CHA P. II.

A defeription of the farmer's daughter. The author carried to a market-town, and then to the metropolis. The particulars of his journey.

MY

Y miftrefs had a daughter of nine years old, a child of towardly parts for her age, very dexterous at her needle, and skilful in dreffing her baby. Her mother and the contrived to fit up the baby's cradle for me against night: the cradle was put into a small drawer of a cabinet, and the drawer placed upon a hanging shelf for fear of the rats. This was my bed all the time I stayed with those people, though made more convenient by degrees, as I began to learn their language, and make my wants known. This young girl was fo'hardy, that, after I had once or twice pulled off my cloaths before her, fhe was able to drefs and undrefs me, though I never gave her that trouble, when fhe would let me do either myself. She made me feven fhirts, and fome other linen, of as fine cloth as could be got, which indeed was coarfer than fackcloth; and thefe fhe conftantly washed for me with her own hands. She was likewife my school-mistress to teach me the language: when I pointed to any thing, fhe told me the name of it in her own tongue, fo that in a few days I was able to call for whatever I had a mind to. She was very good-natured, and not above forty feet high, being little for her age. She gave me the name of Grildrig, which the family took up, and afterwards the whole kingdom. The word imports what the Latins call nanunculus, the Italians homunceletino, and the Englis mannikin. To her I chiefly owe my prefervation in that country: we never parted while I was there; I called her my Glumdalclitch, or little nurfe; and should be guilty of great ingratitude, if I omitted this honourable mention of her care and affection towards me, which I heartily with it lay in my power to requite as she deferves, instead of being the innocent, but unhappy inftrument of her disgrace, as I have too much reason to fear.

This

It now began to be known and talked of in the neighbourhood, that my mafter had found a strange animal in the field, about the bignefs of a placnuck, but exactly fhaped in every part like a human creature; which it likewife imitated in all its actions; feemed to fpeak in a little language of its own, had already learned feveral words of theirs, went erect upon two legs, was tame and gentle, would come when it was called, do whatever it was bid, had the finest limbs in the world, and a complexion fairer than a nobleman's daughter of three years old. Another farmer, who lived hard by, and was a particular friend of my mafter, came on a vifit on purpofe to enquire into the truth of this ftory. I was immediately produced, and placed upon a table, where I walked as i was commanded, drew my hanger, put it up again, made my reverence to my mafter's gueft, asked him in his own language how he did, and told him he was welcome, just as my little nurfe had inftructed me. man, who was old and dim-fighted, put on his fpectacles to behold me better, at which I could not forbear laughing very heartily, for his eyes appeared like the full moon fhining into a chamber at two windows. Our people, who difcovered the cause of my mirth, bore me company in laughing, at which the old fellow was fool enough to be angry and out of countenance. He had the character of a great mifer, and, to my misfortune, he well deferved it, by the curfed advice he gave my mafter, to fhew me as a fight upon a market-day in the next town, which was half an hour's riding, about two and twenty miles from our houfe. I gueffed there was fome mifchief contriving, when I obferved my mafter and his friend whifpering long together, fometimes pointing at me; and my fears made me fancy, that I overheard and understood fome of their words. But the next morning Glumdalclitch, my little nurfe, told me the whole matter, which he had cunningly picked out from her mother. The poor girl laid me on her bofom, and fell a weeping with fhame and grief. She apprehended some mischief would happen to me from rude vulgar folks, who might fqueeze me to death, or break one of my limbs by taking me in their hands. She had alfo obferved how modeft I was in my nature, how nicely I regarded my honour, and what an VOL. IV.

H

indignity

Part II. indignity I should conceive it to be exposed for money as a public fpectacle to the meaneft of the people. She faid, her papa and mama had promifed that Grildrig fhould be hers, but now the found they meant to ferve her as they did last year, when they pretended to give her a lamb, and yet, as foon as it was fat, fold it to a butcher. For my own part, I may truly affirm, that I was lefs concerned than my nurfe. I had a strong hope, which never left me, that I should one day recover my liberty; and as to the ignominy of being carried about for a monster, I confidered myfelf to be a perfect ftranger in the country, and that fuch a misfortune could never be charged upon me as a reproach, if ever I fhould return to England; fince the King of Great Britain himself, in my condition, must have undergone the fame diftrefs.

My mafter, pursuant to the advice of his friend, carried me in a box the next market-day, to the neighbouring town, and took along with him his little daughter, my nurse, upon a pillion behind him. The box was clofe on every fide, with a little door for me to go in and out, and a few gimlet-holes to let in air. The girl had been fo careful as to put the quilt of her baby's bed into it, for me to lie down on. However, I was terribly fhaken and difcompofed in this journey, though it were but of half an hour. For the horfe went about forty feet at every step, and trotted fo high, that the agitation was equal to the rifing and falling of a fhip in a great storm, but much more frequent: our journey was fomewhat farther than from London to St. Alban's. My master alighted at an inn which he ufed to frequent; and after confulting a while with the inn-keeper, and making fome neceffary preparations, he hired the grultrud, or crier, to give notice through the town, of a strange creature to be feen at the fign of the Green Eagle, not fo big as a placnuck (an animal in that country very finely fhaped, about fix feet long) and in every part of the body refembling an human creature, could fpeak feveral words, and perform an hundred diverting tricks.

.I was placed upon a table in the largest room of the inn, which might be near three hundred feet fquare. My little nurse stood on a low ftool close to the table, to take care of me, and direct what I should do. My master, to

avoid a croud, would fuffer only thirty people at a time to fee me. I walked about on the table as the girl com manded: fhe asked me questions, as far as fhe knew my understanding of the language reached, and I anfwered them as loud as I could. I turned about feveral times to the company, paid my humble refpects, faid they were welcome, and used fome other fpeeches I had been taught. I took up a thimble filled with liquor, which Glumdalclitch had given me for a cup, and drank their health. I drew out my hanger, and flourished with it after the manner of fencers in England. My nurse gave me part of a ftraw, which I exercised as a pike, having learned the art in my youth. I was that day fhewn to twelve fets of company, and as often forced to act over again the same fopperies, till I was half dead with wearinefs and vexation. For those who had feen me made fuch wonderful reports, that the people were ready to break down the doors to come in. My mafter, for his own interest, would not fuffer any one to touch me, except my nurse; and to prevent danger, benches were fet round the table at fuch a distance, as to put me out of every body's reach. However, an unlucky fchool-boy aimed a hazel-nut di rectly at my head, which very narrowly miffed me; o therwife, it came with fo much violence, that it would have infallibly knocked out my brains, for it was almost as large as a small pompion: but I had the fatisfaction to fee the young rogue well beaten, and turned out of the

room.

My master gave public notice, that he would fhew me again the next market-day, and in the mean time he prepared a more convenient vehicle for me, which he had reafon enough to do; for I was fo tired with my first journey, and with entertaining company for eight hours together, that I could hardly ftand upon my legs, or fpeak a word. It was at least three days before I recovered my ftrength; and that I might have no rest at home, all the neighbouring gentlemen, from an hundred miles round, hearing of my fame, came to fee me at my mafter's own houfe. There could not be fewer than thirty perfons with their wives and children (for the country is very populous ;) and my master demanded the rate of a full room, whenever he fhewed me at home, al

though it were only to a fingle family: fo that for fome time I had but little eafe every day of the week (except Wednesday, which is their Sabbath) although I were not carried to the town.

My mafter, finding how profitable I was like to be, refolved to carry me to the most considerable cities of the kingdom. Having therefore provided himself with all things neceffary for a long journey, and fettled his af fairs at home, he took leave of his wife, and upon the 17th of August 1703, about two months after my arrival, we fet out for the metropolis, fituated near the middle of that empire, and about three thousand miles distance from our house: my mafter made his daughter Glumdalclitch ride behind him. She carried me on her lap in a box tied about her waist. The girl had lined it on all fides with the fofteft cloth fhe could get, well quilted underneath, furnished it with her baby's bed, provided me with linen and other neceffaries, and made every thing as convenient as fhe could. We had no other company but a boy of the house, who rode after us with the luggage.

My master's design was to fhew me in all the towns by the way, and to step out of the road for fifty or an hundred miles, to any village, or perfon of quality's house, where he might expect cuftom. We made eafy journies of not above feven or eight fcore miles a-day: for Glum. dalclitch, on purpofe to fpare me, complained the was aired with the trotting of the horse. She often took me out of my box at my own defire, to give me air, and fhew me the country, but always held me faft by a leadingftring. We paffed over five or fix rivers many degrees broader and deeper than the Nile, or the Ganges; and there was hardly a rivulet fo fmall as the Thames at London-bridge. We were ten weeks in our journey, and I was fhewn in eighteen large towns, befides many villages and private families.

On the 26th day of October, we arrived at the metropolis, called in their language Lorbrulgrud, or Pride of the Univerfe. My mafter took a lodging in the principal Street of the city, not far from the royal palace, and put out bills in the ufual form, containing an exact defcription of my perfon and parts. He hired a large room between three and four hundred feet wide. He provided a

table