Page:Belle Assemblée (Volume 10, 1814).djvu/131

 Fuego, and in the Falkland Islands, they are indeed found in great variety: and naturalists, ever anxious after novelty, still flatter themselves with a rich harvest, whenever individual enterprize shall open to their research the hidden treasures of Flora in the interior of Africa, where, on the summits of the Mountains of the Moon, they hope to add to the already bountiful stock of vegetable nature.

In a succeeding lecture we shall examine some of the most curious points of internal and external conformation, in which we shall introduce some botanical anecdotes, neither uninteresting to the lover of science or even to the light summer reader.



 undefined “ men, many minds.”—If I could have my own way, I should like to be carried over the whole universe on the wings of Æolus. On my return from my travels, I should then be reckoned a man of importance in Babylon, my native town, where I now cut so poor a figure. Methinks I see myself surrounded by numbers, who at first gaze upon me in silent admiration. “Pray tell me,” lisps a young man of ton, “let me hear a description of the fair in Saturn?”—“They are six feet high.”—“In Jupiter?”—“They are square shaped.”—“In Mercury?”—“They are born with two tongues.”—“And in Venus?” “OurVenus?”—“Our [sic] Babylon is one of her colonies,” replied I, to the blushing Delia.

A learned man now raising his voice, enquires what is thought, in the regions above, of eternity, or the creation of the world?—“There,” answered I, “the inhabitants only think of what can procure instruction or amusement.”—“Which is the predominant religion?” asks a bonze.—“Every one worships the Deity as he thinks most proper.”—“But there must infallibly be a missionary sent by the Supreme Being?”—“Certainly, there is one; namely, Virtue.” A crowd of fashionables now press upon me at a time:—“Do they indulge the most noble passions of gambling, banqueting, courting the fair, creating, or at least, adopting every new fashion?”—“No; motives of avarice have not yet taught them to grow pale or crimsoned over a card, or a box and dice; the cheerfulness and friendly intercourse of the guests, constitute the nicety of the banquet; in company all women are equally paid regard to; in private every one cherishes his own wife; they dress as fits them best, with neatness and simplicity; the ladies will, perhaps, allow their charms to be guessed at, but they never expose.” At these words all my little insects began to buz out: “In those superior regions, for certain, they know nothing of genteel manners, and are quite destitute of common sense.”

To such an exclamation I must needs reply with an epigram, which I have my particular reasons not to repeat.

A grave sententious character now addresses the company as follows:—“If he could have found a more agreeable planet than ours, there he certainly would have continued. He returned to Babylon, from which I am authorised to proclaim, that Babylon is the most delightful place in the universe.”—“Do you reckon for nothing the influence of habit? The Polander, we are told, prefers his humble cot to the princely palace; the wandering Massageter returns to breathe his last sigh under the cloudy sky of his native land; neither do I know whether you should like to spend your whole life-time in the planet of Babel.” “Hey-day! a new planet! Where have you made the discovery?” asked Urania.—“In the famous library of Syrius; I read of it in a precious manuscript that was dropt one morning in the great square. I could make a fine history of it if I chose. I first perused a dedication, next ran over the introduction, then came a caution, followed by a preliminary discourse, after which was a preface; however, with the assistance of very scientific notes, I was enabled to go through the work, which I have had the pleasure of translating, in the space of seven hundred years, seven months, and seven days.”

“Read it out,” exclaimed every one present. With the utmost gravity I unfold my manuscript. The company being seated, and the ladies even having promised to keep silent, I began as follows, previously,