A journey to the world under-ground
to Repentance. And this Story (as Stories always gain in telling)
was presently enrich’d with various Additions and Interpolations.
Accordingly some said, that the _Wandering Jew_ had foretold the End of
the World, and that the next _St. John_’s Day would be the Day of the
general Conflagration, unless they would prevent it by a very sincere
Repentance; with abundance of other Things in the same Style. Nay,
these Predictions had occasion’d such Troubles in a certain Parish,
that the Farmers all gave off Plowing and Sowing, because as the
World was soon to be at an End, there would certainly be no Harvest.
Hereupon, Master _Nicholas_, the Minister of the Parish, fearing he
should fall short in his Tythes and other Articles of his Income,
told his Congregation, that to his certain Knowledge, the Day of
Judgment was put off to the next Year. The Stratagem took, and they
all returned to their wonted Labours. As the Origin of all this Folly
and Superstition was known only to my Friend and me, it afforded us
plentiful Matter of Mirth and Laughter from Time to Time.
At length, as I did not care to continue longer in a House that was
not my own, and as I was under a Necessity of coming abroad one Time
or other, in order to procure myself a competent Livelihood, I thought
it was now high time to begin: Accordingly, we both went to _Bergen_;
and my Friend made me pass for a Student of _Drontheim_, and a Relation
of his, who came to spend some Time in that Capital. Soon after he
recommended me so earnestly to the Bishop of _Bergen_, sometimes by
Letters, and sometimes in Conversation, that that venerable Prelate
promised me the first vacant Mastership of any School or College he had
in his Gift. This was an Office to my Palate, inasmuch as it seem’d
to be something a-kin to the Elevation I was lately fallen from. For
the Government of a School is the Shadow or Image of Imperial Power:
The Ferula is the Scepter, and the Chair a Throne. But as no Vacancy
happen’d in a long Time, and as it was necessary something should be
done for my present Subsistence, I was resolv’d to embrace the first
Offer that should be made me. Luckily the Curate of _St. Cross_ now
died, and the Bishop appointed me to succeed him. This Promotion seem’d
ridiculous enough for the Monarch of so many Empires and Kingdoms.
But as nothing makes Men more ridiculous than Poverty, and as it is
too high a Strain of Niceness, to refuse muddy Water, when a Man is
parch’d with Thirst, I accepted the gracious Offer, and am now spending
the Residue of my Days in this Office, with the Contentedness of a
Philosopher.
A little after this Promotion, a Match was propos’d to me with the
Daughter of a Merchant of _Bergen_, whose Name was _Magdalen_. The
Lady pleas’d me highly: But as it was very likely that the Empress
of _Quama_ was still alive, I was afraid lest by this Marriage with
_Magdalen_, I should be guilty of Polygamy. But my Friend _Abeline_, to
whom I unbosom’d myself on this Occasion, ridicul’d my Fears, and by so
many Arguments demonstrated the Folly of my Scruples, that I no longer
hesitated to conclude the Match. I liv’d six Years with this Wife in
the utmost Love and Friendship; altho’ in all that Time, I never once
related my subterranean History to her. But as I could never entirely
lose the Remembrance of that Height of Glory from which I was fallen,
some sudden Starts and Gestures would now and then escape me, which did
not seem to agree with my present Condition. By this second Venter
I had three Sons, _Christiern_, _John_, and _Jasper_; so that in the
whole I have four, if so be that the Prince of _Quama_ is still alive.
_Thus far the Manuscript of_ +Nicholas Klimius+ _reaches. What
follows is the Appendix of Master_ +Abeline+.
_Nicholas Klimius_ lived to the Year 1695. He was belov’d and esteem’d
for the Sobriety of his Life, and the Purity of his Manners. The Rector
however was now and then displeas’d at his excessive Gravity, which
he thought proceeded from Pride. But I, who knew the Man, and knew
his History, rather wonder’d at his exemplary Modesty and Patience,
who from the Government of so many Kingdoms, could humbly accomodate
himself to such an Employment. However, with other Men, to whom his
amazing Metamorphosis was unknown, he could not altogether escape the
Charge of Pride. It was his Custom, at certain Times of the Year, while
his Strength permitted him, to ascend the old Mountain, and take an
earnest View of the famous Cavern. His Friends observ’d, that he always
return’d from thence with his Eyes swoln, and his Face all bath’d
in Tears; that he would afterwards shut himself up whole Days in his
Study, and seem’d to shun the Conversation of Mankind. His Wife also
assured me, that he would often talk in his Sleep, about Land Armies
and Forces at Sea. This Absence of Mind went so far once, as to give
Orders for the Governor of _Bergen_ to come immediately before him.
His Spouse imagin’d these Disorders of his Brain proceeded from an
excessive Application to his Studies. His Library consisted chiefly of
political Books, and as such a Choice but ill agreed with the Office of
a Curate, he could not avoid some Censures upon that Head. He himself
wrote his own Adventures, and his Manuscript, which is the only one in
Being, is at present in my Custody. Tho’ I always intended it for the
Press, yet I have hitherto been hinder’d from publishing it by very
important Reasons.
_FINIS._
Transcriber’s Notes:
• Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).
• Text enclosed by pluses is in small caps (+small caps+).
• Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected.