Nickerbocker's on Zinn

[alice wellintown]

>From A History of New York, 1809

Let us suppose, then, that the inhabitants of the moon, by astonishing
advancement in science, and by profound insight into that lunar
philosophy, the mere flickerings of which have of late years dazzled
the feeble optics, and addled the shallow brains of the good people of
our globe-let us suppose, I say, that the inhabitants of the moon, by
these means, had arrived at such a command of their energies, such an
enviable state of perfectibility, as to control the elements, and
navigate the boundless regions of space. Let us suppose a roving crew
of these soaring philosophers, in the course of an aerial voyage of
discovery among the stars, should chance to alight upon this
outlandish planet.

[...]
Thus, I hope, I have clearly proved, and strikingly illustrated, the
right of the early colonists to the possession of this country; and
thus is this gigantic question completely vanquished: so having
manfully surmounted all obstacles, and subdued all opposition, what
remains but that I should forthwith conduct my readers into the city
which we have been so long in a manner besieging? But hold; before I
proceed another step, I must pause to take breath, and recover from
the excessive fatigue I have undergone, in preparing to begin this
most accurate of histories. And in this I do but imitate the example
of a renowned Dutch tumbler of antiquity, who took a start of three
miles for the purpose of jumping over a hill, but having run himself
out of breath by the time he reached the foot, sat himself quietly
down for a few moments to blow, and then walked over it at his
leisure.


http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/hns/indians/irving.html