CHAPTER VIII.

The king and queen make a progress to the frontiers--The Author attends

them--The manner in which he leaves the country very particularly

related--He returns to England

NOTE

* * * * *

LIST OF FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS.

"They concluded I was only Relplum Sealcath"

Map of Brobdingnag

"A huge creature walking ... on the sea"

"Whereupon the huge creature trod short"

"I drew my hanger to defend myself"

"I called her my Glumdalclitch"

"Flourished after the manner of fencers in England"

"This gracious princess held out her little finger"

"She carried me to the king"

"I could only revenge myself by calling him brother"

"The smaller birds did not appear to be at all afraid of me"

"Gave me a gale with their fans"

"The most violent exercise I ever underwent"

"You have made an admirable panegyric"

"She had some foreboding"

"Somebody calling in the English tongue"

"My daughter kneeled, but I could not see her"

AND TWELVE SMALLER ONES IN THE TEXT.

THE FIRST PUBLISHER TO THE READER.

The author of these travels, Mr. Lemuel Gulliver, is my ancient and

intimate friend; there is likewise some relation between us on the

mother's side. About three years ago, Mr. Gulliver, growing weary of the

concourse of curious people coming to him at his house in Redriff,[1]

made a small purchase of land, with a convenient house, near Newark, in

Nottinghamshire, his native county, where he now lives retired, yet in

good esteem among his neighbors.

Although Mr. Gulliver was born in Nottinghamshire, where his father

dwelt, yet I have heard him say his family came from Oxfordshire; to

confirm which, I have observed in the churchyard at Banbury, in that

county, several tombs and monuments of the Gullivers. Before he quitted

Redriff he left the custody of the following papers in my hands, with

the liberty to dispose of them as I should think fit. I have carefully

perused them three times. The style is very plain and simple, and the

only fault I find is, that the author, after the manner of travellers,

is a little too circumstantial. There is an air of truth apparent

through the whole; and, indeed, the author was so distinguished for his

veracity, that it became a sort of proverb among his neighbors at

Redriff, when any one affirmed a thing, to say it was as true as if Mr.

Gulliver had spoken it.

By the advice of several worthy persons, to whom, with the author's

permission, I communicated these papers, I now venture to send them into

the world, hoping they may be, at least for some time, a better

entertainment than the common scribbles about politics and party.

This volume would have been at least twice as large if I had not made

bold to strike out innumerable passages relating to the winds and tides,

as well as to the variations and bearings in the several voyages;

together with the minute description of the management of the ship in

the storms, in the style of sailors; likewise the account of longitudes

and latitudes; wherein I have reason to apprehend that Mr. Gulliver may

be a little dissatisfied; but I was resolved to fit the work as much as

possible to the general capacity of readers. However, if my own

ignorance in sea affairs shall have led me to commit some mistakes, I

alone am answerable for them, and if any traveller hath a curiosity to

see the whole work at large, as it came from the hand of the author, I

will be ready to gratify him.

As for any farther particulars relating to the author, the reader will

receive satisfaction from the first pages of the book.

RICHARD SYMPSON.

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TRAVELS.