red hot glowing iron, and in its absence
from the sun, carry a blazing tail ten hundred thousand and fourteen
miles long, through which, if the earth should pass at the distance of
one hundred thousand miles from the nucleus, or main body of the comet,
it must in its passage be set on fire, and reduced to ashes: that the
sun, daily spending its rays without any nutriment to supply them, will
at last be wholly consumed and annihilated; which must be attended with
the destruction of this earth, and of all the planets that receive their
light from it.

They are so perpetually alarmed with the apprehensions of these, and the
like impending dangers, that they can neither sleep quietly in their
beds, nor have any relish for the common pleasures and amusements of
life. When they meet an acquaintance in the morning, the first question
is about the sun's health, how he looked at his setting and rising, and
what hopes they have to avoid the stroke of the approaching comet. This
conversation they are apt to run into with the same temper that boys
discover in delighting to hear terrible stories of spirits and
hobgoblins, which they greedily listen to, and dare not go to bed for
fear.

The women of the island have abundance of vivacity: they, contemn their
husbands, and are exceedingly fond of strangers, whereof there is always
a considerable number from the continent below, attending at court,
either upon affairs of the several towns and corporations, or their own
particular occasions, but are much despised, because they want the same
endowments. Among these the ladies choose their gallants: but the
vexation is, that they act with too much ease and security; for the
husband is always so rapt in speculation, that the mistress and lover may
proceed to the greatest familiarities before his face, if he be but
provided with paper and implements, and without his flapper at his side.

The wives and daughters lament their confinement to the island, although
I think it the most delicious spot of ground in the world; and although
they live here in the greatest plenty and magnificence, and are allowed
to do whatever they please, they long to see the world, and take the
diversions of the metropolis, which they are not allowed to do without a
particular license from the king; and this is not easy to be obtained,
because the people of quality have found, by frequent experience, how
hard it is to persuade their women to return from below.