Remembrance the Manner of my first Appearance in this Country, namely, how I had escap’d from a Shipwreck, and being ready to perish with Hunger, was taken up by the Inhabitants all in tatter’d Garments, an Equipage surely very unsuitable to an Embassador of the Sun. Add to this, that these same _Martinians_, being excellent natural Philosophers, had now given the _Quamites_ a Tincture of Astronomy, enough to know that the Sun was an inanimate Body, plac’d in the Centre of the Heavens by the Almighty, to give Light and Heat to all Creatures, and that as it was a Globe of Fire, it could of Consequence be no proper Habitation for a mortal Man. With these and other such unlucky Discourses, was I from Day to Day distracted. But they were mere Murmurs; since nobody through fear of my Power dar’d talk thus with any Degree of Openness. And in Reality, I was a long Time ignorant that the Malevolence of my Subjects had rose to such a Pitch, as to question my Condition, till at length I was convinc’d of it by a Book compos’d in the _Canaliscan_ Tongue, and publish’d with this Title, +The happy Shipwreck+. For I observ’d before, that the _Canaliscans_ were perfect Artists at Satyr and Reproaches, which were all the Weapons they wag’d War with. The Book in Question comprehended all those Accusations, of which I have just now given a Detail, and was wrote in a Stile the most severe and sarcastical, that can well be imagin’d, according to the Genius of the _Canaliscans_, who excel in this Manner of Writing. But such was the Weakness of my Mind at this Juncture, such my vain Presumption and Confidence of my own Power, that no Advices or Remonstrances whatever could make me change my Conduct, or bring me to my Senses. The most wholesome Counsels instead of checking, contributed only to inflame my Cruelty. Wherefore those whom I had most Reason to suspect, I put to the Torture to discover the Author of this Libel. But all endur’d their Torture with an astonishing Firmness, insomuch, that this Cruelty produced no other Effect, than to irritate the Spirits of my People still more against me. Thus my Fate would have it, and I run headlong to my Destruction.