Adventures in the Moon, and Other Worlds — John Shaqi
Adventures in the Moon, and Other WorldsRussell, John Russell, Earl
Science
Adventures in the Moon, and Other Worlds
Russell, John Russell, Earl
Utopias
We entered the building; and found, as before described, a large room
with innumerable shelves, on which the bad habits are kept by a singular
contrivance. The vices of every man are contained in a little
instrument, exactly resembling in appearance and use that ingenious toy
called a kaleidoscope. On each of these instruments is inscribed the
name of the libertine who has filled it. On one of them I observed the
name of a man with whose past life and character I am acquainted. He
once accepted very frankly of all the blessings offered him by
Providence, but now lives in the strict practice of every virtue which
decrepitude enforces. I took his kaleidoscope from the shelf; and
looking into it, saw him carousing at a table with some companions,
according to the morals of a former time, when the worship of Bacchus
was more diligently prosecuted than it is now. I knew his person, though
in this scene he was a young man. His colleagues I had never seen, for I
believe he had buried them all by his example. Their figures in this
vision were very small, but quite perfect, and all their looks and
gestures faithfully exhibited; no sounds were heard, though much clamour
was intimated. I could perceive that songs were sung, and stories told,
with all the usual literature of such meetings. While I was entertained
by seeing this company drink in miniature, I accidentally gave the
kaleidoscope a turn, upon which the scene vanished in an instant, and
another adventure appeared, the same man being still the hero. He was
now soliciting a beautiful girl with great energy; and, from her
reluctance and alarm, I supposed it to be the first interview. He seemed
to make no progress while I held the kaleidoscope still; but I gave it a
slight turn, which advanced his suit considerably, and a great part of
her austerity was now omitted; whence I found that I must continue to
turn the instrument, in order to bring his addresses to a conclusion. I
therefore turned it round very gradually, not to lose any stage of the
transaction, according to the injunction of Ovid:--
Non est properanda voluptas,
At sensim longâ prolicienda morâ.
When this exploit was ended, another took its place; and I found that by
still turning the kaleidoscope, I might bring all the debaucheries of
this old man in succession before me. But my curiosity did not last
through many years of his life, which was crowded with incidents.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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