172160That the Moon may be a World.
later Chapter did unwittingly agree with it) there is de-
liver’d a pleaſant and well contriv’d Fancy concerning a
Voyage to this other World.
liver’d a pleaſant and well contriv’d Fancy concerning a
Voyage to this other World.
He ſuppoſeth that there is a natural and uſual paſſage
for many creatures betwixt our Earth and this Planet. Thus
he ſays; thoſe great multitudes of Locuſts wherewith
divers Countries have been deſtroyed, do proceed from
thence. And if we peruſe the Authors who treat of them,
we ſhall find that many times they fly in numberleſs
Troops, or Swarms, and for ſundry days together before
they fall, are ſeen over thoſe places in great high Clouds,
fuch as coming nearer, are of extenſion enough to obſcure
the day, and hinder the light of the Sun. From which,
together with divers other ſuch Relations, he concludes, that
’tis not altogether improbable, they ſhould proceed from
the Moon. Thus likewiſe he ſuppoſes the Swallows,
Cuckoes, Nightingales, with divers other Fowl, which are
with us only half a year, to fly up thither, when they go
from us. Amongſt which kind, there is a wild Swan in
the Eaſt Indies, which at certain Seaſons of the year do
conſtantly take their flight thither. Now this Bird being
of a great Strength, able to continue for a long Flight;
as alſo going uſually in Flocks, like our Wild Geeſe; he
ſuppoſeth that many of them together, might be thought
to carry the weight of a Man; eſpecially, if an Engine
were ſo contriv’d (as he thinks it might) that each of them
ſhould bear an equal ſhare in the burden. So that by this
means, ’tis eaſily conceivable, how once a year a man might
finiſh ſuch Voyage; going along with theſe Birds at the
beginning of Winter, and again returning with them at
the Spring.
for many creatures betwixt our Earth and this Planet. Thus
he ſays; thoſe great multitudes of Locuſts wherewith
divers Countries have been deſtroyed, do proceed from
thence. And if we peruſe the Authors who treat of them,
we ſhall find that many times they fly in numberleſs
Troops, or Swarms, and for ſundry days together before
they fall, are ſeen over thoſe places in great high Clouds,
fuch as coming nearer, are of extenſion enough to obſcure
the day, and hinder the light of the Sun. From which,
together with divers other ſuch Relations, he concludes, that
’tis not altogether improbable, they ſhould proceed from
the Moon. Thus likewiſe he ſuppoſes the Swallows,
Cuckoes, Nightingales, with divers other Fowl, which are
with us only half a year, to fly up thither, when they go
from us. Amongſt which kind, there is a wild Swan in
the Eaſt Indies, which at certain Seaſons of the year do
conſtantly take their flight thither. Now this Bird being
of a great Strength, able to continue for a long Flight;
as alſo going uſually in Flocks, like our Wild Geeſe; he
ſuppoſeth that many of them together, might be thought
to carry the weight of a Man; eſpecially, if an Engine
were ſo contriv’d (as he thinks it might) that each of them
ſhould bear an equal ſhare in the burden. So that by this
means, ’tis eaſily conceivable, how once a year a man might
finiſh ſuch Voyage; going along with theſe Birds at the
beginning of Winter, and again returning with them at
the Spring.
And here, one that had a ſtrong Fancy, were better able
to ſet forth the great benefit and Pleaſure to be had by ſuch
a Journey. And that whether you conſider the ſtrangeneſs
of the Perſons, Language, Art, Policy, Religion of thoſe
Inhabitants, together with the new Traffick that might be
brought thence, In brief, do but conſider the pleaſure
and profit of thoſe later Diſcoveries in America, and we
muſt needs conclude this to be inconceiveably beyond it.
to ſet forth the great benefit and Pleaſure to be had by ſuch
a Journey. And that whether you conſider the ſtrangeneſs
of the Perſons, Language, Art, Policy, Religion of thoſe
Inhabitants, together with the new Traffick that might be
brought thence, In brief, do but conſider the pleaſure
and profit of thoſe later Diſcoveries in America, and we
muſt needs conclude this to be inconceiveably beyond it.
----------- Sic itur ad aſtra.
Reptet humi quicunque velit -------------
Reptet humi quicunque velit -------------