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C A P. XI.

The author leaves Luggnagg, and fails to Japan. From thence he returns in a Dutch ship to Amfterdam, and from Amfterdam to England.

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feems to be a little out. of the common way; at least I do not remember to have met the like in any book of travels, that hath come to my hands and if I am deceived, my excufe muft be, that it is neceffa*for travellers, who defcribe the fame country, very often to agree in dwelling on the fame particulars, without deferving the cenfare of having borrowed or transcribed from thofe who wrote before them.

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There is indeed a perpetual commerce between this kingdom and the great empire of Japan; and it is very probable, that the Japanese authors may have given fome account of the Struldbrugs; but my ftay in Japan was fo fhort, and i was fo entirely a ftranger to the language, that I was not qualified to make any enquiries. But I hope the Dutch upon this notice will be curious and able enough to fupply my defects.

His Majefty having often preffed me to accept fome employment in his court, and finding me abfolutely determined to return to my native country, was pleafed to give me his licence to depart, and

*The word neceffary is here ufed in the fame manner, as when by the idiom of our language it means convenient, though it is to be underflood in its proper fignification. "Travellers who defcribe the "fame country, very often neceffirily agree in dwelling on the fame "particulars, and therefore do not dejerve the cenfure of having bor"lowed, &c.

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Part III honoured me with a letter of recommendation un-der his own hand to the Emperor of Japan. He likewife prefented me with four hundred forty-four large pieces of gold (this nation delighting in even numbers) and a red diamond, which I sold in England for eleven hundred pounds.

On the 6th day of May 1709, I took a folemn leave of his Majefty and all my friends. This prince was fo gracious, as to order a guard to conduct me to Glanguenstald, which is a royal port to the S.W. part of the island. In 6 days I found a veffel ready to carry me to Japan, and spent 15 days in the voyage. We landed at a small port town, called Xamoschi, fituated on the S E. part of Japan; the town lies on the western point, where there is a narrow ftreight leading northward into a long arm of the fea, upon the N. W. part of which, Yedo the me tropolis ftands. At landing I fhewed the customhoufe officers my letter from the King of Luggnagg to his Imperial Majefty. They knew the feal perfectly well; it was as broad as the palm of my hand. The impreffion was A King lifting up a lame beggar from the earth. The magiftrates of the town hearing of my letter, received me as a public minifter; they provided me with carriages and fervants, and bore my charges to Yedo, where I was admitted to an audience, and delivered my letter, which was opened with great ceremony, and explained to the Emperor by an interpreter, who then gave me notice by his Majefty's order, that I fhould fignify my requeft, and whatever it were, it fhould be granted for the fake of his royal brother of Lugg nagg. This interpreter was a perfon employed to tranfact affairs with the Hollanders: he foon conjectured by my countenance, that I was an European, and therefore repeated his Majefty's commands in Low-dutch, which he fpoke perictly well. I answered (as I had before determined) that I was a Dutch merchant shipwrecked in a very re

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mote country, front whence I had travelled by fea and land to Luggnagg, and then took fhipping for Japan, where I knew my countrymen often traded, and with fome of thefe I hoped to get an opportu nity of returning into Europe: I therefore most humbly intreated his royal favour to give order, that I fhould be conducted in fafety to Nangafac to this I added another petit on, that for the fake of my patron the king of Luggnagg, his Majefty would condefcend to excufe my performing the ce remony impofed on my countrymen, of trampling upon the crucifix: becaufe I had been thrown into his kingdom by my misfortunes, without any intention of trading. When this latter petition was interpreted to the Emperor, he feemed a little furprized; and faid, he believed I was the firft of my countrymen, who ever made any fcruple in this point; and that he began to doubt, whether I was a real Hollander or no; but rather fufpected I muft be a christian. However, for the reafons I had offered, but chiefly to gratify the king of Luggnagg, by an uncommon mark of his favour, he would comply with the fingularity of my humour; but the affair must be managed with dexterity, and his of ficers fhould he commanded to let me pafs as it were by forgetfulness, For he affured me, that if the fecret thould be difcovered by my countrymen the Dutch, they would cut my throat in the voyage. I returned my thanks by the interpreter for fo unufual a favour; and fome troops being at that time on their march to Nangafac, the commanding officer had orders to convey me fafe thither, with particular inftructions about the bufinefs of the crucifix.

On the 9th day of June, 1709, I arrived at Nangafac after a very long and troublesome journey. I foon fell into company of fome Dutch failors belonging to the Amboyna of Amfterdam, a ftòut fhip of 450 tons. I had long lived in Holland, pur

fuing my ftudies at Leyden, and I spoke Dutch well. The feamen foon knew from whence I came laft; they were curious to enquire into my voyages and course of life. I made up a ftory as fhort and probable as I could, but concealed the greatest part. I knew many perfons in Holland; I was able to invent names for my parents, whom I pretended to be obfcure people in the province of Guelderland. I would have given the captain (one Theodorus Vangrult) what he pleafed to ask for my voyage to Holland; but understanding I was a furgeon, he was contented to take half the ufual rate, on condition that I would ferve him in the way of my cal. ing. Before we took fhipping, I was often asked by fome of the crew, whether I had performed the ceremony above mentioned? I evaded the queftion by general anfwers, that I had fatisfied the Emperor and court in all particulars. However, a ma. licious rogue of a skipper went to an officer, and pointing to me, told him, I had not yet trampled on the crucifix: but the other, who had received inftructions to let me pafs, gave the rafcal twenty ftrokes on the fhoulders with a bamboo; after which I was no more troubled with fuch questions.

Nothing happened worth mentioning in this voy-age. We failed with a fair wind to the Cape of. Good Hope, where we ftaid only to take in fresh water. On the 10th of April 1710, we arrived safe at Amfterdam, having loft only three men by fick. nefs in the voyage, and a fourth who fell from the fore-maft into the fea, not far from the coaft of Guiney. From Amfterdam I foon after fet fail for England in a fmall veffel belonging to that city.

On the 16th of April we put in at the Downs. I landed next morning, and faw once more my native country, after an abfence of five years and fix months complete. I went ftrait to Redriff, where I arrived the fame day, at two in the afternoon, and found my wife and family in good health.

TRA

TRAVEL S

Into feveral REMOTE NATIONS of the World.

PART IV.

A VOYAGE to the Country of the HOUYHNHNMS *.

CHA P. I.

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The author fets out as captain of a ship. His men confpire against him, confine him a long time to his cab· bin. Set him on fhore in an unknown land. travels up into the country. The Yahoos, a strange fort of animal, defcribed. The author meets two Houyhnhnms.

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Continued at home with my wife and children about five months in a very happy condition, if I could have learned the leffon of knowing when I was well. I left my poor wife big with child, and accepted an advantageous offer made me to be cap

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In this laft part of his imaginary travels, Swift has indulged a mifanthropy that is intolerable. The reprefentation which he has given us of human nature, muft terrify, and even de bafe the mind of the reader who views it. His fallies of wit and humcur lofe all their force, nothing remaining but a melancholy and difagr. cable impreflion: we are difgufted, not entertained, we are fhocked, not instructed by the fable. I fhould therefore chufe to take no notice of

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