Niels Klim's journey under the ground

king petition after petition, asking for my discharge, and soliciting for a more honorable appointment. But I was repeatedly refused, for his majesty did not think my abilities would warra

remain where I was, till I could, by my merits

yourself, is

sons,-blunders,

eeble powers grea

oulders long e

ry, I studied the nature of the people, the quality of the soil; and, in short, became accurately acquainted with every thing worthy of observation. That I might not forget any th

ceremony. It was soon determined that I should be made use of to discover and make known whatever there was of interest throughout the planet. Truly! I expected

tue should be p

th its mild bea

nd freeze

g new, and expected, withal, a magnificent reward from the really kind-

s, of vast extent, principally on account of their slow movement. No Potuan could go round it in

is journey in t

contrivance. The physical and moral diversities are so many and so great, on this planet, that a man who has only considered the difference between the antipodal nations of

tures, and I shall limit my remarks to those

anguage. All were trees. But in customs, gestures, and sense, so gr

m, that this assumption was a great mistake. Although I never saw any of them sad, yet none appeared to be happy. The purest heaven is never impressive, but after a storm; so happiness is not appreciated by these oaks, because it is never interrupted; they bless not health, because t

ance of their mortality, learn in their own sufferings,

love and cheerful converse among fellow beings. Here, for the first time, I came to know the folly and sin of grumbling at the

essed Land, was the next in the order of my journey. This land is

elon vines and

oks and amber

ne, from crystal,

m his slumber

the mountain'

e, with golden

t undulating,

ut of teeming n

aradise their

urple plum and

land nutritio

s, then mount to

occurred to me, that laborers in harsher climates are much better of

are different descents or races, determined by the numbe

ng eyes; to whom all

hose eyes

o have very

, which are turned in

with th

, with f

occupy the whole fo

have a single

re admitted to any office, but those who acknowledge and testify by oath, that a certain table, dedicated to the sun and placed in the

akku, mesimbrii caphani crukkia

Eng

seems oblong to me, and I promise to rema

day after my arrival, as I walked in the market-place, I met a party bearing an old man to the whipping post. I asked them the nature

aid so to my landlord, on my return. This tree, who had been recently appointed a church-warden, drew a deep sigh on this occasion, and confesse

this region, fearful that my back might

anet. There are numberless silver mines within its borders: the sand of its rivers

s, gold-strainers and pearl-divers, condemned to the most infamous slavery, drenched in water, or secluded from

ople, on which their neighbors look with longing eyes, should deserve pity rather than excite envy. Fear, mistrust and jealousy rage in all hearts: each regards his neighbo

cular attention. I had much cause to wonder, when I came among the Quambojas, in whom nature was entirely perverted. The older these people grow, the more lustful they become. Rashness, lasciviousness and roguery increase with years. None are suff

ng in Quamboja, where in a few years, I s

the former province, nature is the agent of this perversion;

nd greater powers of endurance; therefore, it is clear that nature intended them to do all the work. But this will keep them so busy, that they will not have time to think. Moreover, as continual physical labor degrades the mind, if they should presume to think, thei

l effects of this

tutes are, elsewhere. Females stroll about the streets, beckon to the men, stare at them, whistle and cry psh! to them; chuckle them under the chin and do all manner of tricks, without the least sense of shame. These females boast of their victories, as dandies, with us, plume themselves on their in

r this high-handed and abominable action. The friends of the youth insisted that she should be prosecuted, and if the crime were proved, sentenced to mend t

sex-frail vessels-are no idle names:-where the wives are so entirely subjected to their husbands that th

r life. So jealous is the queen, that no female is allowed to approach the walls within one hundred yards. Never beholdin

n praised in the presence of the queen, I hastil

my feet g

principally engaged in the study of philosophy and the sciences, vain-gloriously call it. I had long

tly, anticipating the delights that awaited me, and well knowing that the path to paradise is not over roses. When I had struggled onward for an hour I met a peasant, of whom, afte

ns?" "Indeed," said the peasant, "It would look better if the people could find time to attend to such trifles. At present they must be excused, for they

apital city, Casea. Instead of guards and the usual collection about the gates of a large town, hen

ogether, and both classes being alike filthy, they w

dare to give an opinion, so thick was the dirt upon them. I was run into

n?" He stood for some time immovable, with closed eyes; then recovering somewhat fr

nced me that intelligence resulting from methodical and practical s

ther than a philosopher. In the market-place,-a very extensive squa

y became warm, and immediately after I felt warm water trickling down my legs. I turned round to discover the fountain of the str

cited my wrath, and I

he ground. Then a multitude of philosophers came running towards us, and having dragged me from under my opponent, beat me with their sticks till

of virtue and moderation are not called upon to practise the same. The longer my oppressor beat me, the more did his blood boil. At last there came into the hall four sophists, whose cloaks proclaimed them to be of a di

matter, and then explained to me that the philosopher, absorbed in deep thought, had mist

host from fear. I was led into a dissecting room, filled with

he had prepared herself. She was very polite and amiable; but looked at me closely, and sighed continually. I

gues: but your uncommon figure has awakened their curiosity, and they have determined to take your internal structure into close consideration. In fine,

nest, madam! who entertain s

ears in my eyes to intercede for me. She answered, "My intercession would be of no service to you: but I will endeavor

be in perfect safety. She would not be persuaded to return. We walked on together. Meanwhile she entertained me with just and sensible remarks on the customs and follies of the people. Afterwards she turned the discours

peculations, and buried among their books, neglect to an alarming extent, the duties of marriage. "Yes," she continued, "I can swear to you,

meaning, and showed the usual co

pace. The poor lady, whose heart had hitherto been subje

tstrip her. Mingled with her shrieks, opprobrious epithets fell fas

ces, in which I found but l

ass without heads. These are born without that appendage. They speak through a hole in the middle of the breast. On account of this natural defect, they are generally excluded from offices where brains

such brainless officers a

ends. This is done, generally, without injury to the country; for it is well known that the business of the country is carried on b

t their resemblance ends in form. The Cambarans live only about four years. The

d to their perfection. The inhabitants, on account of their short lives, are, as it were, continually on the wing. They regard this life as a gate through which they hastily pass. Their hearts are fixed on the future rather than on the present. They may be called true phi

ortness of life,-those quarrellers with providence! Life can be called short when

have only the present in their minds, for the future has no sensible vanishing point. Sincerity, hones

ed to traverse desolate and rocky regions which lay beyond it. T

e are all stone oaks, and are thought to be the happiest of all sensible being

lsion ignorant

les of nature

rned they practi

t and fear. On

engraved: n

unders of the l

rown or nod: but

steel on should

bristling with

s safe. On no

crowned or

his kinsme

h s

es, in infant in

at lies in mother

from the fond e

e to Death's de

hese people had gained, namely: that they practised virtue from i

known to them,-the inducements to excel,

them to court. In fine, although without vices, they knew nothing of the arts,-of splendid virtues,-nor of any o

live. At first I imagined these people to be happy, as death could never overtake them unexpectedly, nor tear them away in the midst of their sins. But as e

ng heads and miserable looks-the signs upon thei

d minutes upon their fingers, and reg

became obvious to me in this land. I could no longer dou

me into the world with seven heads. These are great universal geniuses. In former times, they were worshiped with almost divine veneration, and were made senators, chief magistrates, &c.

last, they mingled together so intricately, that the seven-headed geniuses could not discriminate in from out. The affairs of government b

ple were excluded from important offices, and the administration of government

cupy the same places a

esemble the Potuans in their external form. Their internal construction is very singular. The heart is p

the greatest cowards among

at the landlord because he could not provide what I called for. The poor fellow fell on his knees before me,

ble and trembling Monsieur poltroon engaged, very valiantly, in beating his wife and servant girls. When he perceived me he took to flight. I turned to the weeping wife and girls and demanded what could have excited such terrible anger in my lamb-like host. They stood for some time, silently, with their eyes fixed o

d to have put in the boat at starting. After quarrelling a long time with the boatman, who denied all knowledge of it, I went to a magistrate, and related

gly accusing him. In this doubtful case, the court demanded witnesses. This demand

, be given in a formal manner, by witnesses or written documents. Whoever cannot do this not only lose their case, but are subject to punishment for malicious a

which relies for its safety on bare human laws. It is like a city built on a volcanic mountai

ards me, and pressing with the weight of his body, felled me to the ground. When I demanded the reason of this rough salutation, he begged my pardon in the most polite and elegant expressions. A f

d objects far beyond the view of others, but they could not see what was directly before them. These sharp-

found nothing worthy to be recorded in this history

Ash month. The first thing I did was to deliver m

een well known in Nazar for ages. The Potuans were so much pleased with my book that they were never tired of re

appointment to a great and respectable office. My expectations not being answered, I gave in a

oved by my prayers, and promised t

iking, for his grace consisted only

k judgment and general insignificance. "Nature," he said, "has been a step-mother to you; you want, altogether, the talents which clear the road to important offices. You must creep before you walk; and it is foolish to think of flying without wings." He acknowledged my merits: "But," he continued, "it is not such merits as yours

ought of growing grey in my base employment. I determined on the desperate attempt, which I had formerly con

ternal condition of the kingdom, to discover the least f

rt. For being by nature vain, they strive to extend their power in every conceivable dire

sufficiency of voices on my side by placing the case in its best light. It seemed an easy matter, to me, to con

s possessed of, supporting it with the mos

at this miserable and impertinent project, as he graciously

g to law, I was led to the market-place with a rope about my neck, to await the decision of the Council. When the counsellors had g

ecome hostile and troublesome to the government. Furthermore, we hold it to be unjust to deny, to trees of excellent qualities, admission to offices of which they have hitherto shown themselves to be worthy and especially it is incredible, that nature, which does nothing inconsiderately, should have idly endued them with superior and varied gif

let the aforesaid Skabba, for his no less despicable than

cteristic mildness, and in consideration of my having been born and educated in a strange world, where a quick and reckless head is thought to be a blessing, he commuted my punish