ed that we
flew over two magi, who were observing the stars from a lofty tower.
One of them directed his glass so sharply at me, that I was almost
blinded by the shine of the magic instrument. A violent giddiness
seized me; in vain I sought to hold fast; I tumbled down helplessly
from the monstrous height, fell plump upon the nose of one of the magi,
and only my lightness, my extraordinary activity, could have saved me.

"I was still too much stunned to skip off his nose and place myself
in perfect safety, when the treacherous Leuwenhock,--he was the
magician,--caught me dexterously with his fingers, and placed me in his
microscope. Notwithstanding it was night, and he was obliged to use a
lamp, he was by far too practiced an observer, and too great an adept,
not immediately to recognise in me the Master Flea. Delighted that a
lucky chance had delivered into his hands such an important prisoner,
and resolved to draw every possible advantage from it, he flung poor me
into chains, and thus began a painful imprisonment, from which I was
yesterday freed by you. The possession of me gave the abominable
Leuwenhock full power over my vassals, whom he soon collected in swarms
about him, and with barbarian cruelty introduced amongst us that which
is called education, and which soon robbed us of all freedom, of all
enjoyment of life. In regard to scholastic studies, and the arts and
sciences in general, Leuwenhock soon discovered, to his surprise and
vexation, that we knew more than himself; the higher cultivation which
he forced upon us consisted chiefly in this:--that we were to be
something, or at least represent something. But it was precisely this
being something, this representing something, that brought with it a
multitude of wants which we had never known before, and which were now
to be satisfied with the sweat of our brow. The barbarous Leuwenhock
converted us into statesmen, soldiers, professors, and I know not what
besides. All were obliged to wear the dress of their respective ranks,
and thus arose amongst us tailors, shoemakers, hairdressers,
blacksmiths, cutlers, and a multitude of other trades, only to satisfy
an useless and destructive luxury. The worst of it was, that Leuwenhock
had nothing else in view than his own advantage in showing us
cultivated people to men, and receiving money for it. Moreover our
cultivation was set down entirely to his account, and he got the praise
which belonged to us alone. Leuwenho