The Strange Voyage and Adventures of Domingo Gonsales, to the World in the MoonGodwin, Francis
Science
The Strange Voyage and Adventures of Domingo Gonsales, to the World in the Moon
Godwin, Francis
Moon -- Fiction; Voyages, Imaginary -- Early works to 1800
Before you see me on Earth again, you will find I have Reason to value
this invaluable Jewel. I enquired, whether they had not any kind of
Jem, or other Means to make a Man invisible, which I judged a Thing
of admirable Use, and could mention divers of our learned Men who had
written to this Purpose; they answered, that if it were possible,
yet they were sure Heaven would not suffer it to be revealed to us
Creatures subject to so many Imperfections, and which might be easily
abused to ill Purposes, and this was all I could get of them.
Now after it was known that _Irdonozur_ the great Monarch had done me
this Honour, it is strange how much all respected me more than before;
my Guardians, who had been hitherto cautious in relating any thing of
the Government of that World, grew now more open, so that from them
and _Pylonas_ together I understood many notable Particulars; as that
in a thousand Years there is found neither Thief nor Whore-monger, for
first there is no want of any thing necessary for the Use of Man, food
growing every where without Labour, of all Sorts that can be desired.
As for Cloths, Houses, or whatever else a Man may be supposed to want,
it is provided by their Superiors, though not without some Labour,
but yet so easy as if they did it for Pleasure: Again, their Females
are all absolute Beauties, and by a secret Disposition of Nature, a
Man there having once known a Woman never desires any other: Murther
was never heard of amongst them, neither is it hardly possible to be
committed, for there can be no Wound made but what is curable; yea
they assured me, and for my Part I believe it, that though a Man's
Head be cut off, yet if within three Moons it be joined to the Carcase
again, and the Juice of a certain Herb there growing applied, it will
be so consolidated, as the wounded Party shall be perfectly cured. But
the chief Cause of their good Government is an excellent Disposition
in the Nature of the People, so that all both Old and Young hate all
manner of Vice, and live in such Love, Peace, and Amity, as it seems
to be another Paradise: Though it is true likewise that some are of
a better Disposition than others, which they discern immediately at
their Birth; and because it is an inviolable Law amongst them that none
shall be put to Death; therefore perceiving by their Stature or some
other Signs, who are like to be of a wicked and debauched Humour, they
send them, I know not by what Means, into the Earth, and change them
for other Children, before they have either Opportunity or Ability to
do amiss among them; but first, they say, they are fain to keep them
there for some Time, till the Air of the Earth alters their Colour like
ours. Their ordinary Vent for them is a certain high Hill in the North
of _America_, whose People, I am apt to believe, are wholly descended
from them, both in regard of their Colour, and their continual use
of Tobacco, which the _Lunars_ or _Moon Men_ smoak exceedingly, the
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account