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
There are a great many other Internal Blasts, which proceed from the
Fire within, which sometimes not circulating right, breaks out in
little Gusts of Wind and Heat, and is apt to indanger setting Fire to
the Feathers, and this is more or less dangerous, according as among
which of the Feathers it happens; for some of the Feathers are more
apt to take Fire than others, as their Quills or Heads are more or
less full of that solid Matter mention'd before.
The Engine suffers frequent Convulsions and Disorders from these
several Winds; and which if they chance to overblow very much, hinder
the Passage; but the Negative Feathers always apply Temper and
Moderation; and this brings all to rights again.
For a Body like this, what can it not do? what cannot such an
Extension perform in the Air? And when one thing is tackt to another,
and properly Cosolidated into one mighty Consolidator, no question
but whoever shall go up to the Moon, will find himself so improv'd
in this wonderful Experiment, that not a Man ever perform'd that
wonderful Flight, but he certainly came back again as wise as he went.
Well, Gentlemen, and what if we are called High-flyers now, and an
Hundred Names of Contempt and Distinction, what is this to the
purpose? who would not be a High-flyer, to be Tackt and Consolidated
in an Engine of such sublime Elevation, and which lifts Men,
Monarchs, Members, yea, and whole Nations, up into the Clouds; and
performs with such wondrous Art, the long expected Experiment of a
Voyage to the Moon? And thus much for the Description of the
Consolidator.
The first Voyage I ever made to this Country, was in one of these
Engines; and I can safely affirm, I never wak'd all the way; and now
having been as often there as most that have us'd that Trade, it may
be expected I should give some Account of the Country; for it
appears, I can give but little of the Road.
Only this I understand, That when this Engine, by help of these
Artificial Wings, has raised it self up to a certain height, the
Wings are as useful to keep it from falling into the Moon, as they
were before to raise it, and keep it from falling back into this
Region again.
This may happen from an Alteration of Centers, and Gravity having
past a certain Line, the Equipoise changes its Tendency, the
Magnetick Quality being beyond it, it inclines of Course, and pursues
a Center, which it finds in the Lunar World, and lands us safe upon
the Surface.
I was told, I need take no Bills of Exchange with me, nor Letters of
Credit; for that upon my first Arrival, the Inhabitants would be very
civil to me: That they never suffered any of Our World to want any
thing when they came there: That they were very free to show them
any thing, and inform them in all needful Cases; and that whatever
Rarities the Country afforded, should be expos'd immediately.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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