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bited at all. On the three other fides it is bounded by the ocean. There is not one fea port in the whole kingdom, and thofe parts of the coats into which the rivers iflue, are fo full of pointed rocks, and the fea generally fo rough, that there is no venturing with the fmalleft of their boats; fo that these people are wholly excluded from any commerce with the reft of the world. But the large rivers are full of veffels, and abound with excellent fifh, for they feldom get any from the fea, becaufe the fea-fifh are of the fame fize with thofe in Europe, and confequently not worth catching: whereby it is manifeft that nature, in the production of plants and animals of fo extraordinary a bulk, is wholly confined to this continent, of which I leave the reafons to be determined by philofophers. However, now and then they take a whale that happens to be dafhed against the rock, which the common people feed on heartily. These whales I have known fo large that a man could hardly carry one upon his fhoulders; and fometimes for curiofity they are brought in hampers to Lorbrulgrud; I faw one of them-in a difh at the king's table, which paffed for a rarity, but I did not obferve he was fond of it; for I think indeed the bignefs difgutted him, although I have feen one fomewhat larger in Greenland.

The country is well inhabited, for it contains fifty-one cities, near an hundred walled towns, and a great number of vil lages. To fatisfy my curious readers it may be fufficient to defcribe Lerbrulgrud. This city ftands upon almoft two equal parts on each fide the river that palles through. It contains above eighty thoufand houfes, and above fix hundred thoufand inhabitants. It is in length three glamglungs, (which make about fifty-four English miles) and two and a half in breadth, as I measured it myfelf in the royal map made by the king's order, which was laid on the ground on purpofe for me, and extended an hundred feet; I paced the diameter and circumference feveral times bare-foot, and computing by the fcale, measured it pretty exactly.

The king's palace is no regular edifice, but an heap of building about feven miles round: the chief rooms are generally two hundred and forty feet high, and broad and long in proportion. A coach was allowed to Glumdalclitch and me, wherein her governels frequently took her out to fee the town, or go among the fhops:

and I was always of the party, carried in my box; although the girl, at my own defire, would often take me out, and hold me in her hand, that I might more conveniently view the houfes and the people, as we paffed along the streets. I reckoned our coach to be about a fquare of Wettminster-hall, but not altogether fo high: however, I cannot be very exact. One day the governeis ordered our coachman to ftop at feveral thops, where the beggars, watching their opportunity, crowded to the fides of the coach, and gave me the most horrible fpectacles that ever an European eye beheld. There was a woman with a cancer in her breaft, fwelled to a monftrous fize, full of holes, in two or three of which I could have eafily crept, and covered my whole body. There was a fellow with a wen in his neck larger than five woolpacks, and another with a couple of wooden legs, each about twenty feet high. But the moft hateful fight of all was the lice crawling on their clothes. I could fee diftinctly the limbs of thefe vermin with my naked eye, much better than those of an European loufe through a microscope, and their fnouts with which they routed like fwine. They were the firft I had ever beheld, and I should have been curious enough to diffect one of them, if I had had proper inflruments (which I unluckily left behind me in the fhip) although indeed the fight was fo naufeous, that it perfectly turned my ftomach.

Befide the large box in which I was ufually carried, the queen ordered a smaller one to be made for me of about twelve feet fquare and ten high, for the convenience of travelling, because the other was fomewhat too large for Glumdalclitch's lap, and cumberfome in the coach; it was made by the fame artist, whom I directed in the whole contrivance. This travellingclofet was an exact square, with a window in the middle of three of the fquares, and each window was latticed with iron wire on the outfide, to prevent accidents in long journies. On the fourth fide, which had no window, two ftrong ftaples were fixed, through which the perfon that carried me, when I had a mind to be on horseback, put a leathern belt, and buckled it about his wait. This was always the office of fome grave trufty fervant in whom I could confide, whether I attended the king and queen in their progreffes, or were disposed to see the gardens, or pay a vifit to fome great lady or minifter of state in the court, when Glumdalclitch

Glumdalclitch happened to be out of order: for I foon began to be known and efteemed among the greatest officers, I fuppofe more upon account of their majefties favour than any merit of my own. In journies, when I was weary of the coach, a fervant on horfeback would buckle on my box, and place it upon a cushion before him; and there I had a full profpect of the country on three fides from my three windows. I had in this closet a field-bed and a hammock hung from the cieling, two chairs, and a table, neatly fcrewed to the floor, to prevent being toffed about by the agitation of the horse or the coach, And having been long used to fea-voyages, thofe motions, although fometimes very violent, did not much difcompofe me.

Whenever I had a mind to fee the town, it was always in my travelling-clofet, which Glumdalclitch held in her lap in a kind of open fedan, after the fashion of the country, borne by four men, and attended by two others in the queen's livery. The people, who had often heard of me, were very curious to crowd about the fedan: and the girl was complaifant enough to make the bearers ftop, and to take me in her hand that I might be more conveniently 'feen.

I was very defirous to fee the chief temple, and particularly the tower belonging to it, which is reckoned the higheft in the kingdom. Accordingly one day my nurfe carried me thither, but I may truly fay I came back disappointed; for the height is not above three thoufand feet, reckoning from the ground to the highest pinnacle top; which, allowing for the difference between the fize of those people and us in Europe, is no great matter for admiration, nor at all equal in proportion (if I rightly remember) to Salisbury steeple. But, not to detract from a nation to which during my life I fhall acknowledge myself extremely obliged, it must be allowed that whatever this famous tower wants in height, is amply made up in beauty and strength. For the walls are near an hundred feet thick, built of hewn ftone, whereof each is about forty feet fquare, and adorned on all fides with ftatues of gods and emperors cut in marble larger than the life, placed in their feveral niches. I meafured a little finger which had fallen down from one of thefe ftatues, and lay unperceived among fome rubbish, and found it exactly four feet and an inch in length. Glumdalclitch wrapped it up in her handkerchief, and

carried it home in her pocket, to keep among other trinkets, of which the girl was very fond, as children at her age ufually are.

The king's kitchen is indeed a noble building, vaulted at top, and about fix hundred feet high. The great oven is not fo wide by ten paces as the cupola at St. Paul's: for I measured the latter on purpofe after my returu. But if I fhould deferibe the kitchen-grate, the prodigious pots and kettles, the joints of meat turning on the fpits, with many other particulars, perhaps I fhould be hardly believed; at least a fevere critic would be apt to think I enlarged a little, as travellers are often fufpected to do. To avoid which cenfure, I fear I have run too much into the other extreme; and that if this treatise fhould happen to be tranflated into the language of Brobdingnag (which is the general name of that kingdom) and tranfmitted thither, the king and his people would have reafon to complain, that I had done them an injury by a falfe and diminutive representation.

His majeДy feldom keeps above fix hundred horfes in his ftables: they are generally from fifty-four to fixty feet high. But, when he goes abroad on folemn days, he is attended for ftate by a militia guard of five hundred horfe, which indeed I thought was the most fplendid fight that could be ever beheld, till I faw part of his army in battalia, whereof I fhall find another occafion to speak.

CHAP. V.

Several adventures that happened to the author. The execution of a criminal. The author fhews his skill in navigation.

I fhould have lived happy enough in that country, if my littlenefs had not expofed me to feveral ridiculous and trouble. fome accidents: fome of which I fhall venture to relate. Glumdalclitch often carried me into the gardens of the court in my fmaller box, and would fometimes take me out of it, and hold me in her hand, or fet me down to walk. I remember, before the dwarf left the queen, he followed us one day into thofe gardens, and my nurse having fet me down, he and I being clofe together, near fome dwarf apple-trees, I muft needs fhew my wit by filly allufion between him and the trees, which happens to hold in their language as it doth in ours. Whereupon the malicious rogue, watching

his opportunity, when I was walking under one of them, fhock it directly over my head, by which a dozen apples, each of them as large as a Bristol barrel, came tumbling about my ears; one of them hit me on the back as I chanced to stoop, and knocked me down flat on my face; but I received no other hurt, and the dwarf was pardoned at my defire, because I had given the provocation.

Another day Glumdalclitch left me on a fmooth grafs-plat to divert myself, while the walked at fome distance with her governess. In the mean time there fuddenly fell fuch a violent fhower of hail, that I was immediately by the force of it ftruck to the ground: and when I was down, the hailHones gave me fuch cruel bangs all over the body, as if I had been pelted with ten.nis-balls; however, I made fhift to creep on all four, and fhelter myfelf by lying flat on my face, on the lee fide of a border of lemon-thyme, but fo bruifed from head to foot, that I could not go abroad in ten days. Neither is this at all to be won dered at, because nature in that country, obferving the fame proportion through all her operations, a hail-ftone is near eighteen hundred times as large as one in Europe, which I can affert upon experience, having been fo curious to weigh and measure

them.

But a more dangerous accident happened to me in the fame garden, when my little nurfe believing fhe had put me in a fecure place, which I often intreated her to do, that I might enjoy my own thoughts, and having left my box at home to avoid the trouble of carrying it, went to another part of the garden with her governefs, and fome ladies of her acquaintance. While she was abfent, and out of hearing, a small white fpaniel belonging to one of the chief gardeners, having got by accident into the garden, happened to range near the place where I lay the dog, following the fcent, came directly up, and taking me in his mouth, ran ftrait to his mafter, wagging his tail, and fet me gently on the ground. By good fortune he had been fo well taught, that I was carried between his teeth with out the leaft hurt, or even tearing my clothes. But the poor gardener, who knew me well, and had a great kindness for me, was in a terrible fright: he gently took me up in both his hands, and afked me how I did; but I was fo amazed and out of breath, that I could not fpeak a word. In a few minutes I came to myself, and he carried

me fafe to my little nurfe, who by this time had returned to the place where the left me, and was in cruel agonies when I did not appear, nor answer when the called: the feverely reprimanded the gardener on account of his dog. But the thing was hufhed up, and never known at court; for the girl was afraid of the queen's anger; and truly, as to myself, I thought it would not be for my reputation that fuch a story thould go about.

This accident abfolutely determined Glumdalclitch never to trust me abroad for the future out of her fight. I had been long afraid of this refolution, and therefore concealed from her fome little unlucky adventures that happened in thofe times when I was left by myself. Once a kite, hovering over the garden, made a stoop at me, and if I had not refolutely drawn my hanger, and run under a thick efpalier, he would have certainly carried me away in his talons. Another time walking to the top of a fresh mole-hill, I fell to my neck in the hole through which that animal had caft up the earth, and coined fome lye, not worth remembering, to excufe myfelf for fpoiling my clothes. I likewife broke my right thin against the shell of a fnail, which I happened to ftumble over, as I was walking alone and thinking on poor England.

I cannot tell, whether I was more pleafed or mortified to observe in thofe folitary walks, that the fmaller birds did not appear to be at all afraid of me, but would hop about me within a yard's distance, locking for worms and other food with as much indifference and fecurity, as if no creature at all were near them. I remember, a thrush had the confidence to fnatch out of my hand, with his bill, a piece of cake that Glumdalclitch had given me for my breakfaft. When I attempted to catch any of thefe birds, they would boldly turn against me, endeavouring to peek my fingers, which I durft not venture within their reach; and then they would hop back unconcerned to hunt for worms or fnails, as they did before. But one day I took a thick cudgel, and threw it with all my ftrength fo luckily at a linnet, that I knocked him down, and feizing him by the neck with both my hands, ran with him in triumph to my nurse. However the bird, who had only been stunned, recovering himself, gave me so many boxes with his wings on both fides of my head and body, though I held him at arm's

length,

length, and was out of the reach of his claws, that I was twenty times thinking to let him go. But I was foon relieved by one of our fervants, who wrung off the bird's neck, and I had him next day for dinner by the queen's command. This Jinnet, as near as I can remember, feemed to be fomewhat larger than an English fwan.

The maids of honour often invited Glumdalclitch to their apartments, and defired fhe would bring me along with her, on purpose to have the pleasure of feeling and touching me. They would often ftrip me naked from top to toe, and lay me at full length in their bofoms; wherewith I was much difgufted: because, to fay the truth, a very offenfive fmell came from their fkins; which I do not mention, or intend, to the difadvantage of thofe excellent ladies, for whom I have all manner of respect; but I conceive that my fenfe was more acute in proportion to my littlenefs, and that thofe illuftrious perfons were no more difagreeable to their lovers, or to each other, than people of the fame quality are with us in England. And, after all, I found their natural smell was much more fupportable, than when they ufed perfumes, under which I immediately fwooned away. I cannot forget, that an intimate friend of mine in Lilliput took the freedom in a warm day, when I had ufed a good deal of exercise, to complain of a strong fmell about me, although I am as little faulty that way as most of my fex: but I fuppofe his faculty of fmelling was as nice with regard to me, as mine was to that of this people. Upon this point I cannot forbear doing juftice to the queen my miftrefs, and Glumdalclitch my nurfe, whofe perfons were as fweet as those of any lady in England.

That which gave me moft uneafinefs among thefe maids of honour (when my nurfe carried me to vifit them) was to fee them use me withont any manner of ceremony, like a creature who had no fort of confequence: for they would trip them. felves to the skin, and put on their fmocks in my presence, while I was placed on their toilet, directly before their naked bodies, which I am fure to me was very far from being a tempting fight, or from giving me any other emotions than those of horror and difguft. Their skins appeared fo coarfe and uneven, fo variously coloured, when I faw them near, with a mole here and there as broad as a trencher, and hairs hanging

from it thicker than pack-threads, to fay nothing farther concerning the rest of their perfons. Neither did they at all fcruple, while I was by, to difcharge what they had drank, to the quantity at leaft of two hogfheads, in a veffel that held above three tuns. The handfomeft among these maids of honour, a pleasant frolicfome girl of fixteen, would fometimes fet me aftride upon one of her nipples. with many other tricks, wherein the reader will excufe me for not being over particular. But I was so much difpleafed, that I entreated Glumdalclitch to contrive fome excufe for not seeing that young lady any more.

One day a young gentleman, who was nephew to my nurfe's governess, came and preffed them both to fee an execution. It was of a man, who had murdered one of that gentleman's intimate acquaintance. Glumdalclitch was prevailed on to be of the company, very much against her inclination, for the was naturally tenderhearted: and as for myself, although I abhorred fuch kind of fpectacles, yet my curiofity tempted me to fee fomething, that I thought must be extraordinary. The malefactor was fixed in a chair upon a fcaffold erected for that purpose, and his head cut off at one blow with a fword of about forty feet long. The veins and arteries fpouted up fuch a prodigious quantity of blood, and fo high in the air, that the great jet d'eau at Verfailles was not equal for the time it lafted; and the head, when it fell on the fcaffold floor, gave fuch a bounce as made me ftart, although I were at least half an English mile diftant.

The queen, who often used to hear me talk of my fea-voyages, and took all occafions to divert me when I was melancholy, asked me whether I understood how to handle a fail or an oar, and whether a little exercife of rowing might not be convenient for my health? I answered that I underftood both very well: for although my proper employment had been to be furgeon or doctor to the ship, yet often upon a pinch I was forced to work like a common mariner. But I could not fee how this could be done in their country, where the smallest wherry was equal to a first-rate man of war among us, and fuch a boat as I could manage would never live in any of their rivers. Her majefty faid, if I would contrive a boat, her own joiner should make it, and she would provide a place for me to failin. The fellow was an ingenious workman, and by inftruction in ten days finished

a pleasure

a pleafure-boat, with all its tackling, able conveniently to hold eight Europeans. When it was finished the queen was fo delighted, that the ran with it in her lap to the king, who ordered it to be put in a cif tern full of water with me in it by way of trial, where I could not manage my two fculls, or little oars, for want of room, but the queen had before contrived another project. She ordered the joiner to make a wooden trough of three hundred feet long, fifty broad, and eight deep, which being well pitched, to prevent leaking, was placed on the floor along the wall in an outer room of the palace. It had a cock near the bottom to let out the water, when it began to grow ftale; and two fervants could eafily fill it in half an hour. Here I often used to row for my own diversion, as well as that of the queen and her ladies, who thought themfelves well entertained with my kill and agility. Sometimes I would put up my fail, and then my busi nefs was only to fteer, while the ladies gave me a gale with their fans: and, when they were weary, fome of the pages would blow my fail forward with their breath, while I thewed my art by steering ftarboard or larboard, as I pleafed. When I had done, Glumdalelitch always carried back my boat into her clofet, and hung it on a nail to dry.

In this exercife I once met an accident which had like to have colt me my life; for, one of the pages having put my boat into the trough, the governefs, who attended Glamdalclitch, very officiously lifted me up to place me in the boat, but I happened to flip through her fingers, and fhould infallibly have fallen down forty feet upon the floor, if, by the luckieft chance in the world, I had not been ftopped by a corking-pin that ftuck in the good gentlewo man's ftomacher; the head of the pin paffed between my fhirt and the waistband of my breeches, and thus I was held by the middle in the air, till Glumdalclitch ran to my relief.

Another time, one of the fervants, whofe office it was to fill my trough every third day with fresh water, was fo careless to let a huge frog (not perceiving it) flip out of his pail. The frog lay concealed till I was put into my boat, but then feeing a refting place climbed up, and made it lean fo much on one fide, that I was forced to balance it with all my weight on the other to prevent overturning. When the frog was got in, it hopped at once half the

length of the boat, and then over my head, backwards and forwards, daubing my face and clothes with its odious flime. The largenefs of its features made it appear the most deformed animal that can be conceived. However, I defired Glumdalclitch to let me deal with it alone. I banged it a good while with one of my fculls, and at last forced it to leap out of the boat.

But the greatest danger I ever underwent in that kingdom, was from a monkey, who belonged to one of the clerks of the kitchen. Glumdalclitch had locked me up in her clofet, while fhe went fomewhere upon bufinefs, or a vifit. The weather being very warm, the closet-window was left open, as well as the windows and the door of my bigger box, in which I ufually lived, becaufe of its largenes and conveniency. As I fat quietly meditating at my table, I heard fomething bounce in at the clofet-window, and fkip about from one fide to the other: whereat although I was much alarmed, yet I ventured to look out, but not stirring from my feat; and then I faw this frolicfome animal frifking and leaping up and down, till at last he came to my box, which he seemed to view with great pleafure and curiofity, peeping in at the door and every window. I retreated to the farther corner of the room, or box, but the monkey looking in at every fide put me into fuch a fright, that I wanted prefence of mind to conceal myfelf under the bed, as I might easily have done. After fome time spent in peeping, grinning, and chattering, he at laft efpied me, and reaching one of his paws in at the door, as a cat does when the plays with a moufe, although I often fhifted place to avoid him, he at length feized the lappet of my coat (which being of that country's filk, was very thick and ftrong) and dragged me out. He took me up in his right fore-foot, and held me as a nurse does a child fhe is going to fuckle, juft as I have feen the fame fort of creature do with a kitten in Europe: and when I offered to struggle, he fqueezed me fo hard, that I thought it more prudent to fubmit. I have good reafon to believe, that he took me for a young one of his own fpecies, by his often ftroking my face very gently with his other paw. In thefe diverfions he was interrupted by a noife at the clofet-door, as if fomebody was opening it; whereupon he fuddenly leaped up to the window, at which he had come in, and

thence

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