As I walked in the Orchard last night by
star light, I was raising my imagination
to the sublime notions of the modern philosophy,
which makes the earth to be of the nature
of a planet, moving round the sun, and supposes
all the fixed stars to be suns in their respective
systems, each of them surrounded, like this
of ours, by a Quire of Planets. And why,
thought I, may not all these Planets be inhabited,
as well as this our globe? Has not the microsope
given us sensible evidence of a vast number
of new worlds, if I may so speak,
which before were not imagin'd to exist?
And what Limits can we set to the works of
God and Nature? Thus thinking, I stop'd
close to a Plumb-tree, and went on with my
Reverie thus —
* * * For ought I know, two nations on each
side a Fibre of a green leaf may meet and
perform actions as truly great as any we
read of in the history of Alexander. Their
courage, resolution, and patience of Pain
may be as great, as that exhibited by the
Macedonian army, nay and even the prize of
the contest no way inferior to that which
animated the brave Greeks. The possession
or conquest of the Leaf may gratify as many
and as strong desires in them, as that of
the earth in us.
So far I had indulg'd the extravagance
of my fancy when I bethought myself it was
bedtime, and I dare swear you will say it
was high time for me to go to sleep.
I went to bed accordingly. From that time
I know not what happen'd to me, till
by degrees I found myself in a new state
of being, without any remembrance or suspicion
that I had ever existed before, growing up
gradually to reason and manhood, as I had
done here. The world I was in was vast and
commodious. The heavens were enlighten'd
with abundance of smaller luminarys resembling
stars, and one glaring one resembling the
moon; but with this difference that they
seem'd fix'd in the heavens, and
had no apparent motion. There were also a
set of Luminarys
>> note 1 of
a different nature, that gave a dimmer light. They were of various magnitudes,
and appear'd in different forms. Some had the form of crescents; others,
that shone opposite to the great light, appear'd round. We call'd
them by a name, which in our language would sound like second stars. Besides
these, there were several luminous streaks
>> note 2 running
across the heavens like our milky way; and many variable glimmerings
>> note 3 like
our north-lights.
After having made my escape from the follies
of youth, I betook myself to the study of
natural philosophy. The philosophy there
profess'd was reckon'd the most excellent
in the world and was said to have receiv'd
its utmost perfection. After long and tedious
study, I found that it was little else, than
a heap of unintelligible jargon. All I could
make out of it was, that the world we liv'd
on was flat, immensely extended every way,
and that the sky was spread over it like
a tent.
Dissatisfy'd with this, I resolv'd
to travel in quest of knowledge to a foreign
country renown'd for wisdom; but found
there instead of knowledge only a vain affectation
of mystery in order to gain the veneration
of the vulgar, and thereby serve the ends
of government. Disappointed here, I resolv'd
to travel further, and continu'd the
same route thro' infinite dangers and
difficulties. By degrees I found a considerable
alteration in the heavens. The stars behind
me were grown lower, those before me appear'd
higher. A huge dusky veil
>> note 4 like
a Cloud which was only tinsel'd over with a faint glimmer of light was
rising upon the heavens. In process of time, as I continu'd my journey,
it quite covered the Hemisphere, the luminarys having all successively set
behind me. Still continuing my wearisome travels, I found the dusky veil
began in its turn to remove towards that part of the heavens behind my back.
Stars arose before me, which I recollected to have seen formerly. To be short,
in process of time I found myself in the same country from whence I set out,
and the heavenly bodys all in the same position, as I had left them.
I no longer doubted that the world was globular,
I openly declar'd my opinion, and the
grounds of it. But it being thought contrary
to the doctrines of a religion which then
prevail'd, I narrowly escap'd being
burnt for a Heretick.
I retired from the world to indulge my speculations.
I began by degrees to perceive that I was
exempt from the Fate of the other inhabitants
of that world, whose life was limited to
a term, that seem'd about the length
of 3 or 4 score years, as time is reckon'd
here. I spent in my solitude 3 or 4 ages.
During this time I had observ'd that
the heavens had a motion, tho' slow,
and found that celestial as well as terrestrial
things were in some measure subject to change.
I even foresaw, with great grief, the time
when the great light shou'd (as I observ'd
several stars had done), sink under the dark
veil, and leave us in eternal night.
* * * At this time began to be heard all
over the world a huge noise and fragor in
the skys, as if all nature was approaching
to her dissolution. The stars seem'd
to be torn from their orbits, and to wander
at random thro' the heavens. I observ'd
however that they did not change their position
with regard to each other; and thence concluded
from the depth of my philosophy, that this
unnatural motion was to be ascrib'd rather
to the globe we liv'd on, than to the
heavens, and that the former underwent some
violent concussion. I fix'd my attention
on a constellation of the second stars. I
found that they considerably chang'd
their position with regard to each other,
and seem'd to suffer some cruel agitation.
It was not long before I observ'd several
of them to separate from, and forsake the
rest. I watch'd their motions carefully;
mark'd on my globe their courses among
the stars, as one wou'd that of a comet.
I perceiv'd their swiftness continually
increas'd, and by degrees saw them lost
in the great dark veil.
And now the fragor increas'd; the world
was alarm'd; all was consternation, horrour,
and amaze; no less was expected than an universal
wreck of nature. What ensu'd I know not.
All of a sudden, I knew not how, I found
myself in bed, as just waking from a sound
sleep.
I recollected the bed, the hangings, the
room, my last night's thoughts, the whole
series of my former life. All this wou'd
seem to persuade me that I had been in a
dream. On the other hand, my whole existence
in the present state appear'd so small
and so inconsiderable, and there appear'd
so much of solidity and regularity in the
other state, wherein I had spent thousands
of years, that I could not be persuaded but
I was at present in a dream. I rub'd
my face, pull'd myself by the nose and
ears in order to awake myself. I got up,
ran into the house, enquir'd what was
the name of the world we lived in, what nation
this was call'd? what king at present
reign'd? I hurry'd into the orchard,
and by a sort of natural instinct made to
the plumb-tree under which passed my last
night's reverie. I observ'd the face
of the heavens was just the same as it had
appear'd to me immediately before I left
my former state; and that a brisk gale of
wind, which is common about sun rising, was
abroad. I recollected a hint I had read in Fontenelle who
intimates that there is reason to suppose
that the Blue on Plumbs is
no other than an immense number of living
creatures. I got into the tree, examin'd
the clusters of plumbs; found that they hung
in the same position, and made the same appearance
with the constellations of second stars,
I had been so familiarly acquainted with,
excepting that some few were wanting, which
I myself had seen fall. I cou'd then
no longer doubt how the matter was.
O the vanity of worldly things, and even
of worlds themselves! o world, wherein I
have spent so many happy days! o ye comforts,
and enjoyments I am separated from; the acquaintance
and friends I have left behind me there!
O the mountains, rivers, rocks and plains,
which ages had familiariz'd to my view!
with you I seem'd at home; here I am
like a banish'd man; every thing appears
strange, wild and savage! O the projects
I had form'd! the designs I had set on
foot, the friendships I had cultivated! How
has one blast of wind dash'd you to pieces! * * *
But thus it is: Plumbs fall,
and Planets shall perish * * *
"And now a Bubble burst, and now a
world."
>> note 5 The
time will come when the powers of heaven
shall be shaken, and the stars shall fall
like the fruit of a tree, when it is shaken
by a mighty wind.