crouding about me. I was conveyed to his own Houfe; and, at my earnest Request, he led me up to the highest Room backwards. I conjured him to conceal from all Perfons what I had told him of the Houyhnhnms; because the leaft Hint of fuch a Story would not only draw Numbers of People to fee me, but probably put me in Danger of being imprisoned, or burnt by the Inquifition. The Captain perfuaded me to accept a Suit of Cloaths newly made; but I would not fuffer the Taylor to take my Measure; however, Don Pedro being almost of my Size, they fitted me well enough. He accoutred me with other Neceffaries, all new, which I aired for twenty-four Hours, before I would use them.

The Captain had no Wife, nor above three Servants, none of which were fuffered to attend at Meals; and his whole Deportment was fo oblig ing, added to very good human Understanding, that I really began to tolerate his Company. He gained fo far upon me, that I ventured to look out of the back Window. By Degrees, I was brought into another Room, from whence I peeped into the Street, but drew my Head back in a Fright. In a Week's Time, he feduced me down to the Door. I found my Terror gradually leffened, but my Hatred and Contempt feemed to encrease. I was at laft bold enough to walk the Street in his Company, but kept my Nofe well ftopped with Rue, or fometimes with Tobacco.

In ten Days, Don Pedro, to whom I had given fome Account of my domeftic Affairs, put it upon me as a Matter of Honour and Confcience, that I ought to return to my native Country, and live at Home with my Wife and Children. He

told

told me, there was an English Ship in the Port just ready to fail, and he would furnish me with all Things neceffary. It would be tedious to repeat his Arguments, and my Contradictions. He faid it was altogether impoffible to find fuch a folitary Ifland as I had defired to live in ; but I might command in my own House, and pass my Time in a Manner as reclufe as I pleafed.

I complied at laft, finding I could not do better. I left Lisbon the 24th Day of November, in an English Merchant-Man, but, who was the Mafter, I never enquired. Don Pedro accompanied me to the Ship, and lent me twenty Pounds. He took kind Leave of me, and embraced me at Parting, which I bore as well as I could. During the laft Voyage, I had no Commerce with the Mafter, or any of his Men; but, pretending I was fick, kept close in my Cabbin. On the 5th of December, 1715, we caft Anchor in the Downs about nine in the Morning, and at three in the Afternoon I got fafe to my Houfe at Rotherhith.

my

My Wife and Family received me with great Surprize and Joy, because they concluded me certainly dead; but I muft freely confels the Sight of them filled me only with Hatred, Difguft, and Contempt; and the more by reflecting on the near Alliance I had to them. For, although, fince unfortunate Exile from the Houyhnhnm Country, I had compelled myself to tolerate the Sight of Taboos, and to converfe with Don Pedro de Mendez; yet my Memory and Imagination were perpetually filled with the Virtues and Ideas of thofe exalted Houyhnhnms. And when I began to confider, that, by copulating with one of the Yaboo-Species, I had become a Parent of more; it ftruck

23

ftruck me with the utmoft Shame, Confufion, and Horror.

As foon as I entered the Houfe, my Wife took me in her Arms, and kissed me; at which, having not been used to the Touch of that odious Animal for fo many Years, I fell in a Swoon for almoft an Hour. At the Time I am writing, it is five Years fince my laft Return to England: During the first Year, I could not endure my Wife or Children in my Prefence, the very Smell of them was intolerable; much less could I suffer them to eat in the fame Room. To this Hour, they dare not prefume to touch my Bread, or drink out of the fame Cup; neither was I ever able to let one of them take me by the Hand. The first Money I laid out was to buy two young StoneHorfes, which I keep in a good Stable, and next to them the Groom is my greatest Favourite; for I feel my Spirits revived by the Smell he contracts in the Stable. My Horfes understand me tolerably well; I converse with them at least four Hours every Day. They are Strangers to Bridle or Saddle; they live in great Amity with me, and Friendship to each other.

CHAP

CHAP. XII.

The Author's Veracity. His Defign in publishing this Work. His Cenfure of thofe Travellers who fwerve from the Truth. The Author clears himself from any finifter Ends in writing. An Objection anfwered. The Method of planting Colonies. His Native Country commended. The Right of the Crown to thofe Countries defcribed by the Author, is juftified. The Difficulty of conquering them. The Author takes his laft Leave of the Reader; proposeth his Manner of Living for the future ; gives good Advice, and concludeth.

TH

HUS, gentle Reader, I have given thee a faithful Hiftory of my Travels for Sixteen, Years, and above feven Months; wherein I have not been fo ftudious of Ornament as Truth. I could perhaps, like others, have aftonished thee with ftrange improbable Tales; but I rather chofe to relate plain Matter of Fact, in the fimpleft Manner and Style; because my principal Defign was to inform, and not to amufe thee.

It is eafy for us who travel into remote Countries, which are feldom vifited by Englishmen, or other Europeans, to form Defcriptions of wonderful Animals, both at Sea and Land. Whereas a Traveller's chief Aim fhould be, to make Men wifer and better, and to improve their Minds by the bad, as well as good Example, of what they deliver, concerning foreign Places.

I could heartily with a Law was enacted that every Traveller, before he were permitted to publifh his Voyages, fhould be obliged to make Oath before the Lord High Chancellor, that all he intended to print was abfolutely true, to the best of his Knowledge; for then the World would no longer be deceived, as it usually is; while fome Writers, to make their Works pafs the better upon the Public, impofe the groffeft Falfities on the unwary Reader. I have perufed feveral Books of Travels, with great Delight, in my younger Days; but having fince gone over moft Parts of the Globe, and been able to contradict many fabulous Accounts from my own Observation, it hath given me a great Difguft against this Part of Reading, and fome Indignation to fee the Credulity of Mankind fo impudently abufed. Therefore, fince my Acquaintance were pleased to think my poor Endeavours might not be unacceptable to my Country, I imposed on myself, as a Maxim, never to be fwerved from, that I would frictly adhere to Truth ; neither, indeed, can I be ever under the leaft Temptation to vary from it, while I retain in my Mind the Lectures and Example of my Noble Mafter, and the other Illuftrious Houyhnhnms, of whom I had fo long the Honour to be an humble Hearer.

Nec fi miferum Fortuna Sinonem Finxit, vanum etiam, mendacemque improba finget.

I know very well, how little Reputation is to be got by Writings which require neither Genius nor Learning, nor, indeed, any other Talent, ex

cept