take, because it feemed for a while to ftand ftill. Yet foon after it advanced nearer, and I could fee the Sides of it, encompaffed with several Gradations of Galleries and Stairs, at certain Intervals, to defcend from one to the other. In the lowest Gallery, I beheld fome People fishing with long Angling Rods, and others looking on. I waved my Cap (for my Hat was long fince worn out) and my Handkerchief towards the Ifland; and, upon its nearer Approach, I called and fhouted with the utmoft Strength of my Voice; and then, looking circumfpectly, I beheld a Crowd gathered to that Side which was moft in my View. I found by their Pointing towards me and to each other, that they plainly difcovered me, although they made no Return to my Shouting. But I could fee four or five Men running in great Hafte up the Stairs to the Top of the Ifland, who then disappeared. I happened rightly to conjecture, that these were fent for Orders to fome Perfon in Authority pon this Occafion.

The Number of People encreased, and, in lefs than half an Hour, the Ifland was moved and raifed in fuch a Manner, that the lowest Gallery ap-` peared in a Parallel of less than an hundred Yards Distance from the Height where I ftood. I then put myself into the moft fupplicating Postures, and fpoke in the humbleft Accent, but received no Anfwer. Thofe, who stood nearest over-against me, feemed to be Perfons of Diftinction, as I fuppofed, by their Habit. They conferred earneftly with each other, looking often upon me. At length one of them called out in a clear, polite, fmooth Dialect, not unlike in Sound to the Itali an; and therefore I returned an Answer in that Language, hoping, at least, that the Cadence might

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might be more agreeable to his Ears. Although neither of us understood the other, yet my Meaning was eafily known, for the People faw the Diftrefs I was in.

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They made Signs for me to come down from the Rock, and go towards the Shore, which I accordingly did; and, the flying Island being raifed to a convenient Height, the Verge directly over me, a Chain was let down from the loweft Gallery, with a Seat faftened to the Bottom, to which I fixed myself, and was drawn up by Pullies.

CHA P. II.

The Humours and Difpofitions of the Laputians defcribed. An Account of their Learning. Of the King, and his Court. The Author's Reception there. The Inhabitants fubject to Fear and Difquietudes. An Account of the Women.

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T my Alighting, I was furrounded with a Crowd of People, but those who stood neareft feemed, to be of better Quality. They beheld me with all the Marks and Circumftances of Wonder, neither, indeed, was I much in their Debt; having, never, till then, feen a Race of Mortals fo fingular in their Shapes, Habits, and Countenances. Their Heads were all reclined, either to the Right or the Left; one of their Eyes turned inward, and the other directly up to the Zenith. Their outward Garments were adorned with the Figures of Suns, Moons, and Stars, in terwoven with thofe of Fiddles, Flutes, Harps, Trumpets, Guittars, Harpficords, and many more Inftruments of Mufic, unknown to us in Europe. N

I ob

I obferved, here and there, many in the Habit of Servants with a blown Bladder fastened like a Flayl to the End of a short Stick, which they carried in their Hands. In each Bladder was a small Quantity of dried Pease, or little Pebbles (as I was afterwards informed). With thefe Bladders, they now and then flapped the Mouths and Ears of those who stood near them, of which Practice I could not then conceive the Meaning; it seems, the Minds of these People are fo taken up with intenfe Speculations, that they neither can speak, nor attend to the Difcourfes of others, without being roufed by fome external Taction upon the Organs of Speech and Hearing for which Reafon, thofe Perfons, who are able to afford it, always keep a Flapper (the Original is Climenole) in their Family, as one of their Domeftics, nor ever walk abroad or make Vifits without him. And the Business of this Officer is, when two or three more Perfons are in Company, gently to ftrike with his Bladder the Mouth of him who is to fpeak, and the right Ear of him or them to whom the Speaker addreffeth himself. This Flapper is likewife employed diligently to attend his Mafter in his Walks, and, upon Occafion, to give him a foft Flap on his Eyes, because he is always fo wrapped up in Cogitation, that he is in manifet Danger of falling down every Precipice, and bouncing his Head against every Poft and in the Streets, of juftling others, or being juftled himself, - into the Kennel.

It was neceffary to give the Reader this Information, without which, he would be at the fame Lofs with me, to underftand the Proceedings of thefe People, as they conducted me up the Stairs, to the Top of the Ifland, and from thence to the

Royal

Royal Palace. While we were afcending, they forgot feveral Times what they were about, and left me to myfelf, till their Memories were again roufed by their Flappers for they appeared altogether unmoved by the Sight of my foreign Habit and Countenance, and by the Shouts of the Vulgar, whofe Thoughts and Minds were more difengaged.

At last we entered the Palace, and proceeded into the Chamber of Prefence, where I faw the King feated on his Throne, attended on each Side by Perfons of prime Quality. Before the Throne, was a large Table filled with Globes and Spheres, and Mathematical Inftruments of all Kinds. His Majefty took not the leaft Notice of us, although our Entrance was not without fufficient Noife, by the Concourfe of all Perfons belonging to the Court. But he was then deep in a Problem, and we attended at least an Hour, before he could folve it. There ftood by him, on each Side, a young Page, with Flaps in their Hands, and, when they faw he was at Leifure, one of them gently ftruck his Mouth, and the other his right Ear; at which he ftarted like one awaked on the fudden, and looking towards me, and the Company I was in, recollected the Occafion of our Coming, whereof he had been informed before. He spoke fome Words, whereupon immediately a young Man with a Flap came up to my Side, and flapt me gently on the right Ear, but I made Signs, as well as I could, that I had no Occafion for fuch an Inftrument; which, as I afterwards found, gave his Majefty, and the whole Court, a very mean Opinion of my Understanding. The King, as far as I could conjecture, asked me feveral Queftions, and I addreffed myself to him in all the Languages I N 2 had.

had. When it was found, that I could neither understand, nor be understood, I was conducted, by his Order, to an Apartment in his Palace, (this Prince being diftinguished above all his Predeceffors, for his Hofpitality to Strangers) where two Servants were appointed to attend me. My Dinner was brought, and four Perfons of Quality, whom I remembered to have seen very near the King's Perfon, did me the Honour to dine with me. We had two Courfes, of three Dishes each. In the first Course, there was a Shoulder of Mutton, cut into an Equilateral Triangle, a Piece of Beef into a Rhomboides, and a Pudding into a Cycloid. The fecond Courfe was two Ducks, truffed up into the Form of Fiddles; Saufages and Puddings refembling Flutes and Haut-boys, and a Breaft of Veal in the Shape of a Harp. The Servants cut our Bread into Cones, Cylinders, Parallelograms, and feveral other Mathematical Fi gures.

While we were at Dinner, I made bold to ask the Names of feveral Things in their Language, and those noble Perfons, by the Affiftance of their Flappers, delighted to give me Answers, hoping to raife my Admiration of their great Abilities, if I could be brought to converfe with them. I was foon able to call for Bread and Drink, or whatever elfe I wanted.

After Dinner, my Company withdrew, and a Perfon was fent to me by the King's Order, attended by a Flapper. He brought with him Pen, Ink, and Paper, and three or four Books, giving me to understand by Signs, that he was fent to teach me the Language. We fat together four Hours, in which Time I wrote down a great Number of Words in Columns, with the Tran