2. A SEQUEL TO THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN, CHAPTER VI.-X.

            Zurück zur vorigen Seite 

Nächste Seite  

CHAPTER VI.

A feast on live bulls and kava.—The inhabitants admire the European adventurers.—The Emperor comes to meet the Baron, and pays him great compliments.—The inhabitants of the centre of Africa descended from the people of the moon proved by an inscription in Africa, and by the analogy of their language, which is also the same with that of the ancient Scythians.—The Baron is declared sovereign of the interior of Africa on the decease of the Emperor.—He endeavours to abolish the custom of eating live bulls, which excites much discontent.—The advice of Hilaro Frosticos upon the occasion.—The Baron makes a speech to an Assembly of the states, which only excites greater murmurs.—He consults with Hilaro Frosticos.

HAVING passed over the nearest mountains we entered a delightful vale, where we perceived a multitude of persons at a feast of living bulls, whose flesh they cut away with great knives, making a table of the creature's carcase, serenaded by the bellowing of the unfortunate animal. Nothing seemed requisite to add to the barbarity of this feast but kava, made as described in Cook's voyages, and at the conclusion of the feast we perceived them brewing this liquor, which they drank with the utmost avidity. From that moment, inspired with an idea of universal benevolence, I determined to abolish the custom of eating live flesh and drinking of kava. But I knew that such a thing could not be immediately effected, whatever in future time might be performed.

Having rested ourselves during a few days, we determined to set out towards the principal city of the empire. The singularity of our appearance was spoken of all over the country as a phenomenon. The multitude looked upon Sphinx, the bulls, the crickets, the balloons, and the whole company, as something more than terrestrial, but especially the thunder of our fire-arms, which struck horror and amazement into the whole nation.

We at length arrived at the metropolis, situated on the banks of a noble river, and the emperor, attended by all his court, came out in grand procession to meet us. The emperor appeared mounted on a dromedary, royally caparisoned, with all his attendants on foot through respect for his Majesty. He was rather above the middle stature of that country, four feet three inches in height, with a countenance, like all his countrymen, as white as snow! He was preceded by a band of most exquisite music, according to the fashion of the country, and his whole retinue halted within about fifty paces of our troop. We returned the salute by a discharge of musketry, and a flourish of our trumpets and martial music. I commanded our caravan to halt, and dismounting, advanced uncovered, with only two attendants, towards his Majesty. The emperor was equally polite, and descending from his dromedary, advanced to meet me. "I am happy," said he, "to have the honor to receive so illustrious a traveller, and assure you that everything in my empire shall be at your disposal."

I thanked his Majesty for his politeness, and expressed how happy I was to meet so polished and refined a people in the centre of Africa, and that I hoped to show myself and company grateful for his esteem, by introducing the arts and sciences of Europe among the people.

I immediately perceived the true descent of this people, which does not appear of terrestrial origin, but descended from some of the inhabitants of the moon, because the principal language spoken there, and in the centre of Africa, is very nearly the same. Their alphabet and method of writing are pretty much the same, and show the extreme antiquity of this people, and their exalted origin. I here give you a specimen of their writing [Vide Otrckocsus de Orig. Hung. p. 46]:—Stregnah, dna skoohtop.

These characters I have submitted to the inspection of a celebrated antiquarian, and it will be proved to the satisfaction of every one, in his next volume, what an immediate intercourse there must have been between the inhabitants of the moon and the ancient Scythians, which Scythians did not by any means inhabit a part of Russia, but the central part of Africa, as I can abundantly prove to my very learned and laborious friend.—The above words, written in our characters, are sregnah dna skoohtop; that is, The Scythians are of heavenly origin. The word sregnah, which signifies Scythians, is compounded of sreg or sre, whence our present English word sire, or sir: and nah, or gnah, knowledge: because the Scythians united the essentials of nobility and learning together: dna signifies heaven, or belonging to the moon, from duna, who was anciently worshipped as goddess of that luminary. And skootop signifies the origin or beginning of any thing, from skoo, the name used in the moon for a point in geometry; and top or toppos, vegetation. These words are inscribed at this day upon a pyramid in the centre of Africa, nearly at the source of the river Niger; and if any one refuses his assent, he may go there to be convinced.

The emperor conducted me to his court amidst the admiration of his courtiers, and paid us every possible politeness that African magnificence could bestow. He never presumed to proceed on any expedition without consulting us, and looking upon us as a species of superior beings, paid the greatest respect to our opinions. He frequently asked me about the states of Europe, and the kingdom of Great Britain, and appeared lost in admiration at the account I gave him of our shipping, and the immensity of the ocean. We taught him to regulate the government nearly on the same plan with the British constitution, and to institute a parliament and degrees of nobility. His majesty was the last of his royal line, and on his decease, with the unanimous consent of the people, made me heir to the whole empire. The nobility and chiefs of the country immediately waited upon me with petitions, entreating me to accept the government. I consulted with my noble friends, Gog and Magog, &c., and after much consultation it was agreed that I should accept the government, not as actual and independent monarch of the place, but as viceroy to his Majesty of England.

I now thought it high time to do away the custom of eating of live flesh and drinking of kava, and for that purpose used every persuasive method to wean the majority of the people from it. This, to my astonishment, was not taken in good part by the nation, and they looked with jealousy at those strangers who wanted to make innovations among them.

Nevertheless, I felt much concern to think that my fellow-creatures could be capable of such barbarity. I did everything that a heart fraught with universal benevolence and good will to all mankind could be capable of desiring. I first tried every method of persuasion and incitement. I did not harshly reprove them, but I invited frequently whole thousands to dine, after the fashion of Europe, upon roasted meat. Alas, 'twas all in vain! my goodness nearly excited a sedition. They murmured among themselves, spoke of my intentions, my wild and ambitious views, as if I, O heaven! could have had any personal interested motive in making them live like men, rather than like crocodiles and tigers. In fine, perceiving that gentleness could be of no avail, well knowing that when complaisance can effect nothing from some spirits, compulsion excites respect and veneration, I prohibited, under the pain of the severest penalties, the drinking of kava, or eating of live flesh, for the space of nine days, within the districts of Angalinar and Paphagalna.

But this created such an universal abhorrence and detestation of my government, that my ministers, and even myself, were universally pasquinadoed; lampoons, satires, ridicule, and insult, were showered upon the name of Munchausen wherever it was mentioned; and in fine, there never was a government so much detested, or with such little reason.

In this dilemma I had recourse to the advice of my noble friend Hilaro Frosticos. In his good sense I now expected some resource, for the rest of the council, who had advised me to the former method, had given but a poor specimen of their abilities and discernment, or I should have succeeded more happily. In short, he addressed himself to me and to the council as follows:—

"It is in vain, most noble Munchausen, that your Excellency endeavours to compel or force these people to a life to which they have never been accustomed. In vain do you tell them that apple-pies, pudding, roast beef, minced pies, or tarts, are delicious, that sugar is sweet, that wine is exquisite. Alas! they cannot, they will not comprehend what deliciousness is, what sweetness, or what the flavour of the grape. And even if they were convinced of the superior excellence of your way of life, never, never would they be persuaded; and that if for no other reason, but because force or persuasion is employed to induce them to it. Abandon that idea for the present, and let us try another method. My opinion, therefore, is, that we should at once cease all endeavours to compel or persuade them. But let us, if possible, procure a quantity of fudge from England, and carelessly scatter it over all the country; and from this disposal of matters I presume—nay, I have a moral certainty, that we shall reclaim this people from horror and barbarity."

Had this been proposed at any other time, it would have been violently opposed in the council; but now, when every other attempt had failed, when there seemed no other resource, the majority willingly submitted to they knew not what, for they absolutely had no idea of the manner, the possibilities of success, or how they could bring matters to bear. However, 'twas a scheme, and as such they submitted. For my part, I listened with ecstasy to the words of Hilaro Frosticos, for I knew that he had a most singular knowledge of human kind, and could humor and persuade them on to their own happiness and universal good. Therefore, according to the advice of Hilaro, I dispatched a balloon with four men over the desert to the Cape of Good Hope, with letters to be forwarded to England, requiring, without delay, a few cargoes of fudge.

The people had all this time remained in a general state of ferment and murmur. Everything that rancor, low wit, and deplorable ignorance could conceive to asperse my government, was put in execution. The most worthy, even the most beneficent actions, everything that was amiable, were perverted into opposition.

The heart of Munchausen was not made of such impenetrable stuff as to be insensible to the hatred of even the most worthless wretch in the whole kingdom; and once, at a general assembly of the states, filled with an idea of such continued ingratitude, I spoke as pathetic as possible, not, methought, beneath my dignity, to make them feel for me: that the universal good and happiness of the people were all I wished or desired; that if my actions had been mistaken, or improper surmises formed, still I had no wish, no desire, but the public welfare, &c. &c. &c.

Hilaro Frosticos was all this time much disturbed; he looked sternly at me—he frowned, but I was so engrossed with the warmth of my heart, my intentions, that I understood him not: in a minute I saw nothing but as if through a cloud (such is the force of amiable sensibility)—lords, ladies, chiefs—the whole assembly seemed to swim before my sight. The more I thought on my good intentions, the lampoons which so much affected my delicacy, good nature, tenderness—I forgot myself—I spoke rapid, violent—beneficence—fire—tenderness—Alas! I melted into tears!

"Pish! pish!" said Hilaro Frosticos!

Now, indeed, was my government lampooned, satyrized, carribonadoed, bepickled, and bedevilled. One day, with my arm full of lampoons, I started up as Hilaro entered the room, the tears in my eyes: "Look, look here, Hilaro!—how can I bear all this? It is impossible to please them; I will leave the government—I cannot bear it! See what pitiful anecdotes—what surmises: I will make my people feel for me—I will leave the government!"

"Pshaw!" says Hilaro.—At that simple monosyllable I found myself changed as if by magic! for I ever looked on Hilaro as a person so experienced—such fortitude, such good sense— "There are three sails, under the convoy of a frigate," added Hilaro, "just arrived at the Cape, after a fortunate passage, laden with the fudge that we demanded. No time is to be lost; let it be immediately conducted hither, and distributed through the principal granaries of the empire."

a feast of living bulls: The other objection which I have often heard, is, That Mr Bruce hath mentioned in converfation, that the Abyffinians cut a flice from the living ox, elteeming it one of their greateft delicacies. This fort of dainty indeed is not fo confidered in other parts of the globe; but every nation almoſt hath its peculiarities in the choice of their food.
AN INTERESTING NARRATIVE OF THE TRAVERLS OF JAMES BRUCE, Esq; INTO ABYSSINIA, TO DISCOVER THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. LONDON: M,DCC,XC, p. XII.

kava:  Kava (Piper methysticum), auch Kava-Kava (Kawa-Kawa) oder Rauschpfeffer genannt, ist eine Pflanzenart aus der Gattung Pfeffer in der Familie der Pfeffergewächse (Piperaceae). Aus Pflanzenbestandteilen (meist getrocknet und pulverisiert) wird ein traditionelles Getränk des westpazifischen Raumes hergestellt, das vor allem als Zeremonialgetränk bei religiösen und kulturellen Anlässen konsumiert wird.
Wikipedia

Die erste Beschreibung von Kava ist das Verdienst von J. G. A. Forster, der es Piper methysticum (Forster, 1781) oder berauschender Pfeffer nannte, wobei methysticum die lateinische Transkription des griechischen methustikos ist, abgeleitet von methu, was nach Steinmetz (1960) berauschendes Getränk bedeutet. Diese Beschreibung wird nicht als botanisch gültig anerkannt. Die von den Forsters gesammelten Proben gehörten tatsächlich zu zwei Arten, Kava, P. methysticum und wilder Kava, Macropiper latifolium. Aus Gründen der Nomenklatur, die von A.C. Smith (I981) erläutert wurden, ist die früheste zuverlässige Beschreibung von Kava die von Forster (1786), die in De plantis esculentis insularum oceani Australis (Forster, 1786) zu finden ist.

KAVAS OF VANUATU, CULTIVARS OF PIPER METHYSTICUM FORST.  SOUTH PACIFIC COMMISSION. NOUMEA, NEW CALEDONIA, p 3. (TECHNICAL PAPER No. 195)

Georgii Forster, Medic Doct. Sereniss. Poloniae Regi A Consilliis Intimus, Etc. De Plantis Escvlentis Insvlarvm Oceani Avstralis Commentatio Botanica. Berolini, MDCCLXXXVI. (1786)

Cook's voyages: Am 13. Juli 1772 stachen Vater und Sohn Forster an Bord der Resolution in Plymouth in See. Die Reise führte zunächst in den Südatlantik, dann durch den Indischen Ozean und antarktische Gewässer in den Südpazifik und zu den Inseln Polynesiens und schließlich um Kap Hoorn herum wieder zurück nach England, wo die Expedition am 30. Juli 1775 eintraf. Auf ihrer dreijährigen Reise hatten die Forsters mit Cook unter anderem Neuseeland, die Tonga-Inseln, Neukaledonien, Tahiti, die Marquesas-Inseln und die Osterinsel erkundet und waren weiter nach Süden vorgedrungen als jemals Menschen vor ihnen. Cooks zweite Reise widerlegte endgültig die Theorie von einem großen, bewohnbaren Südkontinent.

Georg Forster beteiligte sich – zumeist als Zeichner und zunächst noch unter Anleitung seines Vaters – an Studien zur Tier- und Pflanzenwelt der Südsee. Beide haben auf dem Gebiet der Botanik viele neue Erkenntnisse gewonnen und eine Vielzahl bis dahin in Europa unbekannter Pflanzen beschrieben, darunter eine Gattung aus der Familie der Phyllanthaceae. Die Pflanzengattung der Forstera aus der Familie der Stylidiaceae wurde nach ihnen benannt. Georg Forsters offizielles botanisches Autorenkürzel lautet „G.Forst.“.
Wikipedia

Johann Reinhold Forster mit seinem Sohn Georg Forster auf Tahiti – Kolorierter Holzstich nach einem Gemälde von John Francis Rigaud (1780).

Wir waren noch nicht lange da, so formirte sich schon ein ziemlich großer Kreis von Insulanern, die sich auf dem Platze niedersetzten, und nunmehr ward eine Wurzel der Kawa-Pflanze, (Piper methysticum) hereingebracht und vor dem Könige niedergelegt. Er ließ sie zerstücken, und unter mehrere Personen beyderley Geschlechts austheilen, die sich sogleich daran machten sie zu kauen, und aus dem gekäueten Brey eine Schaale des hiesigen Lieblingstranks zu bereiten.
Fünfzehntes Hauptstück. Freundschaftliche Aufnahme in Tongatabu. Austheilung eines gebratenen Schweins und des Kawa-Tranks an Paulaho's Gefolge.

Des Capitain Jacob Cook dritte Entdeckungs-Reise in die Südsee und nach dem Nordpol. Auf Befehl Sr. Grosbrittann. Majest. George des Dritten unternommen und in den Schiffen Resolution und Discovery während der Jahre 1776 bis 1780 ausgeführt. Aus den Tagebüchern der Schiffsbefehlshaber Herren Cook, Clerke, Gore und King imgleichen des Schiffswundarztes Herrn Anderson vollständig beschrieben. Aus dem Englischen übersetzt mit Zusätzen für den deutschen Leser, imgleichen mit einer Einleitung über Cooks Verdienste und Charakter, imgleichen über Entdeckungsreisen überhaupt. Von Herrn Georg Forster Königl. Polnischen geh. Rath chrf. Maynzischen Universitäts-Bibliothekar; der Arzeneywissenschaft und der Philosof. Doctor, Mitglied der Röm. Kaiserlichen, der Londoner, Berliner, Madriter Societäten der Wissenschaften u .v. c. m. ⁊c. durch Kupfer und Charten erläutert. Erster Band. Berlin 1789, S. 316.

Den Reisebericht hat Georg Forster im Jahre 1777 zunächst auf Englisch veröffentlicht. Die deutsche Übersetzung erfolgte durch den Autor im darauf folgendem Jahr mit Unterstützung von Rudolph Erich Raspe und wurde von den Berliner Verlegern Haude und Spener in zwei Bänden publiziert.

Vide Otrckocsus de Orig. Hung. p. 46: fiktive Literaturangabe

Scythians: Die Skythen waren ein altes östliches iranisches Reiternomadenvolk, das vom 7. Jhd. vor Chr. bis zum 3. Jhd. nach Christus von Zentralasien bis zur pontischen Steppe in der heutigen Ukraine und Südrussland gewandert war. Der englische Name Scythians leitet sich von den altgriechischen Namen Skuthēs ( Σκυθης ) und Skuthoi ( Σκυθοι ) her. Die skythischen Sprachen sind eine Gruppe ostiranischer Sprachen der klassischen und spätantiken Zeit (der mitteliranischen Zeit), die in einer weiten Region Eurasiens von den Bevölkerungsgruppen gesprochen wird, die den skythischen Kulturen angehören und von ihren Nachkommen. Die dominierenden ethnischen Gruppen unter den skythischen Sprechern waren nomadische Hirten aus Zentralasien und der pontisch-kaspischen Steppe. Fragmente ihrer Sprache, die aus Inschriften und Wörtern bekannt sind, die in antiken Schriften zitiert werden, sowie Analysen ihrer Namen weisen darauf hin, dass es sich um eine indogermanische Sprache handelte, genauer gesagt aus der iranischen Gruppe indo-iranischer Sprachen. Die meisten skythischen Sprachen starben schließlich aus, mit Ausnahme des modernen Ossetisch (das vom alanischen Dialekt Skytho-Sarmatian abstammt), Wakhi (das von den Khotanese- und Tumshuqese- Formen von Skytho-Khotanese abstammt ) und Yaghnobi (das von Sogdian abstammt ).
Wikipedia

Otto van Veen: Amazonen und Skythen. Öl auf Holz, vor 1629. Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien.

inspection of a celebrated antiquarian: Im 18. Jahrhundert begann eine systematisch orientierte Philologie, die verschiedenen Nationalsprachen in Sprachfamilien zusammenzufassen. Bereits 1765 wies der französische Aufklärer Charles de Brosses (1709–1777) in seinem Buch Traité de la formation méchanique des langues et des principes physiques de l’étymologie auf Ähnlichkeiten zwischen dem von Herodot überlieferten Skythischen und europäischen Sprachen hin.

1786 veröffentlichte der englische Übersetzer und Jurist William Jones (1746–1794) das Werk The Sanscrit Language, in dem er einen gemeinsamen Ursprung für Sanskrit, Griechisch und Latein nachwies und auch eine Verwandtschaft mit dem Gotischen, Keltischen und Persischen andeutete, womit er eine indoeuropäische Sprachforschung vorbereitete. Die Diskussionen um die Herausbildung der menschlichen Sprache hatten unterdessen mit der Abhandlung über den Ursprung der Sprache (1772) von Johann Gottfried Herder (1744–1803) einen ersten Höhepunkt erlebt. Auch Raspe war, wenn auch indirekt, an dieser Debatte beteiligt, einerseits (1765) durch die Entdeckung und Herausgabe der Schriften von Leibniz, die sich auf dieses Thema beziehen (das Leibniz-Manuskript Nouveaux Essais sur l’entendement humain (Neue Abhandlungen über den menschlichen Verstand), andererseits (1778) durch die Übersetzung der Gesetze der Gentoo, eine Sammlung hinduistischer Gesetze, aus dem Englischen ins Deutsche.
Howald/Wiebel 2015, S. 151.

We taught him to regulate the government: Adolph Freiherr Knigge (1752–1796) beschreibt in seinem Roman Benjamin Noldmanns Geschichte der Aufklärung in Abyssinien (1791), wie in Abessinien eine fiktive aufklärerische Verfassung eingeführt und erprobt wird: Diese Utopie wird so zum Mahnmal für Europa.
Howald/Wiebel 2015, S. 152.

Benjamin Noldmann’s Geschichte der Aufklärung in Abyssinien, oder Nachricht von seinem und seines Herrn Vetters Aufenthalte an dem Hofe des großen Negus, oder Pristers Johannes. Erster Theil. Göttingen 1791. [Adolph Franz Friedrich Ludwig Freiherr Knigge]

Adolph Franz Friedrich Ludwig Freiherr Knigge (1752-1796) war ein deutscher Schriftsteller und Aufklärer. Von 1780 bis 1784 war er ein führendes Mitglied des Illuminatenordens. Bekannt wurde er vor allem durch seine Schrift Über den Umgang mit Menschen. Sein Name steht heute stellvertretend, aber irrtümlich, für Benimmratgeber, die mit Knigges eher soziologisch ausgerichtetem Werk im Sinne der Aufklärung nichts gemeinsam haben.
Wikipedia

entreating me to accept the government: James Bruce berichtet, er sei zum Gouverneur von Ras al-Fil ernannt worden;

BOOK VI.

First Attempt to discover the Source of the Nile frustrated–A successful Journey thither, with a full Account of every Thing relating to that celebrated River.

ΟNE day, when Mr, Bruce was at court, he met Tecla Mariam, the King's secretary, who taking him by the hand, said, with a laughing countenance, “O ho, I with you joy; this is like a man; you are now no stranger but one of us; why was not you at court?” Mr Bruce said he had no particular business there, but that he came thither to see Ayto Confu, that he might speak in favour of Yasine to get him appointed deputy of Ras el Feel. “Why don't you appoint him yourself? (says he) what has Confu to do with the affair now? You don't intend always to be in leading strings? You may thank the king for yourself, but I would never advise you to speak one word of Yasine to him; it is not the custom; you may, if you please, to Confu, he knows him already. His estate lies all around you, and he will enforce your orders, if there should be any need.”

“Pardon me, Tecla Mariam, (said Mr Bruce) if I do not understand you. I came here to solicit for Yasine, that Confu or his successor would appoint him: their deputy, and you answer that you advise me to appoint him myself.” “And so I do, (replied Tecla Mariam). Who is to appoint him but you? You are governor of Ras el Feel; are you not?” Mr Bruce stood motionless with astonishment. “It is no great affair, (said he) and I hope you will never see it. It is a hot, unwholesome country, full of Mahometans; but its gold is as good as any Christian gold whatever. I wish it had been Begemder with all my heart, but there is a good time coming.”

Mr Bruce, after having recovered himself a little from his surprise, went to Ayto Confu to kiss his hand as his superior, but this he would by no means suffer him to do. A great dinner was provided them by the Iteghé; and Yasine being sent for, was appointed, cloathed, that is invested, and ordered immediately to Ras el Feel to his government, to make peace with the Daveina, and bring all the horses he could get with him from thence, or from Atbara. The having thus provided for Yasine, and secured, as he thought, a retreat to Sennaar for himself, gave him the first real pleasure that he had received since his landing at Masuah; and that day, seeing himself in company with all his friends, and the hopes of this country, for the first time since his arrival in Abyssinia, he abandoned himelf to joy.

AN INTERESTING NARRATIVE OF THE TRAVERLS OF JAMES BRUCE, Esq; INTO ABYSSINIA, TO DISCOVER THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. LONDON: M,DCC,XC, p. 244f.

viceroy to his Majesty of England: Vizekönig der Majestät von England; Generalgouverneure und Vizekönige von Indien war von 1786-1793 Charles Cornwallis, 2. Earl Cornwallis.

fudge: Flunkerei, Unsinn. In Oliver Goldsmiths The Vicar of Wakefield (1766) wird in Kapitel 11 das »very impolite behaviour of Mr Burchell« beschrieben, der während einer Konversation nach jedem Satz eines der Gesprächsteilnehmer »fudge« äußert (Goldsmith 2014, Seite 51). In zeitgenössischen Wörterbüchern wurde dies als erste Verwendung und Erfindung des Worts verzeichnet; doch 1824 wies Isaac Disraeli in einem Aufsatz darauf hin, dass der Ausdruck vermutlich auf einen Captain Fudge zurückgeht, der sich um 1700 als sprichwörtlicher Spinner von Seemannsgarn einen Namen gemacht hatte; siehe Isaac Disraeli, Curiosities of Literature, Band III, London 1881, Seite 29.
Howald/Wiebel 2015, S. 155.

Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774) war ein irischer Schriftsteller und Arzt, der für seinen Roman Der Pfarrer von Wakefield (1766) bekannt ist. Unter dem Einfluss von Buffon verfasste er eine umfangreiche Naturgeschichte: A History of the Earth and Animated Nature, die postum 1774 erschien und bis Anfang des 20. Jahrhunderts mehrere Auflagen erfuhr. Das achtbändige Werk erlangte in England eine ähnliche Popularität wie Brehms Tierleben als „der Brehm“ in Deutschland.
Wikipedia

Isaak D’Israeli (auch Isaac D’Israeli; 1766-1848) war ein englischer Schriftsteller und Literaturhistoriker. Literarische Bekanntheit erlangte er mit Curiosities of Literature, einer Sammlung von Anekdoten über berühmte Persönlichkeiten, Bücher und die Hobbys von Büchersammlern.
Wikipedia

Pish! pish!: Pfui!

CHAPTER VII.

A proclamation by the Baron.—Excessive curiosity of the people to know what fudge was.—The people in a general ferment about it.—They break open all the granaries in the empire.—The affections of the people conciliated.—An ode performed in honor of the Baron.—His discourse with Fragrantia on the excellence of the music.

Some time after I ordered the following proclamation to be published in the Court Gazette, and in all the other papers of the empire:

BY THE

MOST MIGHTY AND PUISSANT LORD,

HIS EXCELLENCY THE

LORD BARON MUNCHAUSEN.

WHEREAS a quantity of fudge has been distributed through all the granaries of the empire for particular uses; and as the natives have ever expressed their aversion to all manner of European eatables, it is hereby strictly forbidden, under pain of the severest penalties, for any of the officers charged with the keeping of the said fudge to give, sell, or suffer to be sold, any part or quantity whatever of the said material, until it be agreeable unto our good will and pleasure.

MUNCHAUSEN.

Dated in our Castle of Gris-

tariska this Triskil of the

month of Griskish, in the

year Moulikasra-navas-

kashna-vildash.

––––––––––

This proclamation excited the most ardent curiosity all over the empire. "Do you know what this fudge is?" said Lady Mooshilgarousti to Lord Darnarlaganl.—"Fudge!" said he,—"Fudge!—No: what fudge?"—"I mean," replied her Ladyship, "the enormous quantity of fudge that has been distributed under guards in all the strong places in the empire, and which is strictly forbidden to be sold or given to any of the natives under the severest penalties." "Lord!" replied he, "what in the name of wonder can it be?—Forbidden! why it must;—but pray do you, Lady Fashashash, do you know what this fudge is?—o you, Lord Trastillauex?—Or you, Miss Gristilarkask?—What! nobody knows what this fudge can be?"

It engrossed for several days the chit-chat of the whole empire. Fudge, fudge, fudge, resounded in all companies and in all places, from the rising until the setting of the sun; and even at night, when gentle sleep refreshed the rest of mortals, the ladies of all that country were dreaming of fudge!

"Upon my honor," said Kitty, as she was adjusting her modesty piece before the glass, just after getting out of bed, "there is scarce anything I would not give to know what this fudge can be." "La! my dear," replied Miss Killnariska, "I have been dreaming the whole night of nothing but fudge; I thought my lover kissed my hand, and pressed it to his bosom, while I, frowning, endeavoured to wrest it from him: that he kneeled at my feet.—No, never, never will I look at you, cried I, till you tell me what this fudge can be, or get me some of it.—Be gone! cried I, with all the dignity of offended beauty, majesty, and a tragic queen. Begone! never see me more, or bring me this delicious fudge. He swore, on the honor of a knight, that he would wander o'er the world, encounter every danger, perish in the attempt, or satisfy the angel of his soul."

The chiefs and nobility of the nation, when they met together to drink their kava, spoke of nothing but fudge.—Men, women, and children all, all talked of nothing but fudge. 'Twas a fury of curiosity, one general ferment, and universal fever—nothing but fudge could allay it.

But in one respect they all agreed, that government must have had some interested view, in giving such positive orders to preserve it, and keep it from the natives of the country. Petitions were addressed to me from all quarters, from every corporation and body of men in the whole empire. The majority of the people instructed their constituents, and the parliament presented a petition, praying that I would be pleased to take the state of the nation under consideration, and give orders to satisfy the people, or the most dreadful consequences were to be apprehended. To these requests, at the entreaty of my council, I made no reply, or at best but unsatisfactory answers. Curiosity was on the rack; they forgot to lampoon the government, so engaged were they about the fudge. The great assembly of the states could think of nothing else. Instead of enacting laws for the regulation of the people, instead of consulting what should seem most wise, most excellent, they could think, talk, and harangue of nothing but fudge. In vain did the Speaker call to order; the more checks they got the more extravagant and inquisitive they were.

In short, the populace in many places rose in the most outrageous and tumultuous manner, forced open the granaries in all places in one day, and triumphantly distributed the fudge through the whole empire.

Whether on account of the longing, the great curiosity, imagination, or the disposition of the people, I cannot say—but they found it infinitely to their taste; 'twas intoxication of joy, satisfaction, and applause.

Finding how much they liked this fudge, I procured another quantity from England, much greater than the former, and cautiously bestowed it over all the kingdom. Thus were the affections of the people regained; and they, from hence, began to venerate, applaud, and admire my government more than ever. The following ode was performed at the castle, in the most superb style, and universally admired:—

     ODE.

     Ye bulls and crickets, and Gog, Magog,

     And trump'ts high chiming anthrophog,

     Come sing blithe choral all in og,

     Caralog, basilog, fog, and bog!

     Great and superb appears thy cap sublime,

     Admired and worship'd as the rising sun;

     Solemn, majestic, wise, like hoary Time,

     And fam'd alike for virtue, sense, and fun.

     Then swell the noble strain with song,

     And elegance divine,

     While Goddesses around shall throng,

     And all the Muses Nine.

     And bulls, and crickets, and Gog, Magog,

     And trumpets chiming anthrophog,

     Shall sing blithe choral all in og,

     Caralog, basilog, fog, and bog!

This piece of poetry was much applauded, admired, and enchored in every public assembly, celebrated as an astonishing effort of genius; and the music, composed by Minheer Gastrashbark Gkrghhbarwskhk, was thought equal to the sense.—Never was there anything so universally admired, the summit of the most exquisite wit, the keenest praise, the most excellent music.

"Upon my honour, and the faith I owe my love," said I, "music may be talked of in England, but to possess the very soul of harmony the world should come to the performance of this ode."—Lady Fragrantia was at that moment drumming with her fingers on the edge of her fan, lost in a reverie, thinking she was playing upon——Was it a forte piano?

"No, my dear Fragrantia," said I, tenderly taking her in my arms while she melted into tears; "never, never, will I play upon any other——!"

Oh! 'twas divine, to see her like a summer's morning, all blushing and full of dew!

This proclamation: Die folgenden Passagen sind dem Kapitel über »whiskers« (»Backenbärte«) in Laurence Sternes Tristram Shandy nachgebildet. Die Hofdamen der Königin von Navarra diskutieren über die Reize einiger Herren des Hofes. Das Vorhandensein oder Fehlen von Schnurrhaaren wird zum Hauptkriterium ihrer Vorzüglichkeit (sie zu haben ist besser als sie nicht zu haben). „Whiskers“ nimmt eine subtile Bedeutung an, und eine der Frauen, die Lady Baussiere, ist von der Idee bis zum Ausschluss von allem anderen besessen. „Das Wort wurde natürlich unanständig und ... absolut unbrauchbar“, und hier endet die Geschichte.

THE LIFE AND OPINIONS OF TRISTAM SHANDY, GENTLEMAN: VOL. V. LONDON: MDCCLXII.

Fudge was, in 1664, captain of a merchantman, engaged by Pepys to sail with provisions to Tangier, whom he found a slacker and prevaricator. We do not know whether he was the same identified thus in the OED: "Captain Fudge, 'by some called 'Lying Fudge' (Letter of 1664, in Crouch *Posthuma Christiana* 1712, p. 87) was a real person (the surname is still common in Dorsett). The nautical phrase, 'You fudge it,' associated in 1700 with the name of that captain, prob. belongs to FUDGE v.1. In a dialogue of 1702, *The Present Condition of the English Navy*, one of the interlocutors is called 'Young Fudg of the Admiralty' perh. with allusion to the same verb.

1700 *Remarks on the Navy* in D'Israeli, *Cur. Lit., Neology* (1841), There was, sir, in our time one Captain Fudge,.who.always brought home his owners a good cargo of lies, so much that now aboard ship the sailors, when they hear a great lie told, cry out, 'You fudge it'.
The Diary of Samuel Pepys

 https://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclopedia/7640/

The following ode: Der englische Satiriker John Wolcot (1738–1819) verfasste unter dem Namen Peter Pindar 1790 die Satire A Complimentary Epistle to James Bruce, die auch eine Ode auf James Bruce enthält.

A Complimentary Epistle to James Bruce, Esq. The second edition. London 1790.

John Wolcot, Kupferstich von Peter Joseph Bone, 1801

CHAPTER VIII.

The Baron sets all the people of the empire to work to build a bridge from their country to Great Britain.—His contrivance to render the arch secure.—Orders an inscription to be engraved on the bridge.—Returns with all his company, chariot, etc., to England.—Surveys the kingdoms and nations under him from the middle of the bridge.

"AND now, most noble Baron," said the illustrious Hilaro Frosticos, "now is the time to make this people proceed in any business that we find convenient. Take them at this present ferment of the mind, let them not think, but at once set them to work." In short, the whole nation went heartily to the business, to build an edifice such as was never seen in any other country. I took care to supply them with their favorite kava and fudge, and they worked like horses. The tower of Babylon, which, according to Hermogastricus, was seven miles high, or the Chinese wall, was a mere trifle, in comparison to this stupendous edifice, which was completed in a very short space of time.

It was of an immense height, far beyond anything that ever had been before erected, and of such gentle ascent, that a regiment of cavalry with a train of cannon could ascend with perfect ease and facility. It seemed like a rainbow in the heavens, the base of which appeared to rise in the centre of Africa, and the other extremity seemed to stoop into great Britain. A most noble bridge indeed, and a piece of masonry that has outdone Sir Christopher Wren. Wonderful must it have been to form so tremendous an arch, especially as the artists had certain difficulties to labor against which they could not have in the formation of any other arch in the world—I mean, the attraction of the moon and planets: Because the arch was of so great a height, and in some parts so elongated from the earth, as in a great measure to diminish in its gravitation to the centre of our globe; or rather, seemed more easily operated upon by the attraction of the planets: So that the stones of the arch, one would think, at certain times, were ready to fall up to the moon, and at other times to fall down to the earth. But as the former was more to be dreaded, I secured stability to the fabric by a very curious contrivance: I ordered the architects to get the heads of some hundred numbskulls and blockheads, and fix them to the interior surface of the arch, at certain intervals, all the whole length, by which means the arch was held together firm, and its inclination to the earth eternally established; because of all the things in the world, the skulls of these kind of animals have a strange facility of tending to the centre of the earth.

The building being completed, I caused an inscription to be engraved in the most magnificent style upon the summit of the arch, in letters so great and luminous, that all vessels sailing to the East or West Indies might read them distinct in the heavens, like the motto of Constantine.

KARDOL BAGARLAN KAI TON FARINGO SARGAI RA MO PASHROL VATINEAC CAL COLNITOS RO NA FILNAT AGASTRA SA

 DINGANNAL FANO.

That is to say, "As long as this arch and bond of union shall exist, so long shall the people be happy. Nor can all the power of the world affect them, unless the moon, advancing from her usual sphere, should so much attract the skulls as to cause a sudden elevation, on which the whole will fall into the most horrible confusion."

An easy intercourse being thus established between Great Britain and the centre of Africa, numbers travelled continually to and from both countries, and at my request mail coaches were ordered to run on the bridge between both empires. After some time, having settled the government to my satisfaction, I requested permission to resign, as a great cabal had been excited against me in England; I therefore received my letters of recall, and prepared to return to Old England.

In fine, I set out upon my journey, covered with applause and general admiration. I proceeded with the same retinue that I had before—Sphinx, Gog and Magog, &c., and advanced along the bridge, lined on each side with rows of trees, adorned with festoons of various flowers, and illuminated with colored lights. We advanced at a great rate along the bridge, which was so very extensive that we could scarcely perceive the ascent, but proceeded insensibly until we arrived on the centre of the arch. The view from thence was glorious beyond conception; 'twas divine to look down on the kingdoms and seas and islands under us. Africa seemed in general of a tawny brownish color, burned up by the sun: Spain seemed more inclining to a yellow, on account of some fields of corn scattered over the kingdom; France appeared more inclining to a bright straw color, intermixed with green; and England appeared covered with the most beautiful verdure. I admired the appearance of the Baltic Sea, which evidently seemed to have been introduced between those countries by the sudden splitting of the land, and that originally Sweden was united to the western coast of Denmark; in short, the whole interstice of the Gulf of Finland had no being, until these countries, by mutual consent, separated from one another. Such were my philosophical meditations as I advanced, when I observed a man in armour with a tremendous spear or lance, and mounted upon a steed, advancing against me. I soon discovered by a telescope that it could be no other than Don Quixote, and promised myself much amusement in the rencounter.

edifice : Gebäude, Bau, Gefüge

tower of Babylon: Die Erzählung vom Turmbau zu Babel in Genesis 11, 1–9 ist ein Ursprungsmythos und Gleichnis, das erklären soll, warum die Völker der Welt verschiedene Sprachen sprechen. Der Überlieferung zufolge kommt eine vereinigte menschliche Rasse, die eine einzige Sprache spricht und nach Osten wandert, in das Land Shinar. Dort einigen sie sich darauf, eine Stadt und einen Turm zu bauen, dessen Spitze in den Himmel ragt. Jahwe, der ihre Stadt und ihren Turm beobachtet, verwirrt ihre Sprache, so dass sie einander nicht mehr verstehen können, und zerstreut sie über die ganze Welt.
Wikipedia

Pieter Bruegel der Ältere: Großer Turmbau zu Babel. Öl auf Eichenholz, 1563. Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien.

Hermogastricus: Wörtlich übersetzt: »Magen des Hermes«; Verballhornung von Herodot, der Babel bereiste und auch über die Skythen und ihre Ursprünge berichtete, oder Ironisierung von Hermes Trismegistos, der mythischen Figur aus einem Gemenge aus altägyptischer und griechischer Kultur, den Münchhausen bei seiner Entdeckung der Bibliothek von Alexandria antrifft.
Howald/Wiebel 2015, S. 165.

Herodot von Halikarnass(os) (490/480-um 430/420 v. Chr.) war ein antiker griechischer Geschichtsschreiber, Geograph und Völkerkundler. Cicero verlieh ihm in seinem philosophischen Werk De legibus den bis heute oft zitierten Beinamen „Vater der Geschichtsschreibung“ (lateinisch pater historiae). Sein überliefertes Werk sind die wohl im 2. Jahrhundert v. Chr. in neun Bücher unterteilten Historien, die in Form einer Universalgeschichte den Aufstieg des Perserreichs im späten 6. Jahrhundert v. Chr. und die Perserkriege im frühen 5. Jahrhundert v. Chr. schildern.

Herodoti Halicarnassei Historiarvm libri IX: Musarum Nominibus Inscripti Gr. et Lat. ex Lavr. Vallae interpretatione, cum adnotationibus Thomae Galei et Iacobi Gronovii. Editionem curavit et suas itemque Lvd. Casp. Valckenarii notas adiecit Petrvs Wesselingivs ; accedvnt Praeter vitam Homeri varia ex priscis scriptoribus de Persis, Aegyptiis, Nilo, Indisque excerpta et praesertim ex Ctesia. [...] AMSTERDAMIA  MDCCLXIII.

Der von Herodot in den Historien aufgemachte geographische Horizont umfasste sogar die Randzonen der den Griechen seiner Zeit vorstellbaren Welt, in denen Raum für Fabelwesen und Phantasiebilder war. Die Zusammensetzung des persischen Heeres unter Xerxes I. beim Feldzug gegen die Griechen war Herodot aber auch Anlass, auf die vielfältigen Besonderheiten in äußerem Erscheinungsbild und Kultur der beteiligten Völkerschaften einzugehen. Zudem berief er sich auf die eigenen Eindrücke seiner ausgedehnten Reisen. So enthält das Werk in großer Zahl Hinweise auf unterschiedlichste Alltagsbräuche und religiöse Riten, aber auch Reflexionen zu machtpolitischen Konstellationen und Verfassungsfragen dieser Zeit.
Wikipedia

Die Göttergestalt des Hermes Trismegistos (altgriechisch Ἑρμῆς ὁ Τρισμέγιστος Hermē̂s ho Trismégistos „der dreimal größte Hermes“) ist eine synkretistische Verschmelzung des griechischen Gottes Hermes mit dem ägyptischen Gott Thot. Bis in die frühe Neuzeit glaubte man, Hermes Trismegistos habe tatsächlich gelebt und sei der Verfasser der nach ihm benannten hermetischen Schriften.

Die griechischen Götter wurden schon früh mit den ägyptischen identifiziert. Herodot schreibt, dass „fast alle Götternamen aus Ägypten nach Griechenland gekommen sind“, und merkt speziell betreffend Hermes an, dass dieser bei den Ägyptern nicht mit erigiertem Glied dargestellt werde, diese Sitte hätten die Griechen von den Pelasgern übernommen.

Namengebend für Hermes waren ursprünglich als Wegmarken für Reisende dienende Steinhaufen, später Stelen mit einem Kopf und einem Phallus, die sogenannten Hermen. Hermes war der Gott der Reisenden, Hirten, Kaufleute und Diebe, Bote des Zeus und Totenbegleiter (Psychopompos). Dass der mit Hermes identifizierte Gott der ägyptische Thot war, lässt sich allerdings aus Herodot nicht schließen.

Hermes Trismegistus, Fußbodenmosaik im Dom von Siena. Hier übergibt er die „Urweisheit“ seiner Kultur einem mit Mönchskutte gekleideten Vertreter des Okzidents und einem Vertreter des Orients mit Turban.

Der ibisköpfige Thot galt als Gott des Mondes und der Mondphasen, was ihn mit dem Prinzip des Wandels assoziierte. Da aus der Betrachtung des regelmäßigen Ab- und Zunehmens des Mondes die Zeit berechenbar wurde, wurden das Messen im Allgemeinen und die Zeit im Besonderen zu Zuständigkeiten des Gottes. Thots weitere Attribute sind die des Schreibens, des Erfindens der Schrift sowie der bildlichen Darstellung, Wissenschaft und Magie. Zusammen mit dem hundeköpfigen Anubis fungierte er als Schreiber beim Totengericht, wodurch er zu einer passenden Entsprechung des griechischen Totenbegleiters wird.

Eine explizite Identifikation findet sich erst bei Manetho, einem ägyptischen Priester aus dem 3. Jahrhundert v. Chr., zu Beginn der hellenistischen Ära in Ägypten. Das betreffende Fragment eines Werks von Manetho namens „Buch des Sothis“ ist von Georgios Synkellos, einem byzantinischen Mönch († nach 810), überliefert. Manetho schreibt an Ptolemaios II. und gibt als Quell seiner Kenntnisse an: „Inschriften aus dem Land Seir, stammend von Thot, dem ersten Hermes, mit Hieroglyphen in der heiligen Sprache, nach der Flut übersetzt in die griechische Sprache und in Büchern aufgezeichnet vom Sohn des Agathodaimon, dem zweiten Hermes, dem Vater des Tat, in den Schreinen der Tempel Ägyptens.“
Wikipedia

Chinese wall: Die Chinesische Mauer ist eine Schutzanlage zur Grenzsicherung, die während der Ming-Dynastie (1386–1644) im Norden Chinas errichtet wurde. Der chinesische Ausdruck ist 萬里長城 / 万里长城, Wànlǐ Chángchéng – „wörtl.: 10.000-Li-Mauer, besser: zehntausende Li lange (Schutz-)Mauer“ oder kurz .長城 / 长城, Chángchéng – „wörtl.: Lange Mauer“, auch mit „Große Mauer“ (vgl. Englisch: „Great Wall“) übersetzt.

Die Anlage ist in Abschnitten zu unterschiedlichen Zeiten mit unterschiedlichen Bautechniken in der Ming-Dynastie gebaut worden. Breite, begehbare Mauern im Norden Pekings aus der zweiten Hälfte des 16. Jahrhunderts bilden das ikonische Bild der Chinesischen Mauer und sind zu einem Sinnbild Chinas geworden. In anderen Abschnitten, besonders im Westen, ist die Befestigung oftmals aus festgeklopftem Lehm erbaut worden. Die Länge der Schutzanlage wird mit 6260 Kilometern angegeben.
Wikipedia

CHAPTER IX.

The Baron's retinue is opposed in a heroic style by Don Quixote, who in his turn is attacked by Gog and Magog.—Lord Whittington, with the Lord Mayor's show, comes to the assistance of Don Quixote.—Gog and Magog assail his Lordship.—Lord Whittington makes a speech, and deludes Gog and Magog to his party.—A general scene of uproar and battle among the company, until the Baron, with great presence of mind, appeases the tumult.

"WHAT art thou?" exclaimed Don Quixote on his potent steed. "Who art thou? Speak! or, by the eternal vengeance of mine arm, thy whole machinery shall perish at sound of this my trumpet!"

Astonished at so rude a salutation, the great Sphinx stopped short, and bridling up herself, drew in her head, like a snail when it touches something that it does not like: the bulls set up a horrid bellowing, the crickets sounded an alarm, and Gog and Magog advanced before the rest. One of these powerful brothers had in his hand a great pole, to the extremity of which was fastened a cord of about two feet in length, and to the end of the cord was fastened a ball of iron, with spikes shooting from it like the rays of a star; with this weapon he prepared to encounter, and advancing thus he spoke:

"Audacious wight! that thus, in complete steel arrayed, doth dare to venture cross my way, to stop the great Munchausen. Know then, proud knight, that thou shalt instant perish 'neath my potent arm."

When Quixote, Mancha's knight, responded firm:—

"Gigantic monster! leader of witches, crickets, and chimeras dire! know thou, that here before yon azure heaven the cause of truth, of valor, and of faith right pure shall ordeal counter try it!"

Thus he spoke, and brandishing his mighty spear, would instant prodigies sublime perform, had not some wight placed 'neath the tail of dark Rosinante furze all thorny base; at which, quadrupedanting, plunged the steed, and instant on the earth the knight roared credo for his life.

At that same moment ten thousand frogs started from the morions of Gog and Magog, and furiously assailed the knight on every side. In vain he roared, and invoked fair Dulcinea del Toboso: for frogs' wild croaking seemed more loud, more sonorous than all his invocations. And thus in battle vile the knight was overcome, and spawn all swarmed upon his glittering helmet.

"Detested miscreants!" roared the knight; "avaunt! Enchanters dire and goblins could alone this arduous task perform; to rout the knight of Mancha, foul defeat, and war, even such as ne'er was known before. Then hear, O del Toboso! hear my vows, that thus in anguish of my soul I urge, midst frogs, Gridalbin, Hecaton, Kai, Talon, and the Rove! [for such the names and definitions of their qualities, their separate powers.] For Merlin plumed their airy flight, and then in watery moonbeam dyed his rod eccentric. At the touch ten thousand frogs, strange metamorphosed, croaked even thus: And here they come, on high behest, to vilify the knight that erst defended famed virginity, and matrons all bewronged, and pilgrims hoar, and courteous guise of all! But the age of chivalry is gone, and the glory of Europe is extinguished for ever!"

He spoke, and sudden good Lord Whittington, at head of all his raree-show, came forth, armour antique of chivalry, and helmets old, and troops, all streamers, flags and banners glittering gay, red, gold, and purple; and in every hand a square of gingerbread, all gilded nice, was brandished awful. At a word, ten thousand thousand naples biscuits, crackers, buns, and flannel cakes, and hats of gingerbread encountered in mid air in glorious exaltation, like some huge storm of mill-stones, or when it rains whole clouds of dogs and cats.

The frogs, astonished, thunderstruck, forgot their notes and music, that before had seemed so terrible, and drowned the cries of knight renown, and mute in wonder heard the words of Whittington, pronouncing solemn:—"Goblins, chimeras dire, or frogs, or whatsoe'er enchantment thus presents in antique shape, attend and hear the words of peace; and thou, good herald, read aloud the Riot Act!"

He ceased, and dismal was the tone that softly breathed from all the frogs in chorus, who quick had petrified with fright, unless redoubted Gog and Magog, both with poles, high topped with airy bladders by a string dependent, had not stormed against his lordship. Ever and anon the bladders, loud resounding on his chaps, proclaimed their fury against all potent law, coercive mayoralty; when he, submissive, thus in cunning guile addressed the knights assailant:—"Gog, Magog, renowned and famous! what, my sons, shall you assail your father, friend, and chief confessed? Shall you, thus armed with bladders vile, attack my title, eminence, and pomp sublime? Subside, vile discord, and again return to your true 'legiance. Think, my friends, how oft your gorgeous pouch I've crammed, all calapash, green fat, and calapee. Remember how you've feasted, stood inert for ages, until size immense you've gained. And think, how different is the service of Munchausen, where you o'er seas, cold, briny, float along the tide, eternal toiling like to slaves of Algiers and Tripoli. And ev'n on high, balloon like, through the heavens have journeyed late, upon a rainbow or some awful bridge stretched eminent, as if on earth he had not work sufficient to distress your potent servitudes, but he should also seek in heaven dire cause of labor! Recollect, my friends, even why or wherefore should you thus assail your lawful magistrate, or why desert his livery? or for what or wherefore serve this German Lord Munchausen, who for all your labors shall alone bestow some fudge and heroic blows in war? Then cease, and thus in amity return to friendship aldermanic, bungy, brown, and sober."

Ceased he then, right worshipful, when both the warring champions instant stemmed their battle, and in sign of peace and unity returning, 'neath their feet reclined their weapons. Sudden at a signal either stamped his foot sinistrine, and the loud report of bursten bladder stunned each ear surrounding, like the roar of thunder from on high convulsing heaven and earth.

'Twas now upon the saddle once again the knight of Mancha rose, and in his hand far balancing his lance, full tilt against the troops of bulls opposing run. And thou, shrill Crillitrilkril, than whom no cricket e'er on hob of rural cottage, or chimney black, more gladsome turned his merry note, e'en thou didst perish, shrieking gave the ghost in empty air, the sport of every wind; for e'en that heart so jocund and so gay was pierced, harsh spitted by the lance of Mancha, while undaunted thou didst sit between the horns that crowned Mowmowsky. And now Whittington advanced, 'midst armour antique and the powers Magog and Gog, and with his rod enchanting touched the head of every frog, long mute and thunderstruck, at which, in universal chorus and salute, they sung blithe jocund, and amain advanced rebellious 'gainst my troop.

While Sphinx, though great, gigantic, seemed instinctive base and cowardly, and at the sight of storming gingerbread, and powers, Magog and Gog, and Quixote, all against her, started fierce, o'erturning boat, balloons, and all; loud roared the bulls, hideous, and the crash of wheels, and chaos of confusion drear, resounded far from earth to heaven. And still more fierce in charge the great Lord Whittington, from poke of ermine his famed Grimalkin took. She screamed, and harsh attacked my bulls confounded; lightning-like she darted, and from half the troop their eyes devouring tore. Nor could the riders, crickets throned sublime, escape from rage, from fury less averse than cannons murder o'er the stormy sea. The great Mowmowsky roared amain and plunged in anguish, shunning every dart of fire-eyed fierce Grimalkin. Dire the rage of warfare and contending crickets, Quixote and great Magog; when Whittington advancing—"Good, my friends and warriors, headlong on the foe bear down impetuous." He spoke, and waving high the mighty rod, tipped wonderful each bull, at which more fierce the creatures bellowed, while enchantment drear devoured their vitals. And all had gone to wreck in more than mortal strife, unless, like Neptune orient from the stormy deep, I rose, e'en towering o'er the ruins of my fighting troops. Serene and calm I stood, and gazed around undaunted; nor did aught oppose against my foes impetuous. But sudden from chariot purses plentiful of fudge poured forth, and scattered it amain o'er all the crowd contending. As when old Catherine or the careful Joan doth scatter to the chickens bits of bread and crumbs fragmented, while rejoiced they gobble fast the proffered scraps in general plenty and fraternal peace, and "hush," she cries, "hush! hush!"

Don Quixote: Die folgenden Passagen sind eine Auseinandersetzung mit dem bereits von Cervantes satirisierten Stil heroischer Ritterromane des 16. Jahrhunderts. Der Don Quijote (als Ritter von der jämmerlichen Gestalt) thematisiert falsche Realitätswahrnehmungen aufgrund des übermäßigen Genusses fiktionaler Literatur; in Münchhausens fiktionaler Welt erweisen sich die Fantastereien von Don Quijote teilweise als real.
Howald/Wiebel 2015, S. 169.

Frederick George Byron: The Knight of the woe<e>ul countenance going to extirpate the National Assembly. Kolorierter Kupferstich. London 1790.

Satire auf Burke als Don Quijote, der von Dodsleys Buchhandlung zur Teilnahme an der Französischen Revolution ausreitet.

Burke als Don Quijote in Rüstung auf einem Esel reitet aus der Tür von Dodsleys Laden. Er trägt schwarzes Birett, die Kopfbedeckung der Jesuiten, die stark vergrößert ist, und ähnelt Hut eines (preußischen) Totenkopfhusaren, die mit Totenkopf und gekreuzten Knochen verziert ist. Auf seiner Spitze sitzt eine Eule. Um seinen Hals hängt ein Medaillon mit einem Profilporträt von Marie Antoinette. Er trägt einen langen Speer und einen ovalen Schild, der in vier Viertel unterteilt ist mit der Aufschrift „Shield of Aristocracy and Despotism“, auf dem Folter, Tod und die Bastille abgebildet sind. Der Esel hat einen menschlichen Kopf und trägt die dreifache Krone von Papst Pius VI. An seinen Sattel gebunden ist eine Kopie seiner „Reflections“, aus denen auch das Zitat unter der Karikatur stammt: “It is undoubtedly true, though it may seem paradoxical; but, in general, those who are habitually employed in finding and displaying faults, are unqualified for the work of reformation: because their minds are not only unfurnished with patterns of the fair and good, but by habit they come to take no delight in the contemplation of those things. By hating vices too much, they come to love men too little. It is therefore not wonderful, that they should be indisposed and unable to serve them. From hence arises the complexional disposition of some of your guides to pull everything in pieces.” Reflections on the Revolution in France, S. 252.
Department of Prints and Drawings in the British Museum.

Die Charakterisierung von Edmund Burke als Don Quijote der Neuzeit ist eine kluge Einschätzung, sozusagen eine Diagnose, die eher eine zutiefst kulturelle als eine rein klinische Wahrheit ausspricht. Die Identifikation ist eine, die Burke in gewisser Hinsicht akzeptiert und sogar aktiv angenommen hat. Das soll nicht heißen, dass seine Kritiker ihm in irgendeiner Weise ein Kompliment machen wollten, indem sie ihn als fahrenden Ritter karikierten. Die kritische Auffassung von Quixote, die sie hervorrufen, ist rein burlesk, lächerlich und antiheroisch, sehr stark in der Tradition von Samuel Butlers Hudibras, dessen extravagantes Verhalten die falschen Ideale in Frage stellt, für die er sich so vehement einsetzt. Die frühesten englischen Leser von Don Quixote neigten dazu, das Buch einfach als ein weiteres Exemplar ritterlicher Romantik zu betrachten, als ein Beispiel für genau das Genre, das Cervantes zu parodieren begonnen hatte, und sie lehnten es dementsprechend ab. als „fruchtlose” Erfindung „einzig zum Vergnügen ohne Gewinn geformt”. Royalistische Polemiker in der Mitte des Jahrhunderts politisierten diese burleske Sichtweise, indem sie die Herrscher des englischen Commonwealth karikierten, als würden sie gegen die Windmühlen ihrer eigenen Vorstellungskraft kämpfen. Bereits in den 1650er Jahren war Don Quijote in das Lexikon der englischen politischen Beschimpfungen eingegangen. Zu Burkes Zeit durchlief der Ruf von Don Quijote eine historische Wandlung, die in der romantischen Idealisierung des Ritters von La Mancha als Held gipfelte, „stattlicher, romantischer und gleichzeitig realistischer für die Vorstellungskraft als jeder andere Held auf Platte.” Zeichen dieser Neubewertung finden sich in den respektvollen Nachahmungen, die Cervantes im Großbritannien des 18. Jahrhunderts inspirierte, von Henry Fielding. /Joseph Andrews/ (1741) und Charlotte Lennox's /The Female Quixote/ (1752) bis hin zu Laurence Sternes /Tristram Shandy/ (1759-67) und Richard Graves's /The Spiritual Quixote/ (1773). Im Zusammenhang mit dieser wechselnden Einschätzung von Cervantes' traurigem Ritter ist die Verbindung zwischen Burke und Quijote komplex und mehrdeutig. Der Name „Quixote“ war als Spottbegriff gedacht, konnte aber auch als Ehrenabzeichen getragen werden. Burke einen „politischen Quijote“ zu nennen, bedeutet viel mehr, als es seine Kritiker wollten, weist aber auch auf einige ihrer tiefer gehenden Vorbehalte gegenüber seinen politischen Überzeugungen hin.
Frans de Bruyn: Edmund Burke the Political Quixote: Romance, Chivalry, and the Political Imagination. In: Eighteenth-Century Fiction 16 (4) 2004, p. 695-734.

great pole: Zeitgenössische Darstellungen zeigen einen der Riesen an der Londoner Guildhall mit einer solchen Waffe, der andere trägt eine Hellebarde; siehe Thomas Boreman, THE Gigantick History Of the two famous Giants, And other CURIOSITIES In Guildhall, London. Third Edition, corrected. Printed for Tho. Boreman, Bookseller, near the two giants in Guildhall, London 1741.
Howald/Wiebel 2015, S. 169

Rosinante oder Rocinante ist das Reitpferd von Don Quichotte im Roman Don Quichotte von Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Rosinante ist nicht nur Don Quichottes Pferd, sondern auch sein Alter Ego. Rosinante ist wie Don Quichotte linkisch, über sein bestes Alter hinaus und von seiner Aufgabe überfordert. Es wird als mager und mit zahlreichen Mängeln beschrieben. Während heute im Allgemeinen Stuten Rosinante genannt werden, ist bei Cervantes das Pferd eindeutig ein Hengst.
Wikipedia

Dulcinea del Toboso: literarische Figur, die im Roman Don Quijote von Miguel de Cervantes zur imaginären Geliebten des Helden wird. Der Vorname Dulcinea ist vom spanischen „dulce“ (deutsch: süß) abgeleitet.
Wikipedia

Enchanters dire and goblins: grässliche Zauberer und Kobolde

Gridalbin: vielleicht knirschender Kakerlak; das Wort ist als Name eines Schwertes belegt in dem Ritterroman  The History of Richard de Clare and the Beautiful Geralda aus dem Jahr 1789.

I could distinguish to be that of the lady Geralda. I flew like the winds of heaven, (for I was mounted upon Buther) to the spot from whence the cries proceeded, and, on reaching it, could discern by the light of the moon, two armed knights on horseback, one of whom bore behind him the weeping object of my love. I had no weapon but Gridalbin.–By the speed of Buther I outstripped the caitiffs.–Hold, monsters!–Gridalbin flamed like a meteor.–he foremost, seeing me without armour, checked his steed, and lifted his lance with an intent to fell me, I avoided the stroke; then darting on him like a thunder-bolt, seized his arm, and whirling aloft my falchion, cleft him (with such force did the weapon descend) through the morion to the very gorget.

EARL STRONGBOW: OR, THE HISTORY OF RICHARD DE CLARE AND THE BEAUTIFUL GERALDA. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL I. LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. DODSLEY, PALL-MALL. M.DCC.LXXXIX. S. 108f.

Hecaton: In der griechischen Mythologie war Hecaton oder Hecataeon der Vater von Kalyke, der vom Gott Poseidon verführt wurde und ihm einen Sohn namens Cycnus gebar.
Wikipedia

Kai: Fressen (slang)

Talon: Kralle, Klaue

Rove: Rover, Herumtreiber, Seeräuber

Merlin: eine mythische Figur, die in der Legende von König Arthur eine herausragende Rolle spielt und am besten als Magier bekannt ist.
Wikipedia

Ilustration aus Lapidario, a compilation of texts of astronomy by Alfonso the Wise (1221-1284). Manuskript um 1400.

ten thousand frogs: ein Chor der Frösche tritt in der griechische des Aristophanes auf, „Die Frösche“ (altgriechisch Βάτραχοι Bátrachoi); sie wurde wahrscheinlich 405 v. Chr. uraufgeführt.

Da sich Athen politisch wie kulturell in schlechtem Zustand befindet, reist Dionysos mit seinem Sklaven Xanthias in die Unterwelt, um einen bereits verstorbenen bedeutenden Dichter wieder ins Diesseits zu führen. Nach einer Diskussion mit Herakles über den besten Weg dorthin, gelangen sie bei Charon an, der aber nur Dionysos in seinem Boot akzeptiert, während Xanthias laufen muss. Im Verlauf der Überfahrt fühlt sich der Gott von den quakenden Fröschen gestört.

In der Unterwelt angekommen, verkleidet sich Dionysos als Herakles. Da dem Halbgott aber nicht alle Bewohner des Totenreichs wohlgesinnt sind, wechselt er mehrfach mit seinem Sklaven die Kleidung und bringt damit auch Hades’ Diener Aiakos in Verwirrung. Sogar dessen Versuch, den Gott anhand einer Folterprobe zu identifizieren, schlägt fehl.

Durch ein Gespräch zwischen Xanthias und Aiakos stellt sich heraus, dass Aischylos den Ehrenplatz an Hades' Seite innehatte. Nach Euripides' Einzug in die Unterwelt errang er dort aber große Popularität und erwies sich als ernsthafter Konkurrent. Dionysos lässt beide in einem Wettstreit antreten, ohne aber zunächst den Grund zu offenbaren. Die beiden Dichter loben nun wechselweise ihre eigenen Werke und reden die des jeweils anderen schlecht. Da kein Ergebnis festgestellt werden kann, steigen sie auf Geheiß des Gottes in eine Waage und deklamieren kurze Verse. Sie schlägt dabei stets zu Aischylos' Gunsten aus. Auch seine Lösungsvorschläge für politische und militärische Probleme finden mehr Anklang. Dionysos nennt nun die Ursache seines Kommens und erklärt Aischylos zum Sieger. Hades erlaubt dem Dramatiker, wieder auf die Erde zurückzukehren und bittet den Weingott zugleich, den derzeitigen Beherrschern und Spitzenbeamten Athens auszurichten, sie mögen bald ins Totenreich eintreten.
Wikipedia

CHAPTER X.

The Baron arrives in England The Colossus of Rhodes comes to congratulate him.—Great rejoicings on the Baron's return, and a tremendous concert.—The Baron's discourse with Fragrantia, and her opinion of the Tour to the Hebrides.

Having arrived in England once more, the greatest rejoicings were made for my return; the whole city seemed one general blaze of illumination, and the Colossus of Rhodes, hearing of my astonishing feats, came on purpose to England to congratulate me on such unparalleled achievements. But above all other rejoicings on my return, the musical oratorio and song of triumph were magnificent in the extreme. Gog and Magog were ordered to take the maiden tower of Windsor, and make a tambourine or great drum of it. For this purpose they extended an elephant's hide, tanned and prepared for the design, across the summit of the tower, from parapet to parapet, so that in proportion this extended elephant's hide was to the whole of the castle what the parchment is to a drum, in such a manner that the whole became one great instrument of war.

To correspond with this, Colossus took Guildhall and Westminster Abbey, and turning the foundations towards the heavens, so that the roofs of the edifices were upon the ground, he strung them across with brass and steel wire from side to side, and thus, when strung, they had the appearance of most noble dulcimers. He then took the great dome of St. Paul's, raising it off the earth with as much facility as you would a decanter of claret. And when once risen up it had the appearance of a quart bottle. Colossus instantly, with his teeth, cracked off the superior part of the cupola, and then applying his lips to the instrument, began to sound it like a trumpet. 'Twas martial beyond description—tantara!—tara!—ta!

During the concert I walked in the park with Lady Fragrantia: she was dressed that morning in a chemise à la reine. "I like," said she, "the dew of the morning, 'tis delicate and ethereal, and, by thus bespangling me, I think it will more approximate me to the nature of the rose [for her looks were like Aurora]; and to confirm the vermilion I shall go to Spa." "And drink the Podhon spring?" added I, gazing at her from top to toe. "Yes," replied the lovely Fragrantia, "with all my heart; 'tis the drink of sweetness and delicacy. Never were there any creatures like the water-drinkers at spa; they seem like so many thirsty blossoms on a peach-tree, that suck up the shower in the scorching heat. There is a certain something in the waters that gives vigor to the whole frame, and expands every heart with rapture and benevolence. They drink! good gods! how they do drink! and then, how they sleep! Pray, my dear Baron, were you ever at the falls of Niagara?" "Yes, my lady," replied I, surprised at such a strange association of ideas; "I have been, many years ago, at the Falls of Niagara, and found no more difficulty in swimming up and down the cataracts than I should to move a minuet." At that moment she dropped her nosegay. "Ah," said she, as I presented it to her, "there is no great variety in these polyanthuses. I do assure you, my dear Baron, that there is taste in the selection of flowers as well as everything else, and were I a girl of sixteen I should wear some rosebuds in my bosom, but at five-and-twenty I think it would be more apropos to wear a full-blown rose, quite ripe, and ready to drop off the stalk for want of being pulled—heigh-ho!" "But pray, my lady," said I, "how do you like the concert?" "Alas!" said she, languishingly, while she laid her hand upon my shoulder, "what are these bodiless sounds and vibration to me? and yet what an exquisite sweetness in the songs of the northern part of our island:—'Thou art gone awa' from me, Mary!' How pathetic and divine the little airs of Scotland and the Hebrides! But never, never can I think of that same Doctor Johnson—that CONSTABLE, as Fergus MacLeod calls him—but I have an idea of a great brown full-bottomed wig and a hogshead of porter! Oh, 'twas base! to be treated everywhere with politeness and hospitality, and in return invidiously to smellfungus them all over; to go to the country of Kate of Aberdeen, of Auld Robin Gray, 'midst rural innocence and sweetness, take up their plaids, and dance. Oh! Doctor, Doctor!"

"And what would you say, Fragrantia, if you were to write a tour to the Hebrides?" "Peace to the heroes," replied she, in a delicate and theatrical tone; "peace to the heroes who sleep in the isle of Iona; the sons of the wave, and the chiefs of the dark-brown shield! The tear of the sympathizing stranger is scattered by the wind over the hoary stones as she meditates sorrowfully on the times of old! Such could I say, sitting upon some druidical heap or tumulus. The fact is this, there is a right and wrong handle to everything, and there is more pleasure in thinking with pure nobility of heart than with the illiberal enmities and sarcasm of a blackguard."

Having arrived in England: Bei der Rückkehr von seiner zweiten Reise im Juli 1775 wurde James Cook als Volksheld gefeiert und mit zahlreichen Ehren ausgezeichnet. Am 5. August 1775 gab die Royal Society ein Galadiner zu seinen Ehren, an dem auch Raspe teilnahm.
Howald/Wiebel 2015, S. 113.

Colossus of Rhodes: Der Koloss von Rhodos war eine über 30 Meter hohe, monumentale Bronze-Statue des Sonnen- und Stadtgottes Helios, die etwa 292 v. Chr. nach zwölfjähriger Bauzeit vollendet und in der Inselhauptstadt Rhodos aufgestellt wurde. Die Kolossalstatue stürzte etwa 227/226 v. Chr. infolge eines Erdbebens um. Sie zählte bereits in der Antike zu den sieben Weltwundern.
Wikipedia

Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach: Entwurff einer historischen Architectur. Kupferstich 1721.

maiden tower of Windsor: Windsor Castle (Schloss Windsor), liegt in Windsor im Süden Englands in der Grafschaft Berkshire. Es ist das größte durchgängig bewohnte Schloss der Welt. Die Ursprünge von Windsor Castle liegen in der Zeit Wilhelms des Eroberers. Das Schloss ist mit dem gesamten Windsor-Anwesen im Besitz der britischen Krone und wird durch den königlichen Haushalt verwaltet. Es ist Teil der Royal Collection, während das Windsor-Anwesen dem Crown Estate untersteht. Maiden’s tower, auch devil’s tower heißt der runde Hauptturm des Schlosses, in dem Staatsgefangene eingesperrt waren.

Paul Sandby: Windsor Castle. The Round Tower, Royal Court and Devil's Tower from the Black Rod. Kolorierter Kupferstich, um 1767.

Guildhall: städtisches Gebäude im Moorgate-Viertel der City of London. Es liegt an den Straßen Gresham und Basinghall in den Bezirken Bassishaw und Cheap. Das Gebäude wurde mehrere Jahrhunderte lang als Rathaus genutzt und ist immer noch das zeremonielle und administrative Zentrum der City of London und ihrer Verwaltung. Es sollte nicht mit der Londoner City Hall, dem Verwaltungszentrum des Großraums London, verwechselt werden. Der Begriff Guildhall bezieht sich sowohl auf das gesamte Gebäude als auch auf seinen mittelalterlichen Halle.
Wikipedia

Der Guildhall-Komplex um 1805. Die Gebäude links und rechts sind nicht erhalten. Kupferstich von E.Shirt nach einem Gemälde von Prattent, um 1805.

Westminster Abbey: offiziell Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster genannt, ist eine anglikanische Kirche in der City of Westminster, London. Seit 1066 war es der Ort der Krönungen von 39 englischen und britischen Monarchen, und eine Grabstätte für 18 englische, schottische und britische Monarchen. Mindestens 16 königliche Hochzeiten fanden seit 1100 in der Abtei statt.

Canaletto: Westminster Abbey with a Procession of the Knights of the Bath. Öl äuf Leinwand, 1749.