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
In general therefore I must note that the wisest Men I found in the
Moon, when they understood the Notes I had made as above, of the
sub-divisions of our Parties, told me that it was the greatest
Happiness that could ha' been obtained to our Country, for that if
our Parties had not been thus divided, the Nation had been undone.
They own'd that had not their Solunarian Party been divided among
themselves, the Crolians had been undone, and all the Moon had been
involv'd in Persecution, and been very probably subjected to the
Gallunarian Monarch.
Thus the fatal Errors of Men have their advantages, the seperate ends
they serve are not foreseen by their Authors and they do good against
the very Design of the People, and the nature of the Evil it self.
And now that I may encourage our People to that Peace and good
Understanding among themselves, which can alone produce their Safety
and Deliverance; I shall give a brief Account how the Crolians in the
Moon came to open their Eyes to their own Interest, how they came to
Unite; and how the Fruits of that Union secur'd them from ever being
insulted again by the Solunarian Party, who in time gave over the
vain and fruitless Attempt, and so a universal Lunar Calm has spread
the whole Moon ever since.
If our People will not listen to their own Advantages, nor do their
own Business, let them take the consequences to themselves, they
cannot blame the Man in the Moon.
To endeavour to bring this to pass, as these Memoirs have run thro'
the general History of the Feuds and unhappy Breaches between the
Solunarian Church and the Crolian Dissenters in the World of the
Moon, it would seem an imperfect and abrupt Relation, if I should not
tell you how, and by what Method, tho' long hid from their Eyes, the
Crolians came to understand their own Interest and know their own
Strength.
'Tis true, it seem'd a Wonder to me when I consider'd the Excellence
and Variety of those perspective Glasses I have mentioned, the
clearness of the Air, and consequently of the Head, in this Lunar
World. I say it was very strange the Crolians should ha' been Moon
Blind so long as they were, that they could not see it was always in
their Power if they had but pursued their own Interest, and made use
of those, legal Opportunities which lay before them, to put
themselves in a Posture, as that the Government it self should think
them a Body too big to be insulted, and find it their Interest to
keep Measures with them.
It was indeed a long time before they open'd their Eyes to these
advantages, but bore the Insults of the hair-brain'd Party, with a
weakness and negligence that was as unjustifiable in them, as
unaccountable to all the Nations of the Moon.
But at last, as all violent Extremes rouze their contrary
Extremeties, the folly and extravagance of the High Solunarians drove
the Crolians into their Senses, and rouz'd them to their own
Interest, the occasion was among a great many others as follows.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account