The Consolidator; or, Memoirs of Sundry Transactions from the World in the Moon — John Shaqi
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
But the main Debate is like to lye upon the Article of Choosing a
King; both the Nations being under one Government at present, but the
Settlement ending in the Reigning Line, the Northern Men refuse to
joyn in Government again, unless they have a rectification of some
Conditions in which, they say, they have the worst of it.
In this case, even the Southern Men themselves, say, they believe
the Nolunarians have been in the Chair of Reflection, the thinking
Engine, and that having screw'd their Understandings into a Direct
Position to that Matter before them, they have made a right Judgment
of their own Affairs, and with all their Poverty stand on the best
Foot as to Right.
But as the matter of this Northern Quarrel comes under a Second Head,
and is more properly the Subject of a Second Voyage to the Moon; the
Reader may have it more at large consider'd in another Class, and
some farther Enlightnings in that Affair than perhaps can be
reasonably expected of me here.
But of all the Feuds and Brangles that ever poor Nation was embroild
in, of all the Quarrels, the Factions and Parties that ever the
People of any Nation thought worth while to fall out for, none were
ever in reality so light, in effect so heavy, in appearance so great,
in substance so small, in name so terrible, in nature so trifling, as
those for which this Southern Country was altogether by the Ears
among themselves.
And this was one Reason why I so earnestly enquir'd of my Lunarian
Philosopher, whether he had an Estate in that Country or no. But
having told him the Cause of that enquiry, he reply'd, there was one
thing in the Nature of his Country-men which secur'd them from the
ruin which usually attended divided Nations, viz. that if any Foreign
Nation thinking to take the advantage of their Intestine Divisions
fell upon them in the highest of all their Feuds, they'd lay aside
their Parties and Quarrels and presently fall in together to beat out
the common Enemy; and then no sooner had they obtain'd Peace abroad,
by their Conduct and Bravery, but they would fall to cutting one
anothers Throats again at home as naturally as if it had been their
proper Calling, and that for Trifles too, meer Trifles.
Very well, said I to my learned Self, pretty like my own Country
still, that whatever Peace they have abroad, are sure to have none
at home.
To come at the historical Account of these Lunarian Dissentions, it
will be absolutely necessary to enter a little into the Story of the
Place, at least as far as relates to the present Constitution, both
of the People, the Government, and the Subject of their present
Quarrels.
And first we are to understand, that there has for some Ages been
carry'd on in these Countries, a private feud or quarrel among the
People, about a thing call'd by them Upogyla, with us very vulgarly
call'd Religion.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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