" a certain extraordinary magical 
 Invention, by the Help whereof they can 
 read over a hundred Volumes in a Day. 
 
 The Superterraneans are very vligious, and 
 conftant at Divine Service ; but their Times 
 of Worfhip are not regulated by the Mo- 
 tions of the Heart, but by the Ringing of 
 Bells, by Clocks, or Sun-Dials \ _ fo that 
 this Devotion feems to be purely mechani- 
 cal, and to depend upon Externals, upon 
 Cufrom, or upon ftated Times, rather than 
 to flow from the Dictates of the Heart. 
 
 Their Tafte for religious Duties apppears 
 from their Cufrom of finging Hymns or 
 Pfalms, while they are cleaving Wood, 
 waihing Difhes, or employ'd in any other 
 manual Labour. 
 
 When I arrivM in Italy, I look'd upon 
 myfelf to be Lord of the whole Country, 
 for every one I met profefs'd himfelf my 
 Slave. Having a Mind to try how far this 
 Servility, which they made fuch a Shew of, 
 would extend, I order r d my Landlord's Wife 
 to be brought to me one Night : But he 
 immediately fell into a PafTion, and com- 
 manded me to pack up my Baggage and be 
 
 gone j 
 
World Under-Ground. 273 
 
 gone ; and as I did not make hafte enough, 
 he fairly turn'd me out of Door?. 
 
 In the Northern Countries, People are 
 very fond of Titles, though they have not 
 the Pofleflions which belong to them. They 
 are likewife extremely ambitious of the up- 
 per Hand. Moreover * * * 
 
 Thus far I patiently attended, but my 
 Indignation was now rais'd, and I would 
 hear no more, declaring, that thefe were 
 Fictions of a partial Writer, and one who 
 was over-run with Spleen. But when my 
 Heat a little abated, I began to form a more 
 favourable Judgment of this Itinerary, as I 
 faw that the Author, though he appeard in 
 many Places to be partial, and not to have 
 had the beft Regard to Truth, was not, 
 ■however, miftaken in his Judgment, but 
 had often hit the Nail, as we fay, on the 
 Head. 
 
 I now determin'd with myfelf, to take 
 the Advice of TomopcUh, and cherifh the 
 Error of the Quamites concerning my Ori- 
 gin ; fince I thought it more for my In- 
 tereft. to pafs for an Embailador Extraordi- 
 nary from the Sun, than for a Citizen of 
 Europe. 
 
 Our Neighbours had now continued quiet 
 for a long Time, and I had taken the Ad- 
 vantage of this wifh'd for Peace, to fettle 
 the Republick to my Satisfaction. News at 
 length arriv'd, that three very powerful Na- 
 tions had enter'd into an Alliance to invade 
 the Quamiies. Thefe were the Jrflomam, the 
 N 5 Kifpu- 
 
274 A Journey to the 
 
 KifpucianS) and the Aleftoriam. The Arfto- 
 mans were a Nation of Bears, who were 
 endued with Speech and Reafon, and were 
 reckon'd very fierce and warlike. The 
 Kijpucians were Cats of an extraordinary 
 Size, and were in great Repute among the 
 Subterraneans, for their Sagacity and Judg- 
 ment : For this Reafon they kept fome very 
 powerful Enemies in Awe, not fo much by 
 their fuperior Strength, as by their Artifice 
 and Stratagems. The dleflorians fought in 
 the Air, as well as upon Land, and by that 
 Means gave their Enemies infinite Vexa- 
 tion : Thefe were Game- Cocks, arm'd 
 with Bows and Arrows dipt in Poifon, 
 which they manag'd with wonderful Dex- 
 terity, and thereby did great Execution. 
 
 Thefe three Nations, alarm'd at the un- 
 ufual Succefs of the J$>uamites, enter' d into 
 a League or Alliance, by which it was 
 agreed to check the growing Power of the 
 ^uamites with their united Force, before it 
 fpread any further. However, before they 
 declat'd War, they fent Embafladors to 
 G)uama, to demand that the Liberties of 
 the Tanarhites might be reftor'd, and to 
 threaten War, in cafe fuch Demands were 
 not comply'd with. 
 
 The Embafladors deliver'd their Com- 
 mifTion, and receiv'd the following Anfwer, 
 which was given them by my Advice : 
 That the Tanachites having broken the 
 Peace, and violated the Faith of Treaties, 
 ought to impute the Misfortune they were 
 
 fallen 
 
World Under-Ground. 275 
 
 fallen into, to their own Folly and Pre- 
 fumption ; that the Emperor was refolv'd, 
 with all his Might, to defend the Territo- 
 ries he had acquir'd by Right of War ; and 
 laftly, that he was not to be aw'd by the 
 Threats of the Confederate Nations. The 
 Heralds were difmifs'd with this Anfwer, 
 and we turn'd our Thoughts towards making 
 Preparations for the impending War. In a 
 (hort Time I got together an Army of forty 
 thoufand Men, among which eight thou- 
 fand Horfe, and two thoufand Mufketeers. 
 The Emperor, though he was grown de- 
 crepid through Age, refolv'd to be prefent: 
 in this Expedition, and was inflam'd with 
 fuch a Third of Glory, that neither I my- 
 felf, nor the Emprefs and her Children, 
 who join'd with me in driving to overcome 
 his Obftinacy, could divert him from his 
 Purpofe. What gave me the moft Diftur- 
 bance at that Time, was my Jealoufy of 
 the Tanachites ; for I was afraid left they 
 mould grow weary of their Servitude, and 
 lay hold of that Occafion to (hake off the 
 Yoke, and join, the Enemy. Nor was I 
 deceiv'd in my Conjecture ; for a little 
 while after War had been proclaim'd, News 
 was brought us, that twelve thoufand Ta- 
 nachites had taken Arms, and were gone 
 over to the Enemy. Hence I faw, that we 
 mould have four powerful Enemies to ftrug- 
 gle with at one and the fame Time. 
 
 All necefTary Preparations being made, 
 the. Army was commanded to begin their 
 
 March 
 
276 A Journey to the 
 
 March towards the Enemy in the Beginning 
 of the Month Kil'ian. As we were upon 
 the Road, Intelligence was brought us, that 
 the Confederate Forces had enter'd the 
 Country of the Tanacbitrt, and laid Siege to 
 the Caftle of Siboi, which was fituated on 
 the Borders of the Kifpucian Territories. 
 The Place was attack' d with fo great a 
 Force, and with fo much Violence, that 
 the Governor was juft going to furrender it. 
 But as foon ns the Enemy were inform'd of 
 our Approach, they broke up the Siege, and 
 march'd againft us. The Battle was fought 
 upon a Pkiin, n^t fat from the Fortrefi 
 which had been befieg'd, from whence it 
 call'd the Battle of Sibol. The Ar£h- 
 ttians, which compos* d the Enemies left 
 Wing, falling upon our Horfe, made great 
 Slaughter of them ; and, as this Attack was 
 fupported bv the Rebel Tanachites, it was 
 very near proving fatal to us. But the 
 M.fketeers going in to their AfTifhnce, and 
 having thrown the Enemy into Diforder by 
 two Discharges of their Artillery, the Face 
 of the Battle was quite changed ; fo that 
 they v. 'no but ju it now had bcrne down our 
 H rfe, and wtre almoft Conquerors, be 
 1 w borne down themfelves, began to give 
 Way, and at laft to turn their Bucks, la 
 the mean Time the Kifpucians brifklv at- 
 tack'd our Foot, and (hot their Arrows with 
 fo much Art, ai J with fi ch Succefs, that 
 fix hundred .vV. Mere, in a very little 
 
 i ime, cither (hot diad, or dcfperately 
 
 wounded. 
 
World Under -Ground. 277 
 
 wounded. But the Horfe, together with 
 the Mufketeers, coming to their Afliitance, 
 the Enemy were oblig'd to fave themfelves 
 by Flight ; which they did, however, in fo 
 good Order, without once breaking their 
 Rank?, that they might be rather (aid to 
 yield than fly. This was owing to the 
 Conduct of Monfonius, General of the Kif- 
 pucianS) who at that Time was thought to 
 excel all the Subterranean Generals in the 
 Art of War. The Alettorians yet remain'd, 
 whom it was no eafy Matter to fubdue ; for 
 as oft as our Mufketeers nYd upon them, 
 the Enemy fprung up all at once into the 
 Air, and thence difcharg'd a Shower of Ar- 
 rows, which were fo well aim'd, that few 
 of them fell to the Ground without doing 
 Execution. The Reafon why thefe Arrows 
 feldom mifs'd their Aim, was becaufe it is 
 eafier to hit an Object when you are above, 
 than when you are below it. Our Men 
 often mifs'd their Mark, becaufe the Enemy 
 were io volatile, and perpetually fhifting 
 Places. In the Midffc of the Engagement, 
 whilft the Emperor was in the very Heat ov' 
 Action, his Neck was pierc'd through with 
 a poifon'd Arrow. He fell from his Horfe 
 immediately, and was carry'd out of the 
 Battle to his Tent, where he expir'd foon 
 after. In this ticklifh Situation of Affairs, 
 I thought it mod advifable to injoin all fuch 
 as had been Witnefles of this unhappy Ac- 
 cident, to keep it fecret, left the Ardour of 
 the Soldiers fhould abate upon hearing the 
 
 Emperor 
 
278 A Journey to the 
 
 Emperor was dead. I bade them take Cou- 
 rage, and told them, that the King indeed 
 was ftunn'd with the Hidden Stroke, but 
 that the Arrow had not enter'd deep j that 
 the Wound had been fearch'd, and taken 
 due Care of; that e\ery Thing would go 
 well, and that they might expert to fee their 
 Emperor again verv foon. By this Means 
 molt ol' the Army were kept in Ignorance 
 of what had happen'd, and the Battle was 
 prolong'd till Night. At length the Alecio- 
 rians quite fpent with Labour, and the 
 Wounds thev bad receivM, retir'd into their 
 Camp, and a Truce of a few Da) s Continu- 
 ance was agreed upon, in order to bury the 
 dead Bodies. In the mean Time, as I 
 found that there was need of fome other 
 Stratagem to fubdue the Aleftorium, I or- 
 dcr'd our Mufket-Ball to be caft into fmall 
 Shot. This Project was attended with fo 
 good Suocefs, that at our next Encounter 
 the Alettorians came tumbling down apace, 
 and one Half of the Army perifh'd in a 
 miferable Manner : Thofe that were left 
 feeing this, threw down their Arms, and 
 be^g'd for Peace. The Armenians and KiJ- 
 fucians foliow'd their Example, and com- 
 mitted themfelves, their Arms, and For- 
 trefles to our Mercy. Matters being thus 
 brought to a happy IlTue, I call'd a Coun- 
 cil, and addrefs'd them in the following 
 Harangue. 
 
 " Gentlemen and Fellow-Soldiers, I do 
 
 " not doubt but mod of you are well ac- 
 
 2 M qu aimed 5 
 
World Under-Ground. 279 
 
 quainted, how earneftly I difTuaded our 
 moft Strene Emperor from this Expedi- 
 tion ; but his innate Fortitude and Mag- 
 nanimity would not permit him to re- 
 main idle at home, while his faithful Sub- 
 jects were expoiing their Lives abroad in 
 his Defence. I can truly fay, that this 
 is the only Requeir which his Imperial 
 Majefty ever refus'd to grant me. How 
 happy fhould I have thought myfelf had 
 he refu.s'd me every Thing belides, and 
 only been indulgent to me in this ! For 
 then we fhould not have known that Ca- 
 lamity that now hangs over us, our Re- 
 turn into the Imperial City would have 
 been truly triumphant, and our Joys for 
 our Succefs would have been pure and 
 unmix'd. I cannot, nor indeed ought I, 
 any longer conceal from you that fatal 
 Accident which has thus dafh'd all our 
 Happinefs. Attend then to the dreadful 
 News : Your Emperor, while he was 
 gallantly fighting for his Subjects, was 
 piere'd by an Arrow in the Battle, and 
 now lies breathlefs in his Tent. What 
 Grief, what Anguifh muft not the Lofs 
 of fuch a Prince occafion ? I can eafily 
 make a Judgment of your Sorrows from 
 what I feel myfelf. But let us not give 
 Way to Defpondency ; Death, to fuch a 
 Hero, is not the End of Life, but only 
 the Period of Mortality. We have not 
 wholly loft our Emperor, fince he has 
 left two Princes behind, form'd after the 
 
 '• Example 
 
280 A Journey to the 
 
 4t Example of the befl: of Parents, and who 
 " inherit their Fathers Virtues, as well as 
 <£ his Dominions. You cannot, therefore, 
 " be fo properly faid to change your King, 
 " as the bare Name of King. And iince 
 M the eldeft Prince, Timufo, is by Right of 
 " Primogeniture to be promoted to his Fa- 
 " ther's Throne, I fhall henceforth derive 
 " my Authority from him. He it is to 
 " whom we ought to fwear Allegiance, and 
 " to whom we will now pay Homage." 
 
 C H A P. XIV. 
 
 "The Author is elevated to the Imperial 
 Dignity. 
 
 AT the Conclufion of this Harangue, 
 the Soldiery lifted up their Voice and 
 cry'd, IVe will have no Emperor but Pikil- 
 fu. I was all Aftonilhment at this, and 
 with a Flood of Tears belought them to con- 
 sider better, to remember the Allegiance 
 thev ow'd to the Imperial Houfe, and the 
 publick as well as private Benefits they had 
 receiv'd from the departed Monarch, which 
 it was not poflible to forget, without bring- 
 ing; an indelible Stain upon their Character. 
 To this I added, that if ever they had Oc- 
 cafton to commaud my Services, I could he 
 of equal Ufe to them in a private Capacity. 
 But all this fignify'd nothing. The Officers 
 
 and 
 
World Under-Ground. 281 
 
 and Soldiers join in the common Cry, and 
 the whole Camp refounded with the before- 
 mention'd Acclamation. Upon this, I re- 
 tired to my Tent in Confunon, and order'd 
 the Guards to give Entrance to none : Be- 
 caufe, probably, the Soldiers might return to 
 Reafon, when this fudden Fit of Zeal fhould 
 cool. But the Generals and common Sol- 
 diers burft into my Tent, and in fpight of 
 all my Reluctance, adorn'd me with the 
 Enfigns of Royalty, and conducting me out 
 of the Tent with Trumpets and Drums, 
 proclaim'd me Emperor of ^uama^ King 
 of Tanackin, Jrftonia, Aleftoria 7 and Great 
 Duke of the Kifpucians. Seeing then how 
 vain was all Refinance, I no longer ftrug- 
 gled with my Fortune, but folio w'd the 
 Torrent ; and I mull: own, that I was not- 
 altogether unwilling to be rais'd to this Ele- 
 vation ; for an Empire, with three King- 
 doms, and a Great Dutchy, was too deli- 
 cious a Morfel to be ey'd with Indifference- 
 I immediately fent to thePrince, to acquaint 
 him with the prefent Situation of Affairs, 
 and to advife him to infift ftrenuoufly upon his 
 natural and hereditary Rights, and to de- 
 clare this new Election void, as being con- 
 trary to the Laws of the Realm. But at the 
 fame Time I had refolv'd with myfelf not 
 to relinquim in Hafte an Empire thus fpon- 
 taneoufly offer'd me ; fo that this Advice of 
 mine to his Highnefs the Prince was rather 
 to feel his Pulfe upon this Occafion. The 
 Prince had an admirable Underftanding, 
 
 and 
 
282 A Journey to the 
 
 and a very fclid Judgment ; and as he well 
 knew the Doubles and Difguifes of the hu- 
 man Heart, aad that this Modefty of mine 
 was only put on to ferve a Turn, he wifely 
 yielded to the Neceffity of the Times, and 
 after the Example of the Army, he himfelf 
 proclaimed me Emperor in the Capital 
 City, to which I was foon after led in 
 Triumph, attended by the Generals and Of- 
 ficers of the Army, in the midft of the 
 Shouts and Acclamations of the Populace. 
 In a few Days after this, I was folemnly 
 crown'd, and i lve'ted with the Regal Au- 
 thority. Being thus metamcrphos'd from a 
 miferable Shipwreck'd Sailor into a Mo- 
 narch, that I might ftrengthen my Interefr. 
 with the ghdamites, who I perceiv'd had ftill 
 a great Veneration for the Roval Race of 
 Quanta^ I efpous'd the Daughter of the 
 deceas'd Emperor, whofe Name was Ralac. 
 
 Having perform'd thefe great Things, I 
 projected new Schemes, to raife the Empire 
 to a Height that mould make it formidable 
 to the whole fubterranean World. My 
 fir fb Care was to afTure mvfelf of the Duty 
 and Allegiance of the lately conquer'd Na- 
 tions. To this End I garifon'd all their 
 Citadels and fortify'd Places in the frrongeft 
 Manner, treated the Conquer'd with the 
 utmoft Humanity, and advane'd fome of 
 them to very great Offices in the Capital. 
 In particular the Captive Generals, Tomopo- 
 loko and Alcnfcnius, had the hiiiheft Share in 
 my Favour, a Circumitance that rais'd the 
 
 Envy 
 
World Under-Ground. 2 83 
 
 Envy of the ^uamites^ tho' they fupprefs'd 
 their DiffatisfacYion for the prefent ; but in 
 Time the Spark, which had long lain con- 
 cealed under the Ames, burft into an open 
 Plame, as (hall be related in its proper 
 Place. To return to my domeftick Affairs : 
 The liberal Sciences, and the Art of War, 
 1 labour'd to bring to the higheft Perfection: 
 And as this Country abounded with very 
 deep Woods, which could furnifh Plenty 
 of Timber for the building a Fleet after the 
 Manner of the Europeans, I purfued this 
 Point with fuch unweary'd Ardour, that 
 tho* in Reality I had a thoufand other 
 Affairs to perplex me, it feem'd as if my 
 whole Thoughts were directed to this one 
 View. The Kifpucians were of great Ser- 
 vice to me in this Cafe; they had a tolerable 
 Knowledge of maritime Affairs, and their 
 General Monfonius I appointed Lord High 
 Admiral of the Fleet. 
 
 And now the Timber is felling, the In- 
 struments for working it preparing, and with 
 fuch Vehemence I apply myfelf to the Bufi- 
 nefs, that in fixty Days from the firft falling 
 of the Wood, a Fleet of twenty Ships now 
 rides at Anchor in the Harbour. All this cor- 
 refponding exactly with mv Wifhes, I look'd 
 upon mvfelf as the Alexander of the fubter- 
 ranean World, and that below I was the 
 Author of as great Revolutions as he was 
 above. The Luft of Power is infinite, and 
 never finds the Point to ftop at. Some few 
 Years mice, the Office of a Deacon, or 
 
 that 
 
284 A Journey to the 
 
 that of a Writer, or Clerk, was the Height 
 of my Ambition, nor did I afpire to any 
 thing greater ; and now four or five King- 
 doms fcem too narrow for me : So that 
 with Refpecl to mv Defires, which rife in 
 Proportion to our Wealth and Power, I 
 never found myfelf more indigent than 
 now. 
 
 Having made myfelf acquainted, from 
 the Accounts and Informations of the Kif- 
 pucian Mariners, with the Nature of the 
 Seas, and the Situation of the Kingdoms on 
 the Coafts, and underftanding that it was 
 very practicable with a fair Wind to make 
 the Alezendoric Shore in eight Days Sail, 
 from whence it would be but a fhort 
 Trip to Martinia, and that over a well- 
 known Ocean ; I fay, being acquainted 
 with all this, I made Preparation for the 
 Voyage. Indeed, Martinia was the prin- 
 cipal Object of my Defigns. I was fpurr'd 
 on by the immenfe Wealth of that Nation, 
 and the Informations I mould gain from a 
 People of their Knowledge in maritime 
 Affairs, fince the Lights I might receive 
 from them would be very ufeful to me in 
 the Courfe of all my great Undertakings. 
 There was alfo another Incentive, namely, 
 a Third of Revenge, which prompted me 
 to fubdue this Nation. I took the Elder of 
 the two Royal Princes along with me as 
 an AfTociate in this Expedition, pretending 
 that a fine Occafion offer'd itfelf to his 
 Highnefs of exercifing his Bravery and 
 
 mar- 
 
World Under-Ground. 2S5 
 martial Virtues. But the true Meaning of 
 this was, that I might keep him as a Ho- 
 mage or Pledge of the Fidelity of the <$ua- 
 mitts. The younger Prince indeed re- 
 main'd at Home, but the Regency of the 
 Empire I committed to the Emprefs, who 
 was then big with Child. The whole Fleet 
 confided of twenty Ships, great and fmall ; 
 and were all built after the Martinian Mo- 
 del, by the Direction and Superintendency 
 of Monfonius the Kifpucian General, to 
 whom the fole Management of the Navy 
 was intruded, and who had made Draughts 
 and Defigns of them with his own Hand. 
 For the Martinians were among the Sub- 
 terraneans what the Tynans and Sidwians 
 were in antient Days, or what the Englijh 
 and Dutch are in our Times, that is, Sove- 
 reigns of the Seas. Yet, when we arriv'd 
 at Martinia, I perceiv'd that in the Built 
 of our Ships we had widely err'd from 
 their ModeL 
 
 We fet fail about that Time of Year 
 when the Planet Nazar was at its mean 
 Diftance from us. Having fail'd three 
 Days, we fpy'd a large Ifland, the Conqueft 
 of which would be no difficult Matter, by 
 Reafon of the Feuds and Faftions into 
 which the Inhabitants were fplit ; but (what 
 is remarkable) as they were deftitute of 
 Arms, and were ignorant of the Ufe of 
 them, they fought only with their Tongues 
 2nd gave all the hard Names, Curfes, and 
 foul Language they could invent. This 
 
 was 
 
286 A Journey to the 
 
 was all we had to fear. The only Punifh- 
 ment that in this Country was inflicted 
 upon Offenders, was that they were taken 
 up and imprifon'd, and upon full Proof of 
 the Crime were openly brought into the Fo- 
 rum, there to hear themfelves revil'd in 
 the bittereft Manner. Certain People were 
 appointed for this very Purpofe, call'd Sabuti, 
 that is, Revilers, and are there look'd upon 
 in the fame Light, as an Executioner 
 amongft us. As to the Make of their Body, 
 they differ'd only from us in one or two 
 Circumitances, which was, that the Women 
 had Beards and the Men none ; the Feet 
 alfo of them all were turn'd backwards. Af- 
 ter we had made a Defcent upon thislfland, 
 about three hundred Canalifcans y (fo the 
 Illanders were call'd) met us. They at- 
 tack* d us in a hoftile Manner with their 
 ufual Weapons, that is to fay, with a Vol- 
 ley of Curfes and hard Names. With 
 fuch exquilite Malice, and in fuch a diabo- 
 lical Spirit of Bitternefs, their foul Lan- 
 guage was conceiv'd and utter'd, (as we 
 were inform'd by an Aleflorian Interpreter 
 of the Canalifcan Tongue) that they fhew'd 
 themfelves perfect Matters of their Wea- 
 pons, and not inferior to the Grammarians of 
 our World. However, knowing that Rage 
 aione was infig;nificant without Power, I 
 forbid any Violence to be offer'd to them, 
 but only to fpread Terror among them. 
 I order'd fome Guns to be fir'd, which 
 had this Effect, that they fell upon their 
 
 Knees, 
 
World Under-Ground. iSy 
 
 Knees, and implor'd Mercy. Prefently the 
 feveral little Kings of the Ifland came down, 
 and made a formal Surrender of themfelves 
 and Subjects, putting their whole Dominions 
 under Tribute to me, making me at the 
 fame Time a Compliment, that it was no 
 Difhonour to be fubdued by him, whom 
 it was Impiety to refift, nor any Difgrace to 
 fubmit to him, whom Fortune had rais'd 
 above all the World. Thus this Ifland, (the 
 Conqueft of which added fomething to my 
 Power, tho' little to my Glory, by Reafort 
 of the Effeminacy of the Inhabitants) be- 
 coming tributary to me, we hoifted Sail, 
 and aiter a fair Voyage of fome few Days, 
 arriv'd at the Mezendoric Coaft. I then 
 call'd a Council of War, to enquire what 
 was befl to be done, whether it were ad- 
 vifeable immediately to a£t in a hoftile 
 Manner, or to fend an Embaily to the Em- 
 peror, to know if he would make a peace- 
 able Surrender, or whether w 7 e muft come 
 to an open Rupture. The Majority were 
 for the latter. Wherefore five Perfons 
 were commiflion'd for this Embafiy, one of 
 each Nation, a ^uamite^ an Arttonian^ an 
 Alettorian^ a Tanacbite^ and a Kifpucian. 
 Being introduced into the Capital, they 
 were ask'd by the chief Magiftrate, in the 
 Name of the Emperor, the A4eaning of 
 this unexpected Vifit to the Mezendoric Do- 
 minions ? The Deputies reply'd, that it 
 was not by Accident, but by Defign they 
 came there, and forthwith they produced 
 
 their 
 
«8S A Journey to the 
 
 their Credentials, and a Letter from me x to 
 the Emperor, the Tenour of which was as 
 follows : 
 
 " Nicolas KiimiuSy Embaflador of the 
 " Sun, Emperor of Quama, King of Ta- 
 Ci nachin, Arftonia, and Ale£loria^ Great 
 « Duke of the Kifpucians^ and Lord of 
 " Canalifca, to Miklopolatu, Emperor of 
 <c Mezendoria, Greeting. Be it known 
 <c unto thee, that by the immutable Coun- 
 " cil of Heaven, it is ordain'd, that all the 
 u Empires and Kingdoms of the World 
 " fubmit to the ghamitic Sovereignty. And 
 " fince the Decrees of Heaven are irrevo- 
 " cable, it is neceflary your Empire fhould 
 M undergo the common Deftiny of all. 
 " We exhort you therefore to a voluntary 
 t€ Surrender, and cordially admonifh you 
 <c not to fubject your Realms to the Chance 
 " of War, by a rafh Opppofition to our 
 u victorious Arms. A timely Obedience 
 " may fave the EfYufion of innocent Blood, 
 " and mend your own Condition. Given 
 " aboard our Fleet, the 3d Day of the 
 " Month Rimat" 
 
 In a few Days the EmbafTadors return'd 
 with a fierce and haughty Anfwer. Here- 
 upon all Profpecl of Peace difappearing, we 
 made a Defcent. Having rang'd our Troops 
 in order of Battle, we fent out Spies to 
 explore the Condition of the Enemy. They 
 foon return'd with News, that the Enemy's 
 Army was in Readinefs, that it confifted of 
 Lions, Bears, Tigers, Elephants, and Bird* 
 
 of 
 
World Under-Ground. 289 
 
 of Prey, to the Number of fixty Thoufand. 
 Hereupon we pofted ourfelves on an advan- 
 tageous Piece of Ground, and waited their 
 Coming. All things being now in Readi- 
 nefs, and the Signal of Battle being given, 
 fuddenly there came four EmbafTadors, all 
 Foxes, from the Enemy, to renew the 
 Negotiations, and treat of a Peace. But 
 having fpent fome Days in Conferences 
 with our Generals, they departed without 
 coming to any Conclufion. It appear'd af- 
 terwards that thefe were Spies, rather than 
 EmbafTadors, fent for no other End but to 
 explore the State and Condition of our Ar- 
 my. They pretended indeed that they would 
 foon return with more ample Powers : 
 But as we quickly perceiv'd the whole Body 
 of the Enemy marching brifkly towards us, 
 we hoifted our Colours, and marched to 
 meet them. An obflinate Fight enfued. 
 For tho* our Mufketeers made a furious 
 Slaughter among them, yet the Elephants 
 every where kept their Rank, the Hardnefs 
 of their Hide being Proof againfl: our Ball, 
 But as foon as our heavy Artillery began to 
 thunder upon them, and the Elephants per- 
 ceiv'd the horrible Effects of it, they were 
 feiz'd with a Panic, and left the Field. In 
 this Battle thirty-three thoufand Mexendo- 
 rians were (lain, and twenty thoufand taken 
 Prifoners. Thofe who efcap'd, fled to the 
 Metropolis, a City very well fortify^, and 
 fillM the Inhabitants with Terror and Con- 
 firmation. We pufh'd our Victory, and 
 
 O in 
 
290 A Journey to the 
 
 in three Days March, came to the Capital, 
 which we befieg'd by Sea and Land. At 
 cur Approach, we were faluted by a new 
 EmbafTy, which brought much fofter Terms 
 of Peace. In this the Emperor offer'd me 
 his Daughter in Marriage, who was efteem'd 
 the moft beautiful Lionefs throughout the 
 whoJe Dominions, together with Half his 
 Empire in Dower with her. Thefe Condi- 
 tions were by no Means agreeable to me, 
 efpecially with Refpecl to the Nuptials of 
 his Daughter ; for it feem'd to me neither 
 fafe nor honourable to divorce my Emprefs 
 to marry a Lionefs. Hereupon the Embaf- 
 fadors were difmifs'd without any Anfwer. 
 Prefently our great Guns began to play 
 againft the City-Walls, which tho* com- 
 posed of Stone, were foon torn and fhat- 
 ter'd in many Places. And as this City 
 was full of Animals of all Species, it was 
 ftrange to hear the Variety of Noifes upon 
 this Occafion, fuch as Roaring, Howling, 
 Bellowing, Braying, Bleating and Hilling. 
 The Serpents rctir'd into the Clefts and 
 Fiflures of the Earth : The Birds hover'd 
 in the Air, and feeing the City fo fiercely 
 afTaulted, fled off to the Rocks and open 
 Country. The Trees trembled and drop'd 
 their Leaves all over the City. We heard 
 that twenty Maids of Honour, (thefe were 
 Rofes and Lilies) upon the firfl; Difcharge 
 of our Cannon fhrunk up, and wither'd 
 away through Fear. Such a prodigious Con- 
 courfe of Animals of all Kinds, as well 
 
 ihofe 
 
World Under-Ground. 291 
 
 thofe of the City, as thofe from the Neigh- 
 bourhood, miferably ftraiten'd each other ; 
 and that very Affiftance, which was fo ne» 
 cefTary, was the Caufe of Difeafes and In- 
 fection. The Elephants flood the Siege 
 better than the reft; but upon the Dis- 
 charge of the great Guns, they abandon' d 
 the Walls. Hereupon the u Emperor, de- 
 fpairing to hold out much longer, fummon'd 
 a Council to deliberate upon the prefent 
 Pofture of Affairs. They were all unani- 
 mous for a Peace upon any Terms ; and 
 therefore without Delay his Imperial High- 
 nefs made a formal Surrender of himfelf, 
 with all his Territories. Thus in one Day 
 my Power was increas'd by the Addition of 
 an Empire, together with nine or ten lefler 
 Realms or Principalities ; for immediately 
 all the petty Sovereignties follow'd the Ex- 
 ample of the Emperor, and ftrove who 
 (hould be foremoft in their Submiffions. 
 
 After fuch marvellous Succefs, having firft 
 plac'd a Garifon of fix hundred Mufke- 
 teers in the Capital, I order'd the captive 
 Emperor to be conducted aboard our rHeet. 
 I treated him with the moft perfect Huma- 
 nity, and upon our Return fome time after 
 to Quanta, I gave him an intire Province, 
 the Revenues of which enabled the Royal 
 Prifoner to live with a good Degree of Splen- 
 dor. 
 
 We now fet Sail from this Place, and 
 
 coafted along the Mexendoric Shores. In 
 
 this Voyage we demanded Hoftages of all 
 
 O a the 
 
igz A- Journey t$ the 
 
 the feveral States and Governments fub]e& 
 to -the Emperor Miklopolatu, (o that in a 
 fmali Time the very Mczendoric Name and 
 Empire were in a manner extinguifh'd. 
 Thefe People were for the moft Part the 
 fame of which I have formerly given fome 
 Account in my Defcription of my Voyage 
 from Martinia. Leaving therefore the 
 JWezendoric Territories, we fteer'd directly 
 for Martinia, which, after a profperous, 
 tho* long Voyage, we happily arriv'd at. 
 Never was the Sight of any Country fo 
 highly grateful to me as this ; and when 
 I reflected, that in Times paft I had been 
 condemn'd to the Oar in this very Place, to 
 which I now return'd as a puiflant Con- 
 queror, I was hardly able to conceal the 
 Tranfport of Joy I felt. I had at firft re- 
 folv'd to declare myfelf, in order to fpread 
 the greater Terror among the Martinians : 
 But I chang'd that Refolution, and deter- 
 min'd to cherifh the old Error concerning 
 my Birth, and flill to pafs-for an Embafla- 
 dor of the Sun. 
 
 I flatter'd myfelf, that in a fhort time, 
 and with a very little Trouble, I mould be 
 able to make a compleat Conqueft of the 
 jtfartiniansywhofe Effeminacy I was well ac- 
 quainted with. For this People have a ftrong 
 Propenfity to Pleafure, and are hurry'd 
 on to all vicious Excefles, not only through 
 a natural Bent, but from that Affluence 
 and Abundance, which both Sea and Land 
 confpire to indulge them in. However, I 
 
 found 
 
World U rider -Ground. 293 
 
 found by Experience, that L had an ar- 
 duous Enterprise upon my Hands : For by 
 means of thlt vaft Commerce carry'd on by 
 thefe People, they had amafs'd fuch endlefe 
 Riches, as enabled them to have always at ' 
 their Devotion the choiceft of the moffc 
 warlike Troops among the neighbouring 
 Nations, who flood ready at their Nod to 
 fight their Battles for them. Add to this, 
 that the Martinians were eminent for their 
 Skill in maritime Affairs beyond all the 
 Subterraneans, and our VefYels were in 
 Comparifon of theirs extremely rude r 
 and very flow of Motion. For it is eafy to 
 judge what fort of Ships ours muft be, 
 which were run up in Hafte under the Di- 
 rection and Supervifion of a Bachelor of 
 Philofophy, as alfo what a Cenfure they 
 would undergo, were they to be fubmitted 
 to the Criticifm of the Dutch, EngRJk y or 
 Danes. But this Defect my Artillery a- 
 ton'd for ; a Method of Fighting hitherto 
 unknown to the Martinians. 
 
 Before I attempted any Thing in a ho- 
 flile Manner, I fent an Embaffy to the Se- 
 nate with the fame Tenders of Peace, which 
 I Had lately offer'd the Emperor of Me- 
 zendoria. But while we waited for an An- 
 fwer, all on a Sudden we beheld a Fleet of 
 Ships coming full Sail upon us, in order of 
 Battle. At Sight hereof, we rang'd our 
 Veflels in as much order on our Side, as 
 the Hurry would permit, and immediately 
 gave out the Signal for Engagement. The 
 O 3 Battle 
 
294 d Journey to the 
 
 Battle was fought with equal Bravery and 
 Ardor on both Sides. The Martinians in- 
 ftead of Guns, made ufe of a Machine, 
 which flung Stones of an enormous Size and 
 Weight, and which grievoufly gall'd our 
 Sailors. Thev had alfo Fire-fhips loaded 
 with Pitch, Brimftone, Sulphur, and other 
 combuftible Materials. Thefe fet Fire to 
 our belt Ship, and utterly confum'd it. 
 Victory was a long Time in Sufpence, and 
 my Forces even began to deliberate whether 
 they had beft fight, or fly. But at laft, 
 the Explofion of the great Guns chang'd 
 the Face of Things, and lb funk the Cou- 
 rage of the Alartlnians, that they retir'd 
 precipitately into their Harbour. Yet wc 
 took not one of the Enemy's Ships, becaufe, 
 as they were light Sailors, they could at any 
 Time efcape from us. After this Fight, we 
 landed our Forces, and with all Speed made 
 directly towards the Metropolis of Martini a. 
 In our March we met our own Embafla- 
 dors returning from the Senate, by whom 
 they had been receiv'd in a proud and lofty 
 Manner, and difmifs'd with much fuch 
 a MefTage as Ntptune gave to the Winds. 
 
 Maturate fngam, Regique h<zc dicite veflro ; 
 Non ilii imperium Pelagi ; favumq\ tridentem y 
 Nobis forte datum : tenet ilk immania faxa. 
 
 For the Martinians claiming the Sove- 
 reignty of the Seas, receiv'd my Offers with 
 all imaginable Difdain. 
 
 And 
 
JVorld Under-Ground. 295 
 
 And now they levy'd a vafl Body of 
 Forces, for befidcs the mercenary Troops, 
 the whole military Power of Alar tint a took. 
 the Field upon this Occafion. We had not 
 march'd far before we efpy'd a numerous 
 Army, compos' d of different Nations, ad- 
 vancing directly againft us. This Confi- 
 dence and Preemption of the Enemy^, not* 
 withitanding their late Defeat at Sea, occa- 
 fioned a good deal of Uneafinefs on our 
 Side. But all this was but a Meteor which 
 fuddenly appears, and as fuddenly vanifhes : 
 For at the very firfl Difcharge of our Artil- 
 lery, they all turn'd their Backs, and fled. 
 We purfued the flying Foe, and made a 
 prodigious Slaughter of them. What the 
 Number of the Slain were, appear'd from 
 that of the Perriwigs, which we collected 
 after the Action, and which upon a mode- 
 rate Computation amounted to the Num- 
 ber of five Thoufand. The Make of thefe 
 Perriwigs was pretty much alter'd fince 
 my Time, and I obferv'd above twenty 
 different Fafhions of them ; nor is that at 
 all ftrange ; for fo ingenious a Nation 
 would give a thoufand Improvements to 
 any Invention whatever. 
 
 After this fuccefsful Battle, or rather 
 Carnage, we immediately fet about the 
 Siege of the Capital. But, when we had 
 prepared every Thing for the Enterprize, 
 and difpos'd our Cannon in proper Order, 
 the whole Body of Senators came in a fup- 
 pliant Manner to our Camp, and made a 
 O 4 volun- 
 
296 A Jouriney to the 
 
 voluntary Surrender of the City, together 
 with the whole Republick. Hereupon, 
 Peace being declared, we enter'd in Tri- 
 umph into this moft fplendid City. Up- 
 on our Entrance into the Gates, there was 
 not that Tumult and Hurry, as is gene- 
 rally obfervable in conquer'd Towns, but 
 a forrowful Silence, and an univerfaF 
 Sadnefs every where prevaiTd. But when 
 we declar'd that we would not do the 
 leaft Injury to the Citizens, their Sadnefs 
 was changed into Joy. The firft Thing I 
 did, was to make a Vifit to the publick 
 Treafury. I was beyond Meafure aftonifh'd 
 at the immenfe Stores of Riches depofited 
 there ; great Part of which 1 diftributed 
 among my Soldiers, referving the reft for 
 my own Finances. I left a Garifon at 
 Martinla^ and took feveral' of the Senators 
 aboard the Fleet, by way of Hoftages. A- 
 mong thefe, was my old PViend the Syndic, 
 together with his Wife, who had falfly ac- 
 cufed me of the Crime for which I was con- 
 demned to the Gallies. Yet I entertain'd 
 no Thoughts of Vengeance, as thinking it 
 beneath an Emperor of £)uama to refent an 
 Injury done to a Chairman. 
 
 After this compleat Conqueft of the Mar- 
 Unions^ I refolv'd to reduce the feve al neigh- 
 bouring Powers. But while I was upon 
 the Point of executing this Defign, the 
 EmbafTadors of four different Realms ar- 
 riv'd, and made their Submiffions. I had 
 already fo many States and Kingdoms under 
 
 my 
 
World Under-Ground. 297 
 
 my Dominion, that I did not fo much as 
 give myfelf the Trouble to enquire the 
 Names of thefe four furrender'd Territo- 
 ries, but was contented to comprehend them 
 under the general Name of the Martlnian 
 Provinces. 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 The Cat astrophe. 
 
 HAVING performed fuch an ama- 
 zing Series of Exploits, and our Fleet 
 being confiderably augmented, by the Ad- 
 dition of the Martinian Ships, we now 
 hoifted Sail, and return'd to §)uama, where, 
 upon our Arrival, we triumph'd with more 
 than Roman Magnificence. And, in good 
 Truth, the noble Deeds we had atchiev'd, 
 deferv'd the higheft Pomp of Feflivals and 
 publick Rejoicings. For what can be con- 
 ceiv'd more heroic, than to transform a 
 Nation the moft abjecT:, and the molt ex- 
 pos' d to the Infults of their Neighbours, into 
 the Lords and Sovereigns of the whole Sub- 
 terranean Globe ? What can be conceiv'd 
 more glorious, or more for my Honour, 
 as a Man, whofe Fate it happen d to be to 
 Irve among fo many heterogeneous Crea- 
 tures, what, I fay, could redound more to 
 my Glory, than to have aiTerted that Do- 
 minion which Nature gave Mankind over 
 O 5 the 
 
2gS A Journev to the 
 
 the Animal Creation ? A Defcription of 
 the Splendor of this Triumph, the Crowds* 
 and theApplaufes ofMen of all Ranks and 
 Ages, would of itfelf make a regular Vo- 
 lume, and therefore I fhall not attempt it 
 in this fhort Account. 1 ihall only obferve, 
 that from this Time a new iEra appears 
 in Hiftory, and there may now be reckon'd. 
 five Monarchies, namely, the Afjyrian, the 
 Perfian, the Grecian; the Roman, and the 
 £htamitic m , the laft of which feems to furpafs 
 the reft in Power and Grandeur.. And ac- 
 cordingly I accepted the Title of Koblu, or 
 Great, which was orfer'd me, as well by 
 the 9m*mite$i as by the other vanqujfh'd Nati- 
 ons. J here is, Iconfefs, fomething excefiively 
 vain and arrogant in the Name Great: But 
 yet, when you compare me with the Cyrus's,, 
 the Alexanders, the Pompeys, and the Ca- 
 fars, the Title then feems perfectly humble 
 and modeft. Alexander indeed enflav'd the 
 Eafi, but with what Forces ? with hardy 
 veteran Troops inur'd to War ; for fuch 
 were the Macedonians in the Time of his 
 Father Philip. But I, in a fhorter Space 
 of Time, fubdued far more and fiercer Na- 
 tions than the Perftans, and that by the 
 Help only of a rude and barbarous People, 
 whom I myfelf had form'd and inftrucled. 
 Xhe Titles I now us'd were theie j Nicolas 
 the Great, Emperor of §)uama and Mezen- 
 doria, King of Tanachin, Aletloria and Arclo- 
 nia, Great Duke of Kifpucia, Lord of Mar- 
 tini a and Canalifca, &c. &c. 
 
 3 Ingms 
 
World Under-Ground. 299 
 
 Ingens jamjlabat Regnum, poteramque videri 
 Exilio felix : Jed fcilicet ultima femper 
 Expeflanda dies, bomini, dicique beatus 
 Ante obitum nemo fupremaque funera debet. 
 
 Being thus lifted up to a Point of Power 
 and Succefs, beyond even the Wifhes of a 
 mortal Man, the fame Thing happen'd to 
 me, as to almoft all thofe who rife to Great- 
 nefs from a fordid Original. For unmind- 
 ful of my former State, I grew intolerably 
 vain and haughty, and inflead of all thofe 
 winning Ways, which artful Princes ufe to 
 procure the popular Efteem, I became a 
 hot and cruel Perfecutor of all Orders of 
 Men, defpifing as very Slaves thofe Subjects, 
 whom before I had courted to my Intereft 
 with all imaginable Affability, infomuch, 
 that none had Accefs to my Perfon, without 
 a Ceremony, almoft like that of Adoration, 
 and when they were admitted, were re- 
 ceiv'd with a molt difdainful Air : All 
 which alienated the Minds of the People 
 from me, and chang'd their Love into 
 Coldnefs and Terror. This Difpofition of 
 my Subjects I foon experienced, and parti- 
 cularly upon the following Occafion. The 
 Emprefs, my Spoufe, whom I had left big 
 with Child, was in my Abfence brought to 
 Bed of a young Prince. Intending to ac- 
 knowledge this Prince for my Succeflbr, I 
 aflembled the feveral States of my Empire, 
 as well thofe of the conquer'd Kingdoms, 
 a$ thofe of §uama^ to the folemn Inaugu- 
 ration 
 
300 A Journey to the 
 
 ration of the Infant. As none dar'd dif- 
 obey my Orders, the Ceremony was per- 
 form'd with all pofliblc Pomp and Gran- 
 deur. But it was eafy to perceive in the 
 Vifages of my Subjects, that all the Joy 
 upon this Occafion was fore'd, unnatural, 
 and mix'd with hidden Difcontent. What 
 help'd to confirm my Jealoufy, was, that at 
 this Time certain Libels or Pafquinades, 
 written by anonymous Authors, w r ere hand- 
 ed about, in which the Injury done to 
 Prince Timufo by this Inauguration, was fet 
 forth with much Satyr and Acrimony. This 
 created fitch Diforders in my Spirits, that I 
 could take no Kelt till I had got rid of that 
 belt of Princes. However, I thought it 
 by no means advifeable to difpatch this illu-* 
 ftrious Rival in an arbitrary Manner, and 
 therefore I fuborn'd certain WitneiTes to 
 accufe him of High Treafon. As Sovereigns 
 never want for Minifrers of Darknefs to- 
 fcrve tlieir criminal Purpofes, I quickly 
 found out proper Perfons to fwear that the 
 Prince was projecting a Revolution, and had 
 a Deiign againft my Life. Upon this he 
 was thrown into Prifon, and condemn'd by 
 his Judges, the Majority of whom I had 
 corrupted. However, he was executed pri~ 
 vutelv, for fear of raifing Difturbances. 
 
 As to the fecond Prince, becaufe he was 
 very young, I defer'd facrificing him to my 
 Repofe yet a while ; fo that the Weaknefs 
 of his Age was his Protection. Thus ftain'd 
 with the Parricide of his Brother, I began 
 
 now 
 
World Under-Ground; 301 
 
 now to rule with fo much Cruelty and Ri* 
 gour, and carry'd my Rage to fuch a Height,, 
 that all Perfons, whofe Fidelity I fufpedted,. 
 whether gh/amites, or others, I deliver'd 
 over to immediate Death. Not a Day 
 pafs'd, but was remarkable for fome extra- 
 ordinary Execution, which haftened the 
 Rebellion, which the Nobles had been for 
 aeonfiderable Time projecting; as will be 
 related in its proper Place. 
 
 I own I deferv'd all thofe Misfortunes,, 
 which I afterwards experiene'd. It had 
 doubtlefs been more glorious, and more 
 worthy of a Chriitian Monarch,, to have 
 guided a grofs and barbarous People to the 
 Knowledge of the true God, rather than to 
 have proceeded from Conqueft to Conqueft,. 
 and to have fried fuch Torrents- of innocent- 
 Blood. And, indeed, it had been eafy for 
 me to have converted the whole Empire ;. 
 for there was a Time when all my Deter- 
 minations were rever'd like Oracles. But 
 unmindful of God, and of myfelf, Idream'd 
 of nothing but the vain Splendor of a Court,, 
 and the Increafe of my Power. Moreover, 
 being now given up to a deprav'd and re- 
 probate Mind,. I chofe to aggravate and in^ 
 flame thefe Difcontents, rather than remove 
 them, as if the Offences of my Injuitice 
 were to be re&ify'd by my Cruelty. To 
 all the Remonftrances of my Friends I ftili 
 arg'd, 
 
 NtceJPty th$ Tyrant's htttj/h Plea,. 
 
 So 
 
gen A Journey to the 
 
 So that Misfortune on Misfortune came 
 thick upon me, and I fell into men Dif- 
 grace and Wreubednefs, that from my Ex- 
 ample, all Mortals ma learn what a Vi- 
 ciiiitude there is in human Affairs, and 
 how (hort ib the Duration of arbitrary Power 
 and Viole ce. 
 
 My Subjects Averfion increa^'d with the 
 Severity of my Government, and when they 
 perceiv'd that the Vices, to which I aban- 
 don'd myfclf, but ill agreed with that di- 
 vine Original I boafted, and were utterly 
 irreconcilable with my Chancier, as Em- 
 b-ilador of the Sun, they began to examine 
 every thing with more Attention, particu- 
 larly the Circumirance of mv Ani\al into 
 thei'e Parrs, and the Condition I was in 
 when I landed upon tiuii Coaft. They now 
 
 ■. that all the great '1 hings I had done, 
 were owing more to the Savagcnefs of the 
 Quamitti, than to any extraordinary Abilities 
 or mv own, efpecially as they found, after 
 that Mift of Ignorance was difpell'd, that I 
 had actually committed many Errors in the. 
 Courfe of mv Government. Above all my 
 Conduct was highly cenfur'd by the Kifpu- 
 ciariS) a judicious and penetrating People. 
 They had obferv'd in my publick Edict a 
 Multitude of Things fo crude and indigefted, 
 as betray'd the grofleft Ignorance in Politicks. 
 Nor was the Ceniureunjuft : For as my aca- 
 demical Tutors and Inftructors never dream'd 
 of Crowns and Scepters for me, they^gave 
 an Education, more adapted to a pri- 
 vate 
 
World Under-Ground. 303 
 
 vate Station, than that of a Sovereign ; and 
 my Studies, which extended no farther than 
 to fome little SyfUm of Divinity, and a 
 few metaph) iical Terms, were by no Means 
 equal to my prefent Elevation, where I had 
 the Charge of two Empires, and almoft twen- 
 ty Kingdoms upon my Hands. The Mar- 
 tinians had alfo remarked, that the Ships of 
 War I had built, were fo rude and clumfy,. 
 that in an Engagement they were of no 
 manner of ufe againft a regular and well 
 appointed Fleet, and that all my naval 
 Glory was to be afcrib'd folely to the Inven- 
 tion of Cannon. All thefe cutting Re- 
 marks they induftrioufly difpers'd, and at 
 the fame Time call'd to Remembrance the 
 Manner of my firft Appearance in this 
 Country, namely, how I had efcap'd from 
 a Shipwreck, and being ready to perifli 
 with Hunger, was taken up by the 
 Inhabitants all in tatter'd Garments, an 
 Equipage furely very unfuitable to an Em- 
 baflador of the Sun. Add to this, that thefe 
 fame Martinians, being excellent natural 
 Piiilofophers, had now given the ^uamites 
 a Tinclureof Aftronomy, enough to know 
 that the Sun was an inanimate Body, plac'd 
 in the Centre of the Heavens by the Al- 
 mighty, to give Light and Heat to all Crea- 
 tures, and that as it was a Globe of Fire, 
 it could of Confequence be no proper Habi- 
 tation for a mortal Man. 
 
 With thefe and other fuch unlucky Dif- 
 courfes, was I from Day to Day diuVac~red. 
 
 But 
 
3"04 A Journey to the 
 But they were mere Murmurs; fince nobody 
 through fear of my Power dar'd talk thus 
 with any Degree of Opennefs. And in Reality, 
 I was a long Time ignorant that the Male- 
 volence of my Subjects had rofe to fuch a 
 Pitch, as to queftion mv Condition, till at 
 length I was convinc'd of it by a Book 
 compos' d in the Canalifcan Tongue, and 
 publiuYd with this Title T The happy 
 Shipwreck. For I obferv'd before, that 
 the Canalifcans were perfect Artifts at Satyr 
 and Reproaches, which were all the Wea- 
 pons they wag'd War with. The Book in 
 Queftion comprehended all thofe Accufa- 
 tions, of which I have juft now given a 
 Detail, and was wrote in a Stile the moft 
 fevere and farcaftical, that can well be ima- 
 gin'J, according to the Genius of the Ca~ 
 twit/cans, who excel in this Manner of 
 Writing. 
 
 But fuch was the Weaknefs of my Mind 
 at this Juncture, fuch my vain Prefumption 
 and Confidence of my own Power, that 
 no Advices or Remonftrances whatever could 
 make me change my Conduct, or bring me 
 to my Senfes. The moft wholefome Counfels 
 inftead of checking, contributed only to in- 
 flame my Cruelty. Wherefore thofe whom 
 1 had moft Reafon to fufpect, I put to the 
 Torture to difcover the Author of this Libel. 
 But all endur'd their Torture with an afto- 
 nifhing Firmnefs, infomuch, that this Cru- 
 elty produced no other Effect, than to 
 irritate the Spirits of my People ftill more 
 
 againft 
 
World Under-Ground. 305; 
 
 againft me. Thus my Fate would have it, 
 and I run headlong to my Deftruclion. 
 
 In this State of Affairs I determin'd to- 
 Sacrifice the furviving Prince Hicoba. I o- 
 pen'd my Defign to the High Chancellor 
 Kalac, in whom I plac'd great Confidence. 
 He promifed me all Obedience and Affift- 
 ance, and ftrait withdrew on Pretence of 
 contriving the Means of putting this Scheme 
 in Execution. But- deteiting the Villany in 
 his Heart, he difcover'd the Plot to the 
 Prince. Both of them retir'd into the Ci- 
 tadel, which was well fortify'd and there 
 the Chancellor haranguM the Guards, and 
 in the molt pathetick Manner laid open 
 their prefent Condition. His Difcourfe, 
 together with the Tears of the young Prince 
 which added confiderable Weight to it, 
 produc'd the denYd EfTe£t. The Soldiers 
 run to their Arms, and vow'd they would 
 die to fave their Prince. Upon this the 
 dexterous Chancellor did not give their Ar- 
 dour Time to cool, but perfuaded them 
 immediately to fwear Allegiance to their 
 Prince, and then out of hand fent private 
 MeiTengers to thofe whom he knew to 
 be exafperated againft me, exhorting them 
 to take Arms againft a Tyrant, who at- 
 tempted the Extinction of the whole Roval 
 Progeny. Upon this all the Difaffe&ed rofe 
 and join'd with the Garifon. While 1 
 was expecting the Return of the Chancellor, 
 a MefTenger brought me the News of this 
 grand Infurreftion. My Friend TomcpoloU 
 
 ad- 
 
3o6 A Journey to the 
 
 advis'd me by all Means to retreat to Tana*- 
 chin. There, favs he, we can quickly raifc 
 an Army, and bring thefe Mutineers to 
 Reafon. Thefe Words produc'd in me 
 various Agitations of Mind, and Hope and 
 Fear alternately govern'd me each Moment. 
 At length in Compliance with his Admo- 
 nition I fled from ^uama^ and that with 
 little or no Difficulty, as the Bulk of the 
 Quatnites were vet unacquainted with the 
 Reafons of this Sedition. Soon after this, I 
 return'd with an Army of forty thoufand 
 Soldiers, the greateft Part of which were 
 Tanacbitesy expecting a confiderable Aug- 
 mentation from fuch ^uamitss as continu- 
 ed in their Duty. But I deceiv'd myfelf 
 egregiouflv : For inftead of thofe Auxilia- 
 ries I flatter'd myfelf with, I met a Herald 
 who brought me Letters from the Prince, 
 to acquaint me, that War was declar'd a- 
 gainif. me as an Ufurper and Invader, and 
 that my Wife and Son were Prifoners of 
 State. Soon after the Departure of the He- 
 rald, I beheld the Sfyamiiic Army advancing 
 with my young Rival at their Head. As 
 they had a fine Artillery, 1 would not run 
 the Rifque of an Engagement, till I was 
 reinforc'd with frelh Troops : Therefore 
 I made a Stop, and entrench' d myfelf in 
 the beft Manner 1 could. But when I per- 
 ceiv'd that my own Soldiers deferted to the 
 Enemy, who befides expected hourly new 
 Supplies, I took Advice of my General 
 Officers, and refolv'd to engage directly ; 
 
 nor 
 
World Under-Ground. 307 
 
 nor did Tomopoloko oppofe this Refolution. 
 We fought upon the fame Plain, where 
 fome Years ago in a decifive Battle the Ta~ 
 nachites were entirely routed. The Enemy's 
 Cannon now threw our Ranks into great 
 Diforder, and it griev'd me to the Soul to be 
 baffled by my own Invention, and be con- 
 quer'd by thofe very Arms I my felf had 
 devis'd. For a while however my Soldiers 
 fuftained the Attack of the rebellious Ar- 
 my, till a Ball took off Tomopoloko. Then 
 every one loft his Courage, and we all turn'd 
 our Backs and fled to the Woods and Moun- 
 tains. I, for my Part, climb'd to the Top 
 of a Rock, from whence I defcended into 
 the Valley on the other Side. There I 
 paus'd a while to curfe my Fate, or rather 
 my Folly, and to pour out my Soul in Tears 
 and Sighs. But, alas! it was all too late. So 
 great was the Diforder of my Spirits, that 
 I forgot to throw off my Diadem, which 
 was the very thing that in all likelihood 
 muff, have difcover'd me. After I had fat 
 trembling for half an Hour in that Valley, 
 I heard the Voices of fome Perfons climbing 
 the Rock, and roaring out Vengeance a- 
 gainft me if they found me. I then look'd 
 all round me for a Place to conceal myfelf 
 in. There was hard by a deep Wood over- 
 grown with Trees and Bufhes. I prefently 
 enter'd into it, and having picked out fome- 
 thing like a Path, I walk'd on till I came 
 to a Cave. Here I ffopp'd fome Moments 
 to take Breath. By and by I crept into the 
 
 Cave>. 
 
3o8 A Journev to the 
 
 Cave, like a Serpent, upon my Belly, and 
 as I perceiv'd it to be very deep and (hel- 
 ving, yet of eafy Defcent, I refolv'd to pe- 
 netrate to the Bottom of it. But I had 
 fcarce walk'd a Quarter of a Mile, when 
 all on a Sudden I tumbled down, and as if 
 Thunder drove me, was hurry'd headlong 
 through the thickeft Darknefs, till at laft a 
 faint glimmering Light dawn'd in upon 
 me. With the Increafe of that Light the 
 Force of my Motion was proportionably di- 
 minifh'd, fo that by little and little, and in 
 the gentleft Manner, like a Perfon riling 
 out of the Water, I found myfelf among 
 fome Mountains, which to my unutterable 
 Amazement, I obferv'd to be the very fame 
 from whence fome Years ago I was hurry'd 
 down into the fubterranean World. The 
 Reafon of that Abatement of my Motion, 
 I found after fome Reflection to be owing 
 to the Quality of our Atmofphere, which 
 is much denfer, and confequently refifte 
 more than the fubterranean Atmofphere. 
 Unlefs it were fo, the fame Thing would 
 have happen'd to me in my Afcent, as in 
 my Defcent, and in all likelihood I muft 
 then have been carry'd aloft through the 
 Air as far as the Region of the Moon. Yet 
 I fubmit this Hypothefis to the maturer 
 Examination of Philofophers. 
 
 C HA R 
 
TVorld Under-Ground. 309 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 •The Author's Return into his own 
 Country. 
 
 ILay for a considerable Time among the 
 Mountains, almoft deftitute of Senfe. 
 For my late violent Motion, together with 
 that ftrange Metamorphofis from a Founder 
 of a fifth Monarchy, into a famifh'd Bache- 
 lor of Arts, had occaflon'd very great Dis- 
 orders in my Brain. And, in Truth, my 
 Adventure was fo lingular and fo poetical, 
 that it might well fhock the Frame of the 
 founded Head. In this Condition I began 
 to afk myfelf, whether what I faw was a 
 Reality, or whether it was not fome vifion- 
 ary Deception. But my Diftra6tion aba- 
 ting, and returning by Degrees to my Senfes, 
 my Aftonifhment gave Place to Grief and 
 Indignation. And, indeed, turn over the 
 Annals of remote Antiquity, as well as 
 thofe of modern Date, and you will not be 
 able to find a parallel Adventure with mine, 
 unlefs perhaps in the Cafe of Nebuchad- 
 nezzar , who from the greateft Monarch in 
 the World, was transformed into a wild 
 Creature, and liv'd like one of the Beafts 
 of the Field. Much the fame Freaks of 
 Fortune I experienc'd. For in a few Hours 
 two mighty Emprres were wrefted from me, 
 together with almoft twenty Kingdoms, the 
 
 Shadows 
 
gio A Journey to the 
 
 Shadows and faint Images of which now only 
 remain'd. Lately I was a Monarch ; and now 
 the Utmoft of my Hopes was to procure the 
 Mafterfhip of fome little School for my 
 Subfiltence. Lately I was call'd the Em- 
 baflador of the Sun ; and now I fear'd Ne- 
 ceflity would drive me to become the Ser- 
 vant of fome Bifhop or Dean. But a few 
 Days ago Glory, Hope, Victory and Suc- 
 cefs attended my Steps ; and now Care and 
 Mifery, Tears and Lamentations are all my 
 Companions. In fhort, I refembled thofe 
 Summer Herbs, which fuddenly fpring up, 
 and as fuddenly die away; and to fay all 
 in one Word, Sorrow, Rage, Anxiety, Dif- 
 appointment, and Defpair, rais'd fuch a 
 Conflict in my Bieaft, that fometimes I re- 
 folv'd to end my Being with my Sword, 
 fometimes I determin'd to plunge again into 
 the Cavern to try if I could not fucceed 
 better in a fecond Expedition. But a Re- 
 gard for my immortal Soul, and the Prin- 
 ciples of the Chriftian Religion, reftrained 
 me from thefe mad Attempts. 
 
 I now endeavour'd to defcend the Moun- 
 tain by that narrow Path which leads to 
 Sandivic. But my Imagination was fo dif- 
 turb'd, that I {tumbled almoft every Step I 
 took : Por the whole Powers of my Mind 
 were taken up in contemplating upon the 
 fifth Monarchy. This Idea fo conftantly 
 haunted me, that it almoft unhing'd my 
 Underftanding. And indeed the Lofs of fo 
 much Dignity and Power, could never be 
 
 rccom- 
 
World Under-Ground. 311 
 
 recompenc'd by any Advantages which my 
 own Country could beftow. For fuppofc 
 they fhould make me Governor of Bergen, 
 or what is more, Lord-Lieutenant of Nor- 
 wey, yet, alas! what Compenfation, what 
 Comfort would this be to the Monarch and 
 Founder of fo many Empires and King- 
 doms ? However, I refolv'd not to refufe 
 a. Thing of that Kind, in cafe it fhould be 
 ofFer'd me. 
 
 After I had got half way down the Hill, 
 I faw at a little Diftance fome Children, to 
 whom I beckon'd and made Signs to come 
 to my Afliftance, pronouncing aloud at the 
 fame Time thefe Words, Jeru Pikal Salim, 
 which iri the Quamitic Language fignifies, 
 Shew me the Way. But the Boys, at the 
 Sight of a Man cloath'd in a foreign Ha- 
 bit, and with a Diadem upon his Head em- 
 broider'd with Rays like thofe of the Sun, 
 ran down the Mountain as faft as they could, 
 and foon gaining the Start of me, (for I 
 was fore'd to drag my weary and wounded 
 Feet but flowly after me) they got to Sand- 
 wic an Hour before me, where they alarm'd 
 the whole Village, vowing and piotefting 
 that they had feen the TVandring Jew among 
 the Mountains, his Head all glittering with 
 Rays, and by his Groans exprefTing great 
 Uneafinefs of Mind. The Inhabitants en- 
 quiring how they knew it was the TVandring 
 jew, they readily anfwer'd, that I myfelf 
 had told my Name and Country. This 
 Miftake I guefs'd muft proceed from thofe 
 
 "Words 
 
312 A, Journey to the 
 
 Words of mine mifinterpreted, Jeru Pikal 
 Salim, which indeed have fome Affinity in 
 Sound to that Conceit of the Children* 
 All the Village was now in an Uproar, and 
 nobody doubted the Truth of the Fact, 
 efpecially as there had been but very lately 
 a Story cook'd up about this Wanderer, 
 who was faid to have appear'd not long fince 
 at Hamburgh. 
 
 About Evening I arriv'd at Sandwic, 
 where I found a Mob of the Inhabitants 
 gathered together, from a natural Curiofity 
 implanted in all Men to fee ftrange Sights. 
 They ftood at the Foot of the Mountain to 
 meet me, but as foon as ever they heard me 
 fpeak, they all took to their Heels as if they 
 were feiz'd with a Panic, except one old 
 Man, who having more Courage than the 
 reft, would not move out of his Place. To 
 this Man I addrefs'd myfelf, and begg'd to 
 know if he would have the Goodnefs to en- 
 tertain a Stranger. He afk'd me who I 
 Was? and whence I came ? To which I 
 reply* d with a deep Sigh, that the Day was 
 too far fpent to begin my Story, but that if 
 he would receive me into his Houfe, I 
 fhould relate to him fuch a Series of Ad- 
 ventures, as were not to be parallel'd in all 
 Hiftory, and which mud confequentlv ftag- 
 ger human Belief. The old Man, who was 
 a Lover of Novelty, took me by the Hand, 
 and led me to his Houfe ; and as we went, 
 he rally'd the ridiculous Fears of the P' p i- 
 lace, who are frighten'd at a ftrange Face 
 
 as 
 
World Under-Ground. 313 
 
 as much as at a Comet. As foon as I was 
 within the Houfe, I begg'd the Favour of 
 fome cold Water to afliiage myThirft. In- 
 ftead of which a Cup of Ale was brought 
 me by mv Hoft himfelf, becaufe his Wife 
 and Maids were all afraid to venture them- 
 selves near me. Having drank off my 
 Liquor, and flack'd my Thirft, I fpoke to 
 my good Hoft in the following Terms : 
 " You fee before you a Man, who has 
 " experienc'd the moft cruel Reverfes of 
 cc Fate, and who has been the Bubble and 
 " Sport of Fortune to a Degree beyond all 
 u mortal Men. It is indeed an undoubted 
 " Truth, that in a Moment of Time the 
 * c greateft Affairs may be difconcerted and 
 <c thrown into Confufion ; yet neverthelefs 
 " what has happened to me furpaffes all 
 cc Credibility. " To which my Hoft reply'd, 
 That this muft be the Condition of ihofe whi 
 wander for fuch a Length of Ti?ne ; fot\ 
 continued he, what Victjfitudes, what Mif- 
 for tunes may not happen to a Man in a Courfe 
 cf Sixteen hundred Tears Peregrination ? I 
 could not comprehend the Meaning of this, 
 and therefore I afk'd him what he meant 
 by thofe Sixteen hundred Years? If, re- 
 turn'd he, any Credit is to be given to Hif- 
 tory, it is now Sixteen hundred Tears fince 
 Jerufalem was dejhcfd : I doubt not, mcfl 
 venerable Sir, but that about the Time of 
 that mrmorable Attion, you was even then 
 fomething advanced in Tears ; for if what is 
 related concerning you be true y we may refer 
 
 p ib, 
 
314 ^Journev to the 
 
 the Date of your Nativity to the Reign of 
 Tiberius. At thefe Words I was filent for 
 a confiderable Time, and thought the old 
 Man doated ; but at laft I told him, that 
 his Language requir'd an OEdipus to un- 
 riddle it. With that he brought me a Print 
 of the Temple of Jerufalem, and afk'd me, 
 whether I thought it differ'd very much 
 from the Original ? In fpite of all my 
 Grief, I could not help bur/ling into a 
 Laugh, and afk'd him the Meaning of this 
 odd puzzling Difcourfe. He rcply'd, JVhe- 
 t her I am in an Error, or not, I cannot Jay : 
 But the Inhabitants of this Place aver, that 
 xou are that famous Jew, zuho ever fmce the 
 % of Chriji have been coudcmn*d to wan- 
 der aver the Iforld. But yet, methinks, the 
 nearer I furvey you, the more 1 dijeover in 
 your Pace the Features of an old Friend of 
 mine, who feme twelve Tears ago perijh*d on 
 the Top of this Mountain. At thefe Words, 
 the Mift before my Eyes was diffipated, and 
 I knew my old Friend Abeline, whofe Houfe 
 in Bergen I us'd to frequent. I flew into 
 his Arms immediately, and tenderly em- 
 brae'd him. And do I live to hold thee 
 thus, my Abeline, faid I ? I fcarce believe 
 my Eyes and Senfes. Yes, I am Klimius, 
 return'd in a manner from the Grave. I 
 am that very Klimius, who about twelve 
 Years fince defcended into that Cavern. 
 My Friend, confounded at this unexpected 
 Turn, itood like one thunder-ftruck ; at 
 
 length 
 
World Under-Ground. 3 1 5 
 length he cry'd out, Yes! it is he ! I fee 
 my Klimius ! I hear his Voice ! 
 
 Sic oculos, fie ilk manus, fie or a ferebat. 
 
 But tho' no Twin can be more like his 
 Brother, than you are like my Klimius, yet 
 I neither can nor dare believe my Senfes ; 
 for Miracles are ceas'd, and the Dead rife 
 not now : I muft have therefore ftrongerand 
 more convincing Proofs, e'er I can give 
 Credit to what you tell me. Hereupon, at 
 once to conquer his Incredulity, I gave him 
 a fuccinft Detail of all that had pafs'd be- 
 tween us formerly. This remov'd every 
 Doubt ; and ftraitway he embrac'd me with 
 Tears of Joy, and cry'd out, It is, it is 
 the very Man, whofe Ghoft 1 thought I 
 had ken ! But explain to me, purfued he, 
 in what Part of the World you have loft 
 yourfelf all this Time, and in what Coun- 
 try you procured that wonderful Drefs you 
 have on. Then I proceeded to recount to 
 him every Particular which had happen'd to 
 me, and he heard me with profound Atten- 
 tion, till I came to that Part of my Hiftory 
 concerning the Planet Nazar, and Trees en- 
 du'd with Speech and Reafon : At this, he 
 loft all Patience: " Not all the Abfurdities, 
 " fays he, which Dreams convey to us, 
 " not all the Follies which Madnefs pro- 
 " duces, or all the Nonfenfe which Drunk- 
 " ennefs utters, can equal thefe Vifions of 
 " yours ; I fhould rather chufe to believe 
 " "with the Vulgar, that you muft have 
 
 P 2 " fallen 
 
3*6 A Journey to the 
 
 «' fallen into the Hands of Witches or Hbb- 
 « c goblins ; for how idle foever fuch Tales 
 iC are, yet they have an Appearance of 
 4C Truth, if put in Competition with this 
 " fubterranean Journey of yours." I begg 3 (i 
 and intreated of him to have but a Moment's 
 Patience more, till I had finifiVd my Reci- 
 tal; upon which, as I obferv'd he kept Si- 
 lence, I proceeded to relate all that had hap- 
 pened to me below, the fundry Accidents 
 and Reverfes of Fortune I had experience, 
 and how I had been the Founder of the 
 fifth and greateft Moiv.p.-hv that ever Mas. 
 All thefe Things i i the Sufpicion he 
 
 had entert^in'd, that I was bevviteh'd, or 
 had had fome Commerce with Magicians or 
 evil Spirits: and that being abufed with 
 their <li.br 1 -a! Delufions, I had embrae'd a 
 Cloud infhad of 'Juno. In order to try 
 how far the F< rce of thefe Charms and In- 
 cantations had fpread, or to what a Length 
 mv Extravagance would run, my Friend 
 berzan to interrogate me concerning the State 
 of the Happy, and that of the Damnd in the 
 Other World ; concerning the Elyfian Fields, 
 and divers other Matters of that Kind. I 
 foon perceiv'd the flv Defign of thefe Qiie- 
 ftions, and told my Friend, that I, for my 
 Part, could hardly blame his Incredulity, 
 fince my Narration appear'd too fabulous to 
 command a ready Aflint : However, it was 
 not mv Fault; for that in Reality mv Ad- 
 ventures were fo marvellous, as to baffle all 
 human Belief. I folemnly proteft to you, 
 
 con- 
 
World Under-Ground, 3 1 7 
 
 continued I, that I have not added or fup- 
 ply'd one Jot or Tittle from my own In- 
 vention, but that I have recounted every 
 thing fimply and ingenuoufly in the Order 
 they happened to me. My Friend perfifting in 
 his Incredulity, defir'd that I would compofe 
 my Mind, and take a few Days Reft and 
 Refrefhment, in which Time he told me 
 he hop'd thefe Commotions in my Brain 
 would by degrees fubfide and die away. 
 
 After 1 had repos'd myfelf for full eight 
 Days, my Friend now thinking I had taken 
 fufficient Reft, was refolv'd to try if I had re- 
 cover'd my Senfes, and therefore artfully re- 
 fum'd the Converfation concerning my fub- 
 terranean Journey. He was now in Hopes, 
 that the fifth Monarchy, together with the 
 twenty conquer'd Kingdoms, was all vaniih'd 
 into Smoke, and fo utterly buried in Oblivion, 
 that not an Idea remain'd of fo much as a 
 fingle Town or Village. But when he heard 
 me repeat the very fameThings in the very 
 fame Order I had before done ; when at the 
 Conclufion of my Hiftory I upbraided him 
 with his obftinate Unbelief, and moreover 
 alledg'd certain indubitable Facts, fuch as 
 that about twelve Years ago it was noto- 
 rious I had defcended into that Cavern, and 
 that I was now return'd into my own Coun- 
 try in a ftrange and foreign Habit ; he then 
 began to waver, and had not a Word to 
 reply. I took the Advantage of this his 
 Situation of Mind, and prefs'd the Matter 
 (till more home. I demonftrated to him, 
 P 3 that 
 
3i 8 A Journey to the 
 
 that his Hypothecs concerning Witchcraft 
 and Sorcery, was far, infinitely far more 
 abfur'd than this Expedition of mine ; for 
 that thofe were juftly to be thrown into the 
 Clafs of old Wives Fables ; but that on the 
 other hand, he could not but know that fe- 
 veral Philofophers of Reputation were of 
 Opinion, that the Earth was concave, and 
 that probably it contain'd within it a leiTer 
 habitable World ; and that I, for my Part, 
 being convinc'd of it by Experience, could 
 not pofiibly give up my Senfes with refpe& 
 to this Article. 
 
 Convinc'd at length by thefe Arguments, 
 Your Conftancy, faid he, and your Punc- 
 tuality in affirming thefe Things, ihe Pre- 
 tence of which could not be the leaft Ad* 
 vantage to you, has at la ft entirely van- 
 quifh'd my Incredulity ; I muft and do be- 
 lieve you. My Friend thus perfuaded of 
 the Facls in Queftion, now begg'd me to 
 renew my Story to him, if poflible, in a 
 more full and copious Manner ; accordingly 
 I obey'd him. He was quite charm'd with 
 my Account of the Planet Nazar, and the 
 Potuan Government, the Laws and Insti- 
 tutions of which, he faid, were fuch as de*- 
 ferv'd to be a Model to all the Kingdoms 
 in the World. He alfo obferv'd in Juftice to 
 me, that a Defcription of fo wife and well- 
 regulated a Government, could not poflibly 
 proceed from a diforder'd Head, or a con- 
 fufed Imagination -, for that fuch Principles 
 
 were 
 
World "Under -Ground. 319 
 
 were rather of divine, than human Ori- 
 ginal. 
 
 When I found that his Conviction was 
 perfectly fincere, and well eftabliuYd, I then 
 thought it high Time to talk to him about 
 my own Affairs ; accordingly I defir'd to 
 know of him, what he thought I had bed: 
 do in my prefent Condition, or what I 
 might reafonably expect in my own Coun- 
 try, after the mighty Exploits I had at- 
 chiev'd in the fubterranean World. To 
 which he anfwer'd thus : " Let me per- 
 '" fuade you, fays he, never to difcover thefe 
 tc Things to any Mortal. You know the 
 ** Zeal of our Priefts. You know they 
 " perfecuted the Author of that famous 
 " Difcovery of the Earth's Motion round 
 u the Sun, and all who adher'd to that 
 " Philofophy. And what then do you think 
 . " will become of you for afTerting the Exift- 
 " ence of a fubterranean Sun and Planets ? 
 " You will be declar'd a Heretick, and as 
 " fuch unworthy to live in a Chriitian 
 *' Community. How will Maffer Rupert 
 " thunder againft you ? He, who but a 
 " Year ago fentenced a Man to do publick 
 u Penance, for afTerting the Doctrine of 
 ** the Antipodes. Certainly, fo holy a Per- 
 *' fon will condemn to the Flames, the Au- 
 c< thor of fo new a Syftem, as that of a 
 l( World under Ground. 1 give it you 
 rt therefore as my beft Advice, that you 
 ■* fufFer thefe Things to lie buried in tier- 
 
 « ml 
 
320 A Journey to the 
 
 " nal Oblivion, and that you live privately 
 M in my Houfe for a Time." 
 
 He then made me throw afide my 
 fubterranean Habit, and equipp'd me ac- 
 cording to the Fafhion of my own Coun- 
 try. Moreover, he drove away all thofe 
 Crowds of People from the Door, who came 
 out of Curiofity to fee the Wandering 'Jew, 
 alluring them, that he difappear'd all at 
 once. However, the Affair was nois'd all 
 over the Country, and, in a fhort Time, 
 all the Pulpits rung with Predictions and 
 Prophecies of the Evils and Misfortunes that 
 muft follow upon this Apparition. It was 
 faid at Sandwic, that the Wandering Jew 
 was come, publifhing every where the ap- 
 proaching Vengeance of Heaven, and ex- 
 horting the People to Repentance. And 
 this Story (as Stories always gain in telling) 
 was prefently enrich'd with various Addi- 
 tions and Interpolations. Accordingly fome 
 faid, that the Wandering Jew had foretold 
 the End of the World, and that the next 
 St. Johns Day would be the Day of the ge- 
 neral Conflagration, unlefs they would pre- 
 vent it by a very fincere Repentance , with 
 abundance of other Things in the fame 
 Style. Nay, thefe Predictions had occa- 
 fion'd fuch Troubles in a certain Parifh, 
 that the Farmers all gave off Plowing and 
 Sowing, becaufe as the World was foon 
 to be at an End, there would certainly be 
 no Harveft. Hereupon, Mafter Nicks- 
 las, the Minifler of the Parifh, fearing he 
 
 fhould 
 
World Under-Ground. 321 
 
 mould fall fhort in his Tvthes and other 
 Articles of his Income, told his Congrega- 
 tion, that to his certain Knowledge, the 
 Day of Judgment was put off* to the next 
 Year. The Stratagem took, and they all 
 returned to their wonted Labours. As the 
 Origin of all this Folly and Superftition was 
 known only to my Friend and me, it af- 
 forded us plentiful Matter of Mirth and 
 Laughter from Time to Time. 
 
 At length, as I did not care to continue 
 longer in a Houfe that was not my own, 
 and as I was under a Neceffity of coming 
 abroad one Time or other, in order to 
 procure myfelf a competent Livelihood, I 
 thought it was now high time to begin : 
 Accordingly, we both went to Bergen; and 
 my Friend made me pafs for a Student of 
 Drontheim, and a Relation of his, who came 
 to fpend fome Time in that Capital. Soon 
 after he recommended me fo earneftly to 
 the Bifhop of Bergen, fometimes by Letters, 
 and fometimes in Converfation, that that ve- 
 nerable Prelate promifed me the firft vacant 
 Mafterfhip of any School or C liege he had 
 in his Gift. This was an Office to my Pa- 
 late, inafmuch as it feem'd to be fomethfng 
 a-kin to the Elevation I was lately fallen 
 from. For the Government of a School is 
 the Shadow or Image of Imperial Power : 
 The Ferula is the Scepter, and the Chair a 
 Throne. But as no Vacancy happen'd in 
 a long Time, and as it was neceffary fome- 
 thing fhould be done for my prefent Subfif- 
 
 tence> 
 
322 A Journey to the 
 
 tence, I was refolv'd to embrace the firft 
 Offer that mould be made me. Luckily the 
 Curate of St.Crofs now died, and theBifhop 
 appointed me to fucceed him. This Pro- 
 motion feem'd ridiculous enough for the 
 Monarch of fo many Empires and King- 
 doms. But as nothing makes Men more 
 ridiculous than Poverty, and as it is too high 
 a Strain of Nicenefs, to refufe muddy Wa- 
 ter, when a Man is parch'd with Thirft, I 
 accepted the gracious Offer, and am now 
 fpending the Reiidue of mv Days in this 
 Office, with the Contentednefs of a Philofo- 
 pher. 
 
 A little after this Promotion, a Match 
 was propos'd to me with the Daughter of a 
 Merchant of Bergen, whofe Name was Mag- 
 dalen, The Lady pleas'd me highly : But 
 as it was very likely that the Emprefs of 
 ^uama was ftill alive, I was afraid left by 
 this Marriage with Magdalen, I mould be 
 guilty of Polygamy. But my Friend Abeline^ 
 to whom I unbofom'd myfelf on this Occa- 
 sion, ridicul'd my Fears, and by fo many 
 Arguments demonfrrated the Folly of my 
 Scruples, that I no longer hefitated to con- 
 clude the Match. I liv'd fix Years with this 
 Wife in the utmoft Love and Friendfhip ; 
 altho' in all that Time, I never once related 
 my fubterranean Hiftory to her. But as I could 
 never entirely lofe the Remembrance of that 
 Height of Glory from which I was fallen, 
 fome fudden Starts and Geftures would now 
 and then efcape me, which did not feem to 
 
 agree 
 
World Under-Ground. 323 
 
 agree with my prefent Condition. By this 
 fecond Venter I had three Sons, ChrijViern y 
 John, and Jafpcr; fo that in the whole I 
 have four, if fo be that the Prince of 
 Squama is ftill alive. 
 
 Thus far the Manufcript of Nicho- 
 las Klimius reaches. What fol- 
 lows is the appendix of Mafier 
 Abeline. 
 
 NICHOLAS KLIMIUS lived to 
 the Year 1695. He was belov'd and 
 titeem'd for the Sobriety of his Life, and 
 the Purity of his Manners. The Reclor 
 however was now and then difpleas'd at his 
 exceilive Gravity, which he thought pro- 
 ceeded from Pride. But I, who knew the 
 Man, and knew his Hiftory, rather won- 
 der' d at his exemplary Modefiy and Pa- 
 tience, who from the Government of fo 
 many Kingdoms, could humbly accomodate 
 himfelf to fuch an Employment. How- 
 ever, with other Men, to wh®m his amazing 
 Metamorphofis was unknown, he could not 
 altogether efcape the Charge of Pride. 
 It was his Cuftom, at certain Times of the 
 Year, while his Strength permitted him, to 
 afcend the old Mountain, and take an ear- 
 ned View of the famous Cavern. His 
 Friends obferv'd, that he always return'd 
 from thence with his Eyes fwoln, and his 
 
 2 Face 
 
324 A Journey, &V. 
 
 Face all bath'd in Tears; that he would af- 
 terwards (hut himfelf up whole Days in his 
 Study, and feem'd to fhun the Converfa.tion 
 of Mankind. His Wife alfo allured me, that 
 be would often talk in his Sleep, about Land 
 Armies and Forces at Sea. This Abfence of 
 Mind went fo far once, as to give Orders 
 for the Governor of Bergen to come imme- 
 diately before him. His Spoufe imagin'd 
 thcfe Dilordcrs of his Brain proceeded from 
 an exceflive Application to his Studies. 
 His Library confided chiefly of political 
 Books, and as fuch a Choice but ill agreed 
 with the Office of a Curate, he could not 
 avoid fome Cenfures upon that Head. 
 He himfelf wrote his own Adventures, and 
 his Manuicript, which is the only one in 
 Being, is at prefent in my Cuflody. Tho* 
 I always intended it for the Prefs, yet I 
 have hitherto been hinder'd from publilhing 
 it by very important Reafons. 
 
 FINIS.