The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing-World — John Shaqi
The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing-WorldNewcastle, Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of
Science
The Description of a New World, Called the Blazing-World
Newcastle, Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of
Science fiction; Utopias -- Fiction; Voyages, Imaginary -- Early works to 1800
A Merchant travelling into a foreign Country, fell extreamly in Love
with a young Lady; but being a stranger in that Nation, and beneath her,
both in Birth and Wealth, he could have but little hopes of obtaining
his desire; however his Love growing more and more vehement upon him,
even to the slighting of all difficulties, he resolved at last to Steal
her away; which he had the better opportunity to do, because her
Father's house was not far from the Sea, and she often using to gather
shells upon the shore accompanied not with above two to three of her
servants it encouraged him the more to execute his design. Thus coming
one time with a little leight Vessel, not unlike a Packet-boat, mann'd
with some few Sea-men, and well victualled, for fear of some accidents,
which might perhaps retard their journey, to the place where she used to
repair; he forced her away: But when he fancied himself the happiest man
of the World, he proved to be the most unfortunate; for Heaven frowning
at his Theft, raised such a Tempest, as they knew not what to do, or
whither to steer their course; so that the Vessel, both by its own
leightness, and the violent motion of the Wind, was carried as swift as
an Arrow out of a Bow, towards the North-pole, and in a short time
reached the Icy Sea, where the wind forced it amongst huge pieces of
Ice; but being little, and leight, it did by the assistance and favour
of the gods to this virtuous Lady, so turn and wind through those
precipices, as if it had been guided by some experienced Pilot, and
skilful Mariner: But alas! Those few men which were in it, not knowing
whither they went, nor what was to be done in so strange an Adventure,
and not being provided for so cold a Voyage, were all frozen to death;
the young Lady onely, by the light of her Beauty, the heat of her Youth,
and Protection of the Gods, remaining alive: Neither was it a wonder
that the men did freeze to death; for they were not onely driven to the
very end or point of the Pole of that World, but even to another Pole of
another World, which joined close to it; so that the cold having a
double strength at the conjunction of those two Poles, was
insupportable: At last, the Boat still passing on, was forced into
another World; for it is impossible to round this Worlds Globe from Pole
to Pole, so as we do from East to West; because the Poles of the other
World, joining to the Poles of this, do not allow any further passage to
surround the World that way; but if any one arrives to either of these
Poles, he is either forced to return, or to enter into another World:
and lest you should scruple at it, and think, if it were thus, those
that live at the Poles would either see two Suns at one time, or else
they would never want the Sun's light for six months together, as it is
commonly believed: You must know, that each of these Worlds having its
own Sun to enlighten it, they move each one in their peculiar Circles;
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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