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Introduction THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER. [As given in the original edition.]
The author of these Travels, Mr. Lemuel Gulliver
is my ancient and intimate friend; there is likewise some relation
between us on the mother's side.
About three years ago, Mr. Gulliver growing weary of the concourse of curious people
coming to him at his house in Redriff, made a small purchase of land, with a convenient
house, near Newark, in Nottinghamshire, his
native country; where he now lives retired, yet in good esteem among his neighbours.
Although Mr. Gulliver was born in Nottinghamshire, where his father dwelt,
yet I have heard him say his family came from Oxfordshire; to confirm which, I have
observed in the churchyard at Banbury in
that county, several tombs and monuments of the Gullivers.
Before he quitted Redriff, he left the custody of the following papers in my
hands, with the liberty to dispose of them as I should think fit.
I have carefully perused them three times.
The style is very plain and simple; and the only fault I find is, that the author,
after the manner of travellers, is a little too circumstantial.
There is an air of truth apparent through the whole; and indeed the author was so
distinguished for his veracity, that it became a sort of proverb among his
neighbours at Redriff, when any one
affirmed a thing, to say, it was as true as if Mr. Gulliver had spoken it.
By the advice of several worthy persons, to whom, with the author's permission, I
communicated these papers, I now venture to send them into the world, hoping they may
be, at least for some time, a better
entertainment to our young noblemen, than the common scribbles of politics and party.
This volume would have been at least twice as large, if I had not made bold to strike
out innumerable passages relating to the winds and tides, as well as to the
variations and bearings in the several
voyages, together with the minute descriptions of the management of the ship
in storms, in the style of sailors; likewise the account of longitudes and
latitudes; wherein I have reason to
apprehend, that Mr. Gulliver may be a little dissatisfied.
But I was resolved to fit the work as much as possible to the general capacity of
readers.
However, if my own ignorance in sea affairs shall have led me to commit some mistakes,
I alone am answerable for them.
And if any traveller hath a curiosity to see the whole work at large, as it came
from the hands of the author, I will be ready to gratify him.
As for any further particulars relating to the author, the reader will receive
satisfaction from the first pages of the book.
RICHARD SYMPSON.
A LETTER FROM CAPTAIN GULLIVER TO HIS COUSIN SYMPSON.
WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1727.
I hope you will be ready to own publicly, whenever you shall be called to it, that by
your great and frequent urgency you prevailed on me to publish a very loose and
uncorrect account of my travels, with
directions to hire some young gentleman of either university to put them in order, and
correct the style, as my cousin Dampier did, by my advice, in his book called "A
Voyage round the world." But I do not
remember I gave you power to consent that any thing should be omitted, and much less
that any thing should be inserted; therefore, as to the latter, I do here
renounce every thing of that kind;
particularly a paragraph about her majesty Queen Anne, of most pious and glorious
memory; although I did reverence and esteem her more than any of human species.
But you, or your interpolator, ought to have considered, that it was not my
inclination, so was it not decent to praise any animal of our composition before my
master Houyhnhnm: And besides, the fact was
altogether false; for to my knowledge, being in England during some part of her
majesty's reign, she did govern by a chief minister; nay even by two successively, the
first whereof was the lord of Godolphin,
and the second the lord of Oxford; so that you have made me say the thing that was
not.
Likewise in the account of the academy of projectors, and several passages of my
discourse to my master Houyhnhnm, you have either omitted some material circumstances,
or minced or changed them in such a manner, that I do hardly know my own work.
When I formerly hinted to you something of this in a letter, you were pleased to
answer that you were afraid of giving offence; that people in power were very
watchful over the press, and apt not only
to interpret, but to punish every thing which looked like an innuendo (as I think
you call it).
But, pray how could that which I spoke so many years ago, and at about five thousand
leagues distance, in another reign, be applied to any of the Yahoos, who now are
said to govern the herd; especially at a
time when I little thought, or feared, the unhappiness of living under them?
Have not I the most reason to complain, when I see these very Yahoos carried by
Houyhnhnms in a vehicle, as if they were brutes, and those the rational creatures?
And indeed to avoid so monstrous and detestable a sight was one principal motive
of my retirement hither.
Thus much I thought proper to tell you in relation to yourself, and to the trust I
reposed in you.
I do, in the next place, complain of my own great want of judgment, in being prevailed
upon by the entreaties and false reasoning of you and some others, very much against
my own opinion, to suffer my travels to be published.
Pray bring to your mind how often I desired you to consider, when you insisted on the
motive of public good, that the Yahoos were a species of animals utterly incapable of
amendment by precept or example: and so it
has proved; for, instead of seeing a full stop put to all abuses and corruptions, at
least in this little island, as I had reason to expect; behold, after above six
months warning, I cannot learn that my book
has produced one single effect according to my intentions.
I desired you would let me know, by a letter, when party and faction were
extinguished; judges learned and upright; pleaders honest and modest, with some
tincture of common sense, and Smithfield
blazing with pyramids of law books; the young nobility's education entirely
changed; the physicians banished; the female Yahoos abounding in virtue, honour,
truth, and good sense; courts and levees of
great ministers thoroughly weeded and swept; wit, merit, and learning rewarded;
all disgracers of the press in prose and verse condemned to eat nothing but their
own cotton, and quench their thirst with their own ink.
These, and a thousand other reformations, I firmly counted upon by your encouragement;
as indeed they were plainly deducible from the precepts delivered in my book.
And it must be owned, that seven months were a sufficient time to correct every
vice and folly to which Yahoos are subject, if their natures had been capable of the
least disposition to virtue or wisdom.
Yet, so far have you been from answering my expectation in any of your letters; that on
the contrary you are loading our carrier every week with libels, and keys, and
reflections, and memoirs, and second parts;
wherein I see myself accused of reflecting upon great state folk; of degrading human
nature (for so they have still the confidence to style it), and of abusing the
female sex.
I find likewise that the writers of those bundles are not agreed among themselves;
for some of them will not allow me to be the author of my own travels; and others
make me author of books to which I am wholly a stranger.
I find likewise that your printer has been so careless as to confound the times, and
mistake the dates, of my several voyages and returns; neither assigning the true
year, nor the true month, nor day of the
month: and I hear the original manuscript is all destroyed since the publication of
my book; neither have I any copy left: however, I have sent you some corrections,
which you may insert, if ever there should
be a second edition: and yet I cannot stand to them; but shall leave that matter to my
judicious and candid readers to adjust it as they please.
I hear some of our sea Yahoos find fault with my sea-language, as not proper in many
parts, nor now in use. I cannot help it.
In my first voyages, while I was young, I was instructed by the oldest mariners, and
learned to speak as they did.
But I have since found that the sea Yahoos are apt, like the land ones, to become new-
fangled in their words, which the latter change every year; insomuch, as I remember
upon each return to my own country their
old dialect was so altered, that I could hardly understand the new.
And I observe, when any Yahoo comes from London out of curiosity to visit me at my
house, we neither of us are able to deliver our conceptions in a manner intelligible to
the other.
If the censure of the Yahoos could any way affect me, I should have great reason to
complain, that some of them are so bold as to think my book of travels a mere fiction
out of mine own brain, and have gone so far
as to drop hints, that the Houyhnhnms and Yahoos have no more existence than the
inhabitants of Utopia.
Indeed I must confess, that as to the people of Lilliput, Brobdingrag (for so the
word should have been spelt, and not erroneously Brobdingnag), and Laputa, I
have never yet heard of any Yahoo so
presumptuous as to dispute their being, or the facts I have related concerning them;
because the truth immediately strikes every reader with conviction.
And is there less probability in my account of the Houyhnhnms or Yahoos, when it is
manifest as to the latter, there are so many thousands even in this country, who
only differ from their brother brutes in
Houyhnhnmland, because they use a sort of jabber, and do not go naked?
I wrote for their amendment, and not their approbation.
The united praise of the whole race would be of less consequence to me, than the
neighing of those two degenerate Houyhnhnms I keep in my stable; because from these,
degenerate as they are, I still improve in some virtues without any mixture of vice.
Do these miserable animals presume to think, that I am so degenerated as to
defend my veracity?
Yahoo as I am, it is well known through all Houyhnhnmland, that, by the instructions
and example of my illustrious master, I was able in the compass of two years (although
I confess with the utmost difficulty) to
remove that infernal habit of lying, shuffling, deceiving, and equivocating, so
deeply rooted in the very souls of all my species; especially the Europeans.
I have other complaints to make upon this vexatious occasion; but I forbear troubling
myself or you any further.
I must freely confess, that since my last return, some corruptions of my Yahoo nature
have revived in me by conversing with a few of your species, and particularly those of
my own family, by an unavoidable necessity;
else I should never have attempted so absurd a project as that of reforming the
Yahoo race in this kingdom: But I have now done with all such visionary schemes for
ever.
April 2, 1727
PART I. A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT.
CHAPTER I.
The author gives some account of himself and family.
His first inducements to travel. He is shipwrecked, and swims for his life.
Gets safe on shore in the country of Lilliput; is made a prisoner, and carried
up the country.
My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire: I was the third of five
He sent me to Emanuel College in Cambridge at fourteen years old, where I resided
three years, and applied myself close to my studies; but the charge of maintaining me,
although I had a very scanty allowance,
being too great for a narrow fortune, I was bound apprentice to Mr. James Bates, an
eminent surgeon in London, with whom I continued four years.
My father now and then sending me small sums of money, I laid them out in learning
navigation, and other parts of the mathematics, useful to those who intend to
travel, as I always believed it would be, some time or other, my fortune to do.
When I left Mr. Bates, I went down to my father: where, by the assistance of him and
my uncle John, and some other relations, I got forty pounds, and a promise of thirty
pounds a year to maintain me at Leyden:
there I studied physic two years and seven months, knowing it would be useful in long
voyages.
Soon after my return from Leyden, I was recommended by my good master, Mr. Bates,
to be surgeon to the Swallow, Captain Abraham Pannel, commander; with whom I
continued three years and a half, making a
voyage or two into the Levant, and some other parts.
When I came back I resolved to settle in London; to which Mr. Bates, my master,
encouraged me, and by him I was recommended to several patients.
I took part of a small house in the Old Jewry; and being advised to alter my
condition, I married Mrs.
Mary Burton, second daughter to Mr. Edmund Burton, hosier, in Newgate-street, with
whom I received four hundred pounds for a portion.
But my good master Bates dying in two years after, and I having few friends, my
business began to fail; for my conscience would not suffer me to imitate the bad
practice of too many among my brethren.
Having therefore consulted with my wife, and some of my acquaintance, I determined
to go again to sea.
I was surgeon successively in two ships, and made several voyages, for six years, to
the East and West Indies, by which I got some addition to my fortune.
My hours of leisure I spent in reading the best authors, ancient and modern, being
always provided with a good number of books; and when I was ashore, in observing
the manners and dispositions of the people,
as well as learning their language; wherein I had a great facility, by the strength of
my memory.
The last of these voyages not proving very fortunate, I grew weary of the sea, and
intended to stay at home with my wife and family.
I removed from the Old Jewry to Fetter Lane, and from thence to Wapping, hoping to
get business among the sailors; but it would not turn to account.
After three years expectation that things would mend, I accepted an advantageous
offer from Captain William Prichard, master of the Antelope, who was making a voyage to
the South Sea.
We set sail from Bristol, May 4, 1699, and our voyage was at first very prosperous.
It would not be proper, for some reasons, to trouble the reader with the particulars
of our adventures in those seas; let it suffice to inform him, that in our passage
from thence to the East Indies, we were
driven by a violent storm to the north-west of Van Diemen's Land.
By an observation, we found ourselves in the latitude of 30 degrees 2 minutes south.
Twelve of our crew were dead by immoderate labour and ill food; the rest were in a
very weak condition.
On the 5th of November, which was the beginning of summer in those parts, the
weather being very hazy, the *** spied a rock within half a cable's length of the
ship; but the wind was so strong, that we
were driven directly upon it, and immediately split.
Six of the crew, of whom I was one, having let down the boat into the sea, made a
shift to get clear of the ship and the rock.
We rowed, by my computation, about three leagues, till we were able to work no
longer, being already spent with labour while we were in the ship.
We therefore trusted ourselves to the mercy of the waves, and in about half an hour the
boat was overset by a sudden flurry from the north.
What became of my companions in the boat, as well as of those who escaped on the
rock, or were left in the vessel, I cannot tell; but conclude they were all lost.
For my own part, I swam as fortune directed me, and was pushed forward by wind and
tide.
I often let my legs drop, and could feel no bottom; but when I was almost gone, and
able to struggle no longer, I found myself within my depth; and by this time the storm
was much abated.
The declivity was so small, that I walked near a mile before I got to the shore,
which I conjectured was about eight o'clock in the evening.
I then advanced forward near half a mile, but could not discover any sign of houses
or inhabitants; at least I was in so weak a condition, that I did not observe them.
I was extremely tired, and with that, and the heat of the weather, and about half a
pint of brandy that I drank as I left the ship, I found myself much inclined to
sleep.
I lay down on the grass, which was very short and soft, where I slept sounder than
ever I remembered to have done in my life, and, as I reckoned, about nine hours; for
when I awaked, it was just day-light.
I attempted to rise, but was not able to stir: for, as I happened to lie on my back,
I found my arms and legs were strongly fastened on each side to the ground; and my
hair, which was long and thick, tied down in the same manner.
I likewise felt several slender ligatures across my body, from my arm-pits to my
thighs.
I could only look upwards; the sun began to grow hot, and the light offended my eyes.
I heard a confused noise about me; but in the posture I lay, could see nothing except
the sky.
In a little time I felt something alive moving on my left leg, which advancing
gently forward over my breast, came almost up to my chin; when, bending my eyes
downwards as much as I could, I perceived
it to be a human creature not six inches high, with a bow and arrow in his hands,
and a quiver at his back.
In the mean time, I felt at least forty more of the same kind (as I conjectured)
following the first.
I was in the utmost astonishment, and roared so loud, that they all ran back in a
fright; and some of them, as I was afterwards told, were hurt with the falls
they got by leaping from my sides upon the ground.
However, they soon returned, and one of them, who ventured so far as to get a full
sight of my face, lifting up his hands and eyes by way of admiration, cried out in a
shrill but distinct voice, Hekinah degul:
the others repeated the same words several times, but then I knew not what they meant.
I lay all this while, as the reader may believe, in great uneasiness.
At length, struggling to get loose, I had the fortune to break the strings, and
wrench out the pegs that fastened my left arm to the ground; for, by lifting it up to
my face, I discovered the methods they had
taken to bind me, and at the same time with a violent pull, which gave me excessive
pain, I a little loosened the strings that tied down my hair on the left side, so that
I was just able to turn my head about two inches.
But the creatures ran off a second time, before I could seize them; whereupon there
was a great shout in a very shrill accent, and after it ceased I heard one of them cry
aloud Tolgo phonac; when in an instant I
felt above a hundred arrows discharged on my left hand, which, pricked me like so
many needles; and besides, they shot another flight into the air, as we do bombs
in Europe, whereof many, I suppose, fell on
my body, (though I felt them not), and some on my face, which I immediately covered
with my left hand.
When this shower of arrows was over, I fell a groaning with grief and pain; and then
striving again to get loose, they discharged another volley larger than the
first, and some of them attempted with
spears to stick me in the sides; but by good luck I had on a buff jerkin, which
they could not pierce.
I thought it the most prudent method to lie still, and my design was to continue so
till night, when, my left hand being already loose, I could easily free myself:
and as for the inhabitants, I had reason to
believe I might be a match for the greatest army they could bring against me, if they
were all of the same size with him that I saw.
But fortune disposed otherwise of me.
When the people observed I was quiet, they discharged no more arrows; but, by the
noise I heard, I knew their numbers increased; and about four yards from me,
over against my right ear, I heard a
knocking for above an hour, like that of people at work; when turning my head that
way, as well as the pegs and strings would permit me, I saw a stage erected about a
foot and a half from the ground, capable of
holding four of the inhabitants, with two or three ladders to mount it: from whence
one of them, who seemed to be a person of quality, made me a long speech, whereof I
understood not one syllable.
But I should have mentioned, that before the principal person began his oration, he
cried out three times, Langro dehul san (these words and the former were afterwards
repeated and explained to me); whereupon,
immediately, about fifty of the inhabitants came and cut the strings that fastened the
left side of my head, which gave me the liberty of turning it to the right, and of
observing the person and gesture of him that was to speak.
He appeared to be of a middle age, and taller than any of the other three who
attended him, whereof one was a page that held up his train, and seemed to be
somewhat longer than my middle finger; the
other two stood one on each side to support him.
He acted every part of an orator, and I could observe many periods of threatenings,
and others of promises, pity, and kindness.
I answered in a few words, but in the most submissive manner, lifting up my left hand,
and both my eyes to the sun, as calling him for a witness; and being almost famished
with hunger, having not eaten a morsel for
some hours before I left the ship, I found the demands of nature so strong upon me,
that I could not forbear showing my impatience (perhaps against the strict
rules of decency) by putting my finger
frequently to my mouth, to signify that I wanted food.
The hurgo (for so they call a great lord, as I afterwards learnt) understood me very
well.
He descended from the stage, and commanded that several ladders should be applied to
my sides, on which above a hundred of the inhabitants mounted and walked towards my
mouth, laden with baskets full of meat,
which had been provided and sent thither by the king's orders, upon the first
intelligence he received of me.
I observed there was the flesh of several animals, but could not distinguish them by
the taste.
There were shoulders, legs, and loins, shaped like those of mutton, and very well
dressed, but smaller than the wings of a lark.
I ate them by two or three at a mouthful, and took three loaves at a time, about the
bigness of musket bullets.
They supplied me as fast as they could, showing a thousand marks of wonder and
astonishment at my bulk and appetite. I then made another sign, that I wanted
drink.
They found by my eating that a small quantity would not suffice me; and being a
most ingenious people, they slung up, with great dexterity, one of their largest
hogsheads, then rolled it towards my hand,
and beat out the top; I drank it off at a draught, which I might well do, for it did
not hold half a pint, and tasted like a small wine of Burgundy, but much more
delicious.
They brought me a second hogshead, which I drank in the same manner, and made signs
for more; but they had none to give me.
When I had performed these wonders, they shouted for joy, and danced upon my breast,
repeating several times as they did at first, Hekinah degul.
They made me a sign that I should throw down the two hogsheads, but first warning
the people below to stand out of the way, crying aloud, Borach mevolah; and when they
saw the vessels in the air, there was a universal shout of Hekinah degul.
I confess I was often tempted, while they were passing backwards and forwards on my
body, to seize forty or fifty of the first that came in my reach, and dash them
against the ground.
But the remembrance of what I had felt, which probably might not be the worst they
could do, and the promise of honour I made them-for so I interpreted my submissive
behaviour-soon drove out these imaginations.
Besides, I now considered myself as bound by the laws of hospitality, to a people who
had treated me with so much expense and magnificence.
However, in my thoughts I could not sufficiently wonder at the intrepidity of
these diminutive mortals, who durst venture to mount and walk upon my body, while one
of my hands was at liberty, without
trembling at the very sight of so prodigious a creature as I must appear to
them.
After some time, when they observed that I made no more demands for meat, there
appeared before me a person of high rank from his imperial majesty.
His excellency, having mounted on the small of my right leg, advanced forwards up to my
face, with about a dozen of his retinue; and producing his credentials under the
signet royal, which he applied close to my
eyes, spoke about ten minutes without any signs of anger, but with a kind of
determinate resolution, often pointing forwards, which, as I afterwards found, was
towards the capital city, about half a mile
distant; whither it was agreed by his majesty in council that I must be conveyed.
I answered in few words, but to no purpose, and made a sign with my hand that was
loose, putting it to the other (but over his excellency's head for fear of hurting
him or his train) and then to my own head
and body, to signify that I desired my liberty.
It appeared that he understood me well enough, for he shook his head by way of
disapprobation, and held his hand in a posture to show that I must be carried as a
prisoner.
However, he made other signs to let me understand that I should have meat and
drink enough, and very good treatment.
Whereupon I once more thought of attempting to break my bonds; but again, when I felt
the smart of their arrows upon my face and hands, which were all in blisters, and many
of the darts still sticking in them, and
observing likewise that the number of my enemies increased, I gave tokens to let
them know that they might do with me what they pleased.
Upon this, the hurgo and his train withdrew, with much civility and cheerful
countenances.
Soon after I heard a general shout, with frequent repetitions of the words Peplom
selan; and I felt great numbers of people on my left side relaxing the cords to such
a degree, that I was able to turn upon my
right, and to ease myself with making water; which I very plentifully did, to the
great astonishment of the people; who, conjecturing by my motion what I was going
to do, immediately opened to the right and
left on that side, to avoid the torrent, which fell with such noise and violence
from me.
But before this, they had daubed my face and both my hands with a sort of ointment,
very pleasant to the smell, which, in a few minutes, removed all the smart of their
arrows.
These circumstances, added to the refreshment I had received by their
victuals and drink, which were very nourishing, disposed me to sleep.
I slept about eight hours, as I was afterwards assured; and it was no wonder,
for the physicians, by the emperor's order, had mingled a sleepy potion in the
hogsheads of wine.
It seems, that upon the first moment I was discovered sleeping on the ground, after my
landing, the emperor had early notice of it by an express; and determined in council,
that I should be tied in the manner I have
related, (which was done in the night while I slept;) that plenty of meat and drink
should be sent to me, and a machine prepared to carry me to the capital city.
This resolution perhaps may appear very bold and dangerous, and I am confident
would not be imitated by any prince in Europe on the like occasion.
However, in my opinion, it was extremely prudent, as well as generous: for,
supposing these people had endeavoured to kill me with their spears and arrows, while
I was asleep, I should certainly have
awaked with the first sense of smart, which might so far have roused my rage and
strength, as to have enabled me to break the strings wherewith I was tied; after
which, as they were not able to make resistance, so they could expect no mercy.
These people are most excellent mathematicians, and arrived to a great
perfection in mechanics, by the countenance and encouragement of the emperor, who is a
renowned patron of learning.
This prince has several machines fixed on wheels, for the carriage of trees and other
great weights.
He often builds his largest men of war, whereof some are nine feet long, in the
woods where the timber grows, and has them carried on these engines three or four
hundred yards to the sea.
Five hundred carpenters and engineers were immediately set at work to prepare the
greatest engine they had.
It was a frame of wood raised three inches from the ground, about seven feet long, and
four wide, moving upon twenty-two wheels.
The shout I heard was upon the arrival of this engine, which, it seems, set out in
four hours after my landing. It was brought parallel to me, as I lay.
But the principal difficulty was to raise and place me in this vehicle.
Eighty poles, each of one foot high, were erected for this purpose, and very strong
cords, of the bigness of packthread, were fastened by hooks to many bandages, which
the workmen had girt round my neck, my hands, my body, and my legs.
Nine hundred of the strongest men were employed to draw up these cords, by many
pulleys fastened on the poles; and thus, in less than three hours, I was raised and
slung into the engine, and there tied fast.
All this I was told; for, while the operation was performing, I lay in a
profound sleep, by the force of that soporiferous medicine infused into my
liquor.
Fifteen hundred of the emperor's largest horses, each about four inches and a half
high, were employed to draw me towards the metropolis, which, as I said, was half a
mile distant.
About four hours after we began our journey, I awaked by a very ridiculous
accident; for the carriage being stopped a while, to adjust something that was out of
order, two or three of the young natives
had the curiosity to see how I looked when I was asleep; they climbed up into the
engine, and advancing very softly to my face, one of them, an officer in the
guards, put the sharp end of his half-pike
a good way up into my left nostril, which tickled my nose like a straw, and made me
sneeze violently; whereupon they stole off unperceived, and it was three weeks before
I knew the cause of my waking so suddenly.
We made a long march the remaining part of the day, and, rested at night with five
hundred guards on each side of me, half with torches, and half with bows and
arrows, ready to shoot me if I should offer to stir.
The next morning at sun-rise we continued our march, and arrived within two hundred
yards of the city gates about noon.
The emperor, and all his court, came out to meet us; but his great officers would by no
means suffer his majesty to endanger his person by mounting on my body.
At the place where the carriage stopped there stood an ancient temple, esteemed to
be the largest in the whole kingdom; which, having been polluted some years before by
an unnatural ***, was, according to the
zeal of those people, looked upon as profane, and therefore had been applied to
common use, and all the ornaments and furniture carried away.
In this edifice it was determined I should lodge.
The great gate fronting to the north was about four feet high, and almost two feet
wide, through which I could easily creep.
On each side of the gate was a small window, not above six inches from the
ground: into that on the left side, the king's smith conveyed fourscore and eleven
chains, like those that hang to a lady's
watch in Europe, and almost as large, which were locked to my left leg with six-and-
thirty padlocks.
Over against this temple, on the other side of the great highway, at twenty feet
distance, there was a turret at least five feet high.
Here the emperor ascended, with many principal lords of his court, to have an
opportunity of viewing me, as I was told, for I could not see them.
It was reckoned that above a hundred thousand inhabitants came out of the town
upon the same errand; and, in spite of my guards, I believe there could not be fewer
than ten thousand at several times, who mounted my body by the help of ladders.
But a proclamation was soon issued, to forbid it upon pain of death.
When the workmen found it was impossible for me to break loose, they cut all the
strings that bound me; whereupon I rose up, with as melancholy a disposition as ever I
had in my life.
But the noise and astonishment of the people, at seeing me rise and walk, are not
to be expressed.
The chains that held my left leg were about two yards long, and gave me not only the
liberty of walking backwards and forwards in a semicircle, but, being fixed within
four inches of the gate, allowed me to
creep in, and lie at my full length in the temple.
PART I. A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT.
CHAPTER II.
The emperor of Lilliput, attended by several of the nobility, comes to see the
author in his confinement. The emperor's person and habit described.
Learned men appointed to teach the author their language.
He gains favour by his mild disposition. His pockets are searched, and his sword and
pistols taken from him.
When I found myself on my feet, I looked about me, and must confess I never beheld a
more entertaining prospect.
The country around appeared like a continued garden, and the enclosed fields,
which were generally forty feet square, resembled so many beds of flowers.
These fields were intermingled with woods of half a stang, and the tallest trees, as
I could judge, appeared to be seven feet high.
I viewed the town on my left hand, which looked like the painted scene of a city in
a theatre.
I had been for some hours extremely pressed by the necessities of nature; which was no
wonder, it being almost two days since I had last disburdened myself.
I was under great difficulties between urgency and shame.
The best expedient I could think of, was to creep into my house, which I accordingly
did; and shutting the gate after me, I went as far as the length of my chain would
suffer, and discharged my body of that uneasy load.
But this was the only time I was ever guilty of so uncleanly an action; for which
I cannot but hope the candid reader will give some allowance, after he has maturely
and impartially considered my case, and the distress I was in.
From this time my constant practice was, as soon as I rose, to perform that business in
open air, at the full extent of my chain; and due care was taken every morning before
company came, that the offensive matter
should be carried off in wheel-barrows, by two servants appointed for that purpose.
I would not have dwelt so long upon a circumstance that, perhaps, at first sight,
may appear not very momentous, if I had not thought it necessary to justify my
character, in point of cleanliness, to the
world; which, I am told, some of my maligners have been pleased, upon this and
other occasions, to call in question.
When this adventure was at an end, I came back out of my house, having occasion for
fresh air.
The emperor was already descended from the tower, and advancing on horseback towards
me, which had like to have cost him dear; for the beast, though very well trained,
yet wholly unused to such a sight, which
appeared as if a mountain moved before him, reared up on its hinder feet: but that
prince, who is an excellent horseman, kept his seat, till his attendants ran in, and
held the bridle, while his majesty had time to dismount.
When he alighted, he surveyed me round with great admiration; but kept beyond the
length of my chain.
He ordered his cooks and butlers, who were already prepared, to give me victuals and
drink, which they pushed forward in a sort of vehicles upon wheels, till I could reach
them.
I took these vehicles and soon emptied them all; twenty of them were filled with meat,
and ten with liquor; each of the former afforded me two or three good mouthfuls;
and I emptied the liquor of ten vessels,
which was contained in earthen vials, into one vehicle, drinking it off at a draught;
and so I did with the rest.
The empress, and young princes of the blood of both sexes, attended by many ladies, sat
at some distance in their chairs; but upon the accident that happened to the emperor's
horse, they alighted, and came near his person, which I am now going to describe.
He is taller by almost the breadth of my nail, than any of his court; which alone is
enough to strike an awe into the beholders.
His features are strong and masculine, with an Austrian lip and arched nose, his
complexion olive, his countenance erect, his body and limbs well proportioned, all
his motions graceful, and his deportment majestic.
He was then past his prime, being twenty- eight years and three quarters old, of
which he had reigned about seven in great felicity, and generally victorious.
For the better convenience of beholding him, I lay on my side, so that my face was
parallel to his, and he stood but three yards off: however, I have had him since
many times in my hand, and therefore cannot be deceived in the description.
His dress was very plain and simple, and the fashion of it between the Asiatic and
the European; but he had on his head a light helmet of gold, adorned with jewels,
and a plume on the crest.
He held his sword drawn in his hand to defend himself, if I should happen to break
loose; it was almost three inches long; the hilt and scabbard were gold enriched with
diamonds.
His voice was shrill, but very clear and articulate; and I could distinctly hear it
when I stood up.
The ladies and courtiers were all most magnificently clad; so that the spot they
stood upon seemed to resemble a petticoat spread upon the ground, embroidered with
figures of gold and silver.
His imperial majesty spoke often to me, and I returned answers: but neither of us could
understand a syllable.
There were several of his priests and lawyers present (as I conjectured by their
habits), who were commanded to address themselves to me; and I spoke to them in as
many languages as I had the least
smattering of, which were High and Low Dutch, Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, and
Lingua Franca, but all to no purpose.
After about two hours the court retired, and I was left with a strong guard, to
prevent the impertinence, and probably the malice of the rabble, who were very
impatient to crowd about me as near as they
durst; and some of them had the impudence to shoot their arrows at me, as I sat on
the ground by the door of my house, whereof one very narrowly missed my left eye.
But the colonel ordered six of the ringleaders to be seized, and thought no
punishment so proper as to deliver them bound into my hands; which some of his
soldiers accordingly did, pushing them
forward with the butt-ends of their pikes into my reach.
I took them all in my right hand, put five of them into my coat-pocket; and as to the
sixth, I made a countenance as if I would eat him alive.
The poor man squalled terribly, and the colonel and his officers were in much pain,
especially when they saw me take out my penknife: but I soon put them out of fear;
for, looking mildly, and immediately
cutting the strings he was bound with, I set him gently on the ground, and away he
ran.
I treated the rest in the same manner, taking them one by one out of my pocket;
and I observed both the soldiers and people were highly delighted at this mark of my
clemency, which was represented very much to my advantage at court.
Towards night I got with some difficulty into my house, where I lay on the ground,
and continued to do so about a fortnight; during which time, the emperor gave orders
to have a bed prepared for me.
Six hundred beds of the common measure were brought in carriages, and worked up in my
house; a hundred and fifty of their beds, sewn together, made up the breadth and
length; and these were four double: which,
however, kept me but very indifferently from the hardness of the floor, that was of
smooth stone.
By the same computation, they provided me with sheets, blankets, and coverlets,
tolerable enough for one who had been so long inured to hardships.
As the news of my arrival spread through the kingdom, it brought prodigious numbers
of rich, idle, and curious people to see me; so that the villages were almost
emptied; and great neglect of tillage and
household affairs must have ensued, if his imperial majesty had not provided, by
several proclamations and orders of state, against this inconveniency.
He directed that those who had already beheld me should return home, and not
presume to come within fifty yards of my house, without license from the court;
whereby the secretaries of state got considerable fees.
In the mean time the emperor held frequent councils, to debate what course should be
taken with me; and I was afterwards assured by a particular friend, a person of great
quality, who was as much in the secret as
any, that the court was under many difficulties concerning me.
They apprehended my breaking loose; that my diet would be very expensive, and might
cause a famine.
Sometimes they determined to starve me; or at least to shoot me in the face and hands
with poisoned arrows, which would soon despatch me; but again they considered,
that the stench of so large a carcass might
produce a plague in the metropolis, and probably spread through the whole kingdom.
In the midst of these consultations, several officers of the army went to the
door of the great council-chamber, and two of them being admitted, gave an account of
my behaviour to the six criminals above-
mentioned; which made so favourable an impression in the breast of his majesty and
the whole board, in my behalf, that an imperial commission was issued out,
obliging all the villages, nine hundred
yards round the city, to deliver in every morning six beeves, forty sheep, and other
victuals for my sustenance; together with a proportionable quantity of bread, and wine,
and other liquors; for the due payment of
which, his majesty gave assignments upon his treasury:-for this prince lives chiefly
upon his own demesnes; seldom, except upon great occasions, raising any subsidies upon
his subjects, who are bound to attend him in his wars at their own expense.
An establishment was also made of six hundred persons to be my domestics, who had
board-wages allowed for their maintenance, and tents built for them very conveniently
on each side of my door.
It was likewise ordered, that three hundred tailors should make me a suit of clothes,
after the fashion of the country; that six of his majesty's greatest scholars should
be employed to instruct me in their
language; and lastly, that the emperor's horses, and those of the nobility and
troops of guards, should be frequently exercised in my sight, to accustom
themselves to me.
All these orders were duly put in execution; and in about three weeks I made
a great progress in learning their language; during which time the emperor
frequently honoured me with his visits, and
was pleased to assist my masters in teaching me.
We began already to converse together in some sort; and the first words I learnt,
were to express my desire "that he would please give me my liberty;" which I every
day repeated on my knees.
His answer, as I could comprehend it, was, "that this must be a work of time, not to
be thought on without the advice of his council, and that first I must lumos kelmin
pesso desmar lon emposo;" that is, swear a peace with him and his kingdom.
However, that I should be used with all kindness.
And he advised me to "acquire, by my patience and discreet behaviour, the good
opinion of himself and his subjects." He desired "I would not take it ill, if he
gave orders to certain proper officers to
search me; for probably I might carry about me several weapons, which must needs be
dangerous things, if they answered the bulk of so prodigious a person." I said, "His
majesty should be satisfied; for I was
ready to strip myself, and turn up my pockets before him." This I delivered part
in words, and part in signs.
He replied, "that, by the laws of the kingdom, I must be searched by two of his
officers; that he knew this could not be done without my consent and assistance; and
he had so good an opinion of my generosity
and justice, as to trust their persons in my hands; that whatever they took from me,
should be returned when I left the country, or paid for at the rate which I would set
upon them." I took up the two officers in
my hands, put them first into my coat- pockets, and then into every other pocket
about me, except my two fobs, and another secret pocket, which I had no mind should
be searched, wherein I had some little
necessaries that were of no consequence to any but myself.
In one of my fobs there was a silver watch, and in the other a small quantity of gold
in a purse.
These gentlemen, having pen, ink, and paper, about them, made an exact inventory
of every thing they saw; and when they had done, desired I would set them down, that
they might deliver it to the emperor.
This inventory I afterwards translated into English, and is, word for word, as follows:
"Imprimis: In the right coat-pocket of the great man-mountain" (for so I interpret the
words quinbus flestrin,) "after the
strictest search, we found only one great piece of coarse-cloth, large enough to be a
foot-cloth for your majesty's chief room of state.
In the left pocket we saw a huge silver chest, with a cover of the same metal,
which we, the searchers, were not able to lift.
We desired it should be opened, and one of us stepping into it, found himself up to
the mid leg in a sort of dust, some part whereof flying up to our faces set us both
a sneezing for several times together.
In his right waistcoat-pocket we found a prodigious bundle of white thin substances,
folded one over another, about the bigness of three men, tied with a strong cable, and
marked with black figures; which we humbly
conceive to be writings, every letter almost half as large as the palm of our
hands.
In the left there was a sort of engine, from the back of which were extended twenty
long poles, resembling the pallisados before your majesty's court: wherewith we
conjecture the man-mountain combs his head;
for we did not always trouble him with questions, because we found it a great
difficulty to make him understand us.
In the large pocket, on the right side of his middle cover" (so I translate the word
ranfulo, by which they meant my breeches,) "we saw a hollow pillar of iron, about the
length of a man, fastened to a strong piece
of timber larger than the pillar; and upon one side of the pillar, were huge pieces of
iron sticking out, cut into strange figures, which we know not what to make of.
In the left pocket, another engine of the same kind.
In the smaller pocket on the right side, were several round flat pieces of white and
red metal, of different bulk; some of the white, which seemed to be silver, were so
large and heavy, that my comrade and I could hardly lift them.
In the left pocket were two black pillars irregularly shaped: we could not, without
difficulty, reach the top of them, as we stood at the bottom of his pocket.
One of them was covered, and seemed all of a piece: but at the upper end of the other
there appeared a white round substance, about twice the bigness of our heads.
Within each of these was enclosed a prodigious plate of steel; which, by our
orders, we obliged him to show us, because we apprehended they might be dangerous
engines.
He took them out of their cases, and told us, that in his own country his practice
was to shave his beard with one of these, and cut his meat with the other.
There were two pockets which we could not enter: these he called his fobs; they were
two large slits cut into the top of his middle cover, but squeezed close by the
pressure of his belly.
Out of the right fob hung a great silver chain, with a wonderful kind of engine at
the bottom.
We directed him to draw out whatever was at the end of that chain; which appeared to be
a globe, half silver, and half of some transparent metal; for, on the transparent
side, we saw certain strange figures
circularly drawn, and thought we could touch them, till we found our fingers
stopped by the lucid substance.
He put this engine into our ears, which made an incessant noise, like that of a
water-mill: and we conjecture it is either some unknown animal, or the god that he
worships; but we are more inclined to the
latter opinion, because he assured us, (if we understood him right, for he expressed
himself very imperfectly) that he seldom did any thing without consulting it.
He called it his oracle, and said, it pointed out the time for every action of
his life.
From the left fob he took out a net almost large enough for a fisherman, but contrived
to open and shut like a purse, and served him for the same use: we found therein
several massy pieces of yellow metal,
which, if they be real gold, must be of immense value.
"Having thus, in obedience to your majesty's commands, diligently searched all
his pockets, we observed a girdle about his waist made of the hide of some prodigious
animal, from which, on the left side, hung
a sword of the length of five men; and on the right, a bag or pouch divided into two
cells, each cell capable of holding three of your majesty's subjects.
In one of these cells were several globes, or balls, of a most ponderous metal, about
the bigness of our heads, and requiring a strong hand to lift them: the other cell
contained a heap of certain black grains,
but of no great bulk or weight, for we could hold above fifty of them in the palms
of our hands.
"This is an exact inventory of what we found about the body of the man-mountain,
who used us with great civility, and due respect to your majesty's commission.
Signed and sealed on the fourth day of the eighty-ninth moon of your majesty's
auspicious reign.
CLEFRIN FRELOCK, MARSI FRELOCK." When this inventory was read over to the emperor, he
directed me, although in very gentle terms, to deliver up the several particulars.
He first called for my scimitar, which I took out, scabbard and all.
In the mean time he ordered three thousand of his choicest troops (who then attended
him) to surround me at a distance, with their bows and arrows just ready to
discharge; but I did not observe it, for
mine eyes were wholly fixed upon his majesty.
He then desired me to draw my scimitar, which, although it had got some rust by the
sea water, was, in most parts, exceeding bright.
I did so, and immediately all the troops gave a shout between terror and surprise;
for the sun shone clear, and the reflection dazzled their eyes, as I waved the scimitar
to and fro in my hand.
His majesty, who is a most magnanimous prince, was less daunted than I could
expect: he ordered me to return it into the scabbard, and cast it on the ground as
gently as I could, about six feet from the end of my chain.
The next thing he demanded was one of the hollow iron pillars; by which he meant my
pocket pistols.
I drew it out, and at his desire, as well as I could, expressed to him the use of it;
and charging it only with powder, which, by the closeness of my pouch, happened to
escape wetting in the sea (an inconvenience
against which all prudent mariners take special care to provide,) I first cautioned
the emperor not to be afraid, and then I let it off in the air.
The astonishment here was much greater than at the sight of my scimitar.
Hundreds fell down as if they had been struck dead; and even the emperor, although
he stood his ground, could not recover himself for some time.
I delivered up both my pistols in the same manner as I had done my scimitar, and then
my pouch of powder and bullets; begging him that the former might be kept from fire,
for it would kindle with the smallest
spark, and blow up his imperial palace into the air.
I likewise delivered up my watch, which the emperor was very curious to see, and
commanded two of his tallest yeomen of the guards to bear it on a pole upon their
shoulders, as draymen in England do a barrel of ale.
He was amazed at the continual noise it made, and the motion of the minute-hand,
which he could easily discern; for their sight is much more acute than ours: he
asked the opinions of his learned men about
it, which were various and remote, as the reader may well imagine without my
repeating; although indeed I could not very perfectly understand them.
I then gave up my silver and copper money, my purse, with nine large pieces of gold,
and some smaller ones; my knife and razor, my comb and silver snuff-box, my
handkerchief and journal-book.
My scimitar, pistols, and pouch, were conveyed in carriages to his majesty's
stores; but the rest of my goods were returned me.
I had as I before observed, one private pocket, which escaped their search, wherein
there was a pair of spectacles (which I sometimes use for the weakness of mine
eyes,) a pocket perspective, and some other
little conveniences; which, being of no consequence to the emperor, I did not think
myself bound in honour to discover, and I apprehended they might be lost or spoiled
if I ventured them out of my possession.
PART I. A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT.
CHAPTER III.
The author diverts the emperor, and his nobility of both sexes, in a very uncommon
manner. The diversions of the court of Lilliput
described.
The author has his liberty granted him upon certain conditions.
My gentleness and good behaviour had gained so far on the emperor and his court, and
indeed upon the army and people in general, that I began to conceive hopes of getting
my liberty in a short time.
I took all possible methods to cultivate this favourable disposition.
The natives came, by degrees, to be less apprehensive of any danger from me.
I would sometimes lie down, and let five or six of them dance on my hand; and at last
the boys and girls would venture to come and play at hide-and-seek in my hair.
I had now made a good progress in understanding and speaking the language.
The emperor had a mind one day to entertain me with several of the country shows,
wherein they exceed all nations I have known, both for dexterity and magnificence.
I was diverted with none so much as that of the rope-dancers, performed upon a slender
white thread, extended about two feet, and twelve inches from the ground.
Upon which I shall desire liberty, with the reader's patience, to enlarge a little.
This diversion is only practised by those persons who are candidates for great
employments, and high favour at court.
They are trained in this art from their youth, and are not always of noble birth,
or liberal education.
When a great office is vacant, either by death or disgrace (which often happens,)
five or six of those candidates petition the emperor to entertain his majesty and
the court with a dance on the rope; and
whoever jumps the highest, without falling, succeeds in the office.
Very often the chief ministers themselves are commanded to show their skill, and to
convince the emperor that they have not lost their faculty.
Flimnap, the treasurer, is allowed to cut a caper on the straight rope, at least an
inch higher than any other lord in the whole empire.
I have seen him do the summerset several times together, upon a trencher fixed on a
rope which is no thicker than a common packthread in England.
My friend Reldresal, principal secretary for private affairs, is, in my opinion, if
I am not partial, the second after the treasurer; the rest of the great officers
are much upon a par.
These diversions are often attended with fatal accidents, whereof great numbers are
on record. I myself have seen two or three candidates
break a limb.
But the danger is much greater, when the ministers themselves are commanded to show
their dexterity; for, by contending to excel themselves and their fellows, they
strain so far that there is hardly one of
them who has not received a fall, and some of them two or three.
I was assured that, a year or two before my arrival, Flimnap would infallibly have
broke his neck, if one of the king's cushions, that accidentally lay on the
ground, had not weakened the force of his fall.
There is likewise another diversion, which is only shown before the emperor and
empress, and first minister, upon particular occasions.
The emperor lays on the table three fine silken threads of six inches long; one is
blue, the other red, and the third green.
These threads are proposed as prizes for those persons whom the emperor has a mind
to distinguish by a peculiar mark of his favour.
The ceremony is performed in his majesty's great chamber of state, where the
candidates are to undergo a trial of dexterity very different from the former,
and such as I have not observed the least
resemblance of in any other country of the new or old world.
The emperor holds a stick in his hands, both ends parallel to the horizon, while
the candidates advancing, one by one, sometimes leap over the stick, sometimes
creep under it, backward and forward,
several times, according as the stick is advanced or depressed.
Sometimes the emperor holds one end of the stick, and his first minister the other;
sometimes the minister has it entirely to himself.
Whoever performs his part with most agility, and holds out the longest in
leaping and creeping, is rewarded with the blue-coloured silk; the red is given to the
next, and the green to the third, which
they all wear girt twice round about the middle; and you see few great persons about
this court who are not adorned with one of these girdles.
The horses of the army, and those of the royal stables, having been daily led before
me, were no longer shy, but would come up to my very feet without starting.
The riders would leap them over my hand, as I held it on the ground; and one of the
emperor's huntsmen, upon a large courser, took my foot, shoe and all; which was
indeed a prodigious leap.
I had the good fortune to divert the emperor one day after a very extraordinary
manner.
I desired he would order several sticks of two feet high, and the thickness of an
ordinary cane, to be brought me; whereupon his majesty commanded the master of his
woods to give directions accordingly; and
the next morning six woodmen arrived with as many carriages, drawn by eight horses to
each.
I took nine of these sticks, and fixing them firmly in the ground in a quadrangular
figure, two feet and a half square, I took four other sticks, and tied them parallel
at each corner, about two feet from the
ground; then I fastened my handkerchief to the nine sticks that stood erect; and
extended it on all sides, till it was tight as the top of a drum; and the four parallel
sticks, rising about five inches higher
than the handkerchief, served as ledges on each side.
When I had finished my work, I desired the emperor to let a troop of his best horses
twenty-four in number, come and exercise upon this plain.
His majesty approved of the proposal, and I took them up, one by one, in my hands,
ready mounted and armed, with the proper officers to exercise them.
As soon as they got into order they divided into two parties, performed mock
skirmishes, discharged blunt arrows, drew their swords, fled and pursued, attacked
and retired, and in short discovered the best military discipline I ever beheld.
The parallel sticks secured them and their horses from falling over the stage; and the
emperor was so much delighted, that he ordered this entertainment to be repeated
several days, and once was pleased to be
lifted up and give the word of command; and with great difficulty persuaded even the
empress herself to let me hold her in her close chair within two yards of the stage,
when she was able to take a full view of the whole performance.
It was my good fortune, that no ill accident happened in these entertainments;
only once a fiery horse, that belonged to one of the captains, pawing with his hoof,
struck a hole in my handkerchief, and his
foot slipping, he overthrew his rider and himself; but I immediately relieved them
both, and covering the hole with one hand, I set down the troop with the other, in the
same manner as I took them up.
The horse that fell was strained in the left shoulder, but the rider got no hurt;
and I repaired my handkerchief as well as I could: however, I would not trust to the
strength of it any more, in such dangerous enterprises.
About two or three days before I was set at liberty, as I was entertaining the court
with this kind of feat, there arrived an express to inform his majesty, that some of
his subjects, riding near the place where I
was first taken up, had seen a great black substance lying on the around, very oddly
shaped, extending its edges round, as wide as his majesty's bedchamber, and rising up
in the middle as high as a man; that it was
no living creature, as they at first apprehended, for it lay on the grass
without motion; and some of them had walked round it several times; that, by mounting
upon each other's shoulders, they had got
to the top, which was flat and even, and, stamping upon it, they found that it was
hollow within; that they humbly conceived it might be something belonging to the man-
mountain; and if his majesty pleased, they
would undertake to bring it with only five horses.
I presently knew what they meant, and was glad at heart to receive this intelligence.
It seems, upon my first reaching the shore after our shipwreck, I was in such
confusion, that before I came to the place where I went to sleep, my hat, which I had
fastened with a string to my head while I
was rowing, and had stuck on all the time I was swimming, fell off after I came to
land; the string, as I conjecture, breaking by some accident, which I never observed,
but thought my hat had been lost at sea.
I entreated his imperial majesty to give orders it might be brought to me as soon as
possible, describing to him the use and the nature of it: and the next day the
waggoners arrived with it, but not in a
very good condition; they had bored two holes in the brim, within an inch and half
of the edge, and fastened two hooks in the holes; these hooks were tied by a long cord
to the harness, and thus my hat was dragged
along for above half an English mile; but, the ground in that country being extremely
smooth and level, it received less damage than I expected.
Two days after this adventure, the emperor, having ordered that part of his army which
quarters in and about his metropolis, to be in readiness, took a fancy of diverting
himself in a very singular manner.
He desired I would stand like a Colossus, with my legs as far asunder as I
conveniently could.
He then commanded his general (who was an old experienced leader, and a great patron
of mine) to draw up the troops in close order, and march them under me; the foot by
twenty-four abreast, and the horse by
sixteen, with drums beating, colours flying, and pikes advanced.
This body consisted of three thousand foot, and a thousand horse.
His majesty gave orders, upon pain of death, that every soldier in his march
should observe the strictest decency with regard to my person; which however could
not prevent some of the younger officers
from turning up their eyes as they passed under me: and, to confess the truth, my
breeches were at that time in so ill a condition, that they afforded some
opportunities for laughter and admiration.
I had sent so many memorials and petitions for my liberty, that his majesty at length
mentioned the matter, first in the cabinet, and then in a full council; where it was
opposed by none, except Skyresh Bolgolam,
who was pleased, without any provocation, to be my mortal enemy.
But it was carried against him by the whole board, and confirmed by the emperor.
That minister was galbet, or admiral of the realm, very much in his master's
confidence, and a person well versed in affairs, but of a morose and sour
complexion.
However, he was at length persuaded to comply; but prevailed that the articles and
conditions upon which I should be set free, and to which I must swear, should be drawn
up by himself.
These articles were brought to me by Skyresh Bolgolam in person attended by two
under-secretaries, and several persons of distinction.
After they were read, I was demanded to swear to the performance of them; first in
the manner of my own country, and afterwards in the method prescribed by
their laws; which was, to hold my right
foot in my left hand, and to place the middle finger of my right hand on the crown
of my head, and my thumb on the tip of my right ear.
But because the reader may be curious to have some idea of the style and manner of
expression peculiar to that people, as well as to know the article upon which I
recovered my liberty, I have made a
translation of the whole instrument, word for word, as near as I was able, which I
here offer to the public.
"Golbasto Momarem Evlame Gurdilo Shefin Mully Ully Gue, most mighty Emperor of
Lilliput, delight and terror of the universe, whose dominions extend five
thousand blustrugs (about twelve miles in
circumference) to the extremities of the globe; monarch of all monarchs, taller than
the sons of men; whose feet press down to the centre, and whose head strikes against
the sun; at whose nod the princes of the
earth shake their knees; pleasant as the spring, comfortable as the summer, fruitful
as autumn, dreadful as winter: his most sublime majesty proposes to the man-
mountain, lately arrived at our celestial
dominions, the following articles, which, by a solemn oath, he shall be obliged to
perform:- "1st, The man-mountain shall not depart from our dominions, without our
license under our great seal.
"2d, He shall not presume to come into our metropolis, without our express order; at
which time, the inhabitants shall have two hours warning to keep within doors.
"3d, The said man-mountain shall confine his walks to our principal high roads, and
not offer to walk, or lie down, in a meadow or field of corn.
"4th, As he walks the said roads, he shall take the utmost care not to trample upon
the bodies of any of our loving subjects, their horses, or carriages, nor take any of
our subjects into his hands without their own consent.
"5th, If an express requires extraordinary despatch, the man-mountain shall be obliged
to carry, in his pocket, the messenger and horse a six days journey, once in every
moon, and return the said messenger back
(if so required) safe to our imperial presence.
"6th, He shall be our ally against our enemies in the island of Blefuscu, and do
his utmost to destroy their fleet, which is now preparing to invade us.
"7th, That the said man-mountain shall, at his times of leisure, be aiding and
assisting to our workmen, in helping to raise certain great stones, towards
covering the wall of the principal park, and other our royal buildings.
"8th, That the said man-mountain shall, in two moons' time, deliver in an exact survey
of the circumference of our dominions, by a computation of his own paces round the
coast.
"Lastly, That, upon his solemn oath to observe all the above articles, the said
man-mountain shall have a daily allowance of meat and drink sufficient for the
support of 1724 of our subjects, with free
access to our royal person, and other marks of our favour.
Given at our palace at Belfaborac, the twelfth day of the ninety-first moon of our
reign." I swore and subscribed to these articles with great cheerfulness and
content, although some of them were not so
honourable as I could have wished; which proceeded wholly from the malice of Skyresh
Bolgolam, the high-admiral: whereupon my chains were immediately unlocked, and I was
at full liberty.
The emperor himself, in person, did me the honour to be by at the whole ceremony.
I made my acknowledgements by prostrating myself at his majesty's feet: but he
commanded me to rise; and after many gracious expressions, which, to avoid the
censure of vanity, I shall not repeat, he
added, "that he hoped I should prove a useful servant, and well deserve all the
favours he had already conferred upon me, or might do for the future." The reader may
please to observe, that, in the last
article of the recovery of my liberty, the emperor stipulates to allow me a quantity
of meat and drink sufficient for the support of 1724 Lilliputians.
Some time after, asking a friend at court how they came to fix on that determinate
number, he told me that his majesty's mathematicians, having taken the height of
my body by the help of a quadrant, and
finding it to exceed theirs in the proportion of twelve to one, they concluded
from the similarity of their bodies, that mine must contain at least 1724 of theirs,
and consequently would require as much food
as was necessary to support that number of Lilliputians.
By which the reader may conceive an idea of the ingenuity of that people, as well as
the prudent and exact economy of so great a prince.
PART I. A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT.
CHAPTER IV.
Mildendo, the metropolis of Lilliput, described, together with the emperor's
palace.
A conversation between the author and a principal secretary, concerning the affairs
of that empire. The author's offers to serve the emperor in
his wars.
The first request I made, after I had obtained my liberty, was, that I might have
license to see Mildendo, the metropolis; which the emperor easily granted me, but
with a special charge to do no hurt either to the inhabitants or their houses.
The people had notice, by proclamation, of my design to visit the town.
The wall which encompassed it is two feet and a half high, and at least eleven inches
broad, so that a coach and horses may be driven very safely round it; and it is
flanked with strong towers at ten feet distance.
I stepped over the great western gate, and passed very gently, and sidling, through
the two principal streets, only in my short waistcoat, for fear of damaging the roofs
and eaves of the houses with the skirts of my coat.
I walked with the utmost circumspection, to avoid treading on any stragglers who might
remain in the streets, although the orders were very strict, that all people should
keep in their houses, at their own peril.
The garret windows and tops of houses were so crowded with spectators, that I thought
in all my travels I had not seen a more populous place.
The city is an exact square, each side of the wall being five hundred feet long.
The two great streets, which run across and divide it into four quarters, are five feet
wide.
The lanes and alleys, which I could not enter, but only view them as I passed, are
from twelve to eighteen inches.
The town is capable of holding five hundred thousand souls: the houses are from three
to five stories: the shops and markets well provided.
The emperor's palace is in the centre of the city where the two great streets meet.
It is enclosed by a wall of two feet high, and twenty feet distance from the
buildings.
I had his majesty's permission to step over this wall; and, the space being so wide
between that and the palace, I could easily view it on every side.
The outward court is a square of forty feet, and includes two other courts: in the
inmost are the royal apartments, which I was very desirous to see, but found it
extremely difficult; for the great gates,
from one square into another, were but eighteen inches high, and seven inches
wide.
Now the buildings of the outer court were at least five feet high, and it was
impossible for me to stride over them without infinite damage to the pile, though
the walls were strongly built of hewn stone, and four inches thick.
At the same time the emperor had a great desire that I should see the magnificence
of his palace; but this I was not able to do till three days after, which I spent in
cutting down with my knife some of the
largest trees in the royal park, about a hundred yards distant from the city.
Of these trees I made two stools, each about three feet high, and strong enough to
bear my weight.
The people having received notice a second time, I went again through the city to the
palace with my two stools in my hands.
When I came to the side of the outer court, I stood upon one stool, and took the other
in my hand; this I lifted over the roof, and gently set it down on the space between
the first and second court, which was eight feet wide.
I then stept over the building very conveniently from one stool to the other,
and drew up the first after me with a hooked stick.
By this contrivance I got into the inmost court; and, lying down upon my side, I
applied my face to the windows of the middle stories, which were left open on
purpose, and discovered the most splendid apartments that can be imagined.
There I saw the empress and the young princes, in their several lodgings, with
their chief attendants about them.
Her imperial majesty was pleased to smile very graciously upon me, and gave me out of
the window her hand to kiss.
But I shall not anticipate the reader with further descriptions of this kind, because
I reserve them for a greater work, which is now almost ready for the press; containing
a general description of this empire, from
its first ***, through along series of princes; with a particular account of their
wars and politics, laws, learning, and religion; their plants and animals; their
peculiar manners and customs, with other
matters very curious and useful; my chief design at present being only to relate such
events and transactions as happened to the public or to myself during a residence of
about nine months in that empire.
One morning, about a fortnight after I had obtained my liberty, Reldresal, principal
secretary (as they style him) for private affairs, came to my house attended only by
one servant.
He ordered his coach to wait at a distance, and desired I would give him an hours
audience; which I readily consented to, on account of his quality and personal merits,
as well as of the many good offices he had done me during my solicitations at court.
I offered to lie down that he might the more conveniently reach my ear, but he
chose rather to let me hold him in my hand during our conversation.
He began with compliments on my liberty; said "he might pretend to some merit in
it;" but, however, added, "that if it had not been for the present situation of
things at court, perhaps I might not have obtained it so soon.
For," said he, "as flourishing a condition as we may appear to be in to foreigners, we
labour under two mighty evils: a violent faction at home, and the danger of an
invasion, by a most potent enemy, from abroad.
As to the first, you are to understand, that for about seventy moons past there
have been two struggling parties in this empire, under the names of Tramecksan and
Slamecksan, from the high and low heels of
their shoes, by which they distinguish themselves.
It is alleged, indeed, that the high heels are most agreeable to our ancient
constitution; but, however this be, his majesty has determined to make use only of
low heels in the administration of the
government, and all offices in the gift of the crown, as you cannot but observe; and
particularly that his majesty's imperial heels are lower at least by a drurr than
any of his court (drurr is a measure about the fourteenth part of an inch).
The animosities between these two parties run so high, that they will neither eat,
nor drink, nor talk with each other.
We compute the Tramecksan, or high heels, to exceed us in number; but the power is
wholly on our side.
We apprehend his imperial highness, the heir to the crown, to have some tendency
towards the high heels; at least we can plainly discover that one of his heels is
higher than the other, which gives him a hobble in his gait.
Now, in the midst of these intestine disquiets, we are threatened with an
invasion from the island of Blefuscu, which is the other great empire of the universe,
almost as large and powerful as this of his majesty.
For as to what we have heard you affirm, that there are other kingdoms and states in
the world inhabited by human creatures as large as yourself, our philosophers are in
much doubt, and would rather conjecture
that you dropped from the moon, or one of the stars; because it is certain, that a
hundred mortals of your bulk would in a short time destroy all the fruits and
cattle of his majesty's dominions: besides,
our histories of six thousand moons make no mention of any other regions than the two
great empires of Lilliput and Blefuscu.
Which two mighty powers have, as I was going to tell you, been engaged in a most
obstinate war for six-and-thirty moons past.
It began upon the following occasion.
It is allowed on all hands, that the primitive way of breaking eggs, before we
eat them, was upon the larger end; but his present majesty's grandfather, while he was
a boy, going to eat an egg, and breaking it
according to the ancient practice, happened to cut one of his fingers.
Whereupon the emperor his father published an edict, commanding all his subjects, upon
great penalties, to break the smaller end of their eggs.
The people so highly resented this law, that our histories tell us, there have been
six rebellions raised on that account; wherein one emperor lost his life, and
another his crown.
These civil commotions were constantly fomented by the monarchs of Blefuscu; and
when they were quelled, the exiles always fled for refuge to that empire.
It is computed that eleven thousand persons have at several times suffered death,
rather than submit to break their eggs at the smaller end.
Many hundred large volumes have been published upon this controversy: but the
books of the Big-endians have been long forbidden, and the whole party rendered
incapable by law of holding employments.
During the course of these troubles, the emperors of Blefusca did frequently
expostulate by their ambassadors, accusing us of making a schism in religion, by
offending against a fundamental doctrine of
our great prophet Lustrog, in the fifty- fourth chapter of the Blundecral (which is
their Alcoran).
This, however, is thought to be a mere strain upon the text; for the words are
these: 'that all true believers break their eggs at the convenient end.' And which is
the convenient end, seems, in my humble
opinion to be left to every man's conscience, or at least in the power of the
chief magistrate to determine.
Now, the Big-endian exiles have found so much credit in the emperor of Blefuscu's
court, and so much private assistance and encouragement from their party here at
home, that a bloody war has been carried on
between the two empires for six-and-thirty moons, with various success; during which
time we have lost forty capital ships, and a much a greater number of smaller vessels,
together with thirty thousand of our best
*** and soldiers; and the damage received by the enemy is reckoned to be
somewhat greater than ours.
However, they have now equipped a numerous fleet, and are just preparing to make a
descent upon us; and his imperial majesty, placing great confidence in your valour and
strength, has commanded me to lay this
account of his affairs before you." I desired the secretary to present my humble
duty to the emperor; and to let him know, "that I thought it would not become me, who
was a foreigner, to interfere with parties;
but I was ready, with the hazard of my life, to defend his person and state
against all invaders."