like a standing ladder, the steps were each fifty feet long it was indeed a moveable pair of ftairs, the lowest end placed at ten feet diftance from the wall of the chamber. The book I had a mind to read was put up leaning against the wall: I firft mounted to the upper ftep of the ladder, and turning my face towards the book, began at the top of the page, and fo walking to the right and left about eight or ten paces, according to the length of the lines, till I had gotten a little below the level of mine eyes, and then defcending gradually till I came to the bottom : after which I mounted again, and began the other page in the fame manner, and fo turned over the leaf, which I could easily do with both my hands, for it was as thick and stiff as a pafte-board, and in the largest folios not above eighteen or twenty feet long.

Their ftyle is clear, mafculine, and smooth, but not florid; for they avoid nothing more than multiplying unneceffary words, or ufing various expreffions. I have perufed many of their books, especially thofe in history and morality. Among the reft, I was much diverted with a little old treatise, which always lay in Glumdalclitch's bed-chamber, and belonged to her governefs, a grave elderly gen tlewoman, who dealt in writings of morality and devotion. The book treats of the weaknefs of human kind, and is in little esteem, except among the women and the vulgar. However, I was curious to fee what an author VOL. II. N

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of that country could fay upon fuch a fubject. This writer went through all the ufual topics of european moralifts, fhewing how diminutive, contemptible, and helpless an animal was man in his own nature; how unable to defend himself from inclemencies of the air, or the fury of wild beafts: how much he was excelled by one creature in ftrength, by another in fpeed, by a third in forefight, by a fourth in industry. He added, that nature was degenerated in these latter declining ages of the world, and could now produce only small abortive births, in comparison of those in antient times. He said, it was very reasonable to think, not only that the fpecies of men were originally much larger, but also that there must have been giants in former ages; which, as it is afferted by history and tradition, so it hath been confirmed by huge bones and fkulls cafually dug up in feveral parts of the kingdom, far exceeding the common dwindled race of man in our days. He argued, that the very laws of nature abfolutely required we should have been made in the beginning of a fize more large and robuft, not fo liable to deftruction from every little accident of a tile falling from an house, or a ftone caft from the hand of a boy, or being drowned in a little brook. From this way of reasoning, the author drew feveral moral applications useful in the conduct of life, but needlefs here to repeat. For my own part, I could not avoid reflecting how aniverfally this talent was fpread, of drawing

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lectures in morality, or indeed rather matter of discontent and repining, from the quarrels we raise with nature. And I believe, upon a ftrict enquiry thofe quarrels might be shewn as ill-grounded among us, as they are among that people".

As to their military affairs, they boast that the king's army confifts of an hundred and feventy-fix thousand foot, and thirty-two thoufand horse if that may be called an army, which is made up of tradefmen in the feveral cities, and farmers in the country, whose commanders are only the nobility and gentry without pay or reward. They are indeed perfect enough in their exercises, and under very good discipline, wherein I saw no great merit; for how fhould it be otherwise, where every farmer is under the command of his own landlord, and every citizen under that of the principal men in his own city, chofen after the manner of Venice by ballot?

I have often feen the militia of Lorbrulgrud drawn out to exercise in a great field near the the city of twenty miles fquare. They were in all not above twenty-five thousand foot, and fix thousand horfe; but it was impoffible for me to compute their number, confidering the space of ground they took up. A cavalier, mount

The author's zeal to juftify providence has before been remarked; and thefe quarrels with nature, or in other words with God, could not have been more forcibly reproved than by fhew

ing, that the complaints upon which they are founded would be equally fpecious among beings of fuch aftonishing fuperiority of stature and firength.

ed on a large fteed, might be about ninety feet high. I have seen this whole body of horse, upon a word of command, draw their fwords at once, and brandifh them in the air. Imagination can figure nothing fo grand, fo furprifing, and so astonishing! it looked as if ten thousand flashes of lightning were darting at the fame time from every quarter of the fky.

I was curious to know how this prince, to whofe dominions there is no accefs from any other country, came to think of armies, or to teach his people the practice of military discipline. But I was foon informed both by converfation and reading their hiftories: for in the course of many ages they have been troubled with the fame disease to which the whole race of mankind is subject; the nobility often contending for power, the people for liberty, and the king for abfolute dominion. All which, however happily tempered by the laws of that kingdom, have been fometimes violated by each of the three parties, and have more than once occafioned civil wars, the laft whereof was happily put an end to by this prince's grandfather in a general compofition; and the militia, then fettled with common confent, hath been ever fince kept in the stricteft duty.

CHAP.

CHA P. VIII.

The king and queen make a progress to the frontiers. The author attends them. The manner in which he leaves the country very parti cularly related. He returns to England.

a

Had always a strong impulfe, that I should some time recover my liberty, though it was impoffible to conjecture by what means, or to form any project with the leaft hope of fucceeding. The fhip in which I failed was the first ever known to be driven within fight of that coast, and the king had given strict orders, that if at any time another appeared, it should be taken afhore, and with all its crew and paffengers brought in a tumbril to Lorbrulgrud. He was ftrongly bent to get me a woman of my own fize, by whom I might propagate the breed: but I think I should rather have died, than undergone the difgrace of leaving a posterity to be kept in cages like tame canary birds, and perhaps in time fold about the kingdom to perfons of quality for curiofities. I was indeed treated with much kindnefs: I was the favourite of a great king and queen, and the delight of the whole court; but it was upon fuch a foot, as ill became the dignity of human kind. I could never forget. thofe domeftic pledges I had left behind me. I wanted to be among people with whom I could converse upon even terms, and walk a

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