Books

First edition of this early classic of underworld science fiction by the father of modern Danish-Norwegian literature. This novel was a major inspiration for Verne, and the first work of fiction to use Halley's theory that planets comprise concentric spheres surrounding a small central sun. This is "one of the last and perhaps the most entertaining of all the Latin novels" (Riley, p. 192). Set in the year 1665, the story is told by Niels Klim, who comes back to his native town Bergen after receiving his degree from the University of Copenhagen. While climbing a mountain with a group of friends, he falls into a pit to emerge - after fifteen minutes - in the hollow interior of the Earth. This space is a small cosmos with planets orbiting around a miniature sun. After floating for a while, he eventually lands on a planet named Nazar, in the kingdom of Potu (which echoes "utopia" spelled backwards), and discovers a species of intelligent anthropomorphic tree-men. Holberg's work "blends satire with a fantastic voyage and breathes the spirit of the eighteenth century. Other than its Latin language and passages of verse and prose adapted from classical authors, this novel is entirely modern in spirit. Its description of travel to exotic lands reminds one of his near-contemporary Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels (1726), but with far more wit and humour. Holberg's notion of a hollow hearth containing other habitable lands resembles Jules Verne's Voyage au centre de la Terre, but in a playful rather than a serious tone" (ibid.). One of the most successful satires of its century, Iter subterraneum was translated into Danish in 1742, and subsequently into numerous languages, including German, Swedish, Dutch, English, French, Russian, and Hungarian. Bleiler, Science-Fiction, 1114. Mark T. Riley, "Fiction", The Oxford Handbook of Neo-Latin, 2015. Octavo (171 x 106 mm). Late 18th-century paper boards, rebacked with original spine laid down, edges red. Engraved frontispiece, 3 similar plates (one folding), woodcut initials, head- and tailpieces. Faded ownership inscription dated 1799 on front pastedown, 19th-century German inscriptions on front free endpaper and first leaf, manuscript lettering on spine, 19th-century stamp "F.R. v. Busse", perhaps Friederich Rudolph von Busse (1787-1849), Arhalt politician, on verso of title page. Corners worn, extremities and boards rubbed, contents faintly foxed, neat paper repairs to short closed tear in leaves A5-6 (not affecting text), otherwise clean. A very good copy.

Set in the year 1665, the story is narrated by Niels Klim, who returns to his hometown of Bergen after graduating from the University of Copenhagen. During a mountain climb with friends, he falls into a pit and, after fifteen minutes, emerges in the hollow interior of the Earth. This space is a miniature cosmos with planets orbiting a small sun. After drifting for a while, he lands on a planet called Nazar, in the kingdom of Potu (an anagram of "utopia"), where he encounters intelligent tree-like beings. Holberg's work combines satire with a fantastic voyage and embodies the spirit of the eighteenth century. Aside from its Latin language and passages of verse and prose adapted from classical authors, this novel is entirely modern in spirit. Its depiction of travel to exotic lands is reminiscent of Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver's Travels" (1726), but with more wit and humor. Holberg's idea of a hollow Earth containing other habitable lands foreshadows Jules Verne's "Journey to the Center of the Earth."