from this world to the next-第4章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



lower　world。　　I　immediately　recollected　the　faces　of　one　or　two

of　my　acquaintance；　who　had　formerly　kept　bagnios；　but　was　very

much　surprised　to　see　the　resemblance　of　a　lady　of　great

distinction　in　such　company。　　The　servant；　upon　my　mentioning

this；　made　no　other　answer　than　that　his　lady　had　pictures　of　all

degrees。　　I　was　now　introduced　into　the　presence　of　the　lady

herself。　　She　was　a　thin；　or　rather　meager；　person；　very　wan　in

the　countenance；　had　no　nose　and　many　pimples　in　her　face。　　She

offered　to　rise　at　my　entrance；　but　could　not　stand。　　After　many

compliments；　much　congratulation　on　her　side；　and　the　most

fervent　expressions　of　gratitude　on　mine；　she　asked　me　many

questions　concerning　the　situation　of　her　affairs　in　the　lower

world；　most　of　which　I　answered　to　her　entire　satisfaction。　　At

last；　with　a　kind　of　forced　smile；　she　said；　〃I　suppose　the　pill

and　drop　go　on　swimmingly？〃　　I　told　her　they　were　reported　to

have　done　great　cures。　　She　replied　she　could　apprehend　no　danger

from　any　person　who　was　not　of　regular　practice；　〃for；　however

simple　mankind　are；〃　said　she；　〃or　however　afraid　they　are　of

death；　they　prefer　dying　in　a　regular　manner　to　being　cured　by　a

nostrum。〃　　She　then　expressed　great　pleasure　at　the　account　I

gave　her　of　the　beau　monde。　　She　said　she　had　herself　removed　the

hundreds　of　Drury　to　the　hundreds　of　Charing…cross；　and　was　very

much　delighted　to　find　they　had　spread　into　St。　James's；　that

she　imputed　this　chiefly　to　several　of　her　dear　and　worthy

friends；　who　had　lately　published　their　excellent　works；

endeavoring　to　extirpate　all　notions　of　religion　and　virtue；　and

particularly　to　the　deserving　author　of　the　Bachelor's　Estimate；

〃to　whom；〃　said　she；　〃if　I　had　not　reason　to　think　he　was　a

surgeon；　and　had　therefore　written　from　mercenary　views；　I　could

never　sufficiently　own　my　obligations。〃　　She　spoke　likewise

greatly　in　approbation　of　the　method；　so　generally　used　by

parents；　of　marrying　children　very　young；　and　without　the　least

affection　between　the　parties；　and　concluded　by　saying　that；　if

these　fashions　continued　to　spread；　she　doubted　not　but　she

should　shortly　be　the　only　disease　who　would　ever　receive　a　visit

from　any　person　of　considerable　rank。



While　we　were　discoursing　her　three　daughters　entered　the　room。　

They　were　all　called　by　hard　names；　the　eldest　was　named　Lepra；

the　second　Chaeras；　and　the　third　Scorbutia。＇8＇　They　were　all

genteel；　but　ugly。　　I　could　not　help　observing　the　little　respect

they　paid　their　parent；　which　the　old　lady　remarking　in　my

countenance；　as　soon　as　they　quitted　the　room；　which　soon

happened；　acquainted　me　with　her　unhappiness　in　her　offspring；

every　one　of　which　had　the　confidence　to　deny　themselves　to　be

her　children；　though　she　said　she　had　been　a　very　indulgent

mother　and　had　plentifully　provided　for　them　all。　　As　family

complaints　generally　as　much　tire　the　hearer　as　they　relieve　him

who　makes　them；　when　I　found　her　launching　farther　into　this

subject　I　resolved　to　put　an　end　to　my　visit；　and；　taking　my

leave　with　many　thanks　for　the　favor　she　had　done　me；　I　returned

to　the　inn；　where　I　found　my　fellow…travelers　just　mounting　into

their　vehicle。　　I　shook　hands　with　my　host　and　accompanied　them

into　the　coach；　which　immediately　after　proceeded　on　its　journey。



＇8＇　These　ladies；　I　believe；　by　their　names；　presided　over　the　

leprosy；　king's…evil；　and　scurvy。





CHAPTER　IV　



Discourses　on　the　road；　and　a　description　of　the　palace　of　Death。



We　were　all　silent　for　some　minutes；　till；　being　well　shaken　into

our　several　seats；　I　opened　my　mouth　first；　and　related　what　had

happened　to　me　after　our　separation　in　the　city　we　had　just　left。



The　rest　of　the　company；　except　the　grave　female　spirit　whom　our

reader　may　remember　to　have　refused　giving　an　account　of　the

distemper　which　occasioned　her　dissolution；　did　the　same。　　It

might　be　tedious　to　relate　these　at　large；　we　shall　therefore

only　mention　a　very　remarkable　inveteracy　which　the　Surfeit

declared　to　all　the　other　diseases；　especially　to　the　Fever；　who；

she　said；　by　the　roguery　of　the　porters；　received　acknowledgments

from　numberless　passengers　which　were　due　to　herself。　　〃Indeed；〃

says　she；　〃those　cane…headed　fellows〃　（for　so　she　called　them；

alluding；　I　suppose；　to　their　ticket）　〃are　constantly　making　such

mistakes；　there　is　no　gratitude　in　those　fellows；　for　I　am　sure

they　have　greater　obligations　to　me　than　to　any　other　disease；

except　the　Vapors。〃　　These　relations　were　no　sooner　over　than　one

of　the　company　informed　us　we　were　approaching　to　the　most　noble

building　he　had　ever　beheld；　and　which　we　learned　from　our

coachman　was　the　palace　of　Death。　　Its　outside；　indeed；　appeared

extremely　magnificent。　　Its　structure　was　of　the　Gothic　order；

vast　beyond　imagination；　the　whole　pile　consisting　of　black

marble。　　Rows　of　immense　yews　form　an　amphitheater　round　it　of

such　height　and　thickness　that　no　ray　of　the　sun　ever　perforates

this　grove；　where　black　eternal　darkness　would　reign　was　it　not

excluded　by　innumerable　lamps　which　are　placed　in　pyramids　round

the　grove；　so　that　the　distant　reflection　they　cast　on　the

palace；　which　is　plentifully　gilt　with　gold　on　the　outside；　is

inconceivably　solemn。　　To　this　I　may　add　the　hollow　murmur　of

winds　constantly　heard　from　the　grove；　and　the　very　remote　sound

of　roaring　waters。　　Indeed；　every　circumstance　seems　to　conspire

to　fill　the　mind　with　horror　and　consternation　as　we　approach　to

this　palace；　which　we　had　scarce　time　to　admire　before　our

vehicle　stopped　at　the　gate；　and　we　were　desired　to　alight　in

order　to　pay　our　respects　to　his　most　mortal　majesty　（this　being

the　title　which　it　seems　he　assumes）。　　The　outward　court　was　full

of　soldiers；　and；　indeed；　the　whole　very　much　resembled　the　state

of　an　earthly　monarch；　only　more　magnificent。　　We　passed　through

several　courts　into　a　vast　hall；　which　led　to　a　spacious

staircase；　at　the　bottom　of　which　stood　two　pages；　with　very

grave　countenances；　whom　I　recollected　afterwards　to　have

formerly　been　very　eminent　undertakers；　and　were　in　reality　the

only　dismal　faces　I　saw　here；　for　this　palace；　so　awful　and

tremendous　without；　is　all　gay　and　sprightly　within；　so　that　we

soon　lost　all　those　dismal　and　gloomy　ideas　we　had　contracted　in

approaching　it。　　Indeed；　the　still　silence　maintained　among　the

guards　and　attendants　resembled　rather　the　stately　pomp　of

eastern　courts；　but　there　was　on　every　face　such　symptoms　of

content　and　happiness　that　diffused　an　air　of　cheerfulness　all

round。　　We　ascended　the　staircase　and　passed　through　many　noble

apartments　whose　walls　were　adorned　with　various　battle…pieces　in

tapistry；　and　which　we　spent　some　time　in　observing。　　These

brought　to　my　mind　those　beautiful　ones　I　had　in　my　lifetime　seen

at　Blenheim；　nor　could　I　prevent　my　curiosity　from　inquiring

where　the　Duke　of　Marlborough's　victories　were　placed　（for　I

think　they　were　almost　the　only　battles　of　any　eminence　I　had

read　of　which　I　did　not　meet　with）；　when　the　skeleton　of　a

beef…eater；　shaking　his　head；　told　me　a　certain　gentleman；　one

Lewis　XIV；　who　had　great　interest　with　his　most　mortal　majesty；

had　prevented　any　such　from　being　hung　up　there。　　〃Besides；〃　says

he；　〃his　majesty　hath　no　great　respect　for　that　duke；　for　he

never　sent　him　a　subject　he　could　keep　from　him；　nor　did　he　ever

get　a　single　subject　by　his　means　but　he　lost　1000　others　for

him。〃　　We　found　the　presence…chamber　at　our　entrance　very　full；

and　a　buzz　ran　through　it；　as　in　all　assemblies；　before　the

principal　figure　enters；　for　his　majesty　was　not　yet　come　out。　

At　the　bottom　of　the　room　were　two　persons　in　close　conference；

one　with　a　square　black　cap　on　his　head；　and　the　other　with　a

robe　embroidered　with　flames　of　fire。　　These；　I　was　informed；

were　a　judge　long　since　dead；　and　an　inquisitor…general。　　I

overheard　them　disputing　with　great　eagerness　whether　the　one　had

hanged　or　the　other　burned　the　most。　　While　I　was　listening　to

this　dispute；　which　seemed　to　be　in　no　likelihood　of　a　speedy

decision；　the　emperor　entered　the　room　and　placed　himself　between

two　figures；　one　of　which　was　remarkable　for　the　roughness；　and

the　other　for　the　beauty　of　his　appearance。　　These　were；　it

seems；　Charles　XII　of　Sweden　and　Alexander　of　Macedon。　　I　was　at

too　great　a　distance　to　hear　any　of　the　conversation；　so　could

only　satisfy　my　curiosity　by　contemplating　the　several　personages

present；　of　whose　names　I　informed　myself　by　a　page；　who　looked

as　pale　and　meager　as　any　court…page　in　the　other　world；　but　was

somewhat　more　modest。　　He　showed　me　here　two　or　three　Turkish

emperors；　to　whom　his　most　mortal　majesty　seemed　to　express　much

civility。　　Here　were　likewise　several　of　the　Roman　emperors；

among　whom　none　seemed　so　much　caressed　as　Caligula；　on　account；

as　the　page　told　me；　of　his　pious　wish　that　he　could　send　all　the

Romans　hither　at　one　blow。　　The　reader　may　be　perhaps　surprised

that　I　saw　no　physicians　here；　as　indeed　I　was　myself；　till

informed　that　they　were　all　departed　to　the　city　of　Diseases；

where　they　were　busy　in　an　experiment　to　purge　away　the

immortality　of　the　soul。



It　would　be　tedious　to　recollect　the　many　individuals　I　saw　here；

but　I　cannot　omit　a　fat　figure；　well　dressed　in　the　French

fashion；　who　was　received　with　extraordinary　complacence　by　the

emperor；　and　whom　I　imagined　to　be　Lewis　XIV　himself；　but　the

page　acquainted　me　he　was　a　celebrated　French　cook。　　We　were　at

length　introduced　to　the　royal　presence；　and　had　the　honor　to

kiss　hands。　　His　majesty　asked　us　a　few　questions；　not　very

material　to　relate；　and　soon　after　retired。　　When　we　returned

into　the　yard　we　found　our　caravan　ready　to　set　out；　at　which　we

all　declared　ourselves　well　pleased；　for　we　were　sufficiently

tired　with　the　formality　of　a　court；　notwithstanding　its　outward

splendor　and　magnificence。





CHAPTER　V　



The　travelers　proceed　on　their　journey；　and　meet　several　spirits　

who　are　coming　into　the　flesh。



We　now　came　to　the　banks　of　the　great　river　Cocytus；　where　we

quitted　our　vehicle；　and　passed　the　water　in　a　boat；　after　which

we　were　obliged　to　travel　on　foot　the　rest　of　our　journey；　and

now　we　met；　for　the　first　time；　several　passengers　traveling　to

the　world　we　had　left；　who　informed　us　they　were　souls　going　into

the　flesh。



The　two　first　we　met　were　walking　arm…in…arm；　in　very　close　and

friendly　conference；　they　informed　us　that　one　of　them　was

intended　for　a　duke；　and　the　other　for　a　hackney…coachman。　　As　we

had　not　yet　arrived　at　the　place　where　we　were　to　deposit　our

passions；　we　were　all　surprised　at　the　familiarity　which

subsisted　between　persons　of　such　different　degrees；　nor　could

the　grave　lady　help　expressing　her　astonishment　at　it。　　The

future　coachman　then　replied；　with　a　laugh；　that　they　had

exchanged　lots；　for