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Gulliver's Travels (1726) |
Jonathan Swift |
| 1 |
MY Mistress had a Daughter
of nine Years old, a Child of
toward| 2 |
IT now began to be known and talked
of in the Neighbourhood, that my Master had found a strange Animal in the
Field about the bigness of a Splacknuck,
but exactly shaped in every part like a
human Creature; which it likewise imitated in all its Actions; seemed to speak
in a little Language of its own, had already learned several Words of theirs,
went erect upon two Legs, was tame
and gentle, would come when it was called, do whatever it was bid, had the finest Limbs in the World, and a Complexion fairer than a Nobleman's Daughter of
three Years old. Another Farmer who
lived hard by, and was a particular Friend
of my Master, came on a Visit on purpose to enquire into the Truth of this
Story. I was immediately produced, and
placed upon a Table, where I walked as
I was commanded, drew my Hanger, put
it up again, made my Reverence to my
Master's Guest, asked him in his own
Language how he did, and told him he
was welcome, just as my little Nurse had
instructed me. This Man, who was old
and dim sighted, put on his Spectacles to
behold me better, at which I could not
forbear laughing very heartily, for his
Eyes appeared like the Full-Moon shining into a Chamber at two Windows.
Our People, who discovered the cause
of my Mirth, bore me company in Laughing, at which the old Fellow was Fool
enough to be Angry and out of Countenance. He had the Character of a
great Miser, and to my Misfortune he
well deserved it by the cursed Advice he
gave my Master to shew me as a Sight upon
a Market-Day in the next Town, which
was half an hour's riding, about two and
twenty Miles from our House. I guessed there was some Mischief contriving,
when I observed my Master and his Friend
whispering long together, sometimes
pointing at me; and my Fears made me
fancy that I overheard and understood
some of their Words. But, the next
Morning Glumdalclitch my little Nurse
told me the whole Matter, which she had
cunningly picked out from her Mother.
The poor Girl laid me on her Bosom,
and fell a weeping with Shame and Grief.
She apprehended some Mischief would
happen to me from rude vulgar Folks,
who might squeeze me to Death or break
one of my Limbs by taking me in their
Hands. She had also observed how modest I was in my Nature, how nicely I regarded my Honour, and what an Indignity I should conceive it to be exposed for
Money as a publick Spectacle to the meanest of the People. She said, her Papa and
Mamma had promised that Gildrig should
be hers, but now she found they meant
| 3 |
MY Master, pursuant to the Advice of
his Friend, carried me in a Box the next
Market day to the neighbouring Town,
and took along with him his little Daughter my Nurse upon a Pillion behind
him. The Box was close on every side,
with a little Door for me to go in and
out, and a few Gimlet-holes to let in
Air. The Girl had been so careful to
put the Quilt of her Baby's Bed into it,
for me to lye down on. However, I
was terribly shaken and discomposed in
this Journey, though it were but of half
an Hour. For the Horse went about
forty Foot at every Step, and trotted so
high, that the Agitation was equal to the
rising and falling of a Ship in a great
Storm, but much more frequent: Our
Journey was somewhat further than from
London to St. Albans. My Master alighted at an Inn which he used to frequent;
and after consulting a while with the Innkeeper, and making some necessary Preparations, he hired the Grultrud, or Cryer
to give notice through the Town of a
strange Creature to be seen at the Sign
of the | 4 |
I WAS placed upon a Table in the
largest Room of the Inn, which might
be near three hundred Foot Square. My
little Nurse stood on a low Stool close
to the Table, to take care of me, and direct what I should do. My Master, to
avoid a Croud, would suffer only thirty
People at a time to see me. I walked
about on the Table as the Girl commanded; she asked me Questions as far as she
knew my Understanding of the Language
reached, and I answered them as loud as
I could. I turned about several times
to the Company, paid my humble Respects, said they were welcome, and used
some other Speeches I had been taught.
I took up a Thimble filled with Liquor,
which Glumdalclitch had given me for a
Cup, and drank their Health. I drew
out my Hanger, and flourished with it after the manner of Fencers in England.
My Nurse gave me part of a Straw,
which I exercised as a Pike, having learned the Art in my Youth. I was that
day shewn to twelve Sets of Company,
and as often forced to go over again
with the same Fopperies, till I was
half dead with Weariness and Vexation.
For, those who had seen me made such
wonderful Reports, that the People were
ready to break down the Doors to come
in. My Master for his own Interest
would not suffer any one to touch me
except my Nurse; and, to prevent danger, Benches were set round the Table
at such a distance as put me out of every
body's reach. However, an unlucky
School-Boy aimed a hazel Nut directly
at my Head, which very narrowly missed me; otherwise, it came with so much
violence that it would have infallibly
knocked out my Brains, for it was almost
as large as a small Pumpion: But I had
the Satisfaction to see the young Rogue
well beaten, and turned out of the Room.
| 5 |
MY Master gave publick notice, that
he would shew me again the next Market-day, and in the mean time he prepared a more convenient Vehicle for me,
which he had reason enough to do; for
I was so tired with my first Journey, and
with entertaining Company for eight
Hours together, that I could hardly stand
upon my Legs, or speak a Word. It
was at least three Days before I recovered my Strength; and that I might have
no rest at home, all the neighbouring
Gentlemen from an hundred Miles round,
hearing of my Fame, came to see me at
my Master's own House. There could not
be fewer than thirty Persons with their
Wives and Children (for the Country
was very populous;) and my Master demanded the rate of a full Room whenever he shewed me at Home, although
it were only to a single Family. So that
for some time I had but little ease every
Day of the Week (except Wednesday,
which is their Sabbath) although I were
not carried to the Town.
| 6 |
MY Master finding how profitable I
was like to be, resolved to carry me to
the most considerable Cities of the Kingdom. Having therefore provided himself
with all things necessary for a long Journy, and settled his affairs at Home, he
took leave of his Wife, and upon the
17th of August 1703. about two Months
after my Arrival, we set out for the Metropolis, situated near the middle of that
Empire, and about three thousand Miles
distance from our House: My Master
made his Daughter Glumdalclitch ride
behind him. She carried me on her
Lap in a Box tyed about her wast. The
Girl had lined it on all sides with the
softest Cloth she could get, well quilted
underneath, furnished it with her Baby's
Bed, provided me with Linen and other
Necessaries, and made every thing as convenient as she could. We had no other
Company but a Boy of the House, who
rode after us with the Luggage.
| 7 |
MY Master's Design was to shew me
in all the Towns by the way, and to step
out of the Road for fifty or an hundred
Miles, to any Village or Person of Quality's House where he might expect Custom.
We made easy Journies of not above seven
or eightscore Miles a Day: For Glumdalclitch, on purpose to spare me, complained she was tired with the trotting of
the Horse. She often took me out of
my Box at my own Desire, to give me Air,
and shew me the Country, but always
held me fast by a Leading-string. We
passed over five or six Rivers many degrees broader and deeper than the Nile
or the Ganges; and there was hardly a
Rivulet so small as the Thames at London-Bridge. We were ten Weeks in
our Journey, and I was shewn in eighteen
large Towns besides many Villages and
private Families.
| 8 |
On the 26th Day of October, we arrived at the Metropolis, called in their
Language Lorbrulgrud, or Pride of the
Universe. My Master took a Lodging
in the principal Street of the City, not
far from the Royal Palace, and put out
Bills in the usual Form, containing an
exact Description of my Person and Parts.
He hired a large Room between three
and four hundred Foot wide. He provided a Table sixty Foot in diameter,
upon which I was to act my Part, and
palisadoed it round three Foot from the
edge, and as many high, to prevent my
falling over. I was shewn ten times a
Day to the Wonder and Satisfaction of
all People. I could now speak the Language tolerably well, and perfectly understood every Word that was spoken to
me. Besides, I had learned their Alphabet, and could make a shift to explain a
Sentence here and there; for Glumdalclitch had been my Instructor while we
were at home, and at leisure Hours during our Journey. She carried a little
Book in her Pocket, not much larger
than a Sanson's Atlas; it was a common
Treatise for the use of young Girls, giving a short Account of their Religion;
out of this she taught me my Letters
and interpreted the Words.
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UTEL [ History of English | English Composition | Literary Authors | Literary Works | Literary Criticism ]