from this world to the next-第2节

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eyes＇2＇　backwards　upon　it。



＇2＇　Eyes　are　not　perhaps　so　properly　adapted　to　a　spiritual　

substance；　but　we　are　here；　as　in　many　other　places；　obliged　to　

use　corporeal　terms　to　make　ourselves　the　better　understood。　　





My　friends　and　relations　had　all　quitted　the　room；　being　all　（as

I　plainly　overheard）　very　loudly　quarreling　below　stairs　about　my

will；　there　was　only　an　old　woman　left　above　to　guard　the　body；

as　I　apprehend。　　She　was　in　a　fast　sleep；　occasioned；　as　from　her

savor　it　seemed；　by　a　comfortable　dose　of　gin。　　I　had　no　pleasure

in　this　company；　and；　therefore；　as　the　window　was　wide　open；　I

sallied　forth　into　the　open　air：　　but；　to　my　great　astonishment；

found　myself　unable　to　fly；　which　I　had　always　during　my

habitation　in　the　body　conceived　of　spirits；　however；　I　came　so

lightly　to　the　ground　that　I　did　not　hurt　myself；　and；　though　I

had　not　the　gift　of　flying　（owing　probably　to　my　having　neither

feathers　nor　wings）；　I　was　capable　of　hopping　such　a　prodigious

way　at　once；　that　it　served　my　turn　almost　as　well。　　I　had　not

hopped　far　before　I　perceived　a　tall　young　gentleman　in　a　silk

waistcoat；　with　a　wing　on　his　left　heel；　a　garland　on　his　head；

and　a　caduceus　in　his　right　hand。＇3＇　I　thought　I　had　seen　this

person　before；　but　had　not　time　to　recollect　where；　when　he

called　out　to　me　and　asked　me　how　long　I　had　been　departed。　　I

answered　I　was　just　come　forth。　　〃You　must　not　stay　here；〃

replied　he；　〃unless　you　had　been　murdered：　　in　which　case；

indeed；　you　might　have　been　suffered　to　walk　some　time；　but　if

you　died　a　natural　death　you　must　set　out　for　the　other　world

immediately。〃　　I　desired　to　know　the　way。　　〃O；〃　cried　the

gentleman；　〃I　will　show　you　to　the　inn　whence　the　stage　proceeds；

for　I　am　the　porter。　　Perhaps　you　never　heard　of　memy　name　is

Mercury。〃　　〃Sure；　sir；〃　said　I；　〃I　have　seen　you　at　the　play…

house。〃　　Upon　which　he　smiled；　and；　without　satisfying　me　as　to

that　point；　walked　directly　forward；　bidding　me　hop　after　him。　　I

obeyed　him；　and　soon　found　myself　in　Warwick…lane；　where　Mercury；

making　a　full　stop；　pointed　at　a　particular　house；　where　he　bade

me　enquire　for　the　stage；　and；　wishing　me　a　good　journey；　took

his　leave；　saying　he　must　go　seek　after　other　customers。



＇3＇　This　is　the　dress　in　which　the　god　appears　to　mortals　at　the

theaters。　　One　of　the　offices　attributed　to　this　god　by　the　

ancients；　was　to　collect　the　ghosts　as　a　shepherd　doth　a　flock　of

sheep；　and　drive　them　with　his　wand　into　the　other　world。





I　arrived　just　as　the　coach　was　setting　out；　and　found　I　had　no

reason　for　inquiry；　for　every　person　seemed　to　know　my　business

the　moment　I　appeared　at　the　door：　　the　coachman　told　me　his

horses　were　to；　but　that　he　had　no　place　left；　however；　though

there　were　already　six；　the　passengers　offered　to　make　room　for

me。　　I　thanked　them；　and　ascended　without　much　ceremony。　　We

immediately　began　our　journey；　being　seven　in　number；　for；　as　the

women　wore　no　hoops；　three　of　them　were　but　equal　to　two　men。　

Perhaps；　reader；　thou　mayest　be　pleased　with　an　account　of　this

whole　equipage；　as　peradventure　thou　wilt　not；　while　alive；　see

any　such。　　The　coach　was　made　by　an　eminent　toyman；　who　is　well

known　to　deal　in　immaterial　substance；　that　being　the　matter　of

which　it　was　compounded。　　The　work　was　so　extremely　fine；　that　it

was　entirely　invisible　to　the　human　eye。　　The　horses　which　drew

this　extraordinary　vehicle　were　all　spiritual；　as　well　as　the

passengers。　　They　had；　indeed；　all　died　in　the　service　of　a

certain　postmaster；　and　as　for　the　coachman；　who　was　a　very　thin

piece　of　immaterial　substance；　he　had　the　honor　while　alive　of

driving　the　Great　Peter；　or　Peter　the　Great；　in　whose　service　his

soul；　as　well　as　body；　was　almost　starved　to　death。　　Such　was　the

vehicle　in　which　I　set　out；　and　now；　those　who　are　not　willing　to

travel　on　with　me　may；　if　they　please；　stop　here；　those　who　are；

must　proceed　to　the　subsequent　chapters；　in　which　this　journey　is

continued。





CHAPTER　II



In　which　the　author　first　refutes　some　idle　opinions　concerning　

spirits；　and　then　the　passengers　relate　their　several　deaths。



It　is　the　common　opinion　that　spirits；　like　owls；　can　see　in　the

dark；　nay；　and　can　then　most　easily　be　perceived　by　others。　　For

which　reason；　many　persons　of　good　understanding；　to　prevent

being　terrified　with　such　objects；　usually　keep　a　candle　burning

by　them；　that　the　light　may　prevent　their　seeing。　　Mr。　Locke；　in

direct　opposition　to　this；　hath　not　doubted　to　assert　that　you

may　see　a　spirit　in　open　daylight　full　as　well　as　in　the　darkest

night。



It　was　very　dark　when　we　set　out　from　the　inn；　nor　could　we　see

any　more　than　if　every　soul　of　us　had　been　alive。　　We　had

traveled　a　good　way　before　any　one　offered　to　open　his　mouth；

indeed；　most　of　the　company　were　fast　asleep；＇4＇　but；　as　I　could

not　close　my　own　eyes；　and　perceived　the　spirit　who　sat　opposite

to　me　to　be　likewise　awake；　I　began　to　make　overtures　of

conversation；　by　complaining　HOW　DARK　IT　WAS。　　〃And　extremely

cold　too；〃　answered　my　fellow　traveler；　〃though；　I　thank　God；　as

I　have　no　body；　I　feel　no　inconvenience　from　it：　　but　you　will

believe；　sir；　that　this　frosty　air　must　seem　very　sharp　to　one

just　issued　forth　out　of　an　oven；　for　such　was　the　inflamed

habitation　I　am　lately　departed　from。〃　　〃How　did　you　come　to　your

end；　sir？〃　said　I。　　〃I　was　murdered；　sir；〃　answered　the

gentleman。　　〃I　am　surprised　then；〃　replied　I；　〃that　you　did　not

divert　yourself　by　walking　up　and　down　and　playing　some　merry

tricks　with　the　murderer。〃　　〃Oh；　sir；〃　returned　he；　〃I　had　not

that　privilege；　I　was　lawfully　put　to　death。　　In　short；　a

physician　set　me　on　fire；　by　giving　me　medicines　to　throw　out　my

distemper。　　I　died　of　a　hot　regimen；　as　they　call　it；　in　the

small…pox。〃



＇4＇　Those　who　have　read　of　the　gods　sleeping　in　Homer　will　not　

be　surprised　at　this　happening　to　spirits。



One　of　the　spirits　at　that　word　started　up　and　cried　out；　〃The

small…pox！　bless　me！　　I　hope　I　am　not　in　company　with　that

distemper；　which　I　have　all　my　life　with　such　caution　avoided；

and　have　so　happily　escaped　hitherto！〃　　This　fright　set　all　the

passengers　who　were　awake　into　a　loud　laughter；　and　the

gentleman；　recollecting　himself；　with　some　confusion；　and　not

without　blushing；　asked　pardon；　crying；　〃I　protest　I　dreamed　that

I　was　alive。〃　　〃Perhaps；　sir；〃　said　I；　〃you　died　of　that

distemper；　which　therefore　made　so　strong　an　impression　on　you。〃　

〃No；　sir；〃　answered　he；　〃I　never　had　it　in　my　life；　but　the

continual　and　dreadful　apprehension　it　kept　me　so　long　under

cannot；　I　see；　be　so　immediately　eradicated。　　You　must　know；

sir；　I　avoided　coming　to　London　for　thirty　years　together；　for

fear　of　the　small…pox；　till　the　most　urgent　business　brought　me

thither　about　five　days　ago。　　I　was　so　dreadfully　afraid　of　this

disease　that　I　refused　the　second　night　of　my　arrival　to　sup　with

a　friend　whose　wife　had　recovered　of　it　several　months　before；

and　the　same　evening　got　a　surfeit　by　eating　too　many　muscles；

which　brought　me　into　this　good　company。〃



〃I　will　lay　a　wager；〃　cried　the　spirit　who　sat　next　him；　〃there

is　not　one　in　the　coach　able　to　guess　my　distemper。〃　　I　desired

the　favor　of　him　to　acquaint　us　with　it；　if　it　was　so　uncommon。　

〃Why；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃I　died　of　honor。〃　〃Of　honor；　sir！〃

repeated　I；　with　some　surprise。　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　answered　the　spirit；

〃of　honor；　for　I　was　killed　in　a　duel。〃



〃For　my　part；〃　said　a　fair　spirit；　〃I　was　inoculated　last　summer；

and　had　the　good　fortune　to　escape　with　a　very　few　marks　on　my

face。　　I　esteemed　myself　now　perfectly　happy；　as　I　imagined　I　had

no　restraint　to　a　full　enjoyment　of　the　diversions　of　the　town；

but　within　a　few　days　after　my　coming　up　I　caught　cold　by

overdancing　myself　at　a　ball；　and　last　night　died　of　a　violent

fever。〃



After　a　short　silence　which　now　ensued；　the　fair　spirit　who　spoke

last；　it　being　now　daylight；　addressed　herself　to　a　female　who

sat　next　her；　and　asked　her　to　what　chance　they　owed　the

happiness　of　her　company。　　She　answered；　she　apprehended　to　a

consumption；　but　the　physicians　were　not　agreed　concerning　her

distemper；　for　she　left　two　of　them　in　a　very　hot　dispute　about

it　when　she　came　out　of　her　body。　　〃And　pray；　madam；〃　said　the

same　spirit　to　the　sixth　passenger；　〃How　came　you　to　leave　the

other　world？〃　　But　that　female　spirit；　screwing　up　her　mouth；

answered；　she　wondered　at　the　curiosity　of　some　people；　that

perhaps　persons　had　already　heard　some　reports　of　her　death；

which　were　far　from　being　true；　that；　whatever　was　the　occasion

of　it；　she　was　glad　at　being　delivered　from　a　world　in　which　she

had　no　pleasure；　and　where　there　was　nothing　but　nonsense　and

impertinence；　particularly　among　her　own　sex；　whose　loose　conduct

she　had　long　been　entirely　ashamed　of。



The　beauteous　spirit；　perceiving　her　question　gave　offense；

pu