Our elder world, with all their skill and arts
Could but divide the world into three parts.
Columbus then for navigation famed
Found a new world, America 'tis named.
Now this new world was found, it was not made,
Only discovered lying in time's shade.
Then what are you, having no chaos found
To make a world, or any such least ground?
But your creating fancy thought it fit
To make your world of nothing but pure wit.
Your blazing world beyond the stars mounts higher,
Enlightens all with a celestial fire.
--William Newcastle

To the Reader

1. If you wonder that I join a work of fancy to my serious philosophical contemplations, think not that it is out of a disparagement to philosophy, or out of an opinion as if this noble study were but a fiction of the mind, for though philosophers may err in searching and enquiring after the causes of natural effects and many times embrace falsehoods for truths, yet this doth not prove that the ground of philosophy is merely fiction, but the error proceeds from the different motions of reason, which cause different opinions in different parts [. . . .]

2. Nevertheless, all do ground their opinions upon reason; that is, upon rational probabilities. At least, they thing they do. But fictions are an issue of man's fancy, framed in his own mind according as he pleases [. . . .]

3. The end of reason is truth, the end of fancy is fiction. But mistake me not when I distinguish fancy from reason; I mean not as if fancy were not made by the rational parts of matter, but by reason I understand a rational search and enquiry into the causes of natural effects, and by fancy a voluntary creation or production of the mind, both being effects, or rather actions of the rational part of matter, of which, as that is a more profitable and useful study than this, so it is also more laborious and difficult, and requires sometimes the help of fancy to recreate the mind and withdraw it from its more serious contemplations.

4. And this is the reason why I added this piece of fancy to my philosophical observations, and joined them as two worlds at the end of their poles, both for my own sake, to divert my studious thoughts which I employed in the contemplation thereof, and to delight the reader with variety, which is always pleasing. But lest my fancy should stray too much, I chose such a fiction as would be agreeable to the subject I created of in the former parts.

5. It is a description of a new world, not such as Lucian's, or the Frenchman's world in the moon [references here to Lucian's True History {2^nd century CE, translated into English 1634}, perhaps the earliest prose imaginary voyage} and to Cyrano de Bergerac's 1657 work, A comical history about the states and empires of the moon], but a world of my own creating, which I call the blazing world [. . . . Cavendish briefly outlines the text-to-come, ending with allusions to the dazzling wealth it contains.]

6. As for the rocks of diamonds, I wish with all my soul they might be shared amongst my noble female friends, and upon that condition I would willingly quit my part, and of the gold I should only desire so much as might suffice to repair my noble lord and husband's losses [William lost most of his considerable estate during the Revolution, and, after the Restoration, was not well compensated for his sacrifices], for I am not covetous, but as ambitious as ever any of my sex was, is or can be, which makes that though I cannot be Henry the Fifth or Charles the Second, yet I endeavour to be Margaret the First, and although I have neither power, time nor occasion to conquer the world as Alexander and Caesar did, yet rather than not to be mistress of one, since fortune and the fates would give me none, I have made a world of my own, for which nobody, I hope, will blame me, since it is in everyone's power to do the like.

   The Description of a New World, called the Blazing World

   ,

7. A merchant, travelling into a foreign country, fell extremely in love with a young lady, but being a stranger in that nation and beneath her both in birth and wealth, he could have but little hopes of obtaining his desire. However, his love growing more and more vehement upon him, even to the slighting of all difficulties, he resolved at last to steal her away, which he had the better opportunity to do because her father's house was not far from the sea, and she often using to gather shells upon the shore accompanied not with above two or three of her servants, it encouraged him the more to execute his design.

8. Thus, coming one time-with a little light vessel, not unlike a packet-boat, manned with some few seamen, and well victualled for fear of some accidents which might perhaps retard their journey-to the place where she used to repair, he forced her away. But when he fancied himself the happiest man of the world, he proved to be the most unfortunate, for Heaven, frowning at his theft, raised such a tempest as they knew not what to do or whither to steer their course so that the vessel, both by its own lightness and the violent motion of the wind, was carried as swift as an arrow out of a bow towards the North Pole, and in a short time reached the icy sea, where the wind forced it amongst huge pieces of ice. [All the men froze to death], the young lady only by the light of her beauty the heat of her youth and protection of the Gods, remaining alive.

9. Neither was it a wonder that the men did freeze to death, for they were not only driven to the very end or point of the Pole of that world, but even to another Pole of another world which joined close to it, so that the cold, having a double strength at the conjunction of those two Poles, was insupportable. [She was finally rescued in that 'other world' by "creatures in shape like bears, only they went upright as men"--who, together with their friends the 'fox-men' and the 'geese-men,' treated her with great courtesy and decided to convey her to the palace of the Emperor.]

10. On each side all along this narrow and winding river [on which they were traveling] there were several cities, some of marble, some of alabaster, some of agate, some of amber, some of coral, and some of other precious materials not known in our world, all which after the lady had passed, she came to the imperial city, named Paradise [. . . which] was built of gold. [. . . ] The Emperor's palace stood upon an indifferent ascent from the imperial city, at the top of which ascent was a broad arch supported by several pillars, which went round the palace and contained four of our English miles in compass. . . .

11. The first part of the palace was, as the imperial city, all of gold, and when it came to the Emperor's apartment, it was so rich with diamonds, pearls, rubies and the like precious stones that it surpasses my skill to enumerate them all. Amongst the rest, the imperial room of state appeared most magnificent. It was paved with green diamonds (for in that world are diamonds of all colours) [ . . . ] the roof of the arches was of blue diamonds [. . . bejeweled passages led to] the Emperor's bedchamber, the walls whereof were of jet, and the floor of black marble. The roof was of mother of pearl, where the moon and blazing stars were represented by white diamonds, and his bed was made of diamonds and carbuncles.

12. No sooner was the lady brought before the Emperor but he conceived her to be some goddess, and offered to worship her, which she refused, telling him (for by that time she had pretty well learned their language) that although she came out of another world, yet was she but a mortal, at which the Emperor, rejoicing, made her his wife and gave her an absolute power to rule and govern all that world as she pleased. But her subjects, who could hardly be persuaded to believe her mortal, tendered her all the veneration and worship due to a deity.

13. [. . .] None was allowed to use or wear gold but those of the imperial race, which were the only nobles of the state, nor durst anyone wear jewels but the Emperor, the Empress and their eldest son. Notwithstanding that, they had an infinite quantity both of gold and precious stones in that world, for they had larger extents of gold than our Arabian sands. Their precious stones were rocks and their diamonds of several colours. They used no coin, but all their traffic was by exchange of several commodities.

14. Their priests and governors were princes of the imperial blood and made eunuchs for that purpose, and as for the ordinary sort of men in that part of the world where the Emperor resided, they were of several complexions: not white, black, tawny, olive, or ash-coloured, but some appeared of an azure, some of a deep purple, some of a grass green, some of a scarlet, some of an orange colour, etc. Which colours and complexions, whether they were made by the bare reflection of light, without the assistance of small particles, or by the help of well-ranged and ordered atoms, or by a continual agitation of little globules, or by some pressing and reacting motion, I am not able to determine.

15. The rest of the inhabitants of that world were men of several different sorts [. . .] Some were bear-men, some worm-men, some fish or mer-men, otherwise called syrens, some bird-men, some fly-men, some ant-men [etc. etc. like Noah]. And of these several sorts of men, each followed such profession as was most proper for the nature of their species, which the Empress encouraged them in, especially encouraged them in, especially those that had applied themselves to the study of several arts and sciences, for they were as ingenious and witty in the invention of profitable and useful arts as we are in our world-nay, more. And to that end she erected schools and founded several societies.

16. The bear-men were to be her experimental philosophers, the bird-men her astronomers, the fly, worm and fish-men her natural philosophers, the ape-men her chemists, the satyrs her Galenic physicians, the fox-men her politicians, the spider and lice-men her mathematicians, the jackdaw, magpie and parrot-men her orators and logicians, the giants her architects etc. But before all things, she, having got a sovereign power from the Emperor over all the world, desired to be informed both of the manner of their religion and government [. . . ]

17. [Here begins a l-e-n-g-t-h-y dialogue between the Empress and her counselors about various subjects, many of which reflect events and concerns of early-Restoration England. I'll give a few samples:] Then the Empress desired to know the reason why the priests and governors of their world were made eunuchs. They answered, 'To keep them from marriage, for women and children most commonly make disturbance both in church and state.' 'But,' said she, 'women and children have no employment in church or state.' ''Tis true,' answered they, 'but although they are not admitted to public employments, yet are they so prevalent with their husbands and parents that many times by their importunate persuasions they cause as much, nay more mischief, secretly, than if they had the management of public affairs.

18. [In this section, the Empress questions the bird-men about the stars. The bird-men couldn't agree about the number of stars, so the bear-men were dispatched to the Pole to observe the sky through telescopes. They returned, arguing about whether they saw three different stars or one star that appeared three times.] After they had thus argued, the Empress began to grown angry at their telescopes, that they could give no better intelligence. 'For,' said she, 'now I do plainly perceive that your glasses are false informers and instead of discovering the truth, delude your senses. Wherefore I command you to break them, and let the bird-men trust only to their natural eyes and examine celestial objects by the motions of their own sense and reason.' [She eventually rescinds this order, and subsequently enjoys looking through a microscope, which made "a louse appear as big as an elephant and a mite as big as a whale."]

19. [This dialogue concerns the propagation of species, and whether offspring always were the same species as parents. Her hybrid scientists explained that some species] 'were kept up by a successive propagation [. . . ] but some were not. [. . .] of the second rank are for the most part those we call insects, whose production proceeds from such causes as have no conformity or likeness with their produced effects as, for example, maggots bred out of cheese and several others generated out of earth, water, and the like.'

20. 'But,' said the Empress, 'there is some likeness between maggots and cheese, for cheese has no blood, nor maggots neither; besides, they have almost the same taste which cheese has.' 'This proves nothing,' answered they, 'for maggots have a visible, local, progressive motion which cheese hath not.' The Empress replied that when all the cheese was turned into maggots it might be said to have local, progressive motion. They answered that when the cheese by its own figurative motions were changed into maggots it was no more cheese.

21. [These 'consultations' continue-and continue-covering current topics like how plague is spread and how to reverse aging {answer: eat a substance that purges the body through all orifices and causes a giant scab to form over the entire body; when the scab falls off, wrap yourself in an anointed cloth for nine months, eat only eagles' eggs and hind's milk, and-voila-remove the cloth and you'll have the body of a twenty-year-old; repeat as needed}. Then the Empress returns to the subject of The Blazing World's religion. She,] finding it very defective, was troubled that so wise and knowing a people should have no more knowledge of the divine truth. Wherefore she consulted with her own thoughts whether it was possible to convert them all to her own religion, and to that end she resolved to build churches and make also up a congregation of women, whereof she intended to be the head herself, and to instruct them in the several points of her religion.

22. This she had no sooner begun but the women, which generally had quick wits, subtle conceptions, clear understandings and solid judgements, became in a short time very devout and zealous sisters, for the Empress had an excellent gift of preaching and instructing them in the articles of faith, and by that means she converted them not only soon, but gained an extraordinary love of all her subjects throughout that world.

23. [Later on, the Empress decides that she needs to write the definitive work of theology and hidden, sacred knowledge, the true and complete Cabala. She considers summoning the souls of the ancients {Aristotle, Plato, Pythagoras} or of brilliant moderns {Galileo, Descartes, Hobbes} for help, but her spirit-advisors answered] 'that they were fine, ingenious writers, but yet so self-conceited that they would scorn to be scribes of a woman. 'But,' said they, 'there's a lady, the Duchess of Newcastle, which although she is not one of the most learned, eloquent, witty and ingenious, yet she is a plain and rational writer, for the principle of her writings is sense and reason and she will, without question, be ready to do you all the service she can.'

24. 'That lady then,' said the Empress, 'will I choose for my scribe, neither will the Emperor have reason to be jealous, she being one of my own sex.' 'In truth,' said the spirit, 'husbands have reason to be jealous of Platonic lovers, for they are very dangerous, as being not only very intimate and close, but subtle and insinuating.' 'You say well,' replied the Empress, 'wherefore, I pray, send me the Duchess of Newcastle's soul'-which the spirit did, and after she came to wait on the Empress, at her first arrival the Empress embraced her and saluted her with a spiritual kiss. Then she asked her whether she could write.

25. 'Yes,' answered the Duchess's soul, 'but not so intelligibly that any reader whatsoever may understand it, unless he be taught to know my characters, for my letters are rather like characters than well-formed letters.' Said the Empress: 'You were recommended to me by an honest and ingenious spirit.' 'Surely,' answered the Duchess, 'the spirit is ignorant of my handwriting, but he informed me that you writ sense and reason, and if you can but write so that any of my secretaries may learn you hand, they shall write it out fair and intelligible.' [. . .]

26. With that, the Empress thanked the Duchess, and embracing her soul, told her she would take her counsel. She made her also her favourite, and kept her some time in that world, and by this means the Duchess came to know and give this relation of all that passed in that rich, populous and happy world. And after some time, the Empress gave her leave to return to her husband and kindred into her native world, but upon condition that her soul should visit her now and then, which she did, and truly their meeting did produce such an intimate friendship between them that they became Platonic lovers, although they were both females.

27. [On one of these visits, the Duchess is melancholy because she wishes she, too, were empress of a world. The Empress inquires of her advisors whether there is a world among the infinite worlds in the universe that her dear friend might rule. Learning that all empresships are taken, the Duchess asks the Empress to conquer a world for her, but that plan won't work either-partially because the Empress and her counselors hypocritically maintain that the political ambitions and duties are burdens, not pleasures.] 'You have converted me,' said the Duchess . . . 'from my ambitious desire, wherefore I'll take your advice, reject and despise all the worlds without me, and create a world of my own.' The Empress said, 'If I do make such a world, then I shall be mistress of two worlds, one within and the other without me.' 'That your Majesty may,' said the spirits, and so left these two ladies to create two worlds within themselves, who did also part from each other until such time as they had brought their worlds to perfection.

28. [After much experimental thought, the ladies create their worlds. They then decide to travel to the Duchess's 'real world' {Europe, then England}. Thus those two female souls travelled together as lightly as two thoughts into the Duchess her native world and, which is remarkable, in a moment viewed all the parts of it and all the actions of all the creatures therein, especially did the Empress's soul take much notice of the several actions of human creatures in all the several nations and parts of that world, and wondered that for all there were so many several nations, governments, laws, religions, opinions, etc. they should all yet so generally agree in being ambitious, proud, self-conceited, vain, prodigal, deceitful, envious, malicious, unjust, revengeful, irreligious, factious, etc.

29. She did also admire that not any particular state, kingdom or commonwealth was contented with their own shares, but endeavoured to encroach upon their neighbours, and that their greatest glory was in plunder and slaughter, and yet their victories less than their expenses, and their losses more than their gains, but their being overcome, in a manner their utter ruin.

30. [They go to England and to the royal court; the Duchess asks the Empress how she like the King and Queen {Charles II and Henrietta}.] She answered that in all the monarchs she had seen in that world, she had not found so much majesty and affability mixed so exactly together that none did overshadow or eclipse the other, and as for the Queen, she said that virtue sat triumphant in her face and piety was dwelling in her heart and that all the royal family seemed to be endued with a divine splendour.

31. But when she heard the King discourse, she believed that Mercury and Apollo had been his celestial instructors. 'And my dear lord and husband,' added the Duchess, 'has been his earthly governor.' [This thought makes the Duchess miss the Duke, so the women-souls trot off to visit him. They found him exercising his horses {the real Duke was a expert equestrian and published books about this art} and practicing swordsmanship.]

32. But the Duchess's soul being troubled that her dear lord and husband used such a violent exercise before met, for fear of overheating himself, without any consideration of the Empress's soul, left her aerial vehicle and entered into her lord. The Empress's soul, perceiving this, did the like. And then the Duke had three souls in one body, and had there been but some such souls more, the Duke would have been like the Grand-Seigneur [ruler of the Ottoman Empire] in his seraglio, only it would have been a Platonic seraglio.

33. But the Duke's soul being wise, honest, witty, complaisant and noble, afforded such delight and pleasure to the Empress's soul by his conversation that these two souls became enamoured of each other, which the Duchess's soul perceiving, grew jealous at first, but then considering that no adultery could be committed amongst Platonic lovers, and that Platonism was divine, as being derived from divine Plato, cast forth of her mind that idea of jealousy.

34. [Because of the Duke's reduced circumstances {he had lost much of his wealth and property during the Interregnum}, the Empress decided to hold a trial of the Duke before the judge Fortune. This allegorical trial {attorneys include Truth, Prudence, Honesty, Rashness, Folly, Malice, etc.} is longer than O. J. Simpson's-with no clear outcome, as judge Fortune huffs out of the courtroom. Thus ends the First Part of The Blazing World,]

    The Second Part of the Description of the New Blazing World

35. The Empress, having now ordered and settled her government to the best advantage and quiet of her Blazing World, lived and reigned most happily and blessedly, and received oftentimes visits from the immaterial spirits, who gave her intelligence of all such things as she desired to know and they were able to inform her of. One time they told her how the world she came from [which is confusedly conflated with the world the Duchess came from, e.g. England, although the earlier narrative suggested the women came from two different worlds] was embroiled in a great war, and that most parts or nations thereof made war against that kingdom [evidently England] which was her native country [. . . . ]

36. [The Empress sends for the soul of the Duchess, and they decide to send out the fish-men to find a passage from The Blazing World to the Empress's native world, i.e. England/Europe. The passage being found, golden submarines were built. The blazing flotilla, equipped with bird-men, worm-men, fire-stones {that did double-duty as incendiary bombs and torches}, and the Empress, sailed for the war-torn world.] The appointed hour being come, the Empress appeared with garments made of star stone, and was borne or supported above the water upon the fish-men's heads and backs, so that she seemed to walk upon the face of the water, and the bird and fish-men carried the fire stone, lighted both in the air and above the waters. Which sight, when her countrymen perceived at a distance, their hearts began to tremble, but coming something nearer, she left her torches and appeared only in her garments of light, like an angel or some deity, and all kneeled down before her and worshipped her with all submission and reverence [. . . .]

37. 'Dear countrymen-for so you are, although you know me not-I, being a native of this kingdom, and hearing that most part of this world had resolved to make war against it and sought to destroy it, at least to weaken its naval force and power, have made a voyage out of another world to lend you my assistance against your enemies. I come not to make bargains with you, or to regard my own interest more than your safety, but I intend to make you the most powerful nation of this world [. . . .]

38. 'All the return I desire is but your grateful acknowledgement, and to declare my power, love and loyalty to my native country for, although I am now a great and absolute princess and empress of a whole world, yet I acknowledge that once I was a subject of this kingdom, which is but a small part of this world, and therefore I will have you undoubtedly believe that I shall destroy all your enemies before this following night-I mean those which trouble you by sea. And if you have any by land, assure yourself I shall also give you my assistance against them, and make you triumph over all that seek your ruin and destruction.'

39. Upon this declaration of the Empress, when both the General and all the commanders in their several ships had returned their humble and hearty thanks to her Majesty for so great a favour to them, she took her leave and departed to her own ships. But good Lord, what several opinions and judgements did this produce in the midst of her countrymen! Some said she was an angel; others, she was a sorceress; some believed her a goddess; others said the devil deluded them in the shape of a fine lady.

40. [The Empress wages war on her country's enemies.] The fish-men were to carry the fire stones in cases of diamonds [. . .] and to uncase or uncover those fire stones no sooner but when they were just under the enemy's ships, or close at their sides, and then to wet them and set their ships on fire. Which was no sooner done but all the enemy's fleet was of a flaming fire, and coming to the place where the powder was, it straight blew them up, so that all the several navies of the enemies were destroyed in a short time; which when her countrymen did see, they all cried out with one voice that she was an angel sent from God to deliver them [. . . .]

41. The Empress sent [a recalcitrant enemy kingdom] word that in case they did not submit to [the king of her native country], she intended to fire all their towns and cities and reduce them by force to what they would not yield with a good will. But they rejected and scorned her Majesty's message, which provoked her anger so much that she resolved to send her bird and worm-men thither, with order to begin first with their smaller towns and set them on fire (for she was loath to make more spoil than she was forced to), and if they remained still obstinate in their resolutions, to destroy also their greater cities. [This ploy is ultimately successful.]

42. Thus the Empress did not only save her native country, but made it the absolute monarchy of all that world, and both the effects of her power and her beauty did kindle a great desire in all the greatest princes to see her, who hearing that she was resolved to return to her own Blazing World, they all entreated the favour that they might wait on her Majesty before she went. [To oblige them, she arranged a festive reception complete with fireworks; then she, the Duchess, and her hybrid warriors sailed back to the Blazing World.]

43. [This part, and the book, ends with conversations between the Empress, the Duchess, and the Emperor about various topics.] At last, after several questions which the Empress's soul asked the Duchess, she desired to know the reason why she did take such delight, when she was joined to her body, in being singular both in accoutrements, behaviour and discourse. The Duchess's soul answered, she confessed that it was extravagant and beyond what was usual and ordinary, but yet her ambition being such that she would not be like others in anything, if were possible. 'I endeavour,' said she, 'to be as singular as I can, for it argues but a mean nature to imitate others, and though I do not love to be imitated, if I can possibly avoid it, yet rather than imitate others I should choose to be imitated by others, for my nature is such that I had rather appear worse in singularity than better in the mode.'

44. [As affairs of state in the Blazing World {and other worlds} apparently are in order, the Empress and Emperor turn their inquiries to pleasant pastimes. They ask how the Duke of Newcastle arranges his horse stables, and they requested the Duchess's advice about setting up a theatre.] The Duchess answered that she had as little skill to form a play after the mode as she had to paint or make a scene for show. 'But you have made plays,' replied the Empress {Margaret Newcastle did write unperformed plays, the first group of which was vanity-published in 1662}. 'Yes,' answered the Duchess, 'I intended them for plays, but the wits of these present times condemned them as uncapable of being represented to acted, because they were not made up according to the rules of art-though I dare say that the descriptions are as good as any they have writ.'

45. The Emperor asked whether the property of plays were not to describe the several humours, actions and fortunes of mankind. ''Tis so,' answered the duchess. 'Why then,' replied the Emperor, 'the natural humours, actions and fortunes of mankind are not done by the rules of art.' 'But,' said the Duchess, 'it is the art and method of our wits to despise all descriptions of wit, humour, actions, and fortunes that are without such artificial rules.'

46. The Emperor asked, 'Are those good plays that are made so methodically and artificially?' The Duchess answered they were good according to the judgement of the age, or mode of the nation, but not according to her judgement. 'For truly,' said she, 'in my opinion their plays will prove a nursery of whining lovers and not an academy or school for wise, witty, noble and well-behaved men.' 'But I,' replied the Emperor, 'desire such a theatre as may make wise men, and will have such descriptions as are natural, not artificial.'

47. 'If your Majesty be of that opinion,' said the Duchess's soul, 'then my plays may be acted in your Blazing World when they cannot be acted in the blinking world of wit, and the next time I come to visit your Majesty, I shall endeavour to order your Majesty's theatre to present such plays as my wit is capable to make.'

48. Then the Empress told the Duchess that she loved a foolish farce added to a wise play. The Duchess answered that no world in nature had fitter creatures for it than the Blazing World. 'For,' said she, 'the louse-men, the bird-men, the spider and fox-men, the ape-men and satyrs appear in a farce extraordinary pleasant.'

49. [The Duchess goes back to the Duke, and the text proper ends anticlimactically, as the Duchess describes activities in the Blazing World to her 'real-world' acquaintances.]

    The Epilogue to the Reader

50. By this poetical description you may perceive that my ambition is not only to be Empress but authoress of a whole world, and that the worlds I have made, both the Blazing and the other philosophical world [i.e., the Empress's scientific society], are framed and composed of the most pure-that is, the rational-parts of matter, which are the parts of my mind, which creation was more easily and suddenly effected than the conquests of the two famous monarchs of the world, Alexander and Caesar.

51. Neither have I made such disturbances and caused so many dissolutions of particulars, otherwise named deaths, as they did, for I have destroyed but some few men in a little boat which died through the extremity of cold, and that by the hand of justice, which was necessitated to punish their crime of stealing away a young and beauteous lady.

52. And in the formation of those worlds I take more delight and glory than ever Alexander or Caesar did in conquering this terrestrial world, and though I have made my Blazing World a peaceable world, allowing it but one religion, one language and one government, yet could I make another world as full of factions, divisions and wars as this is of peace and tranquillity, and the rational figures of my mind might express as much courage to fight as Hector and Achilles had, and be as wise as Nestor, as eloquent as Ulysses and as beautiful as Helen. But I, esteeming peace before war, wit before policy, honesty before beauty, instead of the figures of Alexander, Caesar, Hector, Achilles, Nestor, Ulysses, Helen, etc. chose rather the figure of honest Margaret Newcastle, which now I would not change for all this terrestrial world.

53. And if any should like the world I have made, and be willing to be my subjects, they may imagine themselves such, and they are such-I mean in their minds, fancies or imaginations. But if they cannot endure to be subjects, they may create worlds of their own, and govern themselves as they please. But yet let them have a care not to prove unjust usurpers and to rob me of mine, for concerning the philosophical world, I am Empress of it myself, and as for the Blazing World, it having an Empress already who rules it with great wisdom and conduct, which Empress is my dear Platonic friend, I shall never prove so unjust, treacherous and unworthy to her as to disturb her government, much less to depose her from her imperial throne for the sake of any other, but rather choose to create another world for another friend.