The Consolidator; or, Memoirs of Sundry Transactions from the World in the MoonDefoe, Daniel
Science
The Consolidator; or, Memoirs of Sundry Transactions from the World in the Moon
Defoe, Daniel
Fantasy fiction; Interplanetary voyages -- Fiction; Moon -- Fiction; Political fiction; Satire
'This the Solunarians foreseeing, and being extremely sensible of the
entire Ruin of their Trade, have left no Stone unturn'd to bring this
piece of Pageantry on the Stage, by which they have hook'd in the Old
Black Eagle to plunge himself over Head and Ears in the Quarrel, in
such a manner, as he can never go back with any tolerable Honour; he
can never quit his Son and the Crown of Ebronia, without the greatest
Reproach and Disgrace of all the World in the Moon.
'Now whether one, or both of these Reasons are true in this Case, as
most believe both of them to be true; the Policy of my Country-men,
the Solunarians is visible indeed, but as for their Honesty, it is
past finding out.
'But it is objected here, this Son of the Lip has an undoubted Right
to the Crown of Ebronia. We do not Fight now to set up an Usurper,
but to pull down an Usurper, and it has been made plain by the
Manifesto, that the giving a Kingdom by Will, is no conveyance of
Right; the Prince of the Eagle has an undoubted Right, and they Fight
to maintain it.
'If this be true, then we must ask these High and Mighty Gentlemen
how came they to recognize and acknowledge the present King on the
Throne? why did they own an Usurper if he be such? either one or
other must be an act of Cowardize and Injustice, and all the
Politicks of the Moon cannot clear them of one of these two Charges;
either they were Cowardly Knaves before, or else they must be Cunning
Knaves now.
'If the Young Eagle has an undoubted Title now, so he had before, and
they knew it as well before, as they do now; what can they say for
themselves, why they should own a King, who they knew had no Title,
or what can they say for going to pull down one that has a Title?
'I must be allow'd to distinguish between Fighting with a Nation, and
Fighting with the King. For Example. Our Quarrel with the
Gallunarians is with the whole Nation, as they are grown too strong
for their Neighbours. But our Quarrel with Ebronia is not with the
Nation, but with their King, and this Quarrel seems to be unjust in
this particular, at least in them who own'd him to be King, for that
put an end to the Controversy.
''Tis true, the Justice of publick Actions, either in Princes, or in
States, is no such nice Thing, that any Body should be surpriz'd, to
see the Government forfeit their Faith, and it seems the Solunarians
are no more careful this way, than their Neighbours. But then those
People should in especial manner forbear to reproach Other Nations
and Princes, with the breaches which they themselves are subject too.
'As to the Eagle, we have nothing to say to the Honesty of his
declaring his Son King of Ebronia, for as is hinted before, he never
acknowledg'd the Title of the Usurper, but always declar'd, and
insisted on his own undoubted Right, and that he would recover it if
he could.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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