The Blazing World and Other Writings (Penguin Classics) (28 page)

At last, when the Duchess saw that no patterns would do her any good in the framing of her world; she resolved to make a world of her own invention, and this world was composed of sensitive and rational self-moving matter; indeed, it was composed only of the rational, which is the subtlest and purest degree of matter; for as the sensitive did move and act both to the perceptions and consistency of the body, so this degree of matter at the same point of time (for though the degrees are mixed, yet the several parts may move several ways at one time) did move to the creation of the imaginary world; which world after it was made, appeared so curious and full of variety, so well ordered and wisely governed, that it cannot possibly be expressed by words, nor the delight and pleasure which the Duchess took in making this world of her own.

In the meantime the Empress was also making and dissolving several worlds in her own mind, and was so puzzled, that she could not settle in any of diem; wherefore she sent for the Duchess, who being ready to wait on the Empress, carried her beloved world along with her, and invited the Empress’s soul to observe the frame, order and government of it. Her Majesty was so ravished with the perception of it, that her soul desired to
live in the Duchess’s world; but the Duchess advised her to make such another world in her own mind; for, said she, your Majesty’s mind is full of rational corporeal motions, and the rational motions of my mind shall assist you by the help of sensitive expressions, with the best instructions they are able to give you.

The Empress being thus persuaded by the Duchess to make an imaginary world of her own, followed her advice; and after she had quite finished it, and framed all kinds of creatures proper and useful for it, strengthened it with good laws, and beautified it with arts and sciences; having nothing else to do, unless she did dissolve her imaginary world, or made some alterations in the Blazing World she lived in, which yet she could hardly do, by reason it was so well ordered that it could not be mended; for it was governed without secret and deceiving policy; neither was there any ambition, factions, malicious detractions, civil dissensions, or home-bred quarrels, divisions in religion, foreign wars, etc. but all the people lived in a peaceful society, united tranquility, and religious conformity; she was desirous to see the world the Duchess came from, and observe therein the several sovereign governments, laws and customs of several nations. The Duchess used all the means she could, to divert her from that journey, telling her, that the world she came from, was very much disturbed with factions, divisions and wars; but the Empress would not be persuaded from her design; and lest the Emperor, or any of his subjects should know of her travel, and obstruct her design, she sent for some of the spirits she had formerly conversed withal, and enquired whether none of them could supply the place of her soul in her body at such a time, when she was gone to travel into another world? They answered, yes, they could; for not only one, said they, but many spirits may enter into your body, if you please. The Empress replied, she desired but one spirit to be viceroy of her body in the absence of her soul, but it must be an honest and ingenious spirit; and if it was possible, a female spirit. The spirits told her, that there was no difference of sexes amongst them; but, said they, we will choose an honest and ingenious spirit,
and such a one as shall so resemble your soul, that neither the Emperor, nor any of his subjects, although the most divine, shall know whether it be your own soul, or not: which the Empress was very glad at, and after the spirits were gone, asked the Duchess, how her body was supplied in the absence of her soul? who answered Her Majesty, that her body, in the absence of her soul, was governed by her sensitive and rational corporeal motions. Thus those two female souls travelled together as lightly as two thoughts into the Duchess her native world; and which is remarkable, in a moment viewed all the parts of it, and all the actions of all the creatures therein, especially did the Empress’s soul take much notice of the several actions of human creatures in all the several nations and parts of that world, and wondered that for all there were so many several nations, governments, laws, religions, opinions, etc. they should all yet so generally agree in being ambitious, proud, self-conceited, vain, prodigal, deceitful, envious, malicious, unjust, revengeful, irreligious, factious, etc. She did also admire, that not any particular state, kingdom or commonwealth, was contented with their own shares, but endeavoured to encroach upon their neighbours, and that their greatest glory was in plunder and slaughter, and yet their victories less than their expenses, and their losses more than their gains, but their being overcome in a manner their utter ruin. But that she wondered most at, was, that they should prize or value dirt more than men’s lives, and vanity more than tranquility; for the Emperor of a world, said she, enjoys but a part, not the whole; so that his pleasure consists in the opinions of others. It is strange to me, answered the Duchess, that you should say thus, being yourself, an Empress of a world, and not only of a world, but of a peaceable, quiet, and obedient world. Tis true, replied the Empress, but although it is a peaceable and obedient world, yet the government thereof is rather a trouble, than a pleasure; for order cannot be without industry, contrivance and direction; besides, the magnificent state, that great Princes keep or ought to keep, is troublesome. Then by your Majesty’s discourse, said the Duchess, I perceive that the greatest happiness in all worlds
consist in moderation: no doubt of it, replied the Empress; and after these two souls had visited all the several places, congregations and assemblies both in religion and state, the several courts of judicature, and the like, in several nations, the Empress said, that of all the monarchs of the several parts of that world, she had observed the Grand Signior
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was the greatest; for his word was a law, and his power absolute. But the Duchess prayed the Empress to pardon her that she was of another mind; for, said she, he cannot alter Mahomet’s laws and religion; so that the law and church do govern the Emperor, and not the Emperor them. But, replied the Empress, he has power in some particulars; as for example, to place and displace subjects in their particular governments of church and state, and having that, he has the command both over church and state, and none dares oppose him. Tis true, said the Duchess; but if it pleases your Majesty, we will go into that part of the world whence I came to wait on your Majesty, and there you shall see as powerful a monarch as the Grand-Signior; for though his dominions are not of so large extent, yet they are much stronger, his laws are easy and safe, and he governs so justly and wisely, that his subjects are the happiest people of all the nations or parts of that world. This monarch, said the Empress, I have a great mind to see: then they both went, and in a short time arrived into his dominions; but coming into the metropolitan city, the Empress’s soul observed many gallants go into a house, and enquired of the Duchess’s soul, what house that was? She told her, it was one of the theatres where comedies and tragedies were acted. The Empress asked, whether they were real? No, said the Duchess, they are feigned. Then the Empress desired to enter into the theatre, and when she had seen the play that was acted, the Duchess asked her how she liked that recreation? I like it very well, said the Empress; but I observe, that the actors make a better show than the spectators, and the scenes a better than the actors, and the music and dancing is more pleasant and acceptable than the play itself; for I see, the scenes stand for wit, the dancing for humour, and the music is the chorus. I am sorry, replied the Duchess, to hear your Majesty say so; for if the wits
of this part of the world should hear you, they would condemn you. What, said the Empress, would they condemn me for preferring a natural face before a sign-post, or a natural humour before an artificial dance, or music before a true and profitable relation? As for relation, replied the Duchess, our poets defy and condemn it into a chimney-corner, fitter for old women’s tales, than theatres. Why, said the Empress, do not your poets’ actions comply with their judgements? for their plays are composed of old stories, either of Greek or Roman, or some newfound world. The Duchess answered her Majesty, that it was true; that all or most of their plays were taken out of old stories, but yet they had new actions, which being joined to old stories, together with the addition of new prologues, scenes, music and dancing, made new plays.

After this, both the souls went to the court, where all the royal family was together, attended by the chief of the nobles of their dominions, which made a very magnificent show; and when the soul of the Empress viewed the King and Queen, she seemed to be in amaze, which the Duchess’s soul perceiving, asked the Empress how she liked the King, the Queen, and all the royal race? She answered, that in all the monarchs she had seen in that world, she had not found so much majesty and affability mixed so exactly together, that none did overshadow or eclipse the other; and as for the Queen, she said, that virtue sat triumphant in her face, and piety was dwelling in her heart, and that all the royal family seemed to be endued with a divine splendour: but when she had heard the King discourse, she believed, that Mercury and Apollo had been his celestial instructors; and my dear lord and husband, added the Duchess, has been his earthly governor. But after some short stay in the court, the Duchess’s soul grew very melancholy; the Empress asking the cause of her sadness? she told her, that she had an extreme desire to converse with the soul of her noble lord and dear husband, and that she was impatient of a longer stay. The Empress desired the Duchess to have but patience so long, until the King, the Queen, and the royal family were retired, and then she would bear her company to her lord and husband’s soul,
who at that time lived in the country some 112 miles off; which she did: and thus these two souls went towards those parts of the kingdom where the Duke of Newcastle was.

But one thing I forgot all this while, which is, that although thoughts are the natural language of souls, yet by reason souls cannot travel without vehicles, they use such language as the nature and propriety of their vehicles require, and the vehicles of those two souls being made of the purest and finest sort of air, and of a human shape; this purity and fineness was the cause that they could neither be seen nor heard by any human creature; when as, had they been of some grosser sort of air, the sound of that air’s language would have been as perceptible as the blowing of Zephyrus.
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And now to return to my former story; when the Empress’s and Duchess’s soul were travelling into Nottinghamshire, for that was the place where the Duke did reside; passing through the forest of Sherwood, the Empress’s soul was very much delighted with it, as being a dry, plain and woody place, very pleasant to travel in both in Winter and Summer; for it is neither much dirty, nor dusty at no time: at last they arrived at Welbeck,
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a house where the Duke dwelled, surrounded all with wood, so close and full, that the Empress took great pleasure and delight therein, and told the Duchess she never had observed more wood in so little a compass in any part of the kingdom she had passed through; the truth is, said she, there seems to be more wood on the seas, she meaning the ships, than on the land. The Duchess told her, the reason was, that there had been a long Civil War in that kingdom, in which most of the best timber-trees and principal palaces were ruined and destroyed; and my dear lord and husband, said she, has lost by it half his woods, besides many houses, land, and movable goods; so that all the loss out of his particular estate, did amount to above half a million of pounds. I wish, said the Empress, he had some of the gold that is in the Blazing World, to repair his losses. The Duchess most humbly thanked her Imperial Majesty for her kind wishes; but, said she, wishes will not repair his ruins: however, God has given my noble lord and husband
great patience, by which he bears all his losses and misfortunes. At last, they entered into the Duke’s house, an habitation not so magnificent, as useful; and when the Empress saw it, Has the Duke, said she, no other house but this? Yes, answered the Duchess, some five miles from this place, he has a very fine castle, called Bolsover.
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That place then, said the Empress, I desire to see. Alas! replied the Duchess, it is but a naked house, and unclothed of all furniture. However, said the Empress, I may see the manner of its structure and building. That you may, replied the Duchess: and as they were thus discoursing, the Duke came out of the house into the court, to see his horses of manage; whom when the Duchess’s soul perceived, she was so overjoyed, that her aerial vehicle became so splendorous, as if it had been enlightened by the sun; by which we may perceive, that the passions of souls or spirits can alter their bodily vehicles. Then these two ladies’ spirits went close to him, but he could not perceive them; and after the Empress had observed the art of manage,
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she was much pleased with it, and commended it as a noble pastime, and an exercise fit and proper for noble and heroic persons; but when the Duke was gone into the house again, those two souls followed him; where the Empress observing, that he went to the exercise of the sword, and was such an excellent and unparallelled master thereof, she was as much pleased with that exercise, as she was with the former: but the Duchess’s soul being troubled, that her dear lord and husband used such a violent exercise before meat, for fear of overheating himself, without any consideration of the Empress’s soul, left her aerial vehicle, and entered into her lord. The Empress’s soul perceiving this, did the like: and then the Duke had three souls in one body; and had there been but some such souls more, the Duke would have been like the Grand Signior in his seraglio, only it would have been a platonic seraglio.
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But the Duke’s soul being wise, honest, witty, complaisant and noble, afforded such delight and pleasure to the Empress’s soul by her conversation, that these two souls became enamoured of each other; which the Duchess’s soul perceiving, grew jealous at first, but then considering that no adultery could be committed amongst
Platonic lovers, and that Platonism was divine, as being derived from divine Plato, cast forth of her mind that Idea of jealousy. Then the conversation of these three souls was so pleasant, that it cannot be expressed; for the Duke’s soul entertained the Empress’s soul with scenes, songs, music, witty discourses, pleasant recreations, and all kinds of harmless sports; so that the time passed away faster than they expected. At last, a spirit came and told the Empress, that although neither the Emperor, nor any of his subjects knew that her soul was absent; yet the Empress’s soul was so sad and melancholy, for want of his own beloved soul, that all the imperial court took notice of it. Wherefore he advised the Empress’s soul to return into the Blazing World, into her own body she left there; which both the Duke’s and Duchess’s soul was very sorry for, and wished, that if it had been possible, the Empress’s soul might have stayed a longer time with diem; but seeing it could not be otherwise, they pacified themselves: but before the Empress returned into the Blazing World, the Duchess desired a favour of her, to wit, that she would be pleased to make an agreement between her noble lord, and Fortune. Why, said the Empress, are they enemies? Yes, answered the Duchess, and they have been so ever since I have been his wife; nay, I have heard my lord say, that she hath crossed him in all things ever since he could remember. I am sorry for that, replied the Empress, but I cannot discourse with Fortune without the help of an immaterial spirit, and that cannot be done in this world, for I have no fly- nor bird-men here, to send into the region of the air, where for the most part, their habitations are. The Duchess said, she would entreat her lord to send an attorney or lawyer, to plead his cause. Fortune will bribe them, replied the Empress, and so the Duke may chance to be cast;
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wherefore the best way will be for the Duke to choose a friend on his side, and let Fortune choose another, and try whether by this means it be possible to compose the difference. The Duchess said, they will never come to an agreement, unless there be a judge or umpire to decide the case. A judge, replied the Empress, is easy to be had, but to get an impartial judge, is a thing so difficult, that I doubt we shall
hardly find one; for there is none to be had neither in nature, nor in Hell, but only from Heaven, and how to get such a divine and celestial judge I cannot tell: nevertheless, if you will go along with me into the Blazing World, I’ll try what may be done. Tis my duty, said the Duchess, to wait on your Majesty, and I shall most willingly do it, for I have no other interest to consider. Then the Duchess spake to the Duke concerning the difference between him and Fortune, and how it was her desire that they might be friends. The Duke answered, that for his part, he had always with great industry, sought her friendship, but as yet he could never obtain it, for she had always been his enemy: however, said he, I’ll try, and send my two friends, Prudence and Honesty, to plead my cause. Then these two friends went with the Duchess and the Empress into the Blazing World; (for it is to be observed, that they are somewhat like spirits, because they are immaterial, although their actions are corporeal:) and after their arrival there, when the Empress had refreshed herself, and rejoiced with the Emperor, she sent her fly-men for some of the spirits, and desired their assistance, to compose the difference between Fortune, and the Duke of Newcastle. But they told her Majesty, that Fortune was so inconstant, that although she would perhaps promise to hear their cause pleaded, yet it was a thousand to one, but she would never have the patience to do it: nevertheless, upon her Majesty’s request, they tried their utmost, and at last prevailed with Fortune so far, that she chose Folly, and Rashness, for her friends, but they could not agree in choosing a judge; until at last, with much ado, they concluded, that Truth should hear, and decide the cause. Thus all being prepared, and the time appointed, both the Empress’s and Duchess’s soul went to hear them plead; and when all the immaterial company was met, Fortune standing upon a golden globe, made this following speech: