rface of the Great World, or rather
its crust, has been ascertained to be exceedingly shallow."

The inhabitants of the Great World, in its diurnal rotation, receive no
light from the sun till a few hours before the time of its setting with
us, when it also sets with them, so that they are inconvenienced for a
short time only, by its light. In its annual orbit, it has but one
season, which, though called Spring, is subject to the most sudden
alternations of heat and cold. The females have a singular method of
protecting themselves from the baneful effects of these violent changes,
which is worthy of notice:--they wrap themselves up, during the short
time the sun shines, in pelisses, shawls, and cloaks, their heads being
protected by hats, whose umbrageous brims so far exceed in dimensions the
little umbrellas raised above them, that a stranger is at a loss to
conjecture the use of the latter. Shortly after the sun has set, these
habiliments are all thrown off, dresses of gossamer are substituted in
their place, and the fair wearers rush out into the open air, to enjoy
the cool night breezes.

This is but the "Companion to the Map." The Voyage to the several Islands
of the Great World, "is in a frame-work of the adventures of Sir Heedless
Headlong, who neither reaches the Great World by a balloon, nor Perkins's
steam-gun. He cruises about St. James's Straits, makes for Idler's
Harbour, in Alba; is repulsed, but with a friend, Jack Rashleigh,
journeys to Society Island, lands at Small Talk Bay, and makes for the
capital, Flirtington. He first visits a general assembly of the leaders
of the isle. At the house of assembly the rush of charioteers was so
great, that it is impossible to say what might have been the consequence
of the general confusion, or how many lives might have been lost, but for
the interference of a little man in a flaxen wig, and broad-brimmed hat,
with a cane in his hand, whose authority is said to extend equally over
ladies and pickpockets of all degrees."[18] Then comes an exquisite bit
of badinage on that most stupid of all stupidities, a fashionable rout.

[18] Quasi Townsend.

"On entering the walls, my surprise may be partly conceived, at finding
those persons, whom I had seen so eagerly striving to gain admittance,
crowded together in a capacious vapour bath, heated to so high a
temperature, that had I not been aware of the strict prohibition of
science, I should have imagined the meeting t