the Sun and Moon, but ufe no Subdivifions into Weeks. They are well enough acquainted with the Motions of thofe two Luminaries, and understand the Nature of Eclipfes; and this is the utmoft Pro grefs of their Aftronomy.

IN Poetry, they must be allowed to excel all other Mortals; wherein the Juftnefs of their Similes, and the Minuteness, as well as Exactness of their Defcriptions, are indeed, inimitable. Their Verfes

abound very much in both of these; and usually contain either fome exalted Notions of Friendship and Benevolence, or the Praises of thofe who were Victors in Races, and other bodily Exercifes. Their Buildings, although very rude and fimple, are not inconvenient, but well contrived to defend them from all Injuries of Cold and Heat. They have a Kind of Tree, which at forty Years old loofens in the Root, and falls with the firft Storm; it grows very ftrait, and being pointed like Stakes with a fharp Stone, (for the Houyhnhnms know not the Ufe of Iron) they stick them erect in the Ground about ten Inches afunder, and then weave in Oat-ftraw, or fometimes Wattles betwixt them. The Roof is made after the fame Manner, and fo are the Doors.

THE Houyhnhnms ufe the hollow Part between the Paftern and the Hoof of their Fore-feet, as we do our Hands, and this with greater Dexterity, than I could at firft imagine. I have feen a white Mare of our Family thread a Needle (which I lent her on Purpose) with that Joint. They milk their Cows, reap their Oats, and do all the Work which requires Hands, in the fame Manner. They have a Kind of hard Flints, which by grinding against other Stones, they form into Inftruments, that ferve inftead of Wedges, Axes, and Hammers. With

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Tools made of thefe Flints, they likewife cut their Hay, and reap their Oats, which there groweth naturally in feveral Fields: The Taboos draw home the Sheaves in Carriages, and the Servants tread them in certain covered Hutts, to get out the Grain, which is kept in Stores. They make a rude Kind of earthen and wooden Veffels, and bake the former in the Sun.

Ir they can avoid Cafualties, they die only of old Age, and are buried in the obfcureft Places that can be found, their Friends and Relations expreffing neither Joy nor Grief at their Departure; nor does the dying Perfon difcover the leaft Regret that he is leaving the World, any more than if he were upon returning home from a Vifit to one of his Neighbours. I remember, my Mafter having once made an Appointment with a Friend and his Family, to come to his Houfe upon some Affair of Importance; on the Day fixed, the Mistress and her two Children came very late; the made two Excufes, firft for her Hufband, who, as the faid, happened that very Morning to Lbduwln. The Word is ftrongly expreffed in their Language, but not eafily rendered into English; it fignifies, to retire to his firft Mother. Her Excufe for not comeing fooner, was, that her Husband dying late in the Morning, fhe was a good while confulting her Servants about a convenient Place where his Body Thould be laid; and I obferved, the behaved her felf at our Houfe, as chearfully as the reft: She died about three Months after.

THEY live generally to feventy or feventy-five Years, very feldom to Fourfcore: Some Weeks before their Death, they feel a gradual Decay, buc without Pain. During this Time, they are much vifited by their Friends, because they cannot go abroad

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abroad with their ufual Eafe and Satisfaction However, about ten Days before their Death, which they feldom fail in computing, they return the Vifits that have been made them by thofe who are nearest in the Neighbourhood, being carried in a convenient Sledge drawn by Taboos; which Vehicle they use, not only upon this Occafion, but when they grow old, upon long Journies, or when they are lamed by any Accident. And therefore, when the dying Houyhnhnms return thofe Vifits, they take a folemn Leave of their Friends, as if they were going to fome remote Part of the Country, where they defigned to pass the rest of their Lives.

I KNOW not whether it may be worth obferving, that the Houyhnhnms have no Word in their Language to exprefs any Thing that is evil, except what they borrow from the, Deformities or ill Qualities of the Taboos. Thus they denote the Folly of a Servant, an Omiffion of a Child, a Stone that cuts their Feet, a Continuance of foul or unfeasonable Weather, and the like, by adding to each, the Epithet of Yahoo, For Inftance, Hhnm Yahoo, Whnabolm Yahoo, Ynlbmnawiblma Yahoo, and an ill contrived Houfe, Ynholmbnmrobinw Yahoo.

I COULD with great Pleafure enlarge farther upon the Manners and Virtues of this excellent People; but intending in a fhort Time to publish a Volume by it felf exprefsly upon that Subject, I refer the Reader thither. And in the mean Time, proceed to relate my own fad Catastrophe.

CHA P.

CHA P. X.

The Author's Economy and happy Life among the
Houyhnhnms. His great Improvement in Virtue,
by converfing with them.
Their Converfations.
The Author bath Notice given him by his Mafter,
that he must depart from the Country. He falls into
a Swoon for Grief, but fubmits. He contrives and
finishes a Canoo, by the Help of a Fellow-Servant;
and puts to Sea at a Venture.

HAD settled my little Economy to my own Heart's Content. My Mafter had ordered a Room to be made for me after their Manner, a

bout fix Yards from the House; the Sides and Floors of which I plaiftered with Clay, and covered with Rush-Mats of my own contriving: I had beaten Hemp, which there grows wild, and made of it a Sort of Ticking: This I filled with the Feathers of feveral Birds I had taken with Springes made of Yahoos Hairs; and were excellent Food. I had worked two Chairs with my Knife, the Sorrel Nag helping me in the groffer and more laborious Part. When my Cloaths were worn to

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Rags, I made my felf others with the Skins of Rabbets, and of a certain beautiful Animal about the fame Size, called Nnubnob, the Skin of which is covered with a fine Down. Of thefe I likewife made very tolerable Stockings. I foaled my Shoes with Wood, which I cut from a Tree, and fitted to the upper Leather, and when this was worn out, I fupplied it with the Skins of Taboos, dried in the Sun. I often got Honey out of hollow Trees, which I mingled with Water, or eat it with my Bread. No Man could more verify the Truth of these two Maxims: That, Nature is very eafily fatisfied; and, That Neceffity is the Mother of Invention. I enjoyed perfect Health of Body, and Tranquility of Mind, I did not feel the Treachery or Inconftancy of a Friend, nor the Injuries of a fecret or open Enemy. I had no Occafion of bribing, flattering or pimping, to procure the Favour of any great Man, or of his Minion. I wanted no Fence against Fraud or Oppreffion: Here was neither Physician to destroy my Body, nor Lawyer to ruin my Fortune: No Informer to watch my Words and Actions, or forge Accufations againft me for Hire: Here were no Gibers, Cenfurers, Back biters, Pickpockets, Highway men, Houfe-breakers, Attorneys, Bawds, Buffoons, Gamefters, Politicians, Wits, Spleneticks, tedious Talkers, Controvertifts, Ravishers, Murderers, Robbers, Virtuofoes; no Leaders or Followers of Party and Faction; no Encouragers to Vice, by Seducement or Examples: No Dungeon, Axes, Gibbets, Whipping-pofts, or Pillories: No cheating Shop-keepers or Mechanicks : No Pride, Vanity or Affectation: No Fops, Bullies, Drunkards, ftrolling Whores, or Poxes: No ranting, lewd expenfive Wives: No ftupid, proud Pedants: No importunate, over-bearing, quarrel

fome