Chapter 1
How the Voyage Was Conceived
I Had been with some Friends at Clamard, a House near Paris, and magnificently Entertain'd there by Monsieur de Cuigy, the Lord of it; when upon our return home, about Nine of the Clock at Night, the Air serene, and the Moon in the Full, the Contemplation of that bright Luminary furnished us with such variety of Thoughts as made the way seem shorter than, indeed, it was. Our Eyes being fixed upon that stately Planet, every one spoke what he thought of it: One would needs have it be a Garret Window of Heaven; another presently affirmed, That it was the Pan whereupon Diana smoothed Apollo's Bands; whilst another was of Opinion, That it might very well be the Sun himself, who putting his Locks up under his Cap at Night, peeped through a hole to observe what was doing in the World during his absence.
I had been with some friends at Clamard, a house near Paris, where Monsieur de Cuigy, its owner, had entertained us magnificently. We were returning home at about nine that night. The air was clear, and the moon was full. Looking at that bright light gave us so many thoughts that the journey seemed shorter than it really was. We fixed our eyes on that stately planet, and each of us said what he thought of it. One insisted it was an attic window of Heaven. Another promptly declared that it was the pan on which Diana ironed Apollo's bands. Yet another thought it might well be the sun himself. In his view, the sun tucked his hair under his cap at night. Then he peered through a hole to see what was happening in the world during his absence.
Lebret mentions Monsieur de Cuigy as a friend and admirer of Cyrano. He also witnessed Cyrano's famous battle against the hundred ruffians. De Cuigy owned an estate at Clamart-sous-Meudon, near Paris. He appears as a character in M. Rostand's play Cyrano de Bergerac.
"And for my part, Gentlemen," said I, "that I may put in for a share, and guess with the rest; not to amuse my self with those curious Notions wherewith you tickle and spur on slow-paced Time; I believe, that the Moon is a World like ours, to which this of ours serves likewise for a Moon."
“And as for me, gentlemen,” I said, “I would like to join in and make a guess. I won’t dwell on the clever ideas you use to amuse yourselves and hurry slow-moving time along. I believe the Moon is a world like ours, and that our world serves as its moon.”
This was received with the general Laughter of the Company. "And perhaps," said I, "(Gentlemen) just so they laugh now in the Moon, at some who maintain, That this Globe, where we are, is a World." But I'd as good have said nothing, as have alledged to them, That a great many Learned Men had been of the same Opinion; for that only made them laugh the faster.
Everyone in the company laughed at this. "And perhaps, gentlemen," I said, "people on the Moon are laughing just the same way now. They are laughing at those who claim that this globe we live on is a world." But I might as well have said nothing. Telling them that many learned men shared this opinion only made them laugh harder.
However, this thought, which because of its boldness suited my Humor, being confirmed by Contradiction, sunk so deep into my mind, that during the rest of the way I was big with Definitions of the Moon which I could not be delivered of: Insomuch that by striving to verifie this Comical Fancy by Reasons of appearing weight, I had almost perswaded my self already of the truth on't; when a Miracle, Accident, Providence, Fortune, or what, perhaps, some may call Vision, others Fiction, Whimsey, or (if you will) Folly, furnished me with an occasion that engaged me into this Discourse. Being come home, I went up into my Closet, where I found a Book open upon the Table, which I had not put there. It was a piece of Cardanus; and though I had no design to read in it, yet I fell at first sight, as by force, exactly upon a Passage of that Philosopher where he tells us, That Studying one evening by Candle-light, he perceived Two tall old Men enter in through the door that was shut, who after many questions that he put to them, made him answer, That they were Inhabitants of the Moon, and thereupon immediately disappeared.
The thought appealed to my temperament because it was bold, and opposition only strengthened it. It sank so deeply into my mind that, for the rest of the journey, I was pregnant with definitions of the Moon I could not deliver. I tried to support this comical fancy with reasons that seemed convincing. I had almost persuaded myself it was true when something gave me an occasion to pursue the subject. It might have been a miracle, accident, providence, or fortune. Perhaps some would call it a vision, others a fiction, a whim, or, if you like, folly. When I got home, I went up to my study. There I found a book open on the table that I had not put there. It was a work by Cardanus. Though I had no intention of reading it, my eyes were drawn, as if by force, to a particular passage. In it, the philosopher tells us that he was studying by candlelight one evening when he saw two tall old men enter through the closed door. He asked them many questions, and they answered that they were inhabitants of the Moon. Then they immediately disappeared.
Jerome Cardan (1501-1576) was a natural philosopher, doctor, astrologer, mathematician, and prolific author. In short, he was a sort of Italian Paracelsus, both in his wide learning and his keen interest in every possible field of knowledge. He included astrology and necromancy among those fields. His most important work is the one mentioned here, De Subtilitate Rerum, 1551.
I was so surprised, not only to see a Book get thither of it self; but also because of the nicking of the Time so patly, and of the Page at which it lay upon, that I looked upon that Concatenation of Accidents as a Revelation, discovering to Mortals that the Moon is a World. "How!" said I to my self, having just now talked of a thing, can a Book, which perhaps is the only Book in the World that treats of that matter so particularly, fly down from the Shelf upon my Table; become capable of Reason, in opening so exactly at the place of so strange an adventure; force my Eyes in a manner to look upon it, and then to suggest to my fancy the Reflexions, and to my Will the Designs which I hatch.
I was astonished that a book had landed there by itself. But I was also amazed by its perfect timing and the page it had opened to. I saw this chain of coincidences as a revelation, showing mortals that the Moon is a world. "How can this be?" I said to myself. "I had just been talking about this subject when a book flew down from the shelf onto my table. Perhaps it is the only book in the world that treats the subject in such detail. Could it have gained the power to reason? It opened exactly to the account of such a strange adventure. It almost forced my eyes to look at the page, and then suggested the thoughts and plans I am forming."
"Without doubt," continued I, "the Two old Men, who appeared to that famous Philosopher, are the very same who have taken down my Book and opened it at that Page, to save themselves the labour of making to me the Harangue which they made to Cardan."
“Without a doubt,” I continued, “the two old men who appeared to that famous philosopher are the very same ones. They took down my book and opened it to that page. That saved them the trouble of giving me the speech they gave Cardan.”
"But," added I, "I cannot be resolved of this Doubt, unless I mount up thither."
"But," I added, "I cannot settle this doubt unless I go up there."
"And why not?" said I instantly to my self. "Prometheus heretofore went up to Heaven, and stole fire from thence. Have not I as much Boldness as he? And why should not I, then, expect as favourable a Success?"
"And why not?" I immediately said to myself. "Prometheus once went up to Heaven and stole fire from there. Am I not as bold as he was? Then why shouldn't I expect the same success?"