The Voyage of Captain Popanilla | Page 7

a state in which there
are no wants; consequently, no demand; consequently, no supply;
consequently, no competition; consequently, no invention;
consequently, no profits; only one great pernicious monopoly of
comfort and ease? Society without wants is like a world without winds.
It is quite clear, therefore, that there is no such thing as Nature; Nature
is Art, or Art is Nature; that which is most useful is most natural,
because utility is the test of nature; therefore a steam-engine is in fact a
much more natural production than a mountain.*
* The age seems as anti-mountainous as it is anti-monarchical. A late
writer insinuates that if the English had spent their millions in levelling
the Andes, instead of excavating the table-lands, society might have
been benefited. These monstrosities are decidedly useless, and
therefore can neither be sublime nor beautiful, as has been
unanswerably demonstrated by another recent writer on political
aesthetics -- See also a personal attack on Mont Blanc, in the second
number of the Foreign Quarterly Review, 1828.
'You are convinced, therefore,' he continued, 'by these observations,
that it is impossible for an individual or a nation to be too artificial in
their manners, their ideas, their laws, or their general policy; because,
in fact, the more artificial you become the nearer you approach that
state of nature of which you are so perpetually talking.' Here observing

that some of his audience appeared to be a little sceptical, perhaps only
surprised, he told them that what he said must be true, because it
entirely consisted of first principles. *
* First principles are the ingredients of positive truth. They are
immutable, as may be seen by comparing the first principles of the
eighteenth century with the first principles of the nineteenth.
After having thus preliminarily descanted for about two hours,
Popanilla informed his Majesty that he was unused to public speaking,
and then proceeded to show that the grand characteristic of the social
action * of the Isle of Fantaisie was a total want of development. This
he observed with equal sorrow and surprise; he respected the wisdom
of their ancestors; at the same time, no one could deny that they were
both barbarous and ignorant; he highly esteemed also the constitution,
but regretted that it was not in the slightest degree adapted to the
existing want of society: he was not for destroying any establishments,
but, on the contrary, was for courteously affording them the
opportunity of self-dissolution. He finished by re-urging, in strong
terms, the immediate development of the island. In the first place, a
great metropolis must be instantly built, because a great metropolis
always produces a great demand; and, moreover, Popanilla had some
legal doubts whether a country without a capital could in fact be
considered a State. Apologising for having so long trespassed upon the
attention of the assembly, he begged distinctly to state ** that he had
no wish to see his Majesty and his fellow-subjects adopt these new
principles without examination and without experience. They might
commence on a small scale; let them cut down their forests, and by
turning them into ships and houses discover the utility of timber; let the
whole island be dug up; let canals be cut, docks be built, and all the
elephants be killed directly, that their teeth might yield an immediate
article for exportation. A short time would afford a sufficient trial. In
the meanwhile, they would not be pledged to further measures, and
these might be considered only as an experiment. *** Taking for
granted that these principles would be acted on, and taking into
consideration the site of the island in the map of the world, the nature
and extent of its resources, its magnificent race of human beings, its

varieties of the animal creation, its wonderfully fine timber, its
undeveloped mineral treasures, the spaciousness of its harbours, and its
various facilities for extended international communication, Popanilla
had no hesitation in saying that a short time could not elapse ere,
instead of passing their lives in a state of unprofitable ease and useless
enjoyment, they might reasonably expect to be the terror and
astonishment of the universe, and to be able to annoy every nation of
any consequence.
* This simple and definite phrase we derive from the nation to whom
we were indebted during the last century for some other phrases about
as definite, but rather more dangerous.
** Another phrase of Parliament, which, I need not observe, is always
made use of in oratory when the orator can see his meaning about as
distinctly as Sancho perceived the charms of Dulcinea.
*** A very famous and convenient phrase this -- but in politics
experiments mean revolutions. 1828.
Here, observing a smile upon his Majesty's countenance, Popanilla told
the King that he was