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Page 35
They were all differently dress'd at their first Appearance; some like
Generals in Armour, some were in Ecclesiastical, and some in Gowns not
unlike our Barristers at Law. Some were dress'd as fine as Imagination
could make 'em, but with the quickness of Thought, these Dresses were
all changed, who was cover'd with Rags one Moment, the next was in
Purple, with a Crown on his Head; the Beau in Rags; the Priest assum'd
the Air and Dress of a Bully, and the General was turn'd into a demure
Figure resembling a _Quaker_.
I was struck dumb with Amazement, and while I was considering with my
self what this should mean, I observ'd a Man riding up to us, mounted on
a Lion; when he came to the others, I found him of the common Size with
the Inhabitants of our Globe; he had on his Head a Crown of Bays, which
in an Instant chang'd to a Fool's Cap, and his Lion to an Ass. He drew
from his Breast a Rowl like a Quire of Written Paper, which using as a
Sword, he set upon the others, and dispers'd them. Some ran over the
Sea, as on dry Ground; others flew into the Air, and some sunk into the
Earth. Then alighting from his Ass, he opened the Jaws of the Animal,
went down his Throat, and they both vanish'd.
After I had recover'd my Fright, I told _Volatilio_, that I fear'd this
Planet was inhabited by evil Spirits. He answered, that what we had
seen, was sufficient to induce us to believe so. We look'd for the
House, which we saw rise into the Air, and vanish in Flame and Smoke,
which strengthen'd our Opinion. However, we resolv'd to go forward, when
one of the _Palanquineers_ said he saw a House on the left, and People
of my Size and Species making towards us.
We determin'd therefore to wait their Arrival, which was in less than a
Quarter of an Hour. They accosted me very courteously, as I could gather
from their Gestures, tho' they seem'd surprized at the Size of the
_Cacklogallinians_. I was not less amaz'd at the Beauty of their
Persons, and the Becomingness of their Dress, either of which I can give
no just Idea of. Let it suffice, that I seem'd both in my own, and in
the Eyes of the _Cacklogallinians_, something of the same Species, but
frightfully ugly.
These People are neither a corporeal, nor an aerial Substance, but (I
know not how otherwise to express my self) between both. They spoke to
me in a Language I did not understand, but the Tone of their Voices, and
the Smoothness of their Syllables, were divinely harmonious. I bow'd my
Body to the Ground three times, and offer'd my Credentials, which one of
them took, but by the shaking of his Head, I found understood nothing of
the Contents. _Volatilio_ then address'd himself to them, which made
them look on one another, as People who hardly believed their Senses.
As I had address'd these _Selenites_ in the _Cacklogallinian_ Language,
I had a Mind to try, if speaking in those of the _Europeans_ (for I
understood, beside my own, the _French_ and _Spanish_) I should have any
better Success. I therefore spoke in _English_, and, to my great Joy,
one of the Company answer'd me. He ask'd me, Whether I came from the
World? if so, how I durst undertake so perilous a Journey? I told him,
I would satisfy his Curiosity in answering all his Questions, but
desired he would give me some Time; for I had been so terrified by
Phantoms, since my Arrival, that I was hardly capable of Recollection.
While I was speaking, a Man on Horseback ran full speed upon me with a
drawn Sabre, to cleave me down; but the _Selenite_ waving his Hand, he
soon vanish'd.
"You need, _said he_, apprehend nothing from these Shades; they are
the Souls of the Inhabitants of your World, which being loos'd from
the Body by Sleep, resort here, and for the short Space allotted
them, indulge the Passions which predominate, or undergo the
Misfortunes they fear while they are in your Globe. Look ye, _said
he_, yonder is a Wretch going to the Gallows, and his Soul feels the
same Agony, as if it was a real Sentence to be executed on him. Our
Charity obliges us, when we see those imaginary Ills, to drive the
Soul back to its Body, which we do, by waving our Hand in the Air,
and the agonizing Dreamer wakes. We do also retain them by a Virtue
peculiar to the _Selenites_, and as they sometimes administer a
great deal of Diversion, we do it for our Entertainment, which is
the Reason of those long Naps of two or three Days, nay, of as many
Weeks, which cause the Wonder of your World. The Souls of your
impure Dreamers never reach beyond the middle Region. But we delay
too long inviting you to our Habitations, where you shall have all
possible Care taken of you. But by what Art have you taught Fowls
articulate Sounds? and where could you possibly find them of that
Size?"
I told him they were rational Beings, but that the Story was now too
long to tell him; he presented me to the rest of the Company, and, at
my Request, the _Cacklogallinians_ were humanly treated, whom otherwise
they had look'd upon as overgrown dunghill Fowls. _Volatilio_ did not
appear much surpriz'd at this, who had once esteem'd me a Prodigy of
Nature. As we walk'd to the House, one of the _Selenites_ address'd me
in the _Spanish_ Language, with the known Affiability and Gravity of
that Nation.
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