Whereupon the Duchess answered, that since she heard by her Imperial Majesty, how well and happily the world had been governed when she first came to be Empress thereof, she would advise her Majesty to introduce the same form of government again, which had been before; that is, to have but one sovereign, one religion, one law, and one language, so that all the world might be but as one united family, without divisions; nay, like God, and his blessed saints and angels: Otherwise, said she, it may in time prove as unhappy, nay, as miserable a world as that is from which I came, wherein are more sovereigns than worlds, and more pretended governors than government, more religions than gods, and more opinions in those religions than truths; more laws than rights, and more bribes than justices; more policies than necessities, and more fears than dangers; more covetousness than riches, more ambitions than merits, more services than rewards, more languages than wit, more controversy than knowledge, more reports than noble actions, and more gifts by partiality, than according to merit; all which, said she, is a great misery, nay, a curse, which your blessed Blazing-World never knew, nor ’tis probable, will never know of, unless your Imperial Majesty alter the government thereof from what it was when you
To which the Duchess answered, that it was so far from a disgrace, as it would rather be for her Majesty’s eternal honour, to return from a worse to a better, and would express and declare her to be more than ordinary wise and good; so wise, as to perceive her own errors, and so good, as not to persist in them, which few did: for which, said she, you will get a glorious fame in this world, and an eternal glory hereafter; and I shall pray for it so long as I live. Upon which advice, the Empress’s soul embraced and kissed the Duchess’s soul with an immaterial kiss, and shed immaterial tears, that she was forced to part from her, finding her not a flattering parasite, but a true friend; and in truth, such was their platonic friendship, as these two loving souls did often meet and rejoice in each other’s conversation.
The Empress having now ordered and settled her government to the best advantage and quiet of her Blazing-World, lived and reigned most happily and blessedly, and received oftentimes visits from the immaterial spirits, who gave her intelligence of all such things as she desired to know, and they were able to inform her of: One time they told her, how the world she came from, was embroiled in a great war, and that most parts or nations thereof made war against that kingdom which was her native country, where all her friends and relations did live; at which the Empress was extremely troubled; insomuch that the Emperor perceived her grief by her tears, and examining the cause thereof, she told him that she had received intelligence from the spirits, that that part of the world she came from, which was her native country, was like to be destroyed by numerous enemies that made war against it. The Emperor being very sensible of this ill news, especially of the trouble it caused to the Empress, endeavoured to comfort her as much as possibly he could; and told her, that she might have all the assistance which the Blazing-World was able to afford.
hinder them from doing any service in the actions of war, against the enemies of my native country. You speak reason, said the Emperor, and I wish with all my soul I could advise any manner or way, that you might be able to assist it; but you having told me of your dear platonic friend the Duchess of Newcastle, and of her good and profitable counsels, I would desire you to send for her soul, and confer with her about this business.