his
appearance. These were, it seems, Charles XII of Sweden and Alexander of
Macedon. I was at too great a distance to hear any of the conversation,
so could only satisfy my curiosity by contemplating the several
personages present, of whose names I informed myself by a page, who
looked as pale and meager as any court-page in the other world, but was
somewhat more modest. He showed me here two or three Turkish emperors,
to whom his most mortal majesty seemed to express much civility. Here
were likewise several of the Roman emperors, among whom none seemed so
much caressed as Caligula, on account, as the page told me, of his pious
wish that he could send all the Romans hither at one blow. The reader
may be perhaps surprised that I saw no physicians here; as indeed I
was myself, till informed that they were all departed to the city
of Diseases, where they were busy in an experiment to purge away the
immortality of the soul.

It would be tedious to recollect the many individuals I saw here, but
I cannot omit a fat figure, well dressed in the French fashion, who
was received with extraordinary complacence by the emperor, and whom I
imagined to be Lewis XIV himself; but the page acquainted me he was
a celebrated French cook. We were at length introduced to the royal
presence, and had the honor to kiss hands. His majesty asked us a few
questions, not very material to relate, and soon after retired. When we
returned into the yard we found our caravan ready to set out, at which
we all declared ourselves well pleased; for we were sufficiently tired
with the formality of a court, notwithstanding its outward splendor and
magnificence.

CHAPTER V

The travelers proceed on their journey, and meet several
spirits who are coming into the flesh.

We now came to the banks of the great river Cocytus, where we quitted
our vehicle, and passed the water in a boat, after which we were obliged
to travel on foot the rest of our journey; and now we met, for the
first time, several passengers traveling to the world we had left, who
informed us they were souls going into the flesh.

The two first we met were walking arm-in-arm, in very close and friendly
conference; they informed us that one of them was intended for a duke,
and the other for a hackney-coachman. As we had not yet arrived at the
place where we were to deposit our passions, we were all surprised
at the familiarity which subsisted between persons of such differe