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NIELS KLIM'S NARRATIVE.
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[Illustration]
NIELS KLIM'S
JOURNEY UNDER THE GROUND;
BEING A
NARRATIVE OF HIS WONDERFUL DESCENT TO THE SUBTERRANEAN
LANDS; TOGETHER WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE
SENSIBLE ANIMALS AND TREES INHABITING THE
PLANET NAZAR AND THE FIRMAMENT.
BY LOUIS HOLBERG.
TRANSLATED FROM THE DANISH BY
JOHN GIERLOW.
WITH A SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR'S LIFE.
BOSTON:
PUBLISHED BY SAXTON, PEIRCE & CO.
NEW YORK:
SAXTON & MILES.
1845.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1844, BY SAXTON,
PEIRCE AND CO. in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the
District of Massachusetts.
BUTTS, PRINTER,
SCHOOL STREET.
[Illustration]
LIST OF PLATES.
NIELS KLIM'S DESCENT TO THE PLANET NAZAR, 1
A CRIMINAL LED BY THREE WATCHMEN, 23
PRESENTATION OF NIELS KLIM AT THE COURT OF POTU, 29
A CITIZEN OF POTU LED IN TRIUMPH, 41
THE JUDGMENT OF A KING'S CHARACTER, PRONOUNCED BY
A POTUAN COUNCIL, 48
A NEW FASHION INTRODUCED INTO MARTINIA, 99
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[Illustration]
INTRODUCTION.
Lewis Holberg, the author of the _Narrative of Niels Klim_, was the most
eminent writer among the Danes in the eighteenth century. His works show
a surprising versatility of genius, comprising Histories and Treatises
on Jurisprudence, together with Satires and Comedies. He was by birth a
Norwegian, but was educated at the University at Copenhagen in Denmark.
Soon after receiving a theological degree from that Institution, he
visited Holland and England, and resided about two years at Oxford.
Shortly after his return he published an "Introduction to European
History," and an "Appendix to the Universal History," in which he gives
an account of contemporaneous affairs in the principal governments of
the world. His historical labors were interrupted by a royal appointment
to a professorship in the University. This office he enjoyed for five
years, and then went abroad. In his Autobiography he has given an
interesting account of his travels, both at this time and subsequently,
and has described men and manners in a way highly entertaining, and
generally just. He visited most of the cities of Southern Europe,
abiding some time in each. He was well received by men of letters, and
made many valuable acquaintance, wherever he went. After remaining one
whole winter at Rome, and accomplishing the object of his mission, he
returned to Copenhagen. His income was now small, and for two years he
was oppressed with great pecuniary difficulties. It was during this
period that he published in the Danish language, his "Introduction to
the Law of Nature and of Nations." In this treatise, Holberg aimed
rather to apply the principles of Natural Law to the Laws and
Constitutions of Norway and Denmark, than elaborately to discuss the
principles themselves. The work was coldly received at its first
appearance, but, after ten or twelve years began to excite public
attention, and passed through several editions.
At length, the professorship of metaphysics becoming vacant, he received
the appointment. The emoluments of this office, though small, supplied
his necessities, and, not long after, on obtaining a more lucrative
station in the University, he was relieved from his embarrassments.
Hitherto, he had devoted himself almost exclusively to Jurisprudence,
History and Languages, and had never tried his hand at poetical
composition. Indeed, he had ever felt a strange aversion to the study of
poetry, and, although he had read the Latin Poets, and composed Latin
Poems, it was more for the sake of proficiency in the language, than for
pleasure, or, in his own words, "as a sick man swallows bitter draughts,
not because they are grateful to the palate, but, because they are
recommended by the physicians."
He now, however, seemed inspired by a new ambition, and set himself to
imitate one of Juvenal's Satires. Encouraged by his unexpected
facility, he projected and composed an original poem. Its success, when
published, surpassed that of any work previously written in the Danish
language. Judicious critics heartily commended it, and some even looked
upon it as introducing a new era in the national literature. It was also
published in Sweden and Germany, and raised the author's reputation
abroad. He next published five more Satires, prefixing to each a short
preface, unfolding the writer's design. His poetical productions were a
source of more honor than gain, and, becoming weary of almost profitless
pursuits, he abandoned poetry, and devoted himself to his former
studies.
Nevertheless, the solicitations of friends prevailed upon him to turn
his attention to Dramatic composition. Here he was equally successful.
His comedies were received with great applause, and still hold
possession of the stage. Like his Satires, they were intended to expose
fashionable vice and folly. They are twenty-five in number. The names of
several will give some notion of their general character--_The Babbling
Barber_; _Always Busy and Doing Nothing_; _The Treacherous
Step-father_; _The Political Tinman_.
His health being impaired by unintermitted literary labor, he determined
to seek relief from the baths of Aix-la-Chapelle. He did not derive from
them the benefit he anticipated, but, after spending the winter in
Paris, returned home with renewed health and spirits. His next
publication, was a Satirical Poem, entitled "Metamorphosis," in which
brutes and trees are transformed into men. This was the last of his
poetical efforts.
For several years he had been engaged in preparing "_A General
Ecclesiastical History from the origin of Christianity to the
Reformation of Luther_," which he now published. This production, the
author affirms, was written with perfect impartiality. He sometimes
censured the Fathers, praised heretics, when they deserved it, and
occasionally even commended the Popes. It was extremely popular, though
all were not pleased with its liberal spirit. _A Comparative Biography
of Asiatic and Indian Heroes_, after Plutarch's style; _A short
Historical Account of his Native Town_; _The Narrative of Niels Klim_;
_His Autobiography_; and a _History of the Jewish Nation_, digested from
the works of Josephus, Prideaux, and Basnage, close the list of his
works.
"_The Journey to the World under ground_," or "_Narrative of Niels
Klim_," had been written for a long time, but he had refrained from
printing it from an unwillingness to provoke enmity. But the importunity
of friends, and the generous offer of a bookseller finally prevailed,
and he put it into the printer's hands. The following account of this
performance is abridged from his autobiography.
There are many persons of both sexes in my country, who believe in
fairies and supernatural beings, and who are ready to swear, that they
have been conveyed by spirits to hills and mountain caves. This
superstition is ridiculed in Klim, the hero of the tale. He is supposed
to be transported to the world under ground, where he meets with some
surprising adventures. Many strange creatures inhabit this new world;
trees, for instance, are introduced, endowed with speech, and musical
instruments discuss questions of philosophy and finance. Amongst the
characters, those geniuses, who perceive everything at a glance, but
penetrate nothing, are conspicuous. People of quick perception, whom we
use to admire, are despised by the Potuans, who look upon them as idle
loungers, that, though always moving, make no progress. Prudent men, on
the contrary, who measure their own strength, and advance cautiously,
are greatly esteemed by that nation, though with us they pass for fools
or cowards. The Potuans and Martinians are examples of both these
extremes. By the former Klim was considered a blockhead, on account of
the quickness of his perceptions; by the latter he was equally despised
for the slowness of his apprehension. To Klim, who measures virtues and
vices by the ordinary standard, everything is a paradox; but what he at
first condemns, he admires and extols after deliberation; so that the
object of the whole work is to correct popular errors, and to
distinguish the semblance of virtue and vice from the reality. Its
subordinate design is to expose the monstrous fictions, which some
authors obtrude upon us in their descriptions of remote countries.
"_The Narrative of Niels Klim_," though written so many years ago,
contains many satirical hits, exceedingly applicable to the present
time; thus showing that what appears to one age to be a whim altogether
new, may be, in fact, only some old notion newly promulgated. Greater
liberties were allowed at that period in literature than would now be
permitted. Holberg's humorous productions are not wholly free from a
fault, whose existence the taste of any age may explain, but does not
excuse.
After living in competency for many years in Copenhagen, he was, in
1747, created a baron by the king of Denmark. He died in 1754.
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APOLOGETIC PREFACE.
PETER KLIM AND ANDREAS KLIM, THE SONS OF THOMAS KLIM, AND GRANDSONS OF
KLIM THE GREAT, TO THE KIND READER.
Since it has come to our ears that some persons have doubted the truth
of this story, and that, consequently, the publisher of the subterranean
voyage has gotten, here and there, a bad reputation, we have, to prevent
all false accusations, held it advisable to prefix to this new edition
certificates from men whose honesty and sincerity are raised above all
distrust, and whose evidence will secure the publisher against all
opposition. The first two of these witnesses we know to have been
contemporary with our hero; the rest flourished at a period immediately
subsequent; and all are generally known as people venerable in virtue
and honesty, whose cool and sound judgments effectually preclude the
blandishments of cajolery, while their noble candor and undeviating
uprightness forbid the sanction of their names to whatever is, in its
nature, deceitful or fictitious. With the testimony of such respectable
persons, we shall bind the tongues of all false, prejudiced and sneering
critics, and, before these signatures, oblige them to acknowledge their
folly and take back their heedless accusations. The certificate sent to
my brother and myself reads thus:
"At the desire of the estimable and much respected young
men, PETER KLIM and ANDREAS KLIM, we, the undersigned, do
certify, that among the books and papers left by the
celebrated NIELS KLIM, we have seen a manuscript, with the
title, 'Subterranean Voyage.' To the same 'Voyage' were
added a subterranean Grammar and Dictionary, in two
languages, namely, Danish and Quamitic. By comparing the
celebrated Abelin's Latin translation with this old
manuscript, we find that the former does not, in the least
point, deviate from the hand-text. To its further
confirmation we have hereby placed our seals.
ADRIAN PETERSON, MPP.
JENS THORLAKSEN, MPP.
SVEND KLAK, MPP.
JOKUM BRANDER, MPP.
JENS GAD, (for self and brother,) MPP.
HIERONYMOUS GIBS, (Scotch,) MPP."
We hope by such distinguished and authentic testimony to remove all
doubt; but should there be found any stubborn enough to persist in their
suspicions, in spite of these certificates, we will anticipate their
objections, and endeavor to subdue their incredulity with other weapons.
It is a known fact, that in a section of Norway, called _Finnmark_,
exist people who have advanced so far in the study and practice of
natural witchcraft, (a science into which other nations have scarcely
looked,) that they can excite and subdue storms; transform themselves to
wolves; speak several, and in our world entirely unknown, languages; and
travel from the north to the south pole in less time than one hour. One
of these Finns, by name Peyvis, came lately to Bergen, and exhibited so
many strange proofs of his art and science, that all present deemed him
worthy of a doctor's hat: at the same time a fierce critic came out with
a review of the "Subterranean Travels," which he assumptively tagged to
the long list of "old women's stories;" the honor of the Klims being
thus impugned, and his own by implication, Peyvis, through our
influence, obtained permission to collect materials and prepare himself
for a voyage under ground. He commenced by publishing a card, wherein he
exalted his abilities in the following expressions:
What will you? say!
From northern ice to southern land:
From eastern isles to western sand,
Spirits of earth, spirits of air;
Spirits foul and spirits fair,
My power obey!
I break the rainbow's arched line;
That herald of approaching calm.
Thunder I send by cold moonshine,--
Mine is the bane and mine the balm.
My beck upwhirls the hurricane:
The sun and moon and stars in vain
Their wonted course would keep;
Honey from out the rock doth weep
When I command.
My potent wand,
Stretched on the mighty northern wave,
Or seas that farther India lave,
Subdues their mountain billows hoarse,
To inland brooklets' murmuring course.
What is on earth, what is in sea,
In air and fire, from Peyvis free?
Everybody shuddered from fear at hearing these incredible assumptions.
The Finn immediately prepared himself for the voyage, undressed, and,
strange sight! suddenly transformed to an eagle, raised himself into the
air and soon vanished. After a full month's absence, our wonderful
doctor, early on a morning, re-appeared, entirely exhausted, his
forehead streaming with sweat. When sufficiently recovered from his
fatigue, he commenced a description of his adventures on his air passage
and in the subterranean lands. He told us that on his arrival below, war
was raging between the established government and the opposition, in
which the party of Klim got the ascendancy, and reinstated the son of
our Niels on the throne; our kinsman had for a long time borne the
sceptre, under the administration of his mother; but now, old and
glorified for many great feats, reigned alone over the whole
subterranean world, with the name of Niels the Second.
Now, take shame to yourselves, ye incredulous mortals! and learn
hereafter, in important matters, to proceed with more caution. Be
ashamed, ye scoffers! and ask pardon for your unfounded accusations,
your atrocious sneers. Stand abashed, finally, ye hyper-critics! and
know that the learned world shall no longer suffer from your audacious
and unreasonable judgments; then silence your stunted progeny at their
birth, or if you will, yourselves!
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CHAPTER I.
THE AUTHOR'S DESCENT TO THE ABYSS.
In the year 1664, after graduating at the Academy of Copenhagen, in
Theology and Philosophy, I prepared to return to my father-land, and
took passage in a ship bound for the city of Bergen, in Norway. I had
been furnished with brilliant testimonials from both faculties, and
wanted only money;--a fate common to Norwegian students, who generally
return home with empty purses from the Temple of the Muses.
We had a good wind, and in three days arrived at my native town,
Bergen.
I occupied myself now, in expanding my knowledge of natural philosophy,
and for practice, geologically examined the neighboring mountains. On
the top of the most interesting of these mountains, (interesting I mean
to a student,) was a remarkable cave, which the inhabitants of the town
called _Florien_. From its mouth, a mild and not unpleasant air issues
at certain periods, as though the cave inhaled the breeze and gently
sighed it forth again.
The learned in Bergen, especially the celebrated Abelin and Edward, had
longed to examine it; but these latter, from their great age, being
unable to perform so arduous a feat, used every occasion to induce the
young and adventurous to attempt the exploration. Instigated, (and it
was a foolish, and I might say, a wicked resolution,) instigated, I say,
not less by the encouragement of these great men than by my own
inclination, I determined to descend into the cave. The longer I thought
of the matter, the firmer I became. I prepared every thing needful for
the expedition, and on a Thursday, at the morning twilight, departed
from the city. I started thus early, because I desired to finish my
labors before dark, and make a report the same evening.
How little did I then dream that like another Phaeton, I should be
driven headlong through the air and precipitated to another globe, there
to ramble for the space of ten years, before I should see my friends and
native land again. The expedition took place in the year 1665.
Accompanied by four men to carry the necessary implements, and assist in
letting me down, I ascended the mountain. Arrived at the top, near the
fatal cave, we sat down to breakfast. Now, for the first time, my heart
began to faint, as though it foreboded my coming misfortune; but, in a
moment, my half extinguished courage blazed again. I fixed a rope around
my body, stood on the edge of the cave, and commended my soul to God.
Ordering the men to veer the rope steadily, and to hold when I cried
out, I took a boat-hook in my right hand, and glided into the abyss.
Aided by the pole, I was enabled to keep clear of the jutting points of
rock that would have impeded my progress, as well as have wounded me. I
was somewhat anxious about the rope, for it rubbed hard against the
rocks at the top; and, in fact, I had scarcely descended twenty to
thirty feet, when it gave way, and I tumbled with strange quickness down
the abyss, armed like Pluto, with a boat-hook, however, in place of a
sceptre.
Enveloped by thick darkness, I had been falling about a quarter of an
hour, when I observed a faint light, and soon after a clear and
bright-shining heaven. I thought, in my agitation, that some counter
current of air had blown me back to earth. The sun, moon and stars,
appeared so much smaller here than to people on the surface, that I was
at a loss with regard to my where-a-bout.
I concluded that I must have died, and that my spirit was now about to
be carried to the blessed dwellings. I immediately conceived the folly
of this conclusion, however, when I found myself armed with a boat-hook,
and dragging behind me a long strip of rope; well knowing that neither
of these were needful to land me in Paradise, and that the celestial
citizens would scarcely approve of these accessories, with which I
appeared, in the manner of the giants of old, likely to attack heaven
and eject the gods therefrom.
Finally, a new light glimmered in my brain. I must have got into the
subterranean firmament. This conclusion decided the opinion of those,
who insist that the earth is hollow, and that within its shell there is
another, lesser world, with corresponding suns, planets, stars, &c., to
be well-grounded. The result proved that I guessed right.
The rapidity of my descent, continually augmented for a long time, now
began to decrease gradually. I was approaching a planet which I had from
the first seen directly before me. By degrees it grew larger and larger,
when, penetrating the thick atmosphere which surrounded it, I plainly
saw seas, mountains and dales on its surface.
As the bold bird, between the billow's top
And mountain's summit, sweeps around
The muscle-clothed rock, and with light wing
Sports on the foam, my body hovered.
I found now that I did not hang in the atmosphere, buoyed up by the
strong current of which I have spoken, but that the perpendicular line
of my descent was changed to a circle. I will not deny that my hair rose
up on my head in fear. I knew not but that I might be metamorphosed to
a planet or to a satellite; to be turned around in an eternal whirl. Yet
my courage returned, as I became somewhat accustomed to the motion. The
wind was gentle and refreshing. I was but little hungry or thirsty; but
recollecting there was a small cake in my pocket, I took it out and
tasted it. The first mouthful, however, was disagreeable, and I threw it
from me. The cake not only remained in the air, but to my great
astonishment, began to circle about me. I obtained at this time a
knowledge of the true law of motion, which is, that all bodies, when
well balanced, must move in a circle.
I remained in the orbit in which I was at first thrown three days. As I
continually moved about the planet nearest to me, I could easily
distinguish between night and day; for I could see the subterranean sun
ascend and descend--the night, however, did not bring with it darkness
as it does with us. I observed, that on the descent of the sun, the
whole heavens became illuminated with a peculiar and very bright light.
This, I ascribed to the reflection of the sun from the internal arch of
the earth.
But just as I began to fancy myself in the near presence of the immortal
gods, about to become myself a new heavenly light and wondered at as a
brilliant star--behold! a horrible, winged monster appeared, who seemed
to threaten me with instant destruction. When I saw this object in the
distance I supposed it to be one of the celestial signs, but when it
came near I perceived it to be an enormous eagle, which followed in my
wake as if about to pounce upon me. I observed that this creature
noticed me particularly, but could not determine whether as a friend or
enemy.
Had I reflected, I should not have wondered that a human being, swinging
round in the air, with a boat-hook in his hand, and a long rope dragging
behind him, like a tail, should attract the attention of even a brute
creature.
My uncommon figure gave, as I afterwards understood, occasion for
strange reports to the inhabitants on my side of the planet.
The astronomers regarded me as a comet, with a very long tail. The
superstitious thought my appearance to be significant of some coming
misfortune. Some draughtsmen took my figure, as far as they could
descry it, so that when I landed I found paintings of myself, and
engravings taken from them, and hawked about.
But to return; the eagle flew towards me and attacked me with his wings
very furiously. I defended myself as well as I could with my boat-hook,
and even vigorously, considering my unstable situation. At last, when he
attempted to grapple with me, I thrust the hook in between his wings so
firmly that I could not extricate it.
The wounded monster fell, with a terrible cry, to the globe beneath; and
holding the hook, I, well tired of my pendant attitude, was dragged to
the planet.
At first my descent was violent, but the increasing thickness of the
atmosphere as I approached the planet, made me sink with an easy and
soft fall to the earth. Immediately on touching it the eagle died of its
wounds.
It was now night; or rather the sun was down, for it was not dark. I
could see clearly to read the papers I had in my pocket.
The light, as I have already said, comes from the firmament or internal
shell of our earth, half of it being brightened at one time like our
moon. The only difference between night and day is that the absence of
the sun makes the weather a little colder.
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