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
I have heard this Prince exceedingly blam'd, for giving himself up to
Despair so soon. ----- That he thereby abandon'd the best and
faithfullest of his Friends, and Servants, and left them to the Mercy
of the Solunarians; that when all these that would have forsaken him
were gone, he had Forces equal to his Enemies; that his Men were in
Heart, fresh and forward; that he should have stood to the last;
retreated to a strong Town, where his Ships rod, and which was over
against the Territories of his great Allie, to whom he might have
deliver'd up the Ships which were there, and have thereby made him
Superior at Sea to his Enemies, and he was already much Superior at
Land; that there he might have been reliev'd with Forces too strong
for them to match, and at least might have put it to the issue of a
fair Battle.------ Others, that he might have retreated to his own
Court, and capital City, and taking possession of the Citadel, which
was his own, might so have aw'd the Citizens who were infinitely
Rich, and Numerous, with the apprehensions of having their Houses
burnt, they would not have dar'd to have declar'd for his Enemies,
for fear of being reduc'd to heaps and ruins; and that at last he
might have set the City on Fire in 500 Places, and left the
Solunarian Church-Men a Token to remember their Non-Resisting
Doctrine by, and yet have made an easy Retreat down the Harbour, to
other Forts he had below, and might with ease have destroy'd all the
Shipping, as he went.
'Tis confess'd had he done either, or both these things, he had left
them a dear bought Victory, but he was depriv'd of his Counsellor,
for as soon as things came to this height, the Achitophel we have so
often mention'd, left him also, and went away; all his Abrograzian
Priests too fosook him, and he was so bereft of Counsel that he fell
into the Hands of his Enemies as he was making his escape, but he got
away again, not without the connivance of the Enemy, who were willing
enough he should go; so he got a Vessel to carry him over to the
Neighbouring Kingdom, and all his Armies, Ships, Forts, Castles,
Magazines, and Treasure, fell into his Enemies Hands.
The Neighbouring Prince entertain'd him very kindly, Cherish'd him,
Succour'd him, and furnish'd him with Armies and Fleets for the
recovery of his Dominions, which has occasion'd a tedious War with
that Prince, which continues to this Day.
Thus far Passive Doctrins, and Absolute Submission serv'd a Turn,
bubl'd the Prince, wheedled him in to take their Word who profess'd
it, 'till he laid his Finger upon the Men themselves, and that
unravell'd all the Cheat; they were the first that call'd in Forreign
Power, and took up Arms against their Prince.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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