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THE SCRIBLERUS PROJECT
THE SCRIBLERUS CLUB |
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| A complete account of the formation and evolution of the Scriblerus Club would require a major effort, beyond the scope of this work. Those who are interested may obtain the background from the edition by Kerby-Miller (The Memoirs of Martinus Scriblerus, Yale University Press, 1950 ). This introduction is limited to a brief review of the essential features. | The actual Memoirs were written jointly by Alexander Pope and John Arbuthnot, but not known until The Works of Alexander Pope, in two octavo editions, were published in 1742, shortly before Swift's death in 1745. The text was reproduced exactly by Kerby-Miller from No. 6 of the Bibliography of Principle Editions, with the following "advertisement" added from No. 5, the companion edition. |
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THere will be publish'd with all convenient speed, The SECOND BOOK of these Memoirs, Being the TRAVELS of M. SCRIBLERUS, Vindicated to their True Author. And the THIRD BOOK never before publish'd, Containing his Journey thro' the Desarts of Nubia to the Court of Ethiopia: His Friendship with the Bishop of Apamea, and their joint Voyage upon Cunturs, to China; with an account of all the hidden Doctrines of Religion, and the refined Policy of those Empires. With these Travels will be intermix'd at proper intervals, the Journal of a High and Mighty Prince, styled in his own Country Son of the Morning, Lord of the Air and Fire, and Elder than all the Kings of the Earth; who hath long travel'd, and is yet travelling Incognito, thro' all the Courts of Europe. |
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Thus the original intent of Swift to publish the Travels under the name of M. Scriblerus is clearly evident, as
part of a larger work of satire. In the course of time, from 1714 and the breakup of the Scriblerus Club, to 1726, when Swift actually published under the name of Lemuel Gulliver,
we see an evolution in concept from the first formulation of the idea.
We also see that the Travels were originally conceived as a series of works. We can only guess at Swift's intent of his "Journeys through the Deserts of Nubia." However, the idea of voyaging to China upon Condors, giant
birds, finds parallel in the statements found in The Urantia Papers
on such giant birds actually existing at one time upon this planet, and used by Adam and Eve. See page 831:
We also see that Swift had a great concern for the activities of
Caligastia, but never realized exposition on it. Indeed, he has traveled incognito through all the Courts of Europe, and all the nations of the world.
The idea for the club was first proposed by Alexander Pope in the fall of 1713, then 25 years of age, who brought with him
another literary young friend, John Gay, author of the first English opera, The Beggar's Opera. According to an account by Pope written years later in 1729:
A second group, led by Swift, included John Arbuthnot, physician to Queen
Anne and member of the Royal Society; Thomas Parnell, another writer; and Robert Harley, Earl of Oxford and Minister to the Queen.
Both Pope and Swift had attempted several independent ventures to gather men of outstanding character and talent, Pope in
line with the objectives mentioned above, Swift more in attempt to aid promising young men without means of their own in the fast pace of the London city life.
Pope and Swift became acquainted earlier in the year of 1713 but apparently had not established a close friendship. Although the proposal by Pope was not the direction Swift had in mind, Swift welcomed the idea strongly. |
The suggestion advanced by Pope was grandiose and contained numerous difficulties. It required contribution from a number
of specialists; one or two individuals would not be able to cover the large area of knowledge necessary to sustain the theme of the project. It would indirectly involve many of the
figures of the time through satire and comment and thus could create much antagonism; and it would require coordination of activity that would demand full attention of whomever
assumed the task as editor.
From the numerous works which emerged over the next three decades, the intimate and long-lasting personal relationships
the club developed, and the impact upon the lives of the individuals involved, we can conclude that Swift informed the members of many items which served to explain the traditions
from the past, such as "music of the spheres," while at the same time providing background on the scientific developments of the day. Both Pope and Arbuthnot must have been aware
of Swift's secret, or at least the implications of it, for their knowledge shows in the correspondence among these individuals, and the activity greatly influenced their later
lives. Whether Gay, Parnell, and Harley knew the intimate details we can only speculate, but they probably knew at least part of Swift's intent. We can guess with what attention
Swift must have held this group with his tales, although he may not have revealed the particulars of his personal experience.
The Memoirs were to be the key for revelation, but this revolved around Swift himself; none of the others could
build the structure without his contribution. Although they could suggest hints, Swift alone could provide the meat on the skeleton of his scheme. The Memoirs provided the
foundation for satire, a vehicle for his secret. As a consequence of association the Memoirs
also provided to the world such famous inspiration as Pope's Duncaid
and
An Essay on Man.
The numerous details provided in The Memoirs of the Extraordinary Life, Works and Discoveries of Martinus Scriblerus are difficult to present in an orderly fashion because of the wide variety of subjects they reflect. The many items find numerous parallels in Adamski, which further complicates the problem of presentation. Therefore, I shall borrow items from the different sections of the book as appropriate to fit the outline of this present work. I shall select pieces from unrelated sections of the Memoirs in order to make the patterns more discernible, but will always be positively identified according to the chapter in the Memoirs. |
| WHO WAS MARTINUS SCRIBLERUS? | |||||||||
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A literal translation of the name Martin means "of Mars." The translation of Scriblerus, from the Latin, means 'low
scribe," "clerk," or "writer," "one who scribbles." From combination of the two words, we take the meaning to be "a writer of Mars." In all of the Scriblerian activity there is no
reference to Mars, nothing among the writings of the members, except for the one reference by Swift which showed later in Gulliver's Travels. Therefore, we take it to mean
that Martinus Scriblerus refers to the author of the report on the Martian satellites, Jonathan Swift.
As I mentioned above, the original intent of the Scriblerus Club also was to have Martin as hero of the Travels.
However, at some date after the breakup of the Scriblerian activity, perhaps just prior to publication of the Travels, Swift chose the name Lemuel Gulliver. He may have
felt the name "Martinus Scriblerus" was related too closely to his discussion of the Martian satellites because of concern for his personal safety. The reason for his decision must
remain unknown; we can only speculate on the purpose of the change from Scriblerus to Gulliver.
There are numerous direct references to Swift in the Memoirs. I shall mention a few here to show the extent of the
mystery surrounding the Memoirs and the Travels,
and to demonstrate that the Memoirs, as the Travels, are far more than satire.
Many of the meetings of the Scriblerus Club were held in the apartment of
Arbuthnot in the palace. He was on constant call to the Queen; therefore, Swift was often in the vicinity of the palace.
From the implications of the flying island account and the stories of the
academies in the Travels, we can reasonably assume that Swift had many items of science related to him other than the Martian satellites. His numerous satirical works
show his honest, conscious pride, and his many references to the flagitious race of ministers indicate his scorn for suffering the least thing beneath the dignity of a
philosopher. Also, another outstanding feature of his character was his hurt at having to accept charity, both from his relatives as a youth and later from Sir Temple for his
education and professional sponsorship. (His father died before he was born; his mother had no independent income.)
Harley, the first Minister, was asked to join the Scriblerus Club by
Swift. The many notices of meetings sent to Harley indicate Swift's concern that he attend faithfully. For this persistence and other reasons, Swift may have been obnoxious to
Harley. Swift may have attempted to convey the essence of his knowledge and may have recommended changes in government to Harley. However, he was ineffective because his secret
could not be made known; all arguments for improvement in the government or in the conduct of the country had to be made within familiar context. Swift could not appear other
than as an ordinary reformer; he could not possibly say that he had been on other planets and that they had better systems than ours. He had to keep his real business or
intentions unknown to all men, with the possible exception of the intimates in the Scriblerus Club, Pope and Arbuthnot.
We shall never know the full extent of Swift's attempt to record his unique experience. But we do know that the Travels contained many profound secrets in an unusual turn of reasoning and style. |
The gentleman outside of the Palace of St. James addresses the writer of the Memoirs in part as follows:
As far as is known, Swift's first breath was drawn in Ireland, but the
reference may mean the British Isles.
According to Kerby-Miller, Horace gives the phrase as alto sole palettes. This means "warmed by another sun." Swift
may have misphrased the quotation intentionally, but in any case "warmed under another sun" would be literally correct if Swift had visited another planet, not merely another
climate on our planet. We should expect such warming to adjust the complexion or otherwise affect the body.
The address to the writer continues:
The use of Martinus Scriblerus and Lemuel Gulliver are certainly uses of
other names. Similarly, many of Swift's writings were published anonymously or under guise to avoid the malice of his fellow men. There can be no doubt that he possessed the
Arcanum Magnum, or Great Secret. Swift had good cause for screening himself from the envy of his fellow men. Again, we see the concern Swift felt for his personal
safety. Just as he hid the true satellite parameters, he expressed his concern outright to Pope when he said his chief purpose was to vex the world rather than to divert it,
and if he could compass that design without hurt to his own person or fortune, he would be the most indefatigable writer you had ever seen.
This Swift was; his collected works fill more than twenty volumes.
In a speech over his son at the hour of his birth, Cornelius raged at the suggestion that Martinus should be bred up at
home, like other gentlemen:
To perambulate this terraqueous globe was certainly too small a range for
Swift if he traveled to another planet or other portions of our galaxy.
As we shall find in the secrets of the Travels, Swift measured continents, islands, capes, bays, straits, and
isthmuses. Also, in discussion of the Great Deluge, I show how we could have learned from Swift's instruction in volcanoes, earthquakes, thunders, tempests, and hurricanes.
These references identify Martinus Scriblerus. This was the first extensive effort by Swift to record his experiences, and
it served to report many items he could not encompass within the Travels.
We turn next to references of his celestial experiences and show a parallel with George Adamski. |
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| LITTLE GREEN MEN | ||||
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In the chapter of the Memoirs
concerned with the rudiments of Scriblerus' learning is the following remark:
Signposts were prevalent in Swift's day, sometimes of monstrous size, and
depicted many mythological creatures. Possibly, they gave Swift knowledge not taught in formal schooling but carried from generation to generation through oral traditions many
stories with foundation in remote antiquity. There may have been varieties of animals in ancient times that are not officially recognized by naturalists, since no fossils are
found to support such claims. Or perhaps tales were brought to earth by space travelers in prior ages. We have no evidence for such speculation.
However, for little green men we have specific reference. The accounts by Kercherus and William of Newburg are
historically authentic (A. Kercherus, Ars Magna Lucis et Umbrae,
Rome, 1646, p. 819).
An edition of Newburg's chronicle was published under the editorship of Thomas Hearne in 1719. According to Kerby-Miller:
The account by William of Newburg is the original reference to little
green men.
1. They did not speak English. 2. They wore clothes of a strange color and texture. 3. They were completely green in their persons which gradually faded. 4. Their sun did not shine brighter than the English twilight. 5. Their native country was Christian. |
Were they visitors from space, stranded here for causes unknown? Although they were described as children, perhaps they
were adults of diminutive stature. Unfortunately, we do not know the fate of these "little green men."
Some of the craft operators observed by Adamski were a definite olive complexion.
Adamski later discusses the problem of green-colored people:
This is a typical Adamski remark. He begins by saying that he wants to
put an end once and for all to wild rumors of little green men. He starts almost as though he intends to deny them. He merely says that the idea of little green men should not
be taken so seriously. Apparently, it is quite common throughout the universe to have various colored people, and green is merely another color along with red, yellow, or
black. Also, Adamski's speculations about the reasons for skin color are simply that: speculations.
Although direct references by Swift indicate that he traveled on other worlds, Adamski positively asserts that he was never on any planet (or the moon), and that his experience was limited to the saucer and cigar-shaped craft. His reports of other worlds are secondhand information given to him by the craft occupants. |
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| THE SECRETS OF THE TRAVELS | |||
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The question that naturally arises in any discussion of the Travels is the intent of Swift in the four books. We
saw earlier that the Travels have provoked much controversy over the centuries. If Swift described flying-disc craft in the third story and gave details of his experience on
that craft, what was he attempting to describe in the remainder of the Travels? The flying disc takes up only three short chapters in the third book. Some other hidden
references are from other chapters of Book III, but there is still a puzzling question as to the remainder of that book. In addition, Books I, II, and IV are unexplained.
Chapter XVI of the Memoirs is
entitled "Of the Secession of Martinus and Some Hint of his Travels."
The first clue is a reference to Martinus, which contributes to the file on the identity of Scriblerus. Swift himself
seceded from London public life after the breakup of the Tory government and the death of Queen Anne in 1714. Swift's departure left open some question around London as indicated
in a jesting letter to Swift from Pope who mentioned some of the reasons being given around town:
These remarks show the high significance the other members of the club
held for the work. Pope is fearful Swift will neglect the life and travels of Scriblerus; he certainly considers it of importance greater than all the rest of the Scriblerian
activity. He felt that the translation of Homer would contribute, but we do not know in what manner. It may have had some relation to mythology and ancient world history.
The title of the Travels in full is Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. Swift did not label it
simply The Travels of Lemuel Gulliver or Travels into Distant Lands. His title, published in full for most editions until recent years, it rather pretentious but not
necessarily outstanding; titles in Swift's day could take up half a page in attempt to be erudite or to advertise. The title displays Swift's method for expressing hints: The word
remote can have two meanings--remote in distance or remote in time. World can mean world in the sense of the earth or the planet and world in the sense of the universe.
The latter sense of world was quite prevalent until recent years. Therefore, Travels could mean into the past or the future, and to other worlds or other places in
the universe.
The first two books are references to travel into the past, not physically through time travel, but by documentation and
visual displays presented to Swift (and Adamski) by the space people.
The third book is a record which corresponds to Adamski's visits on the flying craft, plus other accounts.
The fourth book is Swift's account of life on another planet.
The Memoirs give references to key the Travels; I shall consider each in detail.
The paragraph from the Memoirs
preceding the hints goes as follows:
In order to understand the full significance of many of the remarks made in the Memoirs, we must note the sequence of publication of the Travels and the Memoirs. |
The Travels were published under the name of Lemuel Gulliver, without any reference to Martin.
The Memoirs were published in 1742, twenty-seven years after the Scriblerus Club activity, and sixteen years after
the publication of the Travels. It is most curious that Pope arranged the publication of the Memoirs long after their satirical usefulness had passed.
In themselves, the Memoirs do not constitute literature of value; they were topical to the days of Scriblerian
activity; most of the satire had lost its meaning by 1742.
Arbuthnot and Pope, as well as other members of the club, had achieved personal fame without relationship to the Memoirs. Neither Arbuthnot nor Pope had need for them to support their reputations; the only obvious reason for their publication was to round out the works of Pope himself. But this is doubtful, for Pope was not sentimental about his work; he personally destroyed many of his writings and he left instructions that much of his private material be burned after his death.
Since the Memoirs do not constitute literature of value, as they
were written anonymously, and since none of the Scriblerians had need for them to sustain reputation, the reason for their late publication is enigmatic.
Portions of the Memoirs were written long after the breakup of the club, as admitted by Pope and as indicated by
several topical references within the Memoirs. There was some reason for Pope and Arbuthnot, with the guidance of Swift, to continue an activity that had long since lost its
ostensible usefulness.
Another curious factor is the specific description of the Travels given in the Memoirs. According to the
Scriblerian correspondence, when the club broke up in 1714 Swift had only the flying-disc account and a minor portion of the first book completed. He did not have the other
"Travels" firmly in mind at that time. Therefore, the references in the Memoirs to the "Travels" had to be written after publication of the Travels.
But if this is true, why maintain the reference to Martinus? Why not clarify (or at least hint at) the reference to the
hero of the Travels, Lemuel Gulliver? The entire sequence of writing and allusion is confusing unless one perceives that the confusion is unavoidable to maintain Swift
within the hidden context.
It was not yet time to inform the reader of the details of the Travels when the Memoirs were published in
1742. For some reason, the knowledge was still maintained secret.
The secret may have been kept because of the concern on the part of Swift for his personal safety. But we find the curious
twist that the Memoirs were published when Swift was 72, an aging man near his death. Pope could not have known for certain when Swift would pass away, nor when he himself
would die, but it is quite possible that he had made arrangements for publication that depended upon the death of both Swift and himself. However, he was able to supervise the
publication personally before he died in 1744.
Obviously, the concern for personal safety was considerably diminished by that time. Then why maintain the secrecy with
the curious allusion quoted before?
There was a very important reason.
As I mentioned earlier, there apparently has been a well-programmed effort to show the meaning of the total contact activity by the UFO operators. This effort has required careful planning over centuries for the knowledge to become known at the proper time. If suspicion had been aroused earlier, the effectiveness of the activity would have been undermined. It was not yet time to inform the reader of the true meaning of the Travels; the time is now, today, in the latter part of the twentieth century.
The hints to the Travels follow. |
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| Book I: The Little People | ||
Pygmies are a Negroid people of diminutive stature scattered from central
Africa to the western Pacific. They are also known as Negritoes. Beside the several tribes in Africa, there are racial representatives on Ceylon, on islands in the Indian
Ocean, Malaya, Sumatra, and the Philippines.
These are remnants of an empire that extended all across the southern portions of the Asiatic continent. We cannot say how
old this empire may have been. Swift refers to it as ancient. Nor do we know the extent of their technological achievements or other social developments.
Excavations in Java by von Koenigswald have uncovered remains of an early manlike creature of small stature who lived more than 500,000 years ago. Similar discoveries by Leaky in |
Africa show that this early man existed over the geographical range indicated by representatives of the pygmy people living today. Among the finds by Leaky in the lowest bed of the excavation and, therefore, of a very great age were interesting fossils of a different type of small-statured man, who was given the name home habilus, the small tool user. More recently other ancient fossils have been found of small-statured people. The remains of these ancient peoples are so few that no realistic estimate of their civilization or of their numbers can be made. Neither do the few scattered bones permit classification as affecting the evolution of modern man.
This reference is sufficient to show the design of Swift's writing in the
Travels--he is denoting early man and the early history of the planet.
The first book of the Travels has no other information that can be used to identify his context more explicitly. The entire content of the book appears to be true satire in the classical sense, not hidden allusion. |
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| Book II: The Giants | |||||||
Here we see how the plan for the
Travels was designed early in the Scriblerian activity.
The second book has more material to show the nature of the allusion.
As with pixies, elves, and leprechauns, stories of giants are as old as the hills. Fables of giant people go back to
earliest historical time and occur in mythologies and fairy tales from around the world.
There are also several biblical references to giants, the most famous in Gen. 6:4:
This passage occurs between the list of the generations of Adam and the
story of Noah's flood. Apparently, it refers to a time before the Great Flood. See my discussions on earth ages.
But within the context of the reference to giants, there is mention of the sons of God, how they came in unto the
daughters of men, and how the mating of these celestial creatures with earth women produced a superior strain of people, mighty men of old, men of renown. This suggests there may
be some connection between the two, giants and the sons of God.
Other biblical passages refer to giants, identified as Rephaim, who are not mythical, but real. Their habitat and culture
are positively asserted in Gen. 14:5, Gen. 15:20, Josh. 17:15, and 2 Sam. 21:18. Most of us are familiar with the story of David and Goliath, another giant who fought with the
Philistines.
Samuel Noah Kramer indicated the role of giants in such diverse mythologies as the Greek and the Pan-American complex.
Sir James Frazer gave descriptions of giants as they occur in Norse and Celtic mythologies; stories of giants are
widespread throughout the world. Jack and the Beanstalk is one fairy tale example. Midsummer festivals in Europe and South America up to the present include images of large
creatures in the parades and activities. Usually the giants present a threatening demeanor and the stories center around the attempts of ordinary mortal men to slay them or to
appease them. The evidence suggests that men once had some reason to fear them, perhaps for their huge size or their social conduct.
Well-documented cases of individual giants have persisted from ancient times. These individuals usually range in height up
to nine or ten feet, although they sometimes are taller. The reason for their tremendous growth is traditionally given as a glandular disturbance within the body chemistry. One
cannot help but wonder if they are not the result of spurious genes transmitted from very ancient times.
Are these tales and myths from the imagination? Or do they have factual basis in the unrecorded past? Clearly, facts about
our planetary past are buried under the illusions of modern godlessness, and hence not subject to thorough and objective examination.
In his "giant" satire Swift goes on to describe a book kept in his nurse's room wherein the discourse of the author
pursues the usual topics of European moralists and the fallen state of man:
Swift could not offer a more literal statement of our thesis.
It is curious that Swift would reserve his description of the tradition of giants in the land of giants.
Swift's reference to huge bone and skull finds again has that "predictive" feature. He says that they were found in "several |
parts of the kingdom." This is interesting because the remains of ancient giants are all found in the western Pacific region, in China and Java.
Swift identifies the location of the land of the giants exactly. In Book
II, Chapter 4 he gives the following:
Adamski again offers unique parallel between Swift and himself:
Lemuria is an ancient mythical land originally proposed by E. H. Haeckel, a German zoologist born in 1834. He felt that such a land was necessary to describe the distribution of femurs from Africa, through the Indian Ocean to the Malayan archipelago. However, remains of femurs found in America and Europe placed the suggestion in disrepute; it is no longer accepted by scholars. But note that Haeckel's proposed land fits the distribution of pygmies from Africa to the Philippines.
Also
note that Swift does not mention the mythical land of Atlantis, which has been a popular topic for speculation since the days of Plato and was familiar to scholars in Swift's
day.
The myth surrounding the ancient land of the Pacific is not limited to Swift, Adamski, or Haeckel. Churchward reports
finding clay tablets in Hindu monasteries in India that describe this ancient land also. According to his account, he was taught to decipher these tablets by the Hindu monks. The
tablets described the location and the culture of a civilization that existed prior to the Great Flood. The civilization was destroyed during the flood when its inhabitants were
scattered to all corners of the world, including those who left the record in India. Churchward placed this civilization in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with geographical
dimensions almost identical to those given by Swift but not connected to North America.
The Urantia Papers on Page 873 also state that:
Leet and Judson in their college textbook Physical Geology show a map of sediment in the ocean floors. There is a
large area in the Pacific Ocean, connected to North America, that is covered by brown clay, not siliceous or calcerous ooze as one would expect for the floor of the ocean . This
distribution of sediment matches Swift's description.
Recent studies in the Pacific show faults and fractures in the ocean floor extending from the west coast of North America to beyond the Hawaiian Islands. Also, there is a break in the floor west of South America that continues the San Andreas and Gulf of California fault line into the Pacific. This is called the east Pacific rise by geologists. Off the west coast of North America and west of the east Pacific rise are mountain chains and rolling hill topography. Changes in ocean-floor sediment began about 30,000 years ago. |
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| SUMMARY OF FIRST TWO BOOKS | |
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The evidence of the first two books indicates that Remote means with respect to time and that Swift is leaving some
indicator of the history of the planet. This hypothesis is confirmed by Adamski, as well as other sources.
In the first case Swift refers to the ancient pygmy empire. There is both fossil and living evidence to support the claim
that pygmies once occupied a wide land distribution across the southern portions of the Eastern Hemisphere. The date of this empire is unknown, but the fossil evidence indicates it
was very ancient. We do not know the type or the level of this civilization. In my work on the Legacy of Adam and Eve I show the world-wide use of common Semitic place names
from the most remote antiquity.
In the second case Swift refers to another ancient land occupied by giants, located in the Pacific Ocean, but now gone
from the surface of the planet.
Mythological, zoological, and geological evidence supports an hypothesis for those ancient lands; the evidence does not deny the hypothesis: |
1. Fossil evidence on the western portion of the Pacific Ocean shows that giant creatures once lived who were manlike in
form with articulate speech.
2. Geological evidence of clay deposits, fracture zones, and the east Pacific rise all suggest there may have been an
ancient continent in he Pacific Ocean connected to North America along the California region and now lost beneath the waters for some undetermined reason. The rugged Pacific Coast
and geological faults are the result of past upheavals.
3. Adamski claims the same land mass in ancient times. He says that his land was destroyed because peoples forsook their
Creator and were determined to pursue selfish objectives.
4. Churchward, who published his books long before the UFO contactees, also claims that this ancient land was destroyed in
the Great Deluge.
5. Mythologies from around the world, including the biblical, contain stories of both giants and pygmies.
All of the evidence is mutually supporting.
But first, we must continue with the Swift material. |
| Book III: Flying Discs and Sundry Items | ||
|
The third book of the Travels is much more difficult to evaluate. The quotations provided earlier in this work were
taken from various portions of that book but were not clarified with respect to Swift's format. The flying-disc account occurs in the first three chapters, which is the voyage to
Laputa. The remaining eight chapters are not easy to identify. The Memoirs of Scriblerus do not offer much help in this respect. Their hint is as follows:
The only information we have from this reference is that "they" were
philosophers and mathematicians.
Note that once again there is reference to Swift as the person who returned to benefit his own dear country but was turned
treacherously away by the envious ministers of Queen Anne. This theme is recurrent throughout the Travels as well as the Memoirs. It weighed heavily on Swift's mind.
We might sympathize with him: he was taken to other worlds in the universe; he learned of the administration and conduct of celestial affair; he could have greatly helped improve
the order of civilized societies upon earth -- but men were not amenable to such "outlandish" advice.
An attempt to trace Book III of the
Travels
in parallel with Adamski's visit to cigar-shaped craft is not successful. If Swift was relating such information, it is not obvious from his account. He does report that he was
let down from the flying disc in the same manner that he was taken aboard, into the land of Balnibarbi. He was deposited on a mountain about two miles from the capital city of
Lagado. Several adventures take place in this land.
His first morning in this land he was taken for a ride through the city where he observed the following:
1. The houses were strangely built, most of them out of repair.
2. The people in the streets walked fast, looked wild, their eyes were fixed, and generally they dressed in rags.
3. In the country laborers worked with several sorts of tools in the ground, but Swift was not able to conjecture what
they were about, neither did he observe any expectation of corn or grass, although the soil looked excellent. (The lack of expectation of corn and grass could be due to chemical
poisoning, weather disturbance, or atomic fallout.)
Swift could not forbear admiring at these odd appearances in both town and country, and he asked his guide to explain what could be meant by so many busy heads, hands and faces because he did not discover any good effects they produced; but on the contrary, he never knew a soil so unhappily cultivated, houses so ill contrived and so ruinous, or a people whose countenances and habit expressed so much misery and want. |
The reply went something like this: About forty years ago, certain persons went up to Laputa, and after about five months
they returned with a very little smattering in mathematics but full of volatile spirits from such airy regions. These persons began to dislike the management f everything below and
fell into schemes of putting all arts, sciences, languages, and mechanics upon a new foot.
They set up academies in every town where the professors contrived new instruments and tools for all trades and manufactures, new rules and methods of agriculture and building, whereby they undertake that one man could do the work of ten, a palace could be built in a week of materials so durable as to last forever without repairing. The fruits would come to maturity at choosing with an increase of a hundred-fold over what they did in Swift's day, and innumerable happy proposals. The only inconvenience was that none of the schemes were brought to perfection, and in the meantime the whole country laid in miserable waste, with the houses in ruin, the people without food or clothes. But this did not discourage the projectors; it only made them work fifty times more violently, bent upon prosecuting their schemes, driven equally by hope and despair. As for his guide, he preferred to live in the houses his ancestors built, content in the old forms, and to act without innovation, but he was considered as an enemy of the art, ignorant, and against the common good.
The account by Swift is the more remarkable in that it is so very
descriptive of today. We are following this pattern precisely, with our country rapidly going to ruins.
But everything else fits--we go about our towns with fixed eyes; we have only contempt for the old days; the more we
struggle to feed the world the more we are driven on by both hope and despair; we are bent upon prosecuting new schemes; none of them are brought to perfection; we want one man to
do the work of ten; etc., etc.
The account raises an important question: Is it possible Swift was warned not only about atomic holocaust, but also about
the dangerous technical explorations of our times and the use of methods and techniques which bring temporary relief with praise to their inventors but which end in havoc?
Is it possible that his ride through town was his method for describing a scan of the future as well as the past, that the
technical ability of celestial intelligence can show time in both the past and future?
The third book of the Travels
continues with the academies of Lagado. They correspond somewhat with the academies of Mars found in Pioneers of Space. Much of the content of these accounts is true
satire, as applicable day as 250 years ago.
At this point we reach a sharp demarcation line. While the first two travels refer to the past history of the planet, the third begins with the flying-disc story, continues as indicated, and then enters into the metaphysical. Chapter seven of the Travels Book III can be considered only as supernatural and may have been Swift's attempt to describe transactions of the spirit world. |
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| Book IV: Yahoos and Horses | ||||||||||||||||
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The fourth book of the Travels is the most revealing story of all, not because of the peculiar and nauseating
habits of the Yahoos, but because of the life lived by the horse people. It was experience of this exceptional way of life that brought Swift back with a strong misanthropic
attitude. According to the Memoirs:
Swift obviously does not think much of the rest of mankind, or of the Secretary of State (Harley?), or any good cause for
patriotism. Something has moved the man to a level of vision such that the ways of earth stir in him naught but the highest contempt. He has acquired a disease that will not be
eradicated; he goes to the end of his life with a knowledge that is almost unbearable. We can only admire the man for his equanimity. Who of us would have been able to devote our
lives to the same purpose?
If the reader wishes to understand the meaning of the fourth book of the Travels, it is important to keep in mind
that the Yahoos represent man as he would be without rational powers, strictly animal in his inclinations, desires, and habits. Swift has placed the Yahoo description in this story
as counterpoint. It makes contrast between the worst in man and the best in man, man as he would be without the natural gift of a divine spark and man as he could be if he would
strive for the best. To be shaped like a man is one thing; to achieve the ideal of the potential within man is quite another. Swift makes these contrasts throughout the book of the
horses.
The horses represent an admirable race of creatures that inhabit another planet, the optimum of expression in the humane.
Swift was forced to hide this story just as he was forced to hide his other stories; he chose the most admirable creature he knew to represent the residents of another planet, the
horse, noted for its intelligence and for its mild nature. With this understanding we can evaluate many remarks within the story, compare them against Adamski, and obtain a fairly
comprehensive picture of how life is lived upon another, more advanced planet. The exposition is most enlightening.
Swift describes his reception in that country, the construction of their houses, their servants, and his accommodation to
their way of life. He was forced to eat a vegetarian diet, with no salt:
Adamski provides the following:
Swift discussed their moral attitudes:
One of the results of Swift's sojourn in this country was his altered
attitude.
Further on, he says:
We cannot agree more with these sentiments by Swift, for if the thesis of this book is correct, there are many thousands of lives and books both that have been spent in idle speculation upon naught. |
From Adamski:
From Swift:
From Adamski:
Swift on diseases:
Adamski:
Swift on death:
Adamski:
Many other parallel passages exist between Swift and Adamski.
The Memoirs conclude the hints to the reader with these remarks:
Can more be said:
The reader should remain in ignorance no longer. We have acknowledged the Great Writer and made known his love of mankind, his regard for truth in the face of his severe personal problem, and the passion he had for his own country. The signs and characters that distinguish Jonathan Swift as Martinus Scriblerus, the great writer, are clearly visible. |
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| THE ART OF ALLUSION | |||||||||||||||
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Swift's mastery of allusion is best demonstrated in two sections of the Travels: first, the introductory passages
entitled "A Letter from Capt. Gulliver to his Cousin Sympson," and a note from "The Publisher to the Reader"; second, in the last section of the Travels, Chapter 12, of the
voyage to the land of the horses. We shall quote some samples of this art to help enlighten the reader, who is urged again to explore for himself.
Swift obviously had to fit the work to the general style of readers; he
could not describe the style of the sailors or variations and bearings of the voyages, and he had to remain circumstantial in his writing.
As we found in an earlier chapter, Swift was concerned that no portion of the Travels suffer alteration or omission
and that no additions be made. We continue with his remarks in this respect:
First, he claims to have spoken this many years ago. This would put the writing of the Travels at some period
considerably ahead of his reprimand. Since the letter was dated 1727, we conclude that his speech must date back at least to 1715, perhaps much earlier.
Second, note that he was in another reign, or outside the sovereignty of the English kings. This would place him outside
England and Ireland, although no such extensive travel by Swift is recognized.
Third, he says that the reign was above five thousand leagues distance. An English league is usually taken at three
English miles; therefore, he was at a distance greater than 15,000 miles. But there is no point on our globe at a distance greater than 12,500 miles, unless one travels a long,
circuitous route. Swift must have meant that he traveled to a reign beyond our planet earth:
Here Swift is complaining about his own great want of judgment, in
being prevailed upon by the publisher "and some others." He implies that he regrets the publication of the Travels.
Furthermore, he remarks totally out of character that he expected reforms within six months.
Swift shows that the times and date of the Travels are not to be taken literally, but are to be adjusted by the
readers as they please:
Hopefully, we are being both judicious and candid in this book. Swift has
yet another reference to an early age in his life:
How old were they, and how did they speak? We don't know. He indicates
that the Travels are not to be taken as fiction:
The last remark is certainly a false implication because the truth
does not immediately strike every reader with conviction, nor has it done so in 250 years. Swift may have intended that after explication of the Travels, all Yahoos
would appreciate the true meaning
He adds further remarks about the Yahoo-kind and notes how long he resided beyond our planet: |
It may be significant that he refers to his last return. Apparently there was more than one.
In Chapter 12 of the voyage to
the land of the horses we find the following:
A most improbable tale, indeed!
We do not have interest in trade or negotiation with such distant countries.
In discussing whether he should have left a memorial
or claim for the state, Swift remarks:
There is no difficulty in imagining what an army might do with a flying
disc overhead. And the conquest of these countries certainly would not be a simple matter.
In referring to the horses Swift expresses the following:
In providing a satirical discussion for the conquest of other nations
and the reasons why such is not beneficial, Swift remarks:
This comment is remarkable, for if we take it literally, it means that no
other civilized European ever had the opportunity to experience the travels that Swift enjoyed. In other words, he is unique in European civilization and must have served an
express purpose for the celestial intelligence who are directing this activity. The remark helps to evaluate the extent of the celestial endeavor. Apparently, it is limited and
is performed only for a specific purpose with definite restrictions.
Swift's reaction to his experiences is summed up in the next to last paragraph of the voyage to the horses with the
classical quotation:
Enough said!
There are numerous allusions contained also within the Memoirs.
We have given many of these previously and conclude here with several others.
Finally, Swift and Pople left a message to the one who would make known the meaning of the Travels and of Martinus
Scriblerus to the world. In the introduction to the Memoirs we find the following remarks, delivered by that mysterious character outside the palace of St. James:
This I have tried to do.
The reader must decide for himself if this account has been faithful and impartial. |
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