weeks in our journey, and I was fhewn in eighteen large towns, befides many villages and private families. On the 26th day of October, we arri→ ved at the metropolis, called in their language Lorbrulgrud, or Pride of the Univerfe. My mafter took a lodging in the principal ftreet of the city not far from the royal palace, and put out bills in the ufual form, containing an exact defcription of my perfon and parts. He hired a large room between three and four hundred feet wide. He provided a table fixty feet in diameter, upon which I was to act my part, and pallifadoed it round three feet from the edge, and as many high, to prevent my falling over. I was fhewn ten times a day, to the wonder and fatisfaction of all people. I could now fpeak the language tolerably well, and perfectly understood every word that was fpoken to me. Befides, I had learned their alphabet, and could make a shift to explain a fentence here and there; for Glumdalclitch had been my inftructor while we were at home, and at leisure hours during our journey. She carried a little book in her pocket, not much larger than than a Sanfon'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. † CHA P. III. The queen The author fent for to court. buys him of his mafter the farmer, and prefents him to the king. He difputes with his majesty's great scholars. An apartment at court provided for the author. He is in high favour with the queen. He ftands up for the honour of his own country. His quarrels with the queen's dwarf. THE HE frequent labours I underwent every day, made in few weeks a very confiderable change in my health: the more my master got by me, the more infatiable he grew. I had quite loft my stomach, and was almoft reduced to a skeleton. The farmer obferved it, and, concluding I muft foon die, refolved to make as good a hand of me as he could. While he was thus reafoning and refolving with himself, a fardral, or gentleman-fher, came from court, commanding my mafter to carry me immediately thither for the diverfion of the queen and her ladies. Some of the latter had already been to fee me, and reported strange things of my beauty, behaviour, and good fenfe. Her majefty, and those who attended her, were beyond measure delighted with my demeanour. I fell on my knees, and begged the honour of kiffing her imperial foot; but this gracious princefs held out her little finger towards me (after I was fet on a table) which I embraced in both my arms, and put the tip of it with the utmost respect to my lip. She made me fome general questions about my country, and my travels, which I anfwered as diftinctly, and in as few words as I could. Sheafked, whether I would be content to live at court. I bowed down to the board of the table, and humbly answered that I was my mafter's flave; but if I were at my own difpofal, I fhould be proud to devote my life to her majesty's fervice. She then asked my mafter, whether he were willing to fell me at a good price. He, who apprehended I could not live a month, was ready enough to to part with me, and demanded a thoufand pieces of gold, which were ordered him on the fpot, each piece being about the bigness of eight hundred moydores; but, allowing for the proportion of all things between that country and Europe, and the high price of gold among them, was hardly fo great a fum as a thousand guineas would be in England. I then faid to the queen, fince I was now her majesty's most humble creature and vaffal, I must beg the favour, that Glumdalclitch, who had always tended me with so much care and kindness, and understood to do it fo well, might be admitted into her service, and continue to be my nurse and instructor. Her majefty agreed to my petition, and eafily got the farmer's confent, who was glad enough to have his daughter preferred at court, and the poor girl herself was not able to hide her joy my late mafter withdrew, bidding me farewel, and faying he had left me in a good fervice; to which I replied not a word, only making him a flight bow. The queen obferved my coldness, and, when the farmer was gone out of the apart La 3 ment, ment, asked me the reafon. I made bold to tell her majefty, that I owed no other obligation to my late mafter, than his not dafhing out the brains of a poor harmless creature found by chance' in his field; which obligation was amply recompenfed by the gain he had made in fhewing me through half the kingdom, and the price he had now fold me for. That the life I had fince led, was laborious enough to kill an animal of ten times my strength. That my health was much impaired by the continual drudgery of entertaining the rabble every hour of the day, and that, if my master had not thought my life in danger, her majefty would not have got fo cheap a bargain. But as I was out of all fear of being ill treated under the protection of fo great and good an emprefs, the ornament of nature, the darling of the world, the delight of her fubjects, the phoenix of the creation; fo, I hoped my late mafter's apprehenfions would appear to be groundlefs, for I already found my fpirits to revive by the influence of her moft auguft pre fence. This was the fum of my speech, deli |