 | Rhapsodies |  |
193
LINES Addressed to the admirers of aerial excursions;
but more particularly to such as have communicated their observations after having experimentally witnessed the effects produced in the atmospheric region.
Of travels many I've heard tell,
From Mandevil of old,
To Gilpin's gallop to the Bell,
Yet none of these have told;
From Mandevil of old,
To Gilpin's gallop to the Bell,
Yet none of these have told;
Not fam'd Damberger
, no nor yet
Munchauson's feats, I vow;
Nor Bruce, nor any have thought fit
To do as we do now.
Munchauson's feats, I vow;
Nor Bruce, nor any have thought fit
To do as we do now.
194
For what are wilds and desarts drear,
Loud cataracts and woods,
And sands, where torrid sun-beams sear,
With raging seas and floods?
Loud cataracts and woods,
And sands, where torrid sun-beams sear,
With raging seas and floods?
Mere nothings to the scenes which soon
Shall fill you with surprize,
When I avouch that in balloon
I mounted to the skies.
Shall fill you with surprize,
When I avouch that in balloon
I mounted to the skies.
Imprimis—I the globe could view,
Just like a penny ball;
I dropp'd from thence (I swear 'tis true)
A pin, and saw it fall.
Just like a penny ball;
I dropp'd from thence (I swear 'tis true)
A pin, and saw it fall.
The people's shouts were heard by me,
For you must understand,
The very ruts mine eyes could see
Upon the new-plough'd land.
For you must understand,
The very ruts mine eyes could see
Upon the new-plough'd land.
Thus if we may compute aright,
Far better I should know
What men would say, thus out of sight,
Than when I were below.
Far better I should know
What men would say, thus out of sight,
Than when I were below.
195
The forests gooseberry bushes were,
And rivers skeins of thread;
The last thing I could note with care
Were fourscore cherries red.
And rivers skeins of thread;
The last thing I could note with care
Were fourscore cherries red.
These cherries they were wond'rous fine,
As ripe as ripe might be;
And they belong'd to a divine
Down in the west country.
As ripe as ripe might be;
And they belong'd to a divine
Down in the west country.
But now the wind tempestuous warr'd,
The globe soon disappear'd,
And dreadfully the torrents pour'd,
And mightily I fear'd:
The globe soon disappear'd,
And dreadfully the torrents pour'd,
And mightily I fear'd:
But soon had I less cause of dread—
A thunder-cloud came by—
For fire the light'ning serv'd instead,
So I my clothes did dry.
A thunder-cloud came by—
For fire the light'ning serv'd instead,
So I my clothes did dry.
Then all was black beneath my feet,
And all above was blue;
Then, hungry, I began to eat,
What else had I to do?
And all above was blue;
Then, hungry, I began to eat,
What else had I to do?
196
But as I drank a draught of beer,
A nipping wind arose;
It was so horribly severe,
That every thing was froze.
A nipping wind arose;
It was so horribly severe,
That every thing was froze.
But dolefully was I surpriz'd—
My food was chang'd to spar,
And I myself was chrystaliz'd,
Like a transparent jar.
My food was chang'd to spar,
And I myself was chrystaliz'd,
Like a transparent jar.
Then truly piteous was my case—
Conceive my dreadful pain;
I dar'd not rise up from my place,
Least I should break in twain.
Conceive my dreadful pain;
I dar'd not rise up from my place,
Least I should break in twain.
But soon the region of the air,
Of late so bleak and raw,
With raging furnace might compare,
So I began to thaw.
Of late so bleak and raw,
With raging furnace might compare,
So I began to thaw.
And being chang'd to self again,
I thought I should expire;
More ardent grew the scorching pain,
As my balloon rose higher.
I thought I should expire;
More ardent grew the scorching pain,
As my balloon rose higher.
197
But why should I at once disclose
The prodigies on high—
By turns well roasted, wet, and froze—
When you may think I lie?
The prodigies on high—
By turns well roasted, wet, and froze—
When you may think I lie?
Suffice it, for this once I end
My flight in the balloon;
My next shall tell thee, courteous friend!
The wonders of the moon.
My flight in the balloon;
My next shall tell thee, courteous friend!
The wonders of the moon.
An English traveller, who flourished some centuries back, but is more commonly known by the name of the lying traveller.
Damberger's Travels through the Interior of Africa were first printed in Germany, and read with the utmost avidity: the wonders with which his narrative teemed induced some English booksellers to have the work translated, which met with a similar sale in this country, till the whole was at length avowed to be but an African journey performed in the closet, which put an end to the fame of the work.
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