The Author's Return to Earth

At length my Love for my Country took me off of the desire and thoughts I had of staying there; I minded nothing now but to be gone; but I saw so much impossibility in the matter, that it made me quite peevish and melancholick. My Spirit observed it, and having asked me, What was the reason that my Humor was so much altered? I frankly told him the Cause of my Melancholy; but he made me such fair Promises concerning my Return, that I relied wholly upon him. I acquainted the Council with my design; who sent for me, and made me take an Oath, that I should relate in our World, all that I had seen in that. My Passports then were expeded, and my Spirit having made necessary Provisions for so long a Voyage, asked me, What part of my Country I desired to light in? I told him, that since most of the Rich Youths of Paris, once in their life time, made a Journey to Rome; imagining after that that there remained no more worth the doing or seeing; I prayed him to be so good as to let me imitate them.

At last, my love for my country made me give up the thought of staying there. Now I wanted nothing but to leave. But leaving seemed so impossible that I became quite irritable and melancholy. My Spirit noticed and asked why my mood had changed so much. I told him frankly what was troubling me. He made such reassuring promises about my return that I trusted him completely. I told the Council of my plan. They sent for me and made me swear to tell everyone in our world all I had seen in theirs. My passports were then issued, and my Spirit made the necessary preparations for such a long journey. He asked where in my country I wished to land. I told him that most of the wealthy young men of Paris made a journey to Rome once in their lives. Afterward, they imagined there was nothing else worth doing or seeing. So I asked him to be kind enough to let me imitate them.

"But withal," said I, "in what Machine shall we perform the Voyage, and what Orders do you think the Mathematician, who talked t'other day of joyning this Globe to ours, will give me?" "As to the Mathematician," said he, "let that be no hinderance to you; for he is a Man who promises much, and performs little or nothing. And as to the Machine that's to carry you back, it shall be the same which brought you to Court." "How," said I, "will the Air become as solid as the Earth, to bear your steps? I cannot believe that." "And it is strange," replied he, "that you should believe, and not believe. Pray why should the Witches of your World, who march in the Air, and conduct whole Armies of Hail, Snow, Rain, and other Meteors, from one Province into another, have more Power than we? Pray have a little better opinion of me, than to think I would impose upon you." "The truth is," said I, "I have received so many good Offices from you, as well as Socrates, and the rest, for whom you have [had] so great kindness, that I dare trust my self in your hands, as now I do, resigning my self heartily up to you."

"But how," I asked, "will we make the journey? And what orders do you think the Mathematician will give me? The other day, he talked about joining this world to ours." "As for the Mathematician," he said, "don't let him stand in your way. He promises much and does little or nothing. As for the machine that will take you back, it will be the same one that brought you to Court." "How?" I said. "Will the air become as solid as the earth and support your steps? I can't believe that." "It's strange," he replied, "that you should both believe and disbelieve. Why should the witches of your world have more power than we do? They walk through the air and lead whole armies of hail, snow, rain, and other weather from one province to another. Please think better of me than to believe I would deceive you." "The truth is," I said, "you have shown me so much kindness, as have Socrates and the others you care for so deeply. So I dare to trust myself to your care, as I do now, placing myself wholeheartedly in your hands."

I had no sooner said the word, but he rose like a Whirlwind, and holding me between his Arms, without the least uneasiness he made me pass that vast space which Astronomers reckon betwixt the Moon and us, in a day and a halfs time; which convinced me that they tell a Lye who say that a Millstone would be Three Hundred Threescore, and I know not how many years more, in falling from Heaven, since I was so short a while in dropping down from the Globe of the Moon upon this. At length, about the beginning of the Second day, I perceived I was drawing near our World; since I could already distinguish Europe from Africa, and both from Asia; when I smelt Brimstone which I saw steaming out of a very high Mountain,¹ that incommoded me so much that I fainted away upon it.

As soon as I said the word, he rose like a whirlwind and held me in his arms. Without the slightest difficulty, he carried me across the vast distance astronomers reckon lies between the Moon and Earth. The journey took a day and a half. This convinced me that those who say a millstone would take three hundred and sixty years, and I know not how many more, to fall from heaven are lying. After all, I had taken so little time to drop from the Moon to Earth. At last, near the beginning of the second day, I saw that I was approaching our world. I could already distinguish Europe from Africa, and both from Asia. Then I smelled sulfur and saw it steaming from a very high mountain.¹ The fumes troubled me so much that I fainted.

I cannot tell what befel me afterwards; but coming to my self again, I found I was amongst Briers on the side of a Hill, amidst some Shepherds, who spoke Italian. I knew not what was become of my Spirit, and I asked the Shepherds if they had not seen him. At that word they made the sign of the Cross, and looked upon me as if I had been a Devil my self: But when I told them that I was a Christian, and that I begg'd the Charity of them, that they would lead me to some place where I might take a little rest; they conducted me into a Village, about a Mile off; where no sooner was I come but all the Dogs of the place, from the least Cur to the biggest Mastiff, flew upon me, and had torn me to pieces, if I had not found a House wherein I saved my self: But that hindered them not to continue their Barking and Bawling, so that the Master of the House began to look upon me with an Evil Eye; and really I think, as people are very apprehensive when Accidents which they look upon to be ominous happen, that man could have delivered me up as a Prey to these accursed Beasts, had not I bethought my self that that which madded them so much at me, was the World from whence I came; because being accustomed to bark at the Moon, they smelt I was come from thence, by the scent of my Cloaths, which stuck to me as a Sea-smell hangs about those who have been long on Ship-board, for some time after they come ashore. To Air myself then, I lay three or four hours in the Sun, upon a Terrass-walk; and being afterwards come down, the Dogs, who smelt no more that influence which had made me their Enemy, left barking, and peaceably went to their several homes.

I cannot say what happened to me afterward. But when I came to, I found myself among brambles on a hillside, surrounded by shepherds who spoke Italian. I did not know what had become of my Spirit, so I asked the shepherds if they had seen him. At that word, they crossed themselves and looked at me as if I were a Devil myself. But I told them I was a Christian and begged them to lead me somewhere I could rest. They took me to a village about a mile away. No sooner had I arrived than all the dogs in the village attacked me, from the smallest cur to the largest mastiff. They would have torn me to pieces if I had not found shelter in a house. But the dogs kept barking and howling, and the master of the house began to look at me suspiciously. People become very fearful when things happen that they take for bad omens. Indeed, I think the man might have thrown me to those accursed beasts. But then I realized that the world I had come from was what made them so furious with me. The dogs were used to barking at the Moon, and they smelled the Moon on my clothes. The scent clung to me like the smell of the sea. That smell lingers for some time on people who have been aboard a ship for a long time, even after they come ashore. So, to air myself out, I lay in the sun on a terrace for three or four hours. When I came down again, the dogs could no longer smell whatever had made me their enemy. They stopped barking and peacefully went to their separate homes.

Next day I parted for Rome, where I saw the ruins of the Triumphs of some great men, as well as of Ages: I admired those lovely Relicks; and the Repairs of some of them made by the Modern. At length, having stayed there a fortnight in Company of Monsieur de Cyrano my Cousin, who advanced me Money for my Return, I went to Civita vecchia, and embarked in a Galley that carried me to Marseilles.

The next day I left for Rome. There I saw the ruins of the triumphs of great men and of ages past. I admired those lovely remains and the repairs that modern people had made to some of them. I stayed there for two weeks with my cousin, Monsieur de Cyrano, who lent me money for my return. Then I went to Civita vecchia and boarded a galley that took me to Marseilles.

During all this Voyage, my mind run upon nothing but the Wonders of the last I made. At that time I began the Memoires of it; and after my return, put them into as good order, as Sickness, which confines me to Bed, would permit. But foreseeing, that it will put an end to all my Studies, and Travels;² that I may be as good as my word to the Council of that World; I have begg'd of Monsieur le Bret, my dearest and most constant Friend, that he would publish them with the History of the Republick of the Sun, that of the Spark, and some other Pieces of my Composing, if those who have Stolen them from us restore them to him, as I earnestly adjure them to do.³

Throughout this voyage, I thought of nothing but the wonders of my previous journey. During the voyage, I began writing its memoirs. After my return, I put them in as good an order as my illness allowed. That illness has confined me to bed. But I foresee that it will put an end to all my studies and travels.² So, to keep my word to the Council of that World, I have asked Monsieur le Bret, my dearest and most faithful friend, to publish the memoirs. I have asked him to publish them with the history of the Republick of the Sun, the history of the Spark, and some other pieces I wrote. He can do so if those who stole the pieces from us return them to him. I earnestly urge them to do so.³