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An Animal In The Moon
by
FOOTNOTES:
[26] This fable is founded on a fact which occurred in the experience of the astronomer Sir Paul Neal, a member of the Royal Society of London.–Translator. Sir Paul Neal, whose lapsus suggested this fable, thought he had discovered an animal in the moon. Unluckily, however, after having made his “discovery” known, it was found that the ground of it was simply the accidental presence of a mouse in the object-glass of his telescope. Samuel Butler, the author of “Hudibras,” has also made fun of this otherwise rather tragical episode in the early history of the Royal Society of London, vide his “Elephant in the Moon.”
[27] One philosopher.–Democritus, the so-called “laughing (or scoffing) philosopher.” He lived B.C. about 400 years. Fable XXVI., Book VIII., is devoted to him and how he was treated by his contemporaries.
[28] Another.–Epicurus, founder of the Epicurean philosophy. He lived B. C. about 300 years.
[29] Water crooks a stick.–An allusion to the bent appearance which a stick has in water, consequent upon the refraction of light.
[30] The wars.–This fable appears to have been composed about the beginning of the year 1677. The European powers then found themselves exhausted by wars, and desirous of peace. England, the only neutral, became, of course, the arbiter of the negotiations which ensued at Nimeguen. All the belligerent parties invoked her mediation. Charles II., however, felt himself exceedingly embarrassed by his secret connections with Louis XIV., which made him desire to prescribe conditions favourable to that monarch; while, on the other hand, he feared the people of England, if, treacherous to her interests, he should fail to favour the nations allied and combined against France.–Translator. Vide Hume: who also says that the English king “had actually in secret sold his neutrality to France, and he received remittances of 1,000,000 livres a year, which was afterwards increased to 2,000,000 livres; a considerable sum in the embarrassed state of his revenue.” Hume’s Hist. England, Bell’s edit., 1854, vol. vi., p. 242.
[31] Augustus, Julius.–Augustus Caesar was eminent for his pacific policy, as Julius Caesar was eminent for his warlike policy.