CHA P. III.

The Author Studies to learn the Language, the Houyhnhnm bis Mafter affifts in teaching him. The Language defcribed. Several Houyhnhnms of Quality come out of Curiofity to fee the Author. He gives his Mafter a fhort Account of bis Voyage.

M

Y principal Endeavour was to learn the Language, which my Mafter (for fo I fhall henceforth call him) and. his Children, and every Servant of his Houfe, were defirous to teach me. For, they looked upon it as a Prodigy, that a brute Animal fhould discover fuch Marks of a rational Creature. I pointed to every Thing, and enquired the Name of it, which I wrote down in my Journal Book when I was alone, and corrected my bad Accent, by defiring thofe of the Family to pronounce it often. In this Employment, a Sorrel Nag, one of the under Servants, was very ready to affift me.

IN fpeaking, they pronounce through the Nofe and Throat, and their Language approacheth nearest to the High-Dutch or German, of any I know in Europe; but is much more graceful and fignificant. The Emperor Charles V. made almoft the fame Obfervation,

Obfervation, when he faid, That if he were to fpeak to his Horse, it should be in High-Dutch.

THE Curiofity and Impatience of my Mafter were fo great, that he spent many Hours of his Leifure to inftruct me. He was convinced (as he afterwards told me) that I must be a Yahoo, but my Teachablenefs, Civility and Cleanlinefs, aftonished him; which were Qualities altogether fo oppofite to those Animals. He was moft perplexed about my Cloaths, reasoning fometimes with himself, whether they were a Part of my Body; for I never pulled them off until the Family were afleep, and got them on before they waked in the Morning. My Mafter was eager to learn from whence I came; how I acquired thofe Appearances of Reason, which I difcovered in all my Actions; and to know my Story from my own Mouth, which he hoped he should foon do by the great Proficiency I made in learning and pronouncing their Words and Sentences. To help my Memory, I formed all I learned into the Englib Alphabet, and writ the Words down with the Tranflations. This laft, after fome Time, I ventured to do in my Master's Prefence. It coft me much Trouble to explain to him what I was doing; for the Inhabitants have not the leaft Idea of Books or Literature.

IN about ten Weeks Time I was able to underftand most of his Queftions; and in three Months could give him fome tolerable Anfwers. He was extremely curious to know from what Part of the Country I came, and how I was taught to imitate a rational Creature; because the Yaboos, (whom he faw I exactly resembled in my Head, Hands and Face, that were only vifible,) with fome Appearance of Cunning, and the ftrongest Difpofition to

Mischief,

Mischief, were obferved to be the most unteachable of all Brutes. I answered; that I came over the Sea, from a far Place, with many others of my own Kind, in a great hollow Veffel made of the Bodies of Trees: That, my Companions forced me to land on this Coaft, and then left me to shift for my self. It was with fome Difficulty, and by the Help of many Signs, that I brought him to understand me. He replyed, That I muft needs be mistaken, or that I faid the Thing which was not. (For they have no Word in their Language to exprefs Lying or Falfhood.) He knew it was impoffible that there could be a Country beyond the Sea, or that a Parcel of Brutes could move a wooden Veffel whither they pleafed upon Water. He was fure no Houyhnhnm alive could make fuch a Veffel, or would truft Yaboos tó manage it.

THE Word Houyhnhnm, in their Tongue, fignifies a Horfe; and its Etymology, the Perfection of Nature. I told my Master, that I was at a Lofs for Expreffion, but would improve as faft as I. could; and hoped in a fhort Time I fhould be able to tell him Wonders: He was pleased to direct his own Mare, his Colt and Fole, and the Servants of the Family to take all Opportunities of inftructing me; and every Day for two or three Hours, he was at the fame Pains himself: Several Horses and Mares of Quality in the Neighbourhood came often to our Houfe, upon the Report spread of a wonderful Yaboo, that could fpeak like a Houyhnhnm, and feemed in his Words and Actions to discover fome Glimmerings of Reason. These delighted to converfe with me; they put many Queftions, and received fuch Anfwers, as I was able to return. By all which Advantages, I made fo great a Progress, that in five Months from my Arrival, I un

derstood

derstood whatever was fpoke, and could exprefs my felf tolerably well.

THE Houyhnhnms who came to vifit my Master, out of a Defign of feeing and talking with me, could hardly believe me to be a right Taboo, becaufe my Body had a different Covering from others of my Kind. They were astonished to obferve me without the ufual Hair or Skin, except on my Head, Face and Hands: But I difcovered that Secret to my Maiter, upon an Accident, which happened about a Fortnight before.

I HAVE already told the Reader, that every Night when the Family were gone to Bed, it was my Custom to strip and cover my felf with my Cloaths: It happened one Morning early, that my Mafter fent for me, by the Sorrel Nag, who was his Valet; when he came, I was faft afleep, my Cloaths fallen off on one Side, and my Shirt above my Waist I awaked at the Noise he made, and obferved him to deliver his Meffage in fonie Diforder; after which, he went to my Master, and in a great Fright gave him a very confufed Account of what he had feen: This I presently discovered; for going as foon as I was dreffed, to pay my Attendance upon his Honour, he asked me the Meaning of what his Servant had reported; that I was not the fame Thing when I flept as I appeared to be at other Times; that his Valet affured him, fome Part of me was white, fome yellow, at least not fo white, and fome brown.

I HAD hitherto concealed the Secret of my Drefs, in order to distinguish my felf as much as poffible, from that curfed Race of Taboos; but now I found it in vain to do fo any longer. Befides, I confidered that my Cloaths and Shoes would foon wear out, which already were in a declining Condition,

and

and must be supplied by fome Contrivance from the Hides of Yaboos, or other Brutes; whereby the whole Secret would be known. I therefore told

my Mafter, that in the Country from whence I came, thofe of my Kind always covered their Bodies with the Hairs of certain Animals prepared by Art, as well for Decency, as to avoid Inclemencies of Air both hot and cold; of which, as to my own Perfon, I would give him immediate Conviction, if he pleased to command me; only defiring his Excufe, if I did not expose those Parts that Nature taught us to conceal. He faid, my Discourse was all very ftrange, but efpecially the laft Part; for he could not understand why Nature thould teach us to conceal what Nature had given. That neither himself, nor Family, were ashamed of any Parts of their Bodies; but however I might do as I pleased. Whereupon, I firft unbuttoned my Coat, and pulled it off. I did the fame with my Waistcoat; I drew off my Shoes, Stockings, and Breeches. I let my Shirt down to my Waist, and drew up the Bottom, fastening it like a Girdle about my Middle to hide my Nakedness.

My Mafter obferved the whole Performance with great Signs of Curiofity and Admiration. He took up all my Cloaths in his Paftern, one Piece after another, and examined them diligently; he then ftroaked my Body very gently, and looked round me several Times; after which he said, it was plain I must be a perfect raboo; but that I differed very much from the reft of my Species, in the Whiteness, and Smoothness of my Skin, my Want of Hair in feveral Parts of my Body, the Shape and Shortnefs of my Claws behind and before, and my Affectation of walking continually on my two hinder Feet. He defired to fee no

more;