_His Descent upon the Planet_ Nazar.
Having thus finish’d this airy Voyage, and being set down upon the
Planet without the least Hurt, I lay for a considerable Time without
Motion, waiting till Day-break for the Event. ’Twas then I found the
usual Infirmities of Nature return, and that I stood in great Need
of Sleep as well as Food, insomuch that I repented I had so rashly
discarded my Loaf of Bread.
My Mind thus oppress’d with various Anxieties, at length I fell into
a profound Sleep, and had slept (as near as I could guess) two Hours,
when a horrible Bellowing interrupting my Sleep, at length entirely
dispell’d it. A strange Variety of Notions had fill’d my Brain during
this Sleep. I thought I was returned into _Norway_, and holding forth
among the Students according to Custom; and at one Time I imagin’d I
heard the Voice of the Deacon _Nicolas Andreas_ chanting in the Church
of _Fanöen_, just out of the City, and that it was the Noise of his
Voice, which according to Custom had so cruelly wounded my Ears. And
agreeably to this, when I awoke, I really thought it was his horrid
Voice that had disturb’d me. But when I saw a Bull standing near me,
then, indeed, I concluded my Rest had been broke by his Bellowing.
Presently throwing my Eyes around me, the Sun now rising, I beheld
every where green, fertile Plains and Fields; some Trees also appeared,
but (what was most amazing) they moved; tho’ such was the Silence and
Stillness of the Air at that Time, that it would not have moved the
lightest Feather from its Place. Immediately the Bull came roaring at
me, and I in my Terror and Consternation seeing a Tree just by me,
attempted to climb it; but when I got up into it, it uttered a fine
small Voice, tho’ something shrill, and not unlike an angry Lady’s;
and presently I receiv’d, as it were from the swiftest Hand, such a
Blow as quite stunn’d me, and laid me prostrate on the Ground. I was
almost expiring with this Thunderbolt of a Stroke, when I heard certain
confus’d Murmurings round me, like those in great Markets, or upon full
Change. Having opened my Eyes, I beheld all about me a whole Grove of
Trees, all in Motion, all animated, and the Plain overspread with Trees
and Shrubs, tho’ just before there were not above six or seven. ’Tis
not to be express’d what Disorders this produced in my Understanding,
and how much my Mind was shock’d with these Delusions: Sometimes I
thought I must certainly dream; sometimes I thought I was haunted by
Spectres and evil Spirits, and twenty absurder Things did I imagine;
but I had no Time to examine these Machines, or to inquire into their
Causes; for presently another Tree advancing to me, let down one of its
Branches, which had at the Extremity of it six large Buds in the Manner
of Fingers. With these 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, so that I could not
possibly retain any Thing of them, except these two Words, _Pikel Emi_,
which I heard them very often repeat. By these Words (as I afterward
understood) was meant, _A Monkey of an odd Shape_; because from the
Make of my Body, and Manner of Dress, 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 Firmament, and that some great Bird
had transported me hither; a Thing that had once before happened, as
the History or Annals of that Globe can testify. But all these Things
I understood not till after the Space of some Months, in which Time I
became acquainted with the subterranean Language. For in my present
Circumstances, what thro’ Fear, and what through the Disorder of my
Intellects, I was quite regardless of myself, nor could conceive how
there could be any such Thing as living and speaking Trees, nor to
what Purpose was this Procession, which was very slow and solemn. But
yet the Voices and Murmurs with which all the Plains echoed seemed to
indicate Anger and Indignation; and in good Truth it was not without
ample Reason that they had conceived this Resentment against me; for
that very Tree, which I climb’d up in my Flight from the Bull, was
the Wife of the Prætor, or principal Magistrate of the next City; and
so the Quality of the Person injur’d aggravated the Crime; for it
look’d as if I had a Mind to violate not a Female of mean and plebeian
Birth, but a Matron of prime Rank, which was a most detested Spectacle
to a People of so venerable a Modesty as these were. At length we
arrived at the City to which I was led Captive. This City was equally
remarkable for its stately Edifices, and for the elegant Order and
Proportion of the Streets and Highways; so lofty were the Houses, that
they resembled so many Towers; the Streets too were full of walking
Trees, which by letting down their Branches saluted 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
most eminent Houses, the rest of the Trees drew back at his Approach,
and let down every one of their Branches; from whence it was easy to
infer, that that Oak was far above the vulgar Sort; and, indeed, I soon
understood that it was the Prætor himself, and the very Person whose
Wife I was said to have so highly affronted. Forthwith they hurried
me to the Prætor’s House; upon my Entrance into which, the Doors were
immediately lock’d and bolted upon me, so that I look’d upon myself as
one condemn’d to a Gaol. What greatly contributed to this Fear was,
that there were three Guards plac’d without, like Centinels, each of
them arm’d with six Axes, according to the Number of their Branches;
for as many Branches as they had, so many Arms they had; and as many
Buds at the Extremities, so many Fingers. I observed, that on the Top
of the Trunks or Bodies of the Trees their Heads were plac’d, not at
all unlike human Heads; and instead of Roots, I saw two Feet, and those
very short, by Reason of which the Pace they us’d was almost as slow
as that of a Tortoise; so that had I been at Liberty, it had been very
easy for me to have escap’d their Hands, since my Motion was perfect
Flying compar’d to theirs.
To be short, I now plainly perceived, that the Inhabitants of this
Globe were Trees, and that they were endued with Reason; and I was lost
in Wonder at that Variety in which Nature wantons in the Formation of
her Creatures. These Trees do by no Means equal ours in Height, scarce
any of them exceeding the common and ordinary Stature of a Man; some
indeed were less; these one would call Flowers or Shrubs; and such I
conjectur’d were Youths and Infants.
Words cannot express into what a Labyrinth of Thought these strange
Appearances threw me, how many Sighs they extorted from me, and how
passionately I longed after the dear Place of my Nativity. For altho’
these Trees seemed to me to be sociable Creatures, to enjoy the Benefit
of Language, and to be endued with a certain Degree or Portion of
Reason, insomuch that they had a Right to be inserted in the Class of
rational Animals, yet I much doubted whether they could be compar’d to
Men; I could not bring myself to think, that Justice, Mercy, and the
other moral Virtues had any Residence among them. Rack’d with these
Thoughts, my Bowels yearned, and Rivers of Tears flowed down my Cheeks.
But while I was thus indulging my Grief, and pouring out my silent
Complaints in such unmanly Sorrows, the Guards entered my Chamber,
whom I looked upon as so many _Roman_ Lictors, considering the Axes
they bore. These marching before me, I was led thro’ the City to a
very lofty Dome in the Center of the _Forum_, or great Market-Place.
I seemed to myself to be greater than a _Roman_ Consul, and to have
obtained the Honour of a Dictator; for there were but twelve Axes
attended the Consuls, whereas I was attended by eighteen. On the
folding Doors of the Dome, to which I was led, a Figure of Justice
was carved, holding a Pair of Scales with her Branches or Arms: This
Image had a Virgin-Air, an earnest 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-House.
Being introduced into Court, the Floor of which shone with Marble of
tessellated or _Mosaic_ Workmanship; I there beheld a Tree seated on
a Golden Tribunal, with twelve Associates sitting on either Hand on
so many Benches in the most exact and elegant Order. The President
on the Tribunal was a Palm-Tree, of a middling Stature, but easily
distinguish’d from the rest of the Assistants, by the great Variety
of her Leaves, which were of various Dyes: The inferior Officers, to
the Number of twenty-four, guarded each Side, all armed with six Axes
apiece. A most tremendous Prospect! since from so much 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;
which Ceremony being ended, they sat down again; and being all seated,
I was brought to the Bar between two Trees, whose Trunks or Bodies
were covered with Sheep-Skins. I suspected they were Lawyers, and such
in good Truth they were. Before they began to plead, the President
wrapt his Head in a Garment of a dark Colour. One of these Advocates
made a very short Speech, which he thrice repeated; to which the other
Advocate replied with equal Brevity: These Pleadings were followed by
a Silence of Half an Hour: Then the President, removing the Covering
from her Head, rose up, and again extending her Branches toward the
Sky, pronounc’d certain Words, which I supposed contained my Sentence;
for at the End of the Speech I was dismiss’d back to my old Prison, and
confin’d there, as I guess’d, to be in Readiness to be brought forth to
Punishment.
Being left alone, and revolving in my Memory every Thing that had
happened, I could not forbear smiling at the Stupidity of this People;
for they seemed rather to be acting a Play than exercising Justice,
and every Thing I had seen, their Gesture, their Dress, and Method of
Proceeding seem’d to favour more of the Buffoonery of the Stage, than
the awful Tribunal of Justice. Then I congratulated the Happiness of
our World, and the Superiority of the _Europeans_ to all others. But
tho’ I arraigned the Folly and Dulness of this subterraneous Nation,
yet I was forced to own that they ought to be distinguished from the
Brute Creation; for the Elegance of the City, the Symmetry of the
Buildings, with several other Particulars, loudly proclaimed that these
Trees were not devoid of Reason, nor altogether ignorant of the Arts,
especially Mechanicks; but then it was in this alone that I thought all
their Virtues, all their whole Perfection consisted.
While I was holding this silent Conference with myself, a Tree enters
holding a Lancet in his Hand; who unbuttoning my Bosom, and making
bare my Arm, opened the middle Vein quite like an Artist. When he
had drawn as much Blood as he thought sufficient, he bound up my Arm
with equal Dexterity. This being performed, he inspected the Blood
with the deepest Attention; and being perfectly satisfied, he walked
away in a Kind of silent Admiration: All this confirmed me in the
Opinion I had entertained of the Stupidity of this Nation. But as
soon as I had thoroughly learnt the subterranean Language, and all
these Things had been explained to me, my Disdain was turned into
Admiration. The Proceedings at Law, which I had so rashly condemned,
were thus explained. From the Make of my Body, they inferred I was
an Inhabitant of the Firmament. I appeared to have attempted the
Chastity of an honourable Matron, and one of prime Quality. For this
Crime I was dragged to the Bar of Justice. One of the Advocates or
Lawyers aggravated the Crime, demanding the Punishment due by Law;
the other requested not that the Punishment should be remitted, but
only that it should be deferr’d, till it could be discover’d what, and
who I was, and of what Country; whether a brute Animal, or a rational
one. Moreover I learnt, that the Action of the Judges extending their
Branches towards Heaven, was the ordinary Ceremony of Religion before
they proceeded to Trial. The Lawyers were all covered with Sheep-Skins,
as Emblems of Innocence and Impartiality in the Management of their
Causes; and indeed all the Lawyers here were Men of Probity; which
shews that in a well-constituted Government it is not impossible, but
that there may be honest Lawyers. So severe were the Laws against
knavish Advocates, that Fraud and foul Play could not escape Detection,
Perfidiousness could find no Shelter, Slander no Mercy, Impudence no
Countenance, and Deceit no Impunity. The three-fold Repetition of Words
was made use of to assist the Slowness of their Perception, in which
the Natives of this Globe were distinguished from all others; for very
few could comprehend what they had only cursorily read, or understand
what they had only once heard. Those whose forward Capacities took a
Thing presently, were deem’d defective in Judgment, and therefore it
was seldom that such were admitted to any weighty Posts or Offices; for
they had learnt by Experience, that the Government had been endanger’d
when in the Hands of those who were quick of Apprehension, and who were
commonly styl’d great Geniuses; but that those of slower Capacities
had restored to Order what the others had thrown into Confusion. These
Things were Paradoxes to me, yet upon a more serious Recollection, they
seemed not altogether absurd. But the History of the President fill’d
me with the greatest Astonishment. She was a Virgin, and a Native of
that City, and by the then reigning Sovereign was appointed _Kaki_,
or supreme Judge in the City: For among these People there was no
Difference of Sexes observed in the Distribution of publick Posts; but
an Election being made, the Affairs of the Republick were committed
to the wisest and most worthy. And in order to form a right Judgment
of the Proficience, or of the intellectual Endowments of every one,
there were proper Seminaries instituted, the chief Directors of which
were styl’d _Karatti_ (a Word that strictly signifies Inquisitors.)
It was their Office to inspect into every one’s Abilities, to inquire
nicely into the Genius of the Youth, and after such Inquiry to transmit
annually to their Prince an Account or List of such as were to be
admitted to all Duties and Posts of Government, and to point out at
the same Time, in what Particular every one of them was most likely
to be of Service to the State. The Prince upon the Receipt of such
Catalogue ordered their Names to be inscrib’d in a Book, that he might
never be at a Loss what Sort of Persons to prefer to the vacant Posts.
The aforesaid Virgin four Years before had obtained a most honourable
Testimonial from the _Karatti_, and upon that Account was by the
Sovereign appointed President of the City in which she was born. This
Rule they observe constantly and inviolably, because they believe that
the Welfare of any Place will be best consulted and pursued by those
who are Natives of it. _Palmka_ (that was the Name of the Virgin) for
the Space of three Years govern’d this truly _Spartan_ Commonwealth
with the highest Applause, and was esteem’d the wisest Tree in all the
City; for so great was her Dulness of Apprehension, that she hardly
ever conceiv’d a Thing without its being thrice or four times repeated.
But what she once apprehended she thoroughly understood, and with such
Acumen solv’d every Difficulty in it, that her Decrees were deem’d so
many Oracles.
_Novit enim justum gemina suspendere lance
Ancipitis libræ, rectum discrevit, ubi inter
Curva subit, vel cum fallit pede regula raro._
And hence there were no judicial Decrees of hers during her
Administration of Justice, which were not confirmed and applauded
by the High Court of Justice at _Potu_, the Capital of the Empire:
Therefore the Institution in Favour of the weaker Sex, which at first
View I had condemn’d, had nothing absurd in it upon a more accurate
Review. Bless me! thought I, what if the Wife of our Mayor of _Bergen_
were to sit in Judgment instead of her Husband? What if the Daughter
of Counsellor _Severini_, that all-accomplish’d young Lady, were
to plead at the Bar instead of her stupid Father? Our Laws would
never receive the least Dishonour from them, nor would Justice be so
often violated. Moreover, I was of Opinion, since in the _European_
Courts of Law, Causes were so soon determin’d, that such sudden
and hasty Determinations, were they to undergo a strict Scrutiny,
would by no Means pass without Censure. To proceed to explain some
other Things. The Reason of the _Venæ-section_ or Letting Blood, I
understood to be this: When any one was convicted of a Crime, instead
of whipping, maiming, or capital Punishments, he was condemned to the
_Venæ-section_, that is, to have a Vein open’d, by which it should
appear, whether his Crime proceeded from Malice, or from the vitiated
Blood, and whether by such an Operation he could be cur’d. So that
these Courts of Justice regarded the Amendment, rather than the
Punishment of the Offender. Yet the very Method of Amendment had a Sort
of Punishment in it, because it was a Mark of Ignominy to undergo this
Operation by judicial Sentence. If any one fell a second Time into the
same Crime, he was deem’d an unworthy Member of the State, and as such
was to be _banish’d to the Firmament_, where all were receiv’d without
Distinction. But of this sort of Exile we shall enlarge hereafter.
Then as to the Reason why upon the Opening of my Vein the Chirurgeon
was so astonish’d at the Sight of my Blood, it was this, namely, that
the Natives of this Globe had a white fluid Juice in their Veins. And
the whiter this was, so much the greater Mark it bore of Innocence and
Probity.
All these Things, when I had perfectly learn’d the subterranean
Tongue, I thoroughly understood, and thenceforward began to form a
milder Judgment of a People I had too hastily censur’d. And tho’ at
first I was of Opinion that these Trees were excessively stupid and
brutish, yet I soon found Reason to think that they were not altogether
destitute 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 saw my Food
duly brought me. This Food consisted of Fruits, Herbs, and Pulse, and
my Drink was a Liquor the most delicious and grateful I ever tasted.
The Magistrate, in whose Custody I was, soon sent Advice to the
Sovereign of the Empire, who resided at _Potu_, (not far from this
City) that a certain rational Animal, of a very unusual Make, had
fallen into his Hands. The Sovereign, excited by the Novelty of the
Thing, gave Orders that I should be instructed in their Language,
and then sent to Court. Hereupon I had a Language Master appointed
me, under whose Care in the Space of six Months I made so great a
Proficiency, that I was enabled to converse pretty readily with the
Natives. After having pass’d thro’ this first Exercise, a new Order
arriv’d from Court, concerning my farther Instruction, by which I was
commanded to be enter’d into the Seminary, that the natural Powers of
my Understanding might be enquir’d into by the _Karatti_, and in what
Kind of Learning I gave the most hopeful Promises of Success. All this
was done with great Exactness. While I was performing my Exercises
here, they were as careful of my Body as they were of my Mind, and
particularly, they us’d their utmost Art to bring me into their own
Shape, and accordingly they skilfully fitted artificial Branches to my
Body.
During this, the Magistrate, at whose House I lodg’d, every Evening as
I return’d from the Seminary, enter’d into various Conferences with
me. He heard me with the utmost Pleasure descanting on those Things
that had occur’d to me in this subterranean Tour. But he was above
Measure amaz’d at the Description I gave him of our Earth, and of that
immense Heaven that surrounded it, studded with infinite Stars. All
this he heard with the utmost Avidity. But it kindled his Blushes, when
I told him of the Trees of our Globe, which were lifeless, immoveable,
and fastened by the Roots to the Ground; nay, he beheld me with some
Resentment, when I attested that our Trees were cut down for Fuel to
heat our Furnaces and dress our Provisions. But considering the Thing
more gravely, his Indignation subsided, and extending his five Branches
to the Skies (for so many he had) he ador’d the Wisdom of the great
Creator, whose Ways are past finding out; and henceforward he heard me
with still greater Attention. His Wife, who had hitherto avoided me,
when she learnt the true Reason for which I was brought to Judgment,
and that I was deceiv’d in the Appearance of a Tree, which in our
Country ’twas a customary Thing to climb, now laid aside all Suspicion,
and was entirely reconciled. But yet, that I might not at the Beginning
of our Reconciliation open an old Wound, I declin’d all Conversation
with her, unless in the Presence, and at the express Command of her
Husband.