Three dirty Mechanicks appeared in a Shoemaker's Shop, who was a Dreamer. He was declaiming to his Companions over a Pot of Beer, after the followingManner.
"Look ye, Neighbours, there's an old Proverb says, It is not the Hood which makes the Monk; the being born a Gentleman does not make a Man of Sense; and the being bred a Tradesman, does not deprive us of it; for how many great Men have leap'd from the Shop-board, sprung up from the Stall, and have, by patching and heel-piecing Religion and the State, made their Names famous to After-Ages? I can name many, but I shall mention only John of Leyden. Now, I see no Reason, why Meanness of Birth should be an Obstacle to Merit, and I am resolved, as I find a great many Things which ought to be redress'd both in Church and State, if you my Friends will stand by me, to aim at the setting both upright: For you must own, they are basely trod awry. Trade is dead, Money is scarce, the Parsons are proud, rich and lazy; War is necessary for the Circulation of Money; and an honest Man may starve in these Times of Peace and Beggary.
"There are a great many Mysteries in Religion, which, as we don't know what to make of them, are altogether unnecessary, and ought to be laid aside, as well as a great many Ceremonies, which ought to be lopp'd off for being chargeable."
The rest gave their assenting Nod, and seem'd to wonder at, and applaud his Eloquency. In a Moment, I saw him preaching to a Mobb against the Luxury of the Age, and telling them it shew'd a Meanness of Spirit to want Necessaries, while the Gentry, by force of long Usurpations on their Rights, rioted in all manner of Excess. That Providence brought none into the World that he might starve; but that all on Earth had a Right to what was necessary to their Support, which they ought to sieze, since the Rich refus'd to share with them. From a Preacher I saw him a Captain of a Rabble, plundering the Houses of the Nobility, was terrible to all; and tho' he declared for levelling, would be serv'd with the Pomp and Delicacy of a Prince; marries his Daughters to Lords, hoards an immense Treasure, and wakes from his golden Dream.
Another Shade I saw suborning Witnesses, giving them Instructions what to swear, packing Juries, banishing, hanging and beheading all his Enemies, sending immense Sums to foreign Courts, to support his Power at Home, bribing Senates, and carrying all before him without Controul, when he vanish'd. My English Friend told me, that Soul belong'd to the Body of a Money-Scrivener, who almost crack'd his Brain with Politicks, and thought of nothing less than being a prime Minister. I knew him while I was in the World; his whole Discourse always ran on Liberty, Trade, Free Elections, &c. and constantly inveigh'd against all corrupt and self-interested Practices. I saw Persons descended from the ancient Nobility fawning on Valets who were arrived to great Preferment for Pimping; I beheld others contriving Schemes, to bring their Wives and Daughters into the Company of Persons in Power, and aiming to gain Preferment for themselves, at the Expence of the Vertue of their Families; nor was there a Vice, a Folly or a Baseness, practised in this World below, tho' ever so secret, which I did not see there represented, the Particulars of which being too long for this Place, I must beg Leave to refer them to the Second Volume of my Voyages.
In the mean time I was allow'd a Week to satisfy my Curiosity, and make my Observations on all the strange things which were there to be seen, which I may justly reckon the most agreeable Part of my whole Life; and also a further Time to refresh my self: Which being done, we prepared for our Journey, being provided with all things necessary for that Purpose.
As I found in my self that longing Desire (which is natural to all Men, who have been long absent from Home) of returning to see my own Country; and being besides unwilling to go back to Cacklogallinia, the Actions and Designs of the first Minister, to which I was privy, having made such Impressions upon me, that I was prejudic'd against their whole Nation; nor was that Prejudice remov'd, by being acquainted with their Laws, Customs and Manners, some of which appeared to me unreasonable, and others barbarous.
I say, upon the aforesaid Considerations, I apply'd my self to some of the Selenites, whose Courtesy I had already experienced, asking them, whether they could direct me to find out some Part of the Terrestrial World, known and frequented to by Europeans: They were so good to give me full and plain Instructions what Course to steer thro' the Air for that Purpose, which I was very well able to follow, having a Pocket Compass about me, which I brought from England, it having long been my Custom never to stir any where without one.
It being necessary to bring Volatilio into the Design, I went to him and told him, that as we were so unfortunate not to succeed in finding out the Country of Gold, it would be adviseable to return home some other Way, in hopes of better Success in going back; otherwise we might, in all Probability, meet with a disagreeable Welcome from the Emperor and the whole Court. Volatilio hearken'd to these Reasons, and besides having the true Spirit of a Projector in him, which is, not to be discouraged at Disappointments, he consented to my Proposal.
Accordingly we set out, and after some Days travelling, we meeting with little or nothing in our Journey differing from our former, we lighted safely upon the Blue Mountain in Jamaica. Here I was within my own Knowledge; for having formerly made several Voyages to Jamaica, was no Stranger to the Place.