very found. But I was in a fhort time better accommodated, as the reader fhall know hereafter, when I come to treat more particularly about my way of living.

CHA P. III.

The author ftudious to learn the language; the Houyhnhnm, his mafter, affifts in teaching him. The language defcribed. Several Houyhnhnms of quality came out of curiofity to fee the author. He gives his mafter a fhort account of his voyage.

MY principal endeavour was to learn the language, which my master (for fo I fhall henceforth call him) and his children, and every fervant of his house were defirous to teach me. For they looked upon it as a prodigy, that a brute animal fhould discover fuch marks of a rational creature. I pointed to every thing, and enquired the name of it, which I wrote down in my journal-book when I was alone, and corrected my bad accent by defiring those of the family to pronounce it often. In this employment a

forrek

forrel nag, one of the under fervants, was very ready to assist me.

In fpeaking they pronounce through the nofe and throat, and their language approaches nearest to the high-dutch, or german, of any I know in Europe; but is much more graceful and significant. The emperor Charles V. made almost the fame observation, when he said, That if he were to speak to his horse, it should be in high-dutch.

The curiofity and impatience of my mafter were fo great, that he spent many hours of his leifure to inftruct me. He was convinced (as he afterwards told me) that I must be a yahoo; but my teachableness, civility, and cleanliness, aftonished him; which were qualities altogether oppofite to those animals. He was most perplexed about my cloaths, reafoning fometimes with himself, whether they were a part of my body; for I never pulled them off till the family were asleep, and got them on before they waked in the morning. My mafter was eager to learn from whence I came; how I acquired thofe appearances of reafon, which

I discovered in all my actions; and to know my story from my own mouth, which he hoped he should foon do by the great proficiency I made in learning and pronouncing their words and fentences. To help my memory I formed all I learned into the english alphabet, and writ the words down with the tranflations. This laft after fome time I ventured to do in my master's presence. It coft me much trouble to explain to him what I was doing; for the inhabitants have not the leaft idea of books or literature.

In about ten weeks time I was able to understand most of his questions; and in three months could give him some tolerable answers. He was extremely curious to know from what part of the country I came, and how I was taught to imitate a rational creature; because the yahoos (whom he saw I exactly resembled in my head, hands, and face, that were only vifible) with fome appearance of cunning, and the strongest disposition to mischief, were observed to be the most unteachable of all brutes. I answered, that I came over the sea from a far place with many Dd others

others of my own kind in a great hollow veffel made of the bodies of trees; that my companions forced me to land on this coast, and then left me to fhift for myself. It was with fome difficulty, and by the help of many figns, that I brought him to understand me. He replied, that I muft needs be mistaken, or that I faid the thing which was not (for they have no word in their language to exprefs lying or falfhood.) He knew it was impoffible, that there could be a country beyond the sea, or that a parcel of brutes could move a wooden veffel whither they pleafed upon water. He was fure no Houyhnhnm alive could make fuch a veffel, nor would truft yahoos to manage it.

The word Houyhnhnm in their tongue fignifies a horse, and in its etymology, the perfection of nature. I told my master that I was at a lofs for expreffion, but would improve as fast as I could; and hoped in a fhort time I fhould be able to tell him wonders: he was pleased to direct his own mare, his colt and fole, and the fervants of the family, to take all opportunities of inftructing me; and every

day

day for two or three hours he was at the fame pains himself: feveral horses and mares of quality in the neighbourhood came often to our house, upon the report spread of a wonderful yahoo that could fpeak like a Houyhnhnm, and feemed in his words and actions to discover fome glimmerings of reason. These delighted to converse with me; they put many queftions, and received fuch anfwers as I was able to return. By all these advantages I made fo great a progrefs, that in five months from my arrival I understood whatever was fpoken, and could express myself tolerably well.

The Houyhnhnms who came to vifit my mafter out of a design of seeing and talking with me, could hardly believe me to be a right yahoo, because my body had a different covering from others of my kind. They were astonished to obferve me without the ufual hair or skin, except on my head, face, and hands; but I discovered that fecret to my mafter upon an accident, which happened about a fortnight before.

I have already told the reader, that every night, when the family were gone to bed, it was my cuftom to ftrip, and Dd 2

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