Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
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A39871
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A plurality of worlds written in French by the author of the Dialogues of the dead ; translated into English by Mr. Glanvill.; Entretiens sur la pluralités des mondes. English
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Fontenelle, M. de (Bernard Le Bovier), 1657-1757.; Glanvill, John, 1664?-1735.
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1688
(1688)
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Wing F1416; ESTC R26138
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59,689
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166
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on the Plants Nay in what a pannick Fear were we in above thirty years ago at an Eclipse of the Sun How many People hid themselves in their Cellars and all the Philosophers of Gresham could not perswade them to come out till the Eclipse was over Methinks said she 't is scandalous for Men to be such Cowards there ought to be a general Law of Mankind to prohibit the discoursing of Eclipses that we might not call to mind the Follies that have been said and done upon that Subject Your Law then said I must abolish even the Memory of all things and forbid us to speak at all for I know nothing in the World which is not a Monument of the Folly of Man. But what do you think said she of the People in the Moon are they as afraid of an Eclipse as we are It would be very burlesque for the Indians there to be up to the Neck in Water that the Americans should believe the Earth angry with them the Greeks fancy we were bewitch'd and would destroy their Plants in short that we should cause the same Consternation among them as they do here And why not said I I do not doubt it at all for why should the People of the Moon have more Wit than we What right have they to affright us and not we them For my part I believe that since a prodigious company of Men have been and still are such Fools to adore the Moon there are People in the Moon that worship the Earth and that we are upon our knees the one to the other But sure said she we don't pretend to send any Influences to the Moon and to give a Crisis to her sick if the People have any Wit in those Parts they will soon destroy the Honour we flatter our selves with and I fear we shall have the disadvantage Fear it not Madam said I do you think we are the only Fools of the Universe Is it not consistent with Ignorance to spread it self every where 'T is true we can only guess at the Folly of the People in the Moon but I no more doubt it than I do the most authentick News that comes from thence What News comes from thence said she That which the Learned bring us I reply'd who travel thither every day with their Tubes and Tellescopes they will tell you of their Discoveries there of Lands Seas Lakes high Mountains and deep Abysses I fancy indeed said she they may discover Mountains and Abysses because of the remarkable inequality but how do they distinguish Lands and Seas Very easily said I for the Waters letting part of the Light pass thro' them send back but a very little so that they appear afar off like so many dark Spots whereas the Lands being solid reflect the whole Light and appear to be more bright and shining Nay they pretend to be so well acquainted with the several parts that they have given them all Names one place they call Copernicus another Archimedes another Galileus there is the Caspian Sea the Black Lake the Porphirite Mountains in short they have publish'd such exact descriptions of the Moon that a very Almanack-maker will be no more to seek there than I am in London I must own then said the Countess they are very exact but what do they say to the inside of the Country I would very fain know that 'T is impossible I reply'd Mr. Flamsted himself one of the most Learned Astronomers of our Age cannot inform you You must ask that of Astolfo who was carried into the Moon by St. John. I am going to tell you one of the agreeable Follies of Ariosto and I am confident you will be well pleas'd to hear it I must confess he had better have let alone St. John whose Name is so worthy of Respect but 't is a Poetical License and must be allow'd The Poem is dedicated to a Cardinal and a great Pope hath honour'd it with his Approbation which is prefix'd to several of the Editions this is the Argument Rowland Nephew to Charlemagne falls mad because the fair Angelica prefers Medore before him Astolfo a Knight Errant finding himself one day in the terrestrial Paradise which was upon the top of a very high Mountain whereto he was carry'd by his flying Horse meets St. John there who tells him if he would have Rowland cured he must make a Voyage with him into the Moon Astolfo who had a great mind to see Countrys did not stand much upon entreaty and immediately there came a fiery Chariot which carry'd the Apostle and the Knight up into the Air Astolfo being no great Philosopher was surpriz'd to find the Moon so much bigger than it appear'd to him when he was upon the Earth to see Rivers Seas Mountains Cities Forrests nay what would have surpriz'd me too Nymphs hunting in those Forrests but that which was most remarkable was a Valley where you might find any thing that was lost in our World of what nature soever Crowns Riches Fame and an infinity of Hopes the time we spend in Play and in searching for the Philosophers Stone the Alms we give after our Death the Verses we present to great Men and Princes and the Sighs of Lovers I know not said she what became of the Sighs of Lovers in the time of Ariosto but I fancy there are very few of 'em ascend to the Moon in our days Ah Madam I reply'd how many doth the Countess of D r send thither every day those that are address'd to her will make a considerable Heap and I assure you the Moon keeps all safe that is lost here below Yet I must tell you Ariosto doth but whisper it tho' every thing is there even to the donation of Constantine i. e. the Popes have pretended to be Masters of Rome and Italy by Virtue of a Donation which the Emperour Constantine made Silvester and the truth is no body knows what is become of it but what do you think is not to be found in the Moon Folly all that ever was upon the Earth is kept there still but in lieu of it it is not to be imagin'd how many Wits if I may so call 'em that are lost here are got up into the Moon they are so many Vials full of a very subtile Liquor which evaporates immediately if it be not well stopp'd and upon every one of these Vials the Names are written to whom the Wits belong I think Ariosto hath heap'd 'em upon one another a little confusedly but for order sake we will fancy 'em plac'd upon Shelves in a long Gallery Astolfo wonder'd to see several Vials full inscribed with the Names of the most considerable Statsemen Divines Lawyers c. Bless me said he is my Lord and my Lord here Sir Tho. Sir Jo. nay Doctor and Father too Why in my Countrey we look upon 'em as Oracles and after all it seems they are but little better than mad Men if not stark Fools I find now