I just got off the boat from Europe, what a ride I must say. It was terrible, I could get no work done and the food was gross.
When I get to Williamsburg I will get down to work and solve the scientific problems of this new land. When I really think about what problems would people want me to solve, most people look at me with disgust and think of me as something evil because I have turned my back on religion. I am just one of many people in this revolution of science against superstition. So when I look back on the decisions I have made I think that changing from religion to science could only benefit me. The less educated of the people are sticking to their religious beliefs even when they are proved wrong or seem impossible. While I respect religion it really has no meaning to my life any more and I feel better than ever.
Onto a new topic. One day while I was minding my own business on the boat I saw somebody go overboard and die. The person that died, had no importance to my life, but I still wondered what he would be remembered for. Then that got me thinking about my own life and what I would be remembered for, nothing. Nobody in the world that knows me will remember me for something great. They would never say, “oh that sir James Irving, what a genius,” because I have not done anything to be remembered for. That is why I have made my life’s purpose to be about being remembered for something great, like the telescope or having made new and important observations. But really when I think about what I want to be remembered for nothing comes to me, maybe my life’s purpose was just to help start a scientific revolution. That isn’t something I will be remembered for because as I said I am just one of many educated Europeans making the transition from superstition to scientific reasoning.
After a week in Williamsburg I have became depressed. The reason for this feeling is because I can’t come up with anything to do which upsets me so. But I still believe in myself to do something great and be remembered like Galileo one of my idols. I like the lifestyle of this new world with all the meat and food but as life becomes less purposeful my mind sways back and forth between enjoyment and suicide.
After a year of living in Williamsburg I think I’ve finally got an idea. What if there were a measurement tool about 3 feet long and was marked with inches. Then people could easily measure things that took hours to measure before. I know my idea can make it I just need to find out a way to build because I have barely enough money to buy food. I think that I will have to steal wood to make this tool and then sell it to carpenters and blacksmiths and anybody willing to buy it, but most of all I will be remembered as the man who made the 3 foot long stick.
I am on my way to steal wood from a carpenter’s house for my invention I hope he doesn’t catch me. I have only seen theater productions of such actions, but never in my life have I tried to steal that would have been un holy. Now that I am out of god’s wrath and not one of his people he has no control over what I do so I am going to steal wood from the carpenter’s house. At the moment I can feel the wet grass against my skin. The smell of the carpenter’s supper is invading my nose, but I must go on. I finally see it, there are about 250 pieces of wood. For now I will only take 5. Then I hear a door swing open and I hide in the shed.
Chapter 2
I have now sold over 200 of the sticks, and I now live out on a farm where I own 30 slaves, not many but they will do. I am one of the few farmers that doesn’t grow tobacco because I know the bad effects so instead I grow good food and live well. I now know and taste the sweet taste of venison. I now am rich and don’t need to see those hallucinations that hunger gives you. I still don’t like religion, it is false and no use to survival. I am now moving on to different sciences such as astronomy and botany.
On my farm there is a section for experimenting, and using a telescope to look into the sky. I am now one of the leaders of the enlightenment which is now a serious competition. I will never go back to religion, because if I hadn’t chose science I would not be rich and enjoying life, just the poor aspiring scientist.
Tonight in the year 1686 I saw Halley’s comet. I thought to myself, My life is now what I always hoped for, I saw a comet, and I will be remembered as the man who made the meter stick.
My profit has grown from those sticks I have now sold over ten thousand of them. I now live on a 200 acre farm and own 300 slaves. I feel as though they hate me, when I walk by them give me dirty stares and hold up their knives, that they use to cut the weeds. I have never beaten a slave, because scientist listen to other ideas, but they must feel differently.
I am now the most known scientist in America, when people see me they stop and say, “Look it’s James Irving the naturalist.” In a way I feel as though I have completed my life’s goal of being remembered as a scientist. I have created this new thing called hybridization, the act of discovering new plants. I put different plants seeds and leaves together and discover a new plant. People call me a naturalist, because I have given up my measurement studies and moved on to botany a natural study.
The enlightenment has grown and gotten stronger while I have aged and gotten weaker. People look to me for answers that I have no knowledge of anymore because I have become useless and practically stupid. People always come to me asking, “What is hybridization? I want to know how to do it so I can join the enlightenment.” The only thing I can say to them is I don’t remember, it has been 40 years since I have done an experiment, but I am still a strong believer in the scientific revolution.
Religion is trying to fight back, the way I know this, is some protestants attacked my house with rocks yesterday and then ran off yelling “die you old useless, vulgar, un holy man.” But that doesn’t worry me because I know that when my last breath is gone people will remember for empowering a revolution and being a important and great scientist.