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One time the Duchess chanced to discourse with
some of her acquaintance, of the Emperess of the Blazing-world,
who asked her what Pastimes and Recreations
Her Majesty did most delight in? The Duchess
answered, that she spent most of her time in the
study of Natural Causes and Effects, which was her
chief delight and pastime, and that she loved to discourse
sometimes with the most Learned persons of that
World; and to please the Emperor and his Nobles,
who were all of the Royal Race, she went often abroad
to take the air, but seldom in the day time, always
at Night, if it might be called Night; for, said
she, the Nights there are as light as Days, by reason
of the numerous Blazing-stars, which are very splendorous,
onely their Light is whiter then the Sun's
Light; and as the Suns Light is hot, so their Light is
cool, not so cool as our twinkling Star-light, nor
is their Sun-light so hot as ours, but more temperate;
And that part of the Blazing-world where the
Emperess resides, is always clear, and never subject to
any Storms, Tempests, Fogs or Mists, but has onely
refreshing Dews that nourish the Earth; the Air of it
is sweet and temperate, and, as I said before, as much
light in the Suns absence, as in its presence, which
makes that time we call Night, more pleasant there
then the Day; and sometimes the Emperess goes
abroad by Water in Barges, sometimes by Land in
Chariots, and sometimes on Horseback; her Royal
Chariots are very Glorious; the body is one intire
green Diamond; the four small Pillars that bear up
the Top-cover, are four white Diamonds, cut in the
form thereof; the top or roof of the Chariot is one intire
blew Diamond, and at the four corners are great
springs of Rubies; the seat is made of Cloth of Gold,
stuffed with Amber-greece beaten small; the Chariot
is drawn by Twelve Unicorns, whose Trappings are
all Chains of Pearl; And as for her Barges, they are
onely of Gold. Her Guard for State (for she needs
none for security, there being no Rebels or Enemies)
consists of Gyants, but they seldom wait on
their Majesties abroad, because their extraordinary
height and bigness does hinder their prospect. Her Entertainment
when she is upon the Water, is the Musick
of the Fish- and Bird-men, and by Land are Horse-
and Foot-matches; for the Emperess takes much delight
in making Race-matches with the Emperor, and
the Nobility; some Races are between the Fox- and
Ape-men, which sometimes the Satyrs strive to outrun,
and some are between the Spider-men and Lice-men.
Also there are several Flight-matches, between
the several sorts of Bird-men, and the several sorts of
Fly-men; and Swimming-matches, between the several
sorts of Fish-men. The Emperor, Emperess,
and their Nobles, take also great delight to have Collations;
for in the Blazing-world, there are most delicious
Fruits of all sorts, and some such as in this
World were never seen nor tasted; for there are most
tempting sorts of Fruit: After their Collations are
ended, they Dance; and if they be upon the Water,
they dance upon the Water, there lying so many
Fish-men close and thick together, as they can
dance very evenly and easily upon their backs, and
need not fear drowing. Their Musick, both Vocal
and Instrumental, is according to their several places:
Upon the Water it is of Water Instruments, as shells
filled with Water, and so moved by Art, which is a
very sweet and delightful harmony; and those Dances
which they dance upon the Water, are, for the
most part such as we in this World call Swimming
Dances, where they do not lift up their feet high: In
Lawns or upon Plains they have VVind-Instruments,
but much better then those in our World; And when
they dance in the VVoods they have Horn-Instruments,
which although they are a sort of VVind-Instruments,
yet they are of another Fashion then the
former; In their Houses they have such Instruments
as are somewhat like our Viols, Violins, Theorboes,
Lutes, Citherins, Gittars, Harpsichords, and the like,
but yet so far beyond them, that the difference cannot
well be exprest; and as their places of Dancing and
their Musick is different, so is their manner or way of
Dancing. In these, and the like Recreations, the
Emperor, Emperess, and their Nobility pass their
time.
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