Duchess's Soul was much delighted withall, she resolved to take her
leave; but the Emperor desired her to stay yet some short time more, for
they both loved her company so well, that they were unwilling to have
her depart so soon: several Conferences and Discourses pass'd between
them; amongst the rest, the Emperor desir'd her advice how to set up a
Theatre for Plays. The Duchess confessed her Ignorance in this Art,
telling his Majesty that she knew nothing of erecting Theatres or
Scenes, but what she had by an Immaterial Observation, when she was with
the Empress's Soul in the chief City of E. Entring into one of their
Theatres, whereof the Empress could give as much account to his Majesty,
as her self. But both the Emperor and the Empress told the Duchess, That
she could give directions how to make Plays. The Duchess answered, That
she had as little skill to form a Play after the Mode, as she had to
paint or make a Scene for shew. But you have made Plays, replied the
Empress: Yes, answered the Duchess, I intended them for Plays; but the
Wits of these present times condemned them as uncapable of being
represented or acted, because they were not made up according to the
Rules of Art; though I dare say, That the Descriptions are as good as
any they have writ. The Emperor asked, Whether the Property of Plays
were not to describe the several Humours, Actions and Fortunes of
Mankind? 'Tis so, answered the Duchess. Why then, replied the Emperor,
the natural Humours, Actions and Fortunes of Mankind, are not done by
the Rules of Art: But, said the Duchess, it is the Art and Method of our
Wits to despise all Descriptions of Wit, Humour, Actions and Fortunes
that are without such Artificial Rules. The Emperor asked, Are those
good Plays that are made so Methodically and Artificially? The Duchess
answer'd, They were Good according to the Judgment of the Age, or Mode
of the Nation, but not according to her Judgment: for truly, said she,
in my Opinion, their Plays will prove a Nursery of whining Lovers, and
not an Academy or School for Wise, Witty, Noble and well-behaved men.
But I, replied the Emperor, desire such a Theatre as may make wise Men;
and will have such Descriptions as are Natural, not Artificial. If your
Majesty be of that Opinion, said the Duchess's Soul, then my Playes may
be acted in your Blazing- World, when they cannot be acted in the
Blinking-World of Wit; and the next time I come to visit your Majesty, I
shall endeavour to order your Majesty's Theatre, to present such Playes
as my Wit is capable to make. Then the Empress told the Duchess, That
she loved a foolish Farse added to a wise Play. The Duchess answered,
That no World in Nature had fitter Creatures for it than the
Blazing-World: for, said she, the Lowse- men, the Bird-men, the Spider-
and Fox-men, the Ape-men and Satyrs appear in a Farse extraordinary
pleasant.
Hereupon both the Emperor and Empress intreated the Duchess's Soul to
stay so long with them, till she had ordered her Theatre, and made
Playes and Farses fit for them; for they onely wanted that sort of
Recreation: but the Duchess's Soul begg'd their Majesties to give her
leave to go into her Native World; for she long'd to be with her dear
Lord and Husband, promising, that after a short time she would return
again. Which being granted, though with much difficulty, she took her
leave with all Civility and Respect, and so departed from their Majesties.
After the Duchess's return into her own body, she entertained her Lord
(when he was pleased to hear such kind of Discourses) with Foreign
Relations; but he was never displeased to hear of the Empress's kind
Commendations, and of the Characters she was pleased to give of him to
the Emperor. Amongst other Relations, she told him all what had past
between the Empress, and the several Monarchs of that World whither she
went with the Empress; and how she had subdued them to pay Tribute and
Homage to the Monarch of that Nation or Kingdom to which she owed both
her Birth and Education. she also related to her Lord what Magnificent
Stables and Riding-Houses the Emperor had built, and what fine Horses
were in the Blazing-World, of several shapes and sizes, and how exact
their shapes were in each sort, and of many various Colours, and fine
Marks, as if they had been painted by Art, with such Coats or Skins,
that they had a far greater gloss and smoothness than Satin; and were
there but a passage out of the Blazing-World into this, said she, you
should not onely have some of those Horses, but such Materials as the
Emperor has, to build your Stables and Riding-Houses withall; and so
much Gold, that I should never repine at your Noble and Generous Gifts.
The Duke smilingly answered her, That he was sorry there was no Passage
between those two Worlds; but, said he, I have always found an
Obstruction to my Good Fortunes.
One time the Duchess chanced to discourse with some of her acquaintance,
of the Empress of the Blazing-World, who asked her what Pastimes and
Recreations her Majesty did most delight in? The Duchess answered, That
she spent most of her time in the study of Natural Causes and Effects,
which was her chief delight and pastime; and that she loved to discourse
sometimes with the most Learned persons of that World: And to please the
Emperor and his Nobles, who were all of the Royal Race, she went often
abroad to take the air, but seldom in the day-time, always at night, if
it might be called Night; for, said she, the Nights there, are as light
as Days, by reason of the numerous Blazing-Stars, which are very
splendorous, onely their Light is whiter than the Sun's Light; and as
the Sun's Light is hot, so their Light is cool; not so cool as our
twinkling Starr-light, nor is their Sun-light so hot as ours, but more
rate: And that part of the Blazing-World where the Empress resides, is
always clear, and never subject to any Storms, Tempests, Fogs or Mists,
but has onely refreshing-Dews that nourish the Earth: The air of it is
sweet and temperate, and, as I said before, as much light in the Sun's
absence, as in its presence, which makes that time we call Night, more
pleasant there than the Day: And sometimes the Empress goes abroad by
Water in Barges, sometimes by Land in Chariots, and sometimes on
Horse-back; her Royal Chariots are very Glorious, the Body is one intire
green Diamond; the four small Pillars that bear up the Top-cover, are
four white Diamonds, cut in the form thereof; the top or roof of the
Chariot, is one intire blew Diamond, and at the four corners are great
springs of Rubies; the Seat is made of Cloth of Gold, stuffed with
Ambergreece beaten small: the Chariot is drawn by Twelve Unicorns, whose
Trappings are all Chains of Pearl; and as for her Barges, they are onely
of Gold. Her Guard of State (for she needs none for security, there
being no Rebels or Enemies) consists of Giants, but they seldom wait on
their Majesties abroad, because their extraordinary height and bigness
does hinder their prospect. Her Entertainment when she is upon the
Water, is the Musick of the Fish- and Bird-men; and by Land are Horse
and Foot-matches; for the Empress takes much delight in making
Race-matches with the Emperor, and the Nobility; some Races are between
the Fox- and Ape-men, which sometimes the Satyrs strive to outrun; and
some are between the Spider-men and Lice-men. Also there are several
Flight-matches, between the several sorts of Bird-men, and the several
sorts of Fly-men; and swimming-matches, between the several sorts of
Fish-men. The Emperor, Empress, and their Nobles, take also great
delight to have Collations; for in the Blazing-World, there are most
delicious Fruits of all sorts, and some such as in this World were never
seen nor tasted; for there are most tempting sorts of Fruit: After their
Collations are ended, they Dance; and if they be upon the Water, they
dance upon the Water, there lying so many Fish-men so close and thick
together, as they can dance very evenly and easily upon their backs, and
need not fear drowning. Their Musick, both Vocal and Instrumental, is
according to their several places: Upon the Water, it is of
Water-Instruments, as shells filled with Water, and so moved by Art,
which is a very sweet and delightful harmony; and those Dances which
they dance upon the Water, are, for the most part, such as we in this
World call swimming- Dances, where they do not lift up their feet high:
In Lawns, or upon Plains, they have Wind-Instruments, but much better
than those in our World: And when they dance in the Woods, they have
Horn-Instruments, which although they are of a sort of Wind-Instruments,
yet they are of another Fashion than the former: In their Houses they
have such Instruments as are somewhat like our Viols, Violins,
Theorboes, Lutes, Citherins, Gittars, Harpsichords, and the like; but
yet so far beyond them, that the difference cannot well be exprest; and
as their places of Dancing, and their Musick is different, so is their
manner or way of Dancing. In these and the like Recreations, the
Emperor, Empress, and the Nobility pass their time.
The Epilogue to the Reader.
By this Poetical Description, you may perceive, that my ambition is not
onely to be Empress, but Authoress of a whole World; and that the Worlds
I have made, both the Blazing- and the other Philosophical World,
mentioned in the first part of this Description, are framed and composed
of the most pure, that is, the Rational parts of Matter, which are the
parts of my Mind; which Creation was more easily and suddenly effected,
than the Conquests of the two famous Monarchs of the World. Alexander
and Cesar. Neither have I made such disturbances, and caused so many
dissolutions of particulars, otherwise named deaths, as they did; for I
have destroyed but some few men in a little Boat, which dyed through the
extremity of cold, and that by the hand of Justice, which was
necessitated to punish their crime of stealing away a young and
beauteous Lady. And in the formation of those Worlds, I take more
delight and glory, then ever Alexander or Cesar did in conquering this
terrestrial world; and though I have made my Blazing-World a Peaceable
World, allowing it but one Religion, one Language, and one Government;
yet could I make another World, as full of Factions, Divisions and
Warrs, as this is of Peace and Tranquility; and the Rational figures of
my Mind might express as much courage to fight, as Hector and Achilles
had; and be as wise as Nestor, as Eloquent as Ulysses, and be as
beautiful as Hellen. But I esteeming Peace before Warr, Wit before
Policy, Honesty before Beauty; instead of the figures of Alexander,
Cesar, Hector, Achilles, Nestor, Ulysses, Hellen, &c. chose rather the
figure of Honest Margaret Newcastle, which now I would not change for
all this Terrestrial World; and if any should like the World I have
made, and be willing to be my Subjects, they may imagine themselves
such, and they are such, I mean in their Minds, Fancies or Imaginations;
but if they cannot endure to be Subjects, they may create Worlds of
their own, and Govern themselves as they please. But yet let them have a
care, not to prove unjust Usurpers, and to rob me of mine: for,
concerning the Philosophical-world, I am Empress of it my self; and as
for the Blazing-World, it having an Empress already, who rules it with
great Wisdom and Conduct, which Empress is my dear Platonick Friend; I
shall never prove so unjust, treacherous and unworthy to her, as to
disturb her Government, much less to depose her from her Imperial
Throne, for the sake of any other, but rather chuse to create another
World for another Friend.
FINIS.