circular spot in the forehead directly over the left eye brow, which was an infallible mark, that it fhould never die. The fpot, as he defcribed it, was about the compafs of 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 Englifh 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 Struldbruggs of both fexes in the whole kingdom, of which he computed about fifty in the metropolis, and among the reft a young girl born about three years ago: that these productions dreaded that period of life, in which he might become a reprefentative of thofe miferable immortals. His apprehenfions were unfortu nately fulfilled. He lived to be the most melancholy fight that was ever beheld. Yet, even in that condition, he continued to inftru&t, by appearing a providential inftance 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 eafe and refignation; the mind ftill continuing to preferve its ufual d'gnity, and falling into the arms. of death, as a wearied traveller finks into rest. This is that Euthanafia which Auguftus often defred, which Antoninus Pius enjoyed, a and for which every wife man will pray. Orrery. Gulliver's account of the Struldbrugs is the fineft lecture that ever was conceived by any mortal man, to reconcile poor tottering creatures unto a chearful refignation of this wretched life, and perfectly agreeable to that fentiment of the infpired prophet," The days of our life are threef:ore years and ten; and though men be fo ftrong, that they live to fourfcore years; yet is their life then but labour and forrow." Thofe difpenf tions of the Almighty, which are frequently the concomitants of old age, Dr. Swift, throughout his whole life, conftantly apprehended, from fome peculiar infirmities attending his habit of body, would feize upon him at laft. These Lord Orrery, without any fort of hesitation, roundly afferts to be the avenging judgements of God, as if he had been let into the fecret by Lome 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 fouls by catching fire and spirit, an patriotifm from his inimitable writings; and filently confefs the ways of God to be infcrutable, and his judgements paft finding out. Swift. were were not peculiar to any family, but a meer effect of chance; and the children of the Struldbrugs themfelves were equally mortal with the rest of the people. I freely own myself to have been ftruck with inexpreffible delight upon hearing this account : and the perfon, 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 wisdom of all former ages! but, happicft beyond all comparifon are thofe excellent Struldbrugs, who being born exempt from that univerfal calamity of human nature, have their minds free and difengaged, without the weight and depreflion of spirits caufed by the continual apprehenfion of death. I difcovered my admiration, that I had not obferved any of thefe illuftrious perfons at court; the black spot on the forehead being fo remarkable a distinction, that I could not have eafily overlooked it and it was impoffible that his Majefty, a moft judicious prince, fhould not provide himself with a good number of fuch wife and able counsellors. Yet perhaps the virtue of those reverend fages was too ftrict 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 on this matter freely and at large by the help of my interpreter; and whether he would pleale to take my advice or no, yet in one thing I was determined, that, his Majefty having frequently offered : offered me an establishment in this country, would with great thankfulness accept the favour, and pafs 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 difcourfe, because (as I have already obferved,) he fpoke the language of Balnibarbi, faid to me with a fort of a smile, which usually arifeth 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 fpoke. He did fo, and they talked together for fome time in their own language, whereof I understood not a syllable, neither could I obferve by their countenances, what impreffion my difcourfe had made on them. After a short filence the fame perfon told me, that his friends and mine (fo he thought fit to exprefs himfelf,) were very much pleafed with the judicious remarks I had made on the great happiness and advantages of immortal life, and they were defirous to know, in a particular manner, what fcheme of living I fhould have formed to myfelf, if it had fallen to my lot to have been born a Struldbrug. I answered, it was eafy to be eloquent on fo copious and delightful a subject, especially to me, who had been often apt to amufe myself with vifions of what I fhould do, if I were a king, a general, or a great lord: and, upon this very cafe, I had frequently run over the whole fyftem how I fhould employ myself, and pass the time, if I were fure to live for ever. That, if it had been my good fortune to come into the world a Struldbrug, as foon as I could difcover my own happinefs by understanding the difference between life and death, I would first refolve by all arts and methods whatfoever to procure myfelf riches. In the purfuit of which by thrift and management, I might reafonably expect in about about two hundred years to be the wealthiest man in the kingdom. In the fecond place, I would from my earliest youth apply myself to the study of arts and fciences, by which I fhould arrive in time to excel all others in learning. Laftly, I would carefully record every action and event of confequence that happened in the public, impartially draw the characters of the feveral fucceffions of princes and great minifters of ftate, with my own obfervations on every point. I would exactly set down the feveral changes in cuftoms, language, fafhions of drefs, diet and diverfions. By all which acquirments fhould be a living treafury of knowledge and wisdom, and certainly become the oracle of the nation. I would never marry after threefcore, but live in an hofpitable manner, yet ftill on the faving fide. I would entertain myfelf in forming and directing the minds of hopeful young men, by convincing them from my own remembrance, experience, and obfervation, fortified by numerous examples, of the usefulness of virtue in public and private life. But my choice and conftant companions fhould be a fet of my own immortal brotherhood, among whom I would elect a dozen from the most ancient down to my own contemporaries. Where any of thefe wanted fortunes, I would provide them with convenient lodges round my own eftate, and have fome of them always at my table, only mingling a few of the most valuable among you mortals, whom length of time would harden me to lofe with little or no reluctance, and treat your posterity after the fame manner; juft as a man diverts himself with the annual fucceffion of pinks and tulips in his garden, without regretting the lofs of thofe, which withered the preceding year. Thefe Struldorugs and I would mutually communicate our obfervations and memorials through the courfe of time, remark the feveral gradations by by which corruption fteals into the world, and oppofe it in every ftep by giving perpetual warning and inftruction to mankind; which, added to the ftrong influence of our own example, would probably prevent that continual degeneracy of human nature fo juftly complained of in all ages. Add to all this the pleasure of feeing the various revolutions of ftates and empires; the changes in the lower and upper world; ancient cities in ruins, and obfcure villages become the feats of kings; famous rivers leffening into fhallow brooks; the ocean leaving one coaft dry, and overwhelming another; the discovery of many countries yet unknown; barbarity over-running the politeft nations, and the moft barbarous become civilized. I fhould then fee the discovery of the longitude, the perpetual motion, the univerfal medicine, and many other great inventions brought to the uteroft perfection. What wonderful difcoveries fhould we make in aftronomy by out-living and confirming our own predictions, by obferving the progrefs and returns of comets, with the changes of motion in the fun, moon, and stars. I enlarged upon many other topics, which the natural defire of endless life and fublunary happiness could eafily furnish me with. When I had ended, and the fum of my difcourfe had been interpreted, as before, to the reft of the company, there was a good deal of talk among them in the language of the country, not without fome laughter at my expence. At laft the fame gentleman, who had been my interpreter, faid he was defired by the rest to fet me right in a few mistakes, which I had fallen into through the common imbecillity of human nature, and upon that allowance was lefs answerable for them. That this breed of Struldbrugs was peculiar to their country, for there were no fuch people either in Balnibarbi, or Japan, where he had the honour to be ambaffador from his Majesty, VOL. V. and |