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
off; which she did: and thus these two souls went towards those parts of
the Kingdom where the Duke of Newcastle was.
But one thing I forgot all this while, which is, That although thoughts
are the natural language of Souls; yet by reason Souls cannot travel
without Vehicles, they use such language as the nature and propriety of
their Vehicles require, and the Vehicles of those two souls being made
of the purest and finest sort of air, and of a human shape: This purity
and fineness was the cause that they could neither be seen nor heard by
any human Creature; when as, had they been of some grosser sort of Air,
the sound of the Air's language would have been as perceptible as the
blowing of Zephyrus.
And now to return to my former Story; when the Empress's and Duchess's
Soul were travelling into Nottinghamshire, (for that was the place where
the Duke did reside) passing through the Forrest of sherewood, the
Empress's Soul was very much delighted with it, as being a dry, plain
and woody place, very pleasant to travel in, both in Winter and Summer;
for it is neither much dirty nor dusty at no time: At last they arrived
at Welbeck, a House where the Duke dwell'd, surrounded all with Wood, so
close and full, that the Empress took great pleasure and delight
therein, and told the Duchess she never had observed more Wood in so
little compass in any part of the Kingdom she had passed through. The
truth is, said she, there seems to be more Wood on the Seas (she meaning
the Ships) than on the Land. The Duchess told her, The reason was, that
there had been a long Civil Warr in that Kingdom, in which most of the
best Timber-trees and Principal Palaces were ruined and destroyed; and
my dear Lord and Husband, said she, has lost by it half his Woods,
besides many Houses, Land, and movable Goods; so that all the loss out
of his particular Estate, did amount to above Half a Million of Pounds.
I wish, said the Empress, he had some of the Gold that is in the
Blazing-World, to repair his losses. The Duchess most humbly thank'd her
Imperial Majesty for her kind wishes; but, said she, Wishes will not
repair his ruins: however, God has given my Noble Lord and Husband great
Patience, by which he bears all his losses and misfortunes. As last they
enter'd into the Duke's House, an Habitation not so magnificent as
useful; and when the Empress saw it, Has the Duke, said she, no other
House but this? Yes, answered the Duchess, some five miles from this
place he has a very fine Castle called Bolesover. That place, then, said
the Empress, I desire to see. Alas, replied the Duchess, it is but a
naked House, and uncloath'd of all Furniture. However, said the Empress,
I may see the manner of its structure and building. That you may,
replied the Duchess, and as they were thus discoursing, the Duke came
out of the House into the Court, to see his Horses of Manage; whom when
the Duchess's Soul perceived, she was so overjoyed, that her Aereal
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