gan to confider, that by copulating with one of the Taboo-fpecies I had become a parent of more, it ftruck me with the utmost fhame, confufion, and horror.

As foon as I entered the house, my wife took me in her arms, and kiffed me: At which, having not been used to the touch of that odious animal for fo many years, I fell into a fwoon for almoft an hour. At the time I am writing, .it is five years * fince my laft return to England: During the first year, I could not endure my wife or children in my presence; the very fmell of them was intolerable, much lefs could I fuffer them to eat in the fame room. To this hour they dare not prefume to touch my bread, or drink out of the fame cup; neither was I ever able to let one of them take me by the hand. The first I laid out, was to buy two young ftone - horses, which I keep in a good stable; and next to them the groom is my greatest favourite, for I feel my fpirits revived by the fmell he contracts in the ftable. My horfes understand me tolerably well; I converse with them at leaft four hours every day. They are strangers to bridle or faddle; they live in great amity with me, and friendship to each other.

money

CHAP.

* This was intended as a mark, whereby the exact point of time, when Dr Swift finished this noble and grand performance, which, in the prophetic ftyle of his friend Pope, will in future ages be the admiration of all men, fhould be known to pofterity. Swift.

CHA P. XII *.

The author's veracity. His defign in publishing this work. His cenfure of thofe travellers who fwerve from the truth. The author clears himself from any finifter ends in writing. An objection anfwered. The method of planting colonies. His native country commended. The right of the crown to thofe countries described by the author, is juftified. The difficulty of conquering them. The au thor takes his laft leave of the reader; propofeth his manner of living for the future; gives good advice;. and concludeth.

TH

HUS, gentle reader, I have given thee a faithful history of my travels for fixteen years and above feven months; wherein I have not been fo ftudious of ornament, as of truth. I could perhaps, like others, have aftonished thee with

I must confess, in the spirit of candour and fincerity, that I heartily with this 12th chapter, which is, without exception, the dulleft piece (at least that I can remember) in his whole writings, were either burnt or annihilated: This indeed, like the reft of his critics, I could easily have paffed over uncenfured: Perhaps they never observed it. And yet all that I mean by this gentle severity, (for I despife the reputation of a little cenfuring critic), is to fhew the world, that I would fcorn to approve, through thick and thin, the works of the most improved, confummate genius, in despite to that little knowledge which I have endeavoured to acquire, as a direction to my own taste and. judgment. Swift.

with strange improbable tales: But I rather chufe to relate plain matter of fact, in the fimpleft manner and ftile; becaufe my principal defign was to inform, and not to amufe thee.

It is eafy for us who travel into remote countries, which are feldom vifited by Englishmen or other Europeans, to form defcriptions of wonderful animals both at fea and land. Whereas a traveller's chief aim fhould be to make men wiser and better, and to improve their minds by the bad, as well as good example, of what they deliver concerning foreign places.

I could heartily with a law was enacted, that every traveller, before he were permitted to publish his voyages, fhould be obliged to make oath before the Lord High Chancellor, that all he intended to print was abfolutely true, to the best of his knowledge; for then the world would no longer be deceived, as it ufually is; while fome writers, to make their works pafs the better upon the public, impose the groffest falfities on the unwary reader. I have perufed feveral books of travels with great delight in my younger days; but having fince gone over poft parts of the globe, and been able to contradict many fabulous accounts from my own obfervation, it hath given me a great difguft against this part of reading, and fome indignation to fee the credulity of mankind fo impudently abufed. Therefore, fince my acquaintance were pleased to think my poor endeavours might not be unacceptable to my country, I impofed on myself, as a maxim never to be fwerved

fwerved from, that I would ftrictly adhere to truth: Neither indeed can I be ever under the leaft temptation to vary from it, while I retain in my mind the lectures and example of my noble mafter, and the other illuftrious Houyhnhnms, of whom I had fo long the honour to be an humble hearer.

--Nec fi miferum fortuna Sinonem

Finxit, vanum etiam, mendacemque improba finget.

I know very well, how little reputation is to be got by writings, which require neither genius nor learning, nor indeed any other talent, except a good memory, or an exact journal. I know likewise, that writers of travels, like dictionarymakers, are funk into oblivion by the weight and bulk of those who come laft, and therefore lie uppermoft. And it is highly probable, that fuch travellers, who fhall hereafter vifit the countries defcribed in this work of mine, may, by detecting my errors (if there be any) and adding many new discoveries of their own, juftle me out of vogue, and stand in my place, making the world forget that ever I was an author. This indeed would be too great a mortification, if I wrote for fame: But as my fole intention was the public good, I cannot be altogether difappointed. For who can read of the virtues. I have mentioned in the glorious Houyhnhnms, without being afhamed of his own vices, when he confiders himself as the reasoning, governing animal of his country? I fhall fay nothing of those remote nations, where Yahoos prefide; amongst which the least corrupt

ed

ed are the Brobdingnagians, whofe wife maxims in morality and government it would be our happinefs to obferve. But I forbear defcanting farther, and rather leave the judicious reader to his own remarks and applications.

I am not a little pleased, that this work of mine can poffibly meet with no cenfurers: For what objections can be made against a writer, who relates only plain facts, that happened in fuch diftant countries, where we have not the least interest with refpect either to trade or negotiations? I have carefully avoided every fault, with which common writers of travels are often too juftly charged. Befides, I meddle not the leaft with any party, but write without paffion, prejudice, or ill-will, against any man, or number of men whatsoever. I write for the noblest end, to inform and instruct mankind, over whom I may, without breach of modefty, pretend to fome fuperiority, from the advantages I received by converfing fo long among the most accomplished Houyhnhnms. I write without any view towards profit or praife. I never fuffer a word to pass, that may look like reflection, or poffibly give the leaft offence, even to those who are most ready to take it. So that, I hope, I may with justice pronounce myself an author perfectly blameless; against whom the tribes of answerers, confiderers, obfervers, reflecters, detecters, remarkers, will never be able to find matter for exercifing their talents.

I