"Behn, Aphra - Oroonoko-The Royal Slave" - читать интересную книгу автора (Behn Aphra)

1688
OROONOKO: OR, THE ROYAL SLAVE
by Mrs. Aphra Behn
OROONOKO: OR, THE ROYAL SLAVE
[1688]

I do not pretend, in giving you the history of this Royal Slave,
to entertain my reader with adventures of a feigned hero, whose life
and fortunes fancy may manage at the poet's pleasure; nor in
relating the truth, design to adorn it with any accidents but such
as arrived in earnest to him: and it shall come simply into the world,
recommended by its own proper merits and natural intrigues; there
being enough of reality to support it, and to render it diverting,
without the addition of invention.
I was myself an eye-witness to a great part of what you will find
here set down; and what I could not be witness of, I received from the
mouth of the chief actor in this history, the hero himself, who gave
us the whole transactions of his youth: and though I shall omit, for
brevity's sake, a thousand little accidents of his life, which,
however pleasant to us, where history was scarce and adventures very
rare, yet might prove tedious and heavy to my reader, in a world where
he finds diversions for every minute, new and strange. But we who were
perfectly charmed with the character of this great man were curious to
gather every circumstance of his life.
The scene of the last part of his adventures lies in a colony in
America, called Surinam, in the West Indies.
But before I give you the story of this gallant slave, 'tis fit I
tell you the manner of bringing them to these new colonies; those they
make use of there not being natives of the place: for those we live
with in perfect amity, without daring to command 'em; but, on the
contrary, caress 'em with all the brotherly and friendly affection
in the world; trading with them for their fish, venison, buffalo's
skins, and little rarities; as marmosets, a sort of monkey, as big
as a rat or weasel, but of marvelous and delicate shape, having face
and hands like a human creature; and cousheries, a little beast in the
form and fashion of a lion, as big as a kitten, but so exactly made in
all parts like that noble beast that it is it in miniature. Then for
little paraketoes, great parrots, mackaws, and a thousand other
birds and beasts of wonderful and surprising forms, shapes, and
colors. For skins of prodigious snakes, of which there are some
threescore yards in length; as is the skin of one that may be seen
at his Majesty's Antiquary's; where are also some rare flies, of
amazing forms and colors, presented to 'em by myself; some as big as
my fist, some less; and all of various excellencies, such as art
cannot imitate. Then we trade for feathers, which they order into
all shapes, make themselves little short habits of 'em and glorious
wreaths for their heads, necks, arms, and legs, whose tinctures are
unconceivable. I had a set of these presented to me, and I gave 'em to
the King's Theater, and it was the dress of the Indian Queen,
infinitely admired by persons of quality; and was unimitable.