Путешествие на Луну
Urbi Et Orbi
Turkeybehavedgenerously;butshehadapersonalinterestinthematter.Themoon,infact,regulatesthecycleofheryearsandherfastofRamadan.Shecouldnotdolessthangive1,372,640piastres;andshegavethemwithaneagernesswhichdenoted,however,somepressureonthepartofthegovernment.
Belgiumdistinguishedherselfamongthesecond-ratestatesbyagrantof513,000francs—abouttwocentimesperheadofherpopulation.
Hollandandhercoloniesinterestedthemselvestotheextentof110,000florins,onlydemandinganallowanceoffivepercent.discountforpayingreadymoney.
Denmark,alittlecontractedinterritory,gavenevertheless9,000ducats,provingherloveforscientificexperiments.
TheGermanicConfederationpledgeditselfto34,285florins.Itwasimpossibletoaskformore;besides,theywouldnothavegivenit.
Thoughverymuchcrippled,Italyfound200,000lireinthepocketsofherpeople.IfshehadhadVenetiashewouldhavedonebetter;butshehadnot.
TheStatesoftheChurchthoughtthattheycouldnotsendlessthan7,040Romancrowns;andPortugalcarriedherdevotiontoscienceasfaras30,000cruzados.Itwasthewidow’smite—eighty-sixpiastres;butself-constitutedempiresarealwaysrathershortofmoney.
Twohundredandfifty-sevenfrancs,thiswasthemodestcontributionofSwitzerlandtotheAmericanwork.Onemustfreelyadmitthatshedidnotseethepracticalsideofthematter.