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
The Empress being thus perswaded by the Duchess to make an imaginary
World of her own, followed her advice; and after she had quite finished
it, and framed all kinds of Creatures proper and useful for it,
strengthened it with good Laws, and beautified it with Arts and
Sciences; having nothing else to do, unless she did dissolve her
Imaginary World, or made some alterations in the Blazing-World, she
lived in; which yet she could hardly do, by reason it was so well
ordered that it could not be mended; for it was governed without secret
and deceiving Policy; neither was there any ambitious, factions,
malicious detractions, civil dissentions, or home-bred quarrels,
divisions in Religion, Foreign Wars, &c. but all the people lived in a
peaceful society, united Tranquility, and Religious Conformity. she was
desirious to see the World the Duchess came from, and observe therein
the several sovereign Governments, Laws and Customs of several Nations.
The Duchess used all the means she could, to divert her from that
Journey, telling her, that the World she came from, was very much
disturbed with Factions, Divisions and Wars; but the Empress would not
be perswaded from her design; and lest the Emperor, or any of his
subjects should know of her travel, and obstruct her design; she sent
for some of the Spirits she had formerly conversed withal, and inquired
whether none of them could supply the place of her soul in her body at
such a time, when she was gone to travel into another World? They
answered, Yes, they could; for not onely one, said they, but many
Spirits may enter into your body, if you please. The Empress replied,
she desired but one Spirit to be Vice-Roy of her body in the absence of
her Soul, but it must be an honest and ingenious Spirit; and if it was
possible, a female Spirit. The Spirits told her, that there was no
difference of Sexes amongst them; but, said they, we will chuse an
honest and ingenious Spirit, and such a one as shall so resemble your
soul, that neither the Emperor, nor any of his Subjects, although the
most Divine, shall know whether it be your own soul, or not: which the
Empress was very glad at, and after the Spirits were gone, asked the
Duchess, how her body was supplied in the absence of her soul? who
answered Her Majesty, That her body, in the absence of her soul, was
governed by her sensitive and rational corporeal motions. Thus those two
Female Souls travelled together as lightly as two thoughts into the
Duchess her native World; and, which is remarkable, in a moment viewed
all the parts of it, and all the actions of all the Creatures therein,
especially did the Empress's Soul take much notice of the several
actions of humane Creatures in all the several Nations and parts of that
World, and wonder'd that for all there were so many several Nations,
Governments, Laws, Religions, Opinions, &c. they should all yet so
generally agree in being Ambitious, Proud, Self-conceited, Vain,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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