A journey to the world under-ground

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

77109

Title

A journey to the world under-ground

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Nicholas Klimius recounts his descent into a subterranean world inhabited by rational trees, exploring diverse nations with unique customs and physiologies. This satirical allegory critiques European politics and society through the lens of a fantastical underground empire, blending philosophical inquiry with whimsical adventure.

Summary up to 500 words

In *A Journey to the World Under-Ground*, Ludvig Holberg presents the satirical memoirs of Nicholas Klimius, a weary royal messenger in the Potuan Empire. Rebuffed for lacking the capacity for higher office, Klimius studies the empire's laws and impresses the Prince with a report on its defects. The Prince tasks him with surveying the entire planet, Nazar. Klimius discovers that while the inhabitants are rational trees speaking a common dialect, their natures vary drastically based on their soil. His journey begins in Quamso, where eternal health breeds indolence and a lack of compassion, and continues to Lalac, where spontaneous abundance leads to sloth and despair. He visits Mardak, home to trees with multiple eyes, and crosses seas to nations like Picardania, inhabited by Jack-Daws who enforce strict trade laws, and Crotchet-Island, where inhabitants communicate exclusively through musical instruments. He eventually reaches Pyglossia, a land of mouthless beings who speak only after acting. Klimius is eventually reunited with his old friend Abeline, who initially disbelieves his tales of the underground world and the fifth monarchy he founded. Abeline warns him that his claims will be deemed heretical by the church, advising him to remain silent. Klimius returns to his own world, disguises himself, and accepts a position as a schoolmaster in Bergen. He marries, raises a family, and spends his remaining years in modest obscurity, occasionally haunted by memories of his imperial past. The narrative concludes with an appendix noting Klimius's death in 1695 and the preservation of his manuscript by Abeline, who hesitates to publish it due to the potential for persecution.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Adventure
• Fiction