A Trip to the Moon/Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
I was born in Balzil, a City of Poronis, which is a Kingdom in the Northern Parts of the Moon: My Father enjoy'd a moderate Fortune, just sufficient for the Maintenance of a numerous Family; for he had four Sons, and three Daughters. My eldest Brother being the greatest Blockhead of the Family, was made a Merchant: In him was the old Proverb verify'd, that Fools have Fortune; for he became very rich. My second Brother and I were sent to School, and were design'd for a liberal Education. In my tender Years I discover'd the Marks of a comprehensive Mind; and was not a little proud of the Praise and Caresses of my Friends: This Humour so far prevail'd with me, that I thought myself perfectly knowing in many Things, which I was an utter Stranger to. I mightily affected Solitude, and was found often alone in the Fields, when my School-Fellows were assembled in Town at their Diversions. It happen'd one Day, as I was taking my Walk, I was wholly taken up in representing a long Scene of Prosperity to my Imagination, which I hop'd would befal me. So far was I trans ported with these Thoughts, that I had wander'd insensibly into a Wood at a good Distance from my Father's: Night was approaching, and I could not find the right Way; I then resolved to spend that Night in some Tree, and early the next Morning to go home. As I was looking about for a convenient Place to lodge in that Night, I chanced to spy an old Man with this Mantle, which you see me wear, cast about him: His Eyes were sunk in his Head, and his Beard was white, and half an Yard long; but when he spoke I was wonderfully terrified. He approach'd me, and asked me by what Chance I was brought thither, or whither I proposed to go. I answer'd, that I had lost my Way, and begg'd of him to direct me, since I believ'd he was no Stranger in those Parts. He told me that it would be in vain for me to attempt to get home that Night; and since I had met with him, I should be welcome to such Entertainment as his Dwelling afforded: I thank'd him for his kind Offer, and went along with him. He led me through many By and Unfrequented Ways to a Cave in which he dwelt; but just as I entred, he discern'd in me a great Uneasiness, and bid me be of good Chear, with an Assurance that no Evil should befal me whilst I remain'd with him. To comfort me, by moving his Wand, a Table heap'd with Dainties was set before us by invisible Servants. I was at first loath to taste, till overcome with Hunger and his Intreaties, I prov'd it good and wholesome. After Supper I began to take a great Liking to such Entertainment, and design'd to return home no more, if I could live where I was. Here Tckbrff interrupted, and said, he could not believe that any Man had Spirits at his Command; for, said he, if the Devil be so very proud as we are told he is, how is it consistent with his Pride to submit himself and his Retinue to the Caprice of every one that is willing to employ them? It is said, indeed, that those to whom he is thus subject for a short Time, become his Vassals for ever; but if he had no Way of peopling his Territories, but by being first a Slave himself, there might be some Grounds for this Opinion; yet since we know that in every Company, even the smallest, he has, for the most part, one or more Deputies, by whose unwearied Diligence, he might expect in a short Time to people the very Deserts of his Empire, though he never stirr'd abroad himself: It is not reasonable to suppose that his Pride would brook with such a voluntary Subjection.
All this, reply'd Sactuff, I will readily grant you, (for that was our Host's Name;) and will shew you, as far as it is lawful for me at present, how a Conjurer performs his Works: A Conjurer, in the vulgar Acceptation, is taken for one who has made a League, with the Devil; but I assure you that it only signifies a Philosopher, or one that is a curious Observer of Events, and their true Causes; from which Observation he foretels Things that must happen, as if they were Contingencies: By this Means, Wars, Eclipses, Storms, &c. are foretold. But the working of Miracles, which is falsly ascrib'd to them, is no more than the Effect of their cunning Delusion: For those Men, by their unwearied Diligence, find out Qualities unknown to the Vulgar in the commonest Bodies: They will transform a Body (as they say) by deceiving the Sight, or substituting another in the Room of it; and this is done either by the Help of some Effluvia which they transmit to the Eyes of their Spectators, or by placing the Body to be transform'd in different Lights, which every one knows will alter the Colour, if not seemingly the Form of the Body. I have my self, a Powder, which will hinder the Rays of Light from being reflected from any Body, and so make it invisible; and likewise a Bottle of Spirits, which will hinder a Man from seeing Bodies of such Colours as I do design to conceal, except their Eyes be anointed with something which I have prepar'd, to hinder the Operation of those Spirits. I dare reveal no more at present, but shall proceed to inform you of mine own Adventures as briefly as I can.
After Supper, I consented to stay with him, on Condition that he wou'd instruct me in his Art; which he in a short Time perform'd. I liv'd with him thirty nine Years, for the most Part pretty pleasantly, tho' in the Beginning I did not much care for the Conversation of Persons I could not see; for he kept many Servants, who were firm to his Interest on Account of the good Wages which he gave them, and who were not to be seen by any Stranger, for fear of a Discovery. He supply'd them with Money by the Help of the Philosopher's Stone, which he was in Possession of, and generally kept one Person invisible to buy him Necessaries. During the first three Years, I was employ'd in grinding Powders, gathering Herbs, and boiling them for Use; and sometimes was allow'd to see the Manner of some of their Performances. When I had attain'd to this small Knowledge, I began to think myself as expert as my Master, and resolv'd to give him a Proof of my Skill, upon the first Opportunity.
But see how Fortune favour'd my Design: I was order'd one Day to make a certain Powder; and to this End, I was first to wash a Piece of Wood in a Chymical Liquor, and then hammer it it till I had broke the Continuity of the Parts: All this I did; and above my Orders, I wet the Powder in this Liquor, purely to see what Effect it wou'd have, and was a little amaz'd, that the Powder upon being wet became invisible, the Bulk of it still remaining the same, as I observed by feeling it. I immediately concluded that the Colour was latent in the Liquor, since the Wood had lost it; and thought, that to extract the Colour from the Liquor, wou'd be a sufficient Proof of my Art. Accordingly I took the Liquor, and plac'd it in a Glass Vessel over the Fire: This Vessel I cover'd with three Folds of fine Linnen, and over it plac'd a Retort, to receive the Liquor as it shou'd be carried up in Vapours: After it had remain'd for the Space of three Hours over a gentle Fire, I perceiv'd that the Liquor was entirely forc'd into the Retort; and then I took it off to cool. When I had separated the Vessels, I saw the Colour (with no small Joy) sticking to the Linnen: This I artfully took from it, and laid it by, to be preserv'd for a Rarity, which I will presently shew you.
Perhaps you may wonder how a Body may be depriv'd of all Colour; or how Colour, which is only a Property of Body, can subsist without a Body; but this is not to be marvell'd at, when you consider that it is as possible for a Property to subsist without a Body, as for nothing to have any Property. Yet some have affirm'd that nothing hath Properties, when they say that a Shadow is a Nigrum Nihil, or a Black Nothing. When I had effected this, I brought my Performance to my Master, who was very much delighted with it.
From that Time I was no longer kept in Ignorance of the most mysterious Part of his Art: I was first sworn to observe certain Articles, and then instructed in many Niceties of Art: I was taught to gather Lightening, and preserve it for Use; to make wholesome Bread of Hail-Stones, and Tarts of driven Snow; to make Clocks of Radishes, and Buff-Belts of Nut-Shells; with many other Things too tedious to recount. In short, I was taught to act Impossibilities, and find out Things that never had a Being. Thus I became a useful Servant to an indulgent Master, who reposed more Confidence in me, than in any of his Domesticks; and, in his Life-time, as well as at his Death, let me feel his Bounty.
A little before his Death, he was very much indisposed, and thought that he would be in a fair Way of Recovery, if he removed to this Place where we now are: Accordingly he took me along with him, and we both arrived here safe by the Help of a Diving-Bell, which he kept for that Purpose. We were no sooner arrived than his Sickness increased, which shortly made an End of him. About an Hour before he died, he called me to him, and spoke to me like a kind Father, advising me, and bequeathing all his Possessions to me.
I know, said he, that the Hour of my Death is at hand; and now I bid Farewel to all the gilded Vanity which Men so eagerly pursue. Mark well my Words, and do not suspect a dying Man of Falshood: I now am old, and fraught with Experience and Observation, which may be of use to you that are young: I have seen Fortune loaded with Gifts and Honours, smilingly courting me to enjoy her; yet, just when I hoped to possess her, she hath frown'd; and not only baffled my Hopes, but deprived me of some small Favours which I before quietly enjoyed. This Treatment convinc'd me that she was giddy, and armed me against her Smiles, as well as Frowns: I opposed her with a superior Power, and call'd Virtue to my Aid, who is constant to her Votaries: She led me far from Noise and Tumult, and brought me Contentment in Solitude. There I exercised my Mind, and improved it; and made Discoveries in Nature useful to myself and others; yet here Fortune was kind, and discovered her Blindness, by tempting one that was out of her Power. Her Shadows could not draw me from the real Substance; neither could Abundance of Gold make me forget that I was a Man. If Riches could free a Man from Death, what Treasures cou'd I offer, were I unwilling to die? But I resign my Breath in Quietness, and my immortal Part thirsts after new Happiness. The Thoughts of certain Death made me study to die well; and that my latest Hours should not be full of Horror and Remorse, all my worldly Goods I give to you, who will, I hope, rightly use them. Care and Disquiet attends the Abuse of them, whilst Men look upon those Things which are, at best, but convenient, and often superfluous, as necessary.
More he would have said, but his Strength fail'd him; and, to my inexpressible Grief, he gave up the Ghost. He now lies buried in one End of this Cave in a Tomb, which I took Care to, adorn, that being the only Way by which I could profess mine Esteem for so indulgent and so kind a Master.
When Sactuff had made an End of Speaking, we requested of him to shew us some of his Rarieties, especially the Philosophers Stone, of which I had heard so much before, with but little Certainty. He consented, and first produc'd the Colour subsisting without a Body: It was a pale Red, suspended, I know not how, in a little Box; it touched no Part of the Box, neither could it be felt, or easily removed.
When we had wondered a while at this, he shew'd us the Philosopher's Stone. It was a little Piece of compounded Earth, somewhat resembling a Man: It was improperly call'd a Stone, and had that Name on Account of its Insensibility. Its Arms were extended, and its Paws were ready to grasp at any Thing: Its Countenance was pale and meagre, and looked like one almost spent with over-watching, and prey'd upon by Cares. It stood upon an Heap of Gold, attended by several Phantoms: Avarice, Fear, and Discontent, were its inseparable Attendants, which laboured to increase, as well as preserve the baneful Store. The Phantom of Avarice was constantly commending the Possessions of others, and proposing Means to bring them to this useless Lump; while that of Fear would raise imaginary Doubts, and rack her Invention for Difficulties. Those two were at continual Discord; for Avarice would bring in Security to its Aid; but Fear opposed it, by setting forth, that it was unguarded and dangerous. All this while Discontent sat brooding over their Jars, and by the Assistance of Despair found out Means to foment them. Pleasure once came, and offered them his Service; but they unanimously rejected it, urged on by Fear, who shewed them all the Extravagancies which Pleasure was liable to. Notwithstanding those Domestick Broils, they all concurred in increasing the Store; and to this End they employ'd two other Phantoms, the Desire and Necessity of others. Those brought Meterials convertible into Gold, whilst the others causing them to undergo many Changes, at length made them Sterling.