The New Atlantis | Page 9

not wet at all with water, though it swam. And in the fore-end
of it, which was towards him, grew a small green branch of palm; and
when the wise man had taken it, with all reverence, into his boat, it
opened of itself, and there were found in it a Book and a Letter; both
written in fine parchment, and wrapped in sindons of linen. The Book
contained all the canonical books of the Old and New Testament,
according as you have them; (for we know well what the churches with
you receive); and the Apocalypse itself, and some other books of the
New Testament, which were not at that time written, were nevertheless
in the Book. And for the Letter, it was in these words:
"`I, Bartholomew, a servant of the Highest, and Apostle of Jesus Christ,
was warned by an angel that appeareth to me, in a vision of glory, that I
should commit this ark to the floods of the sea. Therefore I do testify
and declare unto that people where God shall ordain this ark to come to
land, that in the same day is come unto them salvation and peace and
good-will, from the Father, and from the Lord Jesus.'
"There was also in both these writings, as well the Book, as the Letter,

wrought a great miracle, conform to that of the Apostles, in the original
Gift of Tongues. For there being at that time in this land Hebrews,
Persians, and Indians, besides the natives, every one read upon the
Book, and Letter, as if they had been written in his own language. And
thus was this land saved from infidelity (as the remainder of the old
world was from water) by an ark, through the apostolical and
miraculous evangelism of Saint Bartholomew." And here he paused,
and a messenger came, and called him from us. So this was all that
passed in that conference.
The next day, the same governor came again to us, immediately after
dinner, and excused himself, saying; "That the day before he was called
from us, somewhat abruptly, but now he would make us amends, and
spend time with us if we held his company and conference agreeable."
We answered, "That we held it so agreeable and pleasing to us, as we
forgot both dangers past and fears to come, for the time we hear him
speak; and that we thought an hour spent with him, was worth years of
our former life." He bowed himself a little to us, and after we were set
again, he said; "Well, the questions are on your part."
One of our number said, after a little pause; that there was a matter, we
were no less desirous to know, than fearful to ask, lest we might
presume too far. But encouraged by his rare humanity towards us, (that
could scarce think ourselves strangers, being his vowed and professed
servants,) we would take the hardiness to propound it: humbly
beseeching him, if he thought it not fit to be answered, that he would
pardon it, though he rejected it. We said; "We well observed those his
words, which he formerly spake, that this happy island, where we now
stood, was known to few, and yet knew most of the nations of the
world; which we found to be true, considering they had the languages
of Europe, and knew much of our state and business; and yet we in
Europe, (notwithstanding all the remote discoveries and navigations of
this last age), never heard of the least inkling or glimpse of this island.
This we found wonderful strange; for that all nations have
inter-knowledge one of another, either by voyage into foreign parts, or
by strangers that come to them: and though the traveller into a foreign
country, doth commonly know more by the eye, than he that stayeth at
home can by relation of the traveller; yet both ways suffice to make a
mutual knowledge, in some degree, on both parts. But for this island,

we never heard tell of any ship of theirs that had been seen to arrive
upon any shore of Europe; nor of either the East or West Indies; nor yet
of any ship of any other part of the world, that had made return from
them. And yet the marvel rested not in this. For the situation of it (as
his lordship said) in the secret conclave' of such a vast sea might cause
it. But then, that they should have knowledge of the languages, books,
affairs, of those that lie such a distance from them, it was a thing we
could not tell what to make of; for that it seemed to us a conditioner
and propriety of divine powers and beings, to be hidden and unseen to
others,