Majefty outlive the fun eleven moons and a balf. To this the King returned fone anfwer, which although I could not understand, yet I replied as I had been directed: Flute drin yalerick dwuldom praftrad mirpush, which properly fignifies, My tongue is in the mouth of my friend; and by this expreffion was meant, that I defired leave to bring my interpreter; whereupon the young man already mentioned was accordingly introduced, by whose intervention I answered as many questions, as his Majefty could put in above an hour. fpoke in the Balnibarbian tongue, and my interpreter delivered my meaning in that of Lugg nagg.

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The King was much delighted with my com. pany, and ordered his Bliffmarklub, or high chamberlain, to appoint a lodging in the court for me and my interpreter, with a daily allow ance for my table, and a large purse of gold for my common expences.

I ftaid three months in this country out of per fect obedience to his Majefty, who was pleased highly to favour me, and made me very honourable offers. But I thought it more confiftent with prudence and justice to pass the remainder of my days with my wife and family.

CHAP

CHAP. X.

The Luggnuggians commended. A particular de fcription of the Struldbrugs, with many converfations between the author and fome eminent perfons upon that fubject.

T

HE Luggnuggians are a polite and generous people; and although they are not without fome fhare of that pride, which is pecu liar to all eaftern countries, yet they fhew themfelves courteous to ftrangers, especially fuch who are countenanced by the court. I had many acquaintances among perfons of the beft fafhion; and being always attended by my interpreter, the converfation we had was not difagreeable.

One day, in much good company, I was asked by a perfon of quality, whether I had feen any of their Struldbrugs or immortals. I faid, I had not; and defired he would explain to me, what he meant by such an appellation applied to a mortal creature *. He told me, that fometimes, though

* The description of the Struldbrugs is an instructive piece of morality. For if we confider it in a serious light, it tends to reconcile us to our final diffolution. Death, when fet in contraft to the immortality of the Struldbrugs, is no longer the king of terrors: He lofes his fring; he appears to us as a friend ; and we chearfully obey his fummons, because it brings certain relief to the greatest miferies. It is in this defcription that Swift fhines in a particular manner. He probably felt in him

felf

though very rarely, a child happened to be born in a family with a red circular fpot in the forehead, directly over the left eye-brow, which was an infallible mark that it should never die. The spot, as he described it, was about the compass of

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felf the effects of approaching age, and tacitly dreaded that period of life in which he might become a representative of those miferable immortals. His apprenfions were unfortunately fulfil led. He lived to be the most melancholy fight that was ever beheld. Yet, even in that condition, he continued to instruct, by appearing a profidential instance to mortify the vanity which is too apt to arife in the human breast. Our life cannot be pronounced happy, till the last scene is closed with ease and resignation; the mind still continuing to preferve its usual dignity, and falling into the arms of death, as a wearied traveller finks into reft. This is that euthanasia which Auguftus often defired, which Antonius Pius enjoyed, and for which every wife man will pray. Orrery.

Gulliver's account of the Struldbrugs is the finest lecture that ever was conceived by any mortal man, to reconcile poor tottering creatures into a chearful resignation of this wretched life; and perfectly agreeable to that fentiment of the inspired prophet, The days of our life are threescore years and ten; and though men be so strong, that they live to four score years; yet is their life then but labour and forrow. Those difpenfations of the Almighty, which are frequently the concomitants of old age, Dr Swift, throughout his whole life, constantly apprehended, from fome peculiar infirmities attending his habit of body, would seize upon him at last. These Lord Orrery, without any fort of hesitation, roundly afferts to be the avenging judgments of God, as if he had been let into the fecret by fome particular revelation. But, inftead of infulting the ashes of fo bright a genius with the infirmities of his latter days, and comparing him to one of his own Struldbrugs, we should endeavour to inflame our fonls, by catching fire, and fpirit, and patriotifm. from his inimitable writings; and filently confefs the ways of God to be infcrutable, and his judgments past finding out. Swift.

a filver three-pence, but in the course of time grew larger, and changed its colour; for at twelve years old it became green, fo continued till five and twenty, then turned to a deep blue; at five and forty it grew coal-black, and as large as an English fhilling; but never admitted any farther alteration. He faid, thefe births were fo rare, that he did not believe there could be above eleven hundred Struldbrugs of both fexes in the whole kingdom, of which he computed about fifty in the metropolis, and among the rest a young girl, born about three years ago: That thefe productions were not peculiar to any fami ly, but a mere effect of chance; and the chil dren of the Struldbrugs themselves were equal❤ ly mortal with the rest of the people.

I freely own myself to have been ftruck with inexpreffible delight upon hearing this account: And the person who gave it me, happening to understand the Balnibarbian language, which I fpoke very well, I could not forbear breaking out into expreffions perhaps a little too extravagant. I cried out, as in a rapture, Happy nation, where every child hath at least a chance for being immortal! Happy people, who enjoy fo many living examples of ancient virtue, and have mafters ready to inftruct them in the wifdom of all former ages! But, happieft beyond all comparison are thofe excellent Struldbrugs, who being born exempt from that universal calamity of human nature, have their minds free and difengaged, without the weight and depreffion of fpiVOL. V. C c

rits

rits caufed by the continual apprehenfion of death. I difcovered my admiration, that I had not obferved any of these illuftrious perfons at court; the black spot on the forehead being fo remarkable a diftinction, that I could not have easily overlooked it: And it was impoffible that his Majesty, a most judicious prince, should not provide himself with a good number of fuch wife and able counsellors. Yet perhaps the virtue of those reverend fages was too strict for the corrupt and libertine manners of a court. And we often find by experience, that young men are too opinionative and volatile to be guided by the fober dictates of their feniors. However, fince the King was pleafed to allow me accefs to his royal perfon, I was refolved, upon the very firft occafion, to deliver my opinion to him in this matter freely and at large, by the help of my interpreter ; and whether he would please to take my advice or no, yet in one thing I was determined, that, his Majefty having frequently offered me an establishment in this country, I would with great thankfulness accept the favour, and pass my life here in the converfation of thofe fuperior beings, the Struldbrugs, if they would please to admit me.

The gentleman to whom I addreffed my difcourse, because (as I have already obferved) he fpoke the language of Balnibarbi, faid to me with a fort of a smile, which usually ariseth from pity to the ignorant, that he was glad of any occafion to keep me among them, and defired my permiffion to explain to the company what I

had