A journey to the world under-groundHolberg, Ludvig
Science
A journey to the world under-ground
Holberg, Ludvig
Utopias -- Early works to 1800; Voyages, Imaginary -- Early works to 1800
At length it reach’d the Ears of the Monarch, that a Stranger was
arriv’d in his Dominions, who call’d himself the Ambassador of the Sun,
and who by giving most wise and divine Instructions to the _Quamites_
(so were call’d the Inhabitants of this Country, the Name of which was
_Quama_) had convinc’d the People that he was more than Man. Upon this
he presently dispatch’d an Embassy to me, inviting me to Court. The
Embassadors were in Number thirty, all cloath’d with Tigers Skins, a
Dress so much the more honourable in this Country, as the Use thereof
is permitted to none but those who have behav’d themselves with
Gallantry in the War against the _Tanachites_. (These are rational
Tigers, and implacable Enemies to the _Quamites_.) But during all this
Time, in the Village where I continued, I had run up a Stone-House
of two Stories, after the Manner of the Buildings in _Europe_. The
Embassadors beheld it as a stupendous Work, exceeding human Strength,
and therefore when they came to me to signify his Imperial Majesty’s
Pleasure, they enter’d my House with a religious Awe, as into a Temple
or Sanctuary. The Speech they made to me, on this Occasion, was nearly
this:
“Whereas the great Emperor _Casba_, our Sovereign Lord and Master,
derives his Origin from the great _Spynko_, Son of the Sun, and
Founder of the _Quamitic_ Empire, he therefore thinks nothing could
be more fortunate or agreeable, than your Arrival, especially as it
must be of the highest Advantage to his Dominions, and as there is all
the Reason in the World to hope, that under such an illustrious and
celestial Teacher, the Kingdom will, in a short Time, wear another
Face. For which Reason he hopes you will so much the more willingly
honour his Court, as the Capital of the Empire is a more ample Field
for the Exercise of your Virtues.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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