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smiling, and making other signs to show I was not hurt; whereat she `
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was extremely rejoiced, calling the maid to take up the dead rat `
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with a pair of tongs, and throw it out of the window. Then she set `
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me on a table, where I showed her my hanger all bloody, and wiping `
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it on the lappet of my coat, returned it to the scabbard. I was `
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pressed to do more than one thing which another could not do for `
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me, and therefore endeavoured to make my mistress understand, that `
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I desired to be set down on the floor; which after she had done, my `
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bashfulness would not suffer me to express myself farther, than by `
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pointing to the door, and bowing several times. The good woman, `
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with much difficulty, at last perceived what I would be at, and `
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taking me up again in her hand, walked into the garden, where she `
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set me down. I went on one side about two hundred yards, and `
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beckoning to her not to look or to follow me, I hid myself between `
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two leaves of sorrel, and there discharged the necessities of `
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nature. `
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I hope the gentle reader will excuse me for dwelling on these and `
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the like particulars, which, however insignificant they may appear `
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to groveling vulgar minds, yet will certainly help a philosopher to `
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enlarge his thoughts and imagination, and apply them to the benefit `
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of public as well as private life, which was my sole design in `
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presenting this and other accounts of my travels to the world; `
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wherein I have been chiefly studious of truth, without affecting `
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any ornaments of learning or of style. But the whole scene of this `
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voyage made so strong an impression on my mind, and is so deeply `
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fixed in my memory, that, in committing it to paper I did not omit `
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one material circumstance: however, upon a strict review, I `
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blotted out several passages. Of less moment which were in my `
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first copy, for fear of being censured as tedious and trifling, `
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whereof travellers are often, perhaps not without justice, accused. `
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CHAPTER II. `
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[A description of the farmer's daughter. The author carried to a `
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market-town, and then to the metropolis. The particulars of his `
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journey.] `
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My mistress had a daughter of nine years old, a child of towardly `
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parts for her age, very dexterous at her needle, and skilful in `
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dressing her baby. Her mother and she contrived to fit up the `
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baby's cradle for me against night: the cradle was put into a `
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small drawer of a cabinet, and the drawer placed upon a hanging `
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shelf for fear of the rats. This was my bed all the time I staid `
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with those people, though made more convenient by degrees, as I `
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began to learn their language and make my wants known. This young `
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girl was so handy, that after I had once or twice pulled off my `
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clothes before her, she was able to dress and undress me, though I `
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never gave her that trouble when she would let me do either myself. `
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She made me seven shirts, and some other linen, of as fine cloth as `
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could be got, which indeed was coarser than sackcloth; and these `
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she constantly washed for me with her own hands. She was likewise `
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my school-mistress, to teach me the language: when I pointed to `
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any thing, she told me the name of it in her own tongue, so that in `
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a few days I was able to call for whatever I had a mind to. She `
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was very good-natured, and not above forty feet high, being little `
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for her age. She gave me the name of Grildrig, which the family `
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took up, and afterwards the whole kingdom. The word imports what `
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the Latins call nanunculus, the Italians homunceletino, and the `
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English mannikin. To her I chiefly owe my preservation in that `
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country: we never parted while I was there; I called her my `
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Glumdalclitch, or little nurse; and should be guilty of great `
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ingratitude, if I omitted this honourable mention of her care and `
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affection towards me, which I heartily wish it lay in my power to `
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requite as she deserves, instead of being the innocent, but unhappy `
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instrument of her disgrace, as I have too much reason to fear. `
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It now began to be known and talked of in the neighbourhood, that `
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my master had found a strange animal in the field, about the `
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bigness of a splacnuck, but exactly shaped in every part like a `
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human creature; which it likewise imitated in all its actions; `
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seemed to speak in a little language of its own, had already `
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learned several words of theirs, went erect upon two legs, was tame `
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and gentle, would come when it was called, do whatever it was bid, `
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had the finest limbs in the world, and a complexion fairer than a `
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nobleman's daughter of three years old. Another farmer, who lived `
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hard by, and was a particular friend of my master, came on a visit `
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on purpose to inquire into the truth of this story. I was `
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immediately produced, and placed upon a table, where I walked as I `
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was commanded, drew my hanger, put it up again, made my reverence `
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to my master's guest, asked him in his own language how he did, and `
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told him HE WAS WELCOME, just as my little nurse had instructed me. `
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This man, who was old and dim-sighted, put on his spectacles to `
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behold me better; at which I could not forbear laughing very `
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heartily, for his eyes appeared like the full moon shining into a `
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chamber at two windows. Our people, who discovered the cause of my `
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mirth, bore me company in laughing, at which the old fellow was `
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fool enough to be angry and out of countenance. He had the `
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character of a great miser; and, to my misfortune, he well deserved `
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it, by the cursed advice he gave my master, to show me as a sight `
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upon a market-day in the next town, which was half an hour's `
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riding, about two-and-twenty miles from our house. I guessed there `
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was some mischief when I observed my master and his friend `
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whispering together, sometimes pointing at me; and my fears made me `
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fancy that I overheard and understood some of their words. But the `
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next morning Glumdalclitch, my little nurse, told me the whole `
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matter, which she had cunningly picked out from her mother. The `
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poor girl laid me on her bosom, and fell a weeping with shame and `
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grief. She apprehended some mischief would happen to me from rude `
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vulgar folks, who might squeeze me to death, or break one of my `
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limbs by taking me in their hands. She had also observed how `
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modest I was in my nature, how nicely I regarded my honour, and `
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what an indignity I should conceive it, to be exposed for money as `
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a public spectacle, to the meanest of the people. She said, her `
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papa and mamma had promised that Grildrig should be hers; but now `
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she found they meant to serve her as they did last year, when they `
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pretended to give her a lamb, and yet, as soon as it was fat, sold `
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it to a butcher. For my own part, I may truly affirm, that I was `
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less concerned than my nurse. I had a strong hope, which never `
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left me, that I should one day recover my liberty: and as to the `
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ignominy of being carried about for a monster, I considered myself `
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to be a perfect stranger in the country, and that such a misfortune `
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could never be charged upon me as a reproach, if ever I should `
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return to England, since the king of Great Britain himself, in my `
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condition, must have undergone the same distress. `
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My master, pursuant to the advice of his friend, carried me in a `
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box the next market-day to the neighbouring town, and took along `
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with him his little daughter, my nurse, upon a pillion behind him. `
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The box was close on every side, with a little door for me to go in `
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and out, and a few gimlet holes to let in air. The girl had been `
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so careful as to put the quilt of her baby's bed into it, for me to `
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lie down on. However, I was terribly shaken and discomposed in `
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this journey, though it was but of half an hour: for the horse `
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went about forty feet at every step and trotted so high, that the `
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agitation was equal to the rising and falling of a ship in a great `
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storm, but much more frequent. Our journey was somewhat farther `
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than from London to St. Alban's. My master alighted at an inn `
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which he used to frequent; and after consulting awhile with the `
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inn-keeper, and making some necessary preparations, he hired the `
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grultrud, or crier, to give notice through the town of a strange `
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creature to be seen at the sign of the Green Eagle, not so big as a `
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splacnuck (an animal in that country very finely shaped, about six `
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feet long,) and in every part of the body resembling a human `
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creature, could speak several words, and perform a hundred `
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diverting tricks. `
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I was placed upon a table in the largest room of the inn, which `
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might be near three hundred feet square. My little nurse stood on `
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a low stool close to the table, to take care of me, and direct what `
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I should do. My master, to avoid a crowd, would suffer only thirty `
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people at a time to see me. I walked about on the table as the `
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girl commanded; she asked me questions, as far as she knew my `
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understanding of the language reached, and I answered them as loud `
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as I could. I turned about several times to the company, paid my `
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humble respects, said THEY WERE WELCOME, and used some other `
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speeches I had been taught. I took up a thimble filled with `
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liquor, which Glumdalclitch had given me for a cup, and drank their `
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health, I drew out my hanger, and flourished with it after the `
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manner of fencers in England. My nurse gave me a part of a straw, `
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which I exercised as a pike, having learnt the art in my youth. I `
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was that day shown to twelve sets of company, and as often forced `
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to act over again the same fopperies, till I was half dead with `
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weariness and vexation; for those who had seen me made such `
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wonderful reports, that the people were ready to break down the `
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doors to come in. My master, for his own interest, would not `
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suffer any one to touch me except my nurse; and to prevent danger, `
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benches were set round the table at such a distance as to put me `
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out of every body's reach. However, an unlucky school-boy aimed a `
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hazel nut directly at my head, which very narrowly missed me; `
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otherwise it came with so much violence, that it would have `
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infallibly knocked out my brains, for it was almost as large as a `
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small pumpkin, but I had the satisfaction to see the young rogue `
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well beaten, and turned out of the room. `
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My master gave public notice that he would show me again the next `
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market-day; and in the meantime he prepared a convenient vehicle `
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for me, which he had reason enough to do; for I was so tired with `
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my first journey, and with entertaining company for eight hours `
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together, that I could hardly stand upon my legs, or speak a word. `
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It was at least three days before I recovered my strength; and that `
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I might have no rest at home, all the neighbouring gentlemen from a `
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hundred miles round, hearing of my fame, came to see me at my `
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master's own house. There could not be fewer than thirty persons `
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with their wives and children (for the country is very populous;) `
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and my master demanded the rate of a full room whenever he showed `
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me at home, although it were only to a single family; so that for `
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some time I had but little ease every day of the week (except `
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Wednesday, which is their Sabbath,) although I were not carried to `
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the town. `
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My master, finding how profitable I was likely to be, resolved to `
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carry me to the most considerable cities of the kingdom. Having `
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therefore provided himself with all things necessary for a long `
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journey, and settled his affairs at home, he took leave of his `
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wife, and upon the 17th of August, 1703, about two months after my `
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arrival, we set out for the metropolis, situate near the middle of `
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that empire, and about three thousand miles distance from our `
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house. My master made his daughter Glumdalclitch ride behind him. `
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She carried me on her lap, in a box tied about her waist. The girl `
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had lined it on all sides with the softest cloth she could get, `
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well quilted underneath, furnished it with her baby's bed, provided `
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me with linen and other necessaries, and made everything as `
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convenient as she could. We had no other company but a boy of the `
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house, who rode after us with the luggage. `
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My master's design was to show me in all the towns by the way, and `
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