tain of the Adventure, a ftout merchant-man of 350 tuns: for I understood navigation well, and being grown weary of a furgeon's employment at fea, which however I could exercite upon occafion, his YAHOOS, did I not think it neceffary to affert the vindication of hunian nature, and thereby, in fome mea fure, to pay my duty to the great Author of our fpecies, who has created us in a very fearful, and a very wonderful manner. We are compofed of a mind, and of a body, intimately united, and mutually affecting each other. Their operations indeed are entirely different. Whether the immertal fpirit, that enlivens this fine machine, is originally of a fuperior nature in various bodies, (which, I own, feems most confiftent, and agreeable to the fcale and order of beings,) or whether the difference depends on a fymmetry, or peculiar Atructure of the organs combined with it, is beyond my reach to determine. It is evidently certain, that the body is curiously formed with proper organs to delight, and fuch as are adapted to all the neceffary uses of life. The fpirit animates the whole; it guides the natural appetites, and confines them within just limits. But the natural force of this spirit is often immerfed in matter; and the mind becomes fubfervient to paffions, which it ought to govern and direct. Horace, although of the Epicurean doctrine, acknowledges this truth, where he fays, Atque affigit buma divinæ particulum auræ. It is no le's evident, that this immortal spirit has an independent power of acting, and, when cultivated in a proper manner, feemingly quits the corporeal frame within which is is imprifoned, and fears into higher and more fpacious regions; where, with an energy, which I had almoft faid was divine, it ranges among thofe heavenly bedies, that in this lower world, are fcarce visible to cur eyes; and we can at once explain the distance, magnitude, and velocity of the planets, and can foretell, even to a degree of minutenefs, the pari ular time when a comet will return, and when the fun will be eci fed in the next century. Thefe powers certainly evince the dignity of human nature, and the furprifing effects of the immaterial fpi it within us; which, in fo confined a flate, can thus difengage itfeld from the fet ters of matter. It is from this pre eminence of the foul over the bɔ. dy, that we are enabled to view the ex et order and curious va iety of different beings; to confider and cultivate the natural productions of the earth; and to admire and imitate the wife benevolence which reigns throughout the whole fyftem of the univerfe. It is from hence that we form moral laws for our conduct. From hence we delight in copying that great original, who in his effence is u.terly incompre henfible, but in his influence is powerfully apparent to every degree of his creation. From hence too we perceive a real beauty in virtue, and a distinction between good and evil. Virtue acts with the utmost generefity, and with no view to her own advantage; while vice, like a glutton, feeds herfelf enormously, and then is willing to difgorge the fion, I took a skilful young man of that calling, one Robert Purefoy, into my fhip. We fet fail from Portsmouth upon the 7th day of September, 1610; on the 14th, we met with Captain Pocock of Briftol, at Teneriff, who was going to the bay of Campeachy the naufeous offals of her feaft. But I fhall wander too far, especially as I flatter myself, that your mind is fo good, and fo unprejudiced, that you will more eafily feel than I can illuftrate the truth of thefe affertions. Swift deduces his obfervations from wrong principles: for, in his land of Houyhnhnms, he confiders the foul and body in their most degenerate and uncultivated state; the former as a flave to the appetites of the latter. He feems infenfible of the furprising mechanism and beauty of every part of the human compofition. He forgets the fine defcription which Ovid gives of mankind: Os bomini fublime dedit, cœlumque tuer i In painung YAHOOs he becomes one himfelf. Nor is the picture which he draws of the Houyhnhnms, inviting or amufing. It wants both light and fhade to adorn it. It is cold and infipid. We there view the pure inflints of brutes, unaffifted by any knowledge of letters, acting within their own narrow fphere, merely for their immediate prefervation. They are incapable of doing wrong, therefore they act right. It is furely a very low character given to creatures, in whom the author would infinuate fome degree of reafon, that they act inoffenfively, when they have neither the motive nor the power to act otherwife. Their virtuous qualities are only negatives. Swift himself, amidst all his irony, must have confeffed, that to moderate our paffions, to extend our munificence to others, to enlarge our understanding, and to raise our idea of the Almighty by contemplating his works, is not only the bufinefs, but often the practice, and the ftudy of the human mind. It is too certain, that no individual has ever poffeffed every qualification and excellence. However, fuch an affemblage of different virtues may fill be collected from different perfons, as are fufficient to place the dignity of human nature in an amiable and exalted ftation. We muft lament indeed the many inftances of thofe who degenerate or go aftray from the end and intention of their being. The true fource of this depravity is often owing to the want of education, to the falfe indulgence of parents, or to fome other bad caufes, which are conftantly prevalent in every nation. Many of thefe errors are finely ridiculed in the foregoing parts of this romance but the voyage to the Houyhnhnms is a real infuit upon mankind. I am heartily tired of the laft part of Gulliver's travels; and am glad, that, having exhausted all my obfervations on this difagreeable fubject, may finish my letter; especially as the conclufion of it naturally turns my thoughts from yahoos, to one of the deareft pledges I have upon earth, yourself, etc. Orray. Some others, befides Lord Orrery, have thought proper to cenfure VOL. V. Gulliver's Campeachy to cut logwood. On the 16th, he was parted from us in a ftorm; I heard, fince my return, that his fhip foundered, and none efcaped, but one cabbin-boy. He was an honest man, and a good Gulliver's voyage to the Houyhnhnms. But whether indeed their animadverfions proceeded from the infirmity of their judgement, or from fome Yahoo depravity in their own nature, I shall not vouchfafe to inquire; as the daily occurrences of this wretched world prove, illuftrate, and confirm ali the farcafms of the doctor. Shall we praife that excellent moralist, the humorous Hogarth, for expofing midnight revels, debaucheries, and a thou and other vices and follies of human kind, in a-feries of hieroglyphics, fuited to the improvement and the correction of the wild, the gay, the frolic, and the extravagant? And fhall we condemn a preacher of righteousness, for expofing, under the character of a nafty unteachable yahoo, the deformity, the blackness, the filthinefs, and corruption of thefe hellish, abominable vices, which inflame the wrath of God against the children of difobedience; and fubject them without repentance, that is, without a thorough change of life and practice, to everlasting perdition? Ought a preacher of righteousness, ought a watchman of the Chriflian faith (who is accountable for his talents, and obliged to warn the innocent, as well as terrify the wicked and profan,) to hold his peace, like a dumb dog, that cannot bark, when avarice, fraud, cheating, violence, rapine, extortion, cruelty, oppreffion, tyranny, rancour, envy, malice, detraction, hatred, revenge, murder, whoredom, adultery, lafciviousness, bribery, -corruption, pimping, lying, perjury, fubornation, treachery, ingratitude, gaming, flattery, drunkenness, gluttony, luxury, vanity, effeminacy, cowardice, pride, impudence, hypocrify, infidelity, blasphemy, idolatry, Sodomy, and innumerable other vices, are as epidemical as the pox, and many of them the notorious characteristics. of the bulk of human kind? I would ask thofe mighty softeners, these kind pretenders to benevolence, thefe hollow charity-mongers, what is their real opinion of that old ferpent, which, like a roaring lion, traverfeth the globe, feeking whom he may devour? Was he not created by the Almighty, pure, faultlefs, intelligent? But is there now, throughout the whole fyftem of created exiftence, any beast, any Yahoo, any tyrant, fo vile, fo base, so corrupted? And whence originally proceeded the change? Was it not from the abufe of that freedom, without which no created intelligence can be reputed faithful, wile, brave, or virtuous, in the eyes of his Creator? And furely, if this once great, once glorious, fpirit hath been reduced for many thousand of ages, for ought we know to the contrary, below all the feveral gradations of created beings, whether intelligent, animal, or infenfible; and expofed to the fury of that avenging, though merciful, God, who is the fountain of all wifdom, goodness, and virtue; are we not to conclude, by an exact parity of reafon, that every moral agent is equally accountable to God for that degree of intelligence and perfection, which determines the nature of his exiftence? And upon this very principle, which cannot be denied without running into the lat a good failor, but a little too pofitive in his own opinions, which was the caufe of his deftruction, as it hath been of several others. For if he had followed my advice, he might have been fafe at home with his family at this time, as well as myfelf. I had several men died in my fhip of calentures, fo that I was forced to get recruits out of Barbadoes and the Leeward Islands, where I touched by the direction of the merchants who employed me; which I had foon too much caufe to repent; for I found afterwards, that most of them had been buccaneers *. I had fifty hands on board, and my or ders were, that I fhould trade with the Indians in the South Sea, and make what difcoveries I could. Thefe rogues, whom I had picked up, debauched my other men, and they all formed a confpiracy to feize the ship, and fecure me; which they did one morning, rushing into my cabbin, and binding me hand and fout, threatening to throw me over board if I offered to ftir. I told them, I was their prifoner, and would submit. This they made me fwear to do, and then they unbound me, only fastening one of my legs with a chain near my bed, and placed a Jaft of abfurdities, and which in fact is the reafoning of St. Peter throughout his whole 2d chapter of his ad epiftle, that creature inan, that glorious creature man, is defervedly more contemptible than a brute beast, when he flies in the face of his Creator, by inlifting under the banner of the enemy; and perverts that reafon which was defigned to have been the glory of his nature, even the directing spi rit of his life and demeanour, to the vileft, the most execrable, the moft hellish purpofes. And this manifeftly appears to be the groundwork of the whole fatire contained in the voyage to the Houyhnhnms. [Then the author inferts feveral paffages from the Holy Scriptures, and the Apocrypha, which, he says, will fully juftify all the farcafmsof the doctor. But thefe we omit, as improper in a political romance.] And to conclude: if the brutality and filthiness of the Yahoos be reprefented by the fatiric genius of Dr. Swift, in colours the most fhocking and deteftable, as they certainly are, and as, in fact, they ought to have been, the picture is the more striking, as well as the more terrible; and, upon that account, more likely to inforce the obligation of religion and virtue upon the fouls of men. Swift. * Certain pirates, that infefted the Weft-Indies, were so called. P 2 centre centry at my door with his piece charged, who was commanded to fhoot me dead, if I attempted my liberty. They fent me down victuals and drink, and took the government of the ship to themfelves. Their defign was to turn pirates, and plunder the Spaniards, which they could not do, till-they got more men. But first they refolved to fell the goods in the fhip, and then g⚫ to Madagascar for recruits, feveral among them having died fince my confinement. They failed many weeks, and traded with the Indians; but I knew not what courfe they took, being kept a clofe prifoner in my cabbin, and expecting nothing less than to be murdered, as they often threatened me. Upon the 9th day of May 1711, one James Welch came down to my cabbin, and faid, he had orders from the captain to fet me a fhore. 1 expoftulated with him, but in vain ; neither would he fo much as tell me, who their new captain was. They forced me into the long-boat, letting me put on my beft fuit of cloaths, which were as good as new, and take a fmall bundle of linen, but no arms, except my hanger; and they were fo civil as not to fearch my pockets, into which I conveyed what money I had, with fome other little neceffaries. They rowed about a league; and then fet me down on a ftrand. I defired them to tell me what country it was. They all fwore, they knew no more than myself, but faid, that the captain (as they called him) was refolved, after they had fold the lading, to get rid of me in the first place where they could difcover land. They pushed off immediately, advifing me to make hafte, for fear of being overtaken with the tide; and fo bade me farewell. In this defolate condition I advanced forward, and foon got upon firm ground, where I fat down on a bank to reft myself, and confider what I had best do. When I was a little refreshed, I went up into the country, refolving to deliver myfelf to the |