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
Thus after all things were made fit and ready, the Empress began her
Journey; I cannot properly say, she set Sail, by reason in some Part, as
in the passage between the two Worlds (which yet was but short) the
Ships were drawn under water by the Fish-men with Golden Chains, so that
they had no need of Sails there, nor of any other Arts, but onely to
keep out water from entering into the Ships, and to give or make so much
Air as would serve, for breath or respiration, those Land-Animals that
were in the Ships; which the Giants had so Artificially contrived, that
they which were therein, found no inconveniency at all: And after they
had passed the Icy Sea, the Golden Ships appeared above Water, and so
went on until they came near the Kingdom that was the Empress's Native
Countrey; where the Bear-men through their Telescopes discovered a great
number of Ships which had beset all that Kingdom, well rigg'd and mann'd.
The Empress before she came in sight of the Enemy, sent some of her
Fish- and Bird-men to bring her intelligence of their Fleet; and hearing
of their number, their station and posture, she gave order that when it
was Night, her Bird-men should carry in their beeks some of the
mentioned Fire-stones, with the tops thereof wetted; and the Fish-men
should carry them likewise, and hold them out of the Water; for they
were cut in the form of Torches or Candles, and being many thousands,
made a terrible shew; for it appear'd as if all the Air and Sea had been
of a Flaming-Fire; and all that were upon the Sea, or near it, did
verily believe, the time of Judgment, or the Last Day was come, which
made them all fall down, and Pray.
At the break of Day, the Empress commanded those Lights to be put out,
and then the Naval Forces of the Enemy perceived nothing but a Number of
Ships without Sails, Guns, Arms, and other Instruments of War; which
Ships seemed to swim of themselves, without any help or assistance:
which sight put them into a great amaze; neither could they perceive
that those Ships were of Gold, by reason the Empress had caused them all
to be coloured black, or with a dark colour; so that the natural colour
of the Gold could not be perceived through the artificial colour of the
paint, no not by the best Telescopes. All which put the Enemies Fleet
into such a fright at night, and to such wonder in the morning, or at
day-time, that they know not what to judg or make of them; for they know
neither what Ships they were, nor what Party they belonged to, insomuch
that they had no power to stir.
In the mean while, the Empress knowing the Colours of her own Country,
sent a Letter to their General, and the rest of the chief Commanders, to
let them know, that she was a great and powerful Princess, and came to
assist them against their Enemies: wherefore she desired they should
declare themselves, when they would have her help and assistance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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