A Voyage to the Moon

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Cyrano De Bergerac. A Voyage to the Moon

CYRANO DE BERGERAC

NOTE ON THE TRANSLATION

A VOYAGE TO THE MOON

CHAPTER I. Of how the Voyage was Conceived

CHAPTER II. Of how the Author set out, and where he first arrived

CHAPTER III. Of his Conversation with the Vice-Roy of New France; and of the system of this Universe

CHAPTER IV. Of how at last he set out again for the Moon, tho without his own Will

CHAPTER V. Of his Arrival there, and of the Beauty of that Country in which he fell

CHAPTER VI. Of a Youth whom he met there, and of their Conversation: what that country was, and the Inhabitants of it

CHAPTER VII. Being cast out from that Country, of the new Adventures which Befell him; and of the Demon of Socrates

CHAPTER VIII. Of the Languages of the People in the Moon; of the Manner of Feeding there,and Paying the Scot; and of how the Author was taken to Court

CHAPTER IX. Of the Little Spaniard whom he met there, and of his quaint Wit;of Vacuum, Specific Weights, and sundry other Philosophical Matters

CHAPTER X. Where the Author comes in doubt, whether he be a Man, an Ape, or an Estridge;83and of the Opinion of the Lunar Philosophers concerning Aristotle

CHAPTER XI. Of the Manner of making War in the Moon; and of how the Moon is not the Moon,nor the Earth the Earth

CHAPTER XII. Of a Philosophical Entertainment

CHAPTER XIII. Of the little Animals that make up our Life, and likewise cause our Diseases; and of the Disposition of the Towns in the Moon

CHAPTER XIV. Of the Original of All Things; of Atomes; and of the Operation of the Senses

CHAPTER XV. Of the Books in the Moon, and their Fashion; of Death, Burial,and Burning; of the Manner of telling the Time; and of Noses

CHAPTER XVI. Of Miracles; and of Curing by the Imagination

CHAPTER XVII. Of the Author's Return to the Earth

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There have been at least three translations into English of the Voyage to the Moon: that alluded to on page 1; the present translation; and one made in the eighteenth century by Samuel Derrick. The last is dedicated to the Earl of Orrery, author of "Remarks on the Life and Writings of Jonathan Swift," and attributes its "call from obscurity" to "your Lordship's mentioning it in your Life of Swift" as having served for inspiration to Gulliver's Travels.

Samuel Derrick's translation, however, is not so good as that of A. Lovell. The seventeenth century translation is more flowery and fanciful, and by that very fact closer to the original. For though the Voyage to the Moon is the most sober in style of Cyrano's works, yet there are still many touches of the "high fantastical" in its manner as well as in its substance. The eighteenth century translator has toned down the style to make it more acceptable to that age of reason and regularity. It is still another case of the irony of Fate pursuing Cyrano; the regularity of seventeenth century literature in France, against whom he struggled so swashbucklerly, had completely triumphed and spread their influence over Europe; so that even in the land where liberty and individuality are native, his work had to suffer correction in all its most fanciful passages. There are constant omissions of phrases or sentences in the eighteenth century translation, and there are also numerous mistakes, as well as many points missed. The seventeenth century translation, on the other hand, is faithful throughout to its original, and accurate as well as vivid.

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"But," added I, "I cannot be resolved of this Doubt, unless I mount up thither."

"And why not?" said I instantly to my self. "Prometheus heretofore went up to Heaven, and stole fire from thence. Have not I as much Boldness as he? And why should not I, then, expect as favourable a Success?"

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