hurt, whereat she was extremely rejoiced, calling the maid to take up the dead rat with a pair of tongs, and throw it out of the window. Then fhe fet me on a table, where I fhewed her my hanger all bloody, and, wiping it on the lappet of my coat, returned it to the fcabbard. I was preffed to do more than one thing, which another could not do for me, and therefore endeavoured to make my mistress understand that I defired to be fet down on the floor; which after she had done, my bashfulnefs would not fuffer me to exprefs myself farther, than by pointing to the door, and bowing feveral times. The good woman, with much difficulty, at laft perceived what I would be at, and taking me up again in her hand, walked into the garden, where he fet me down. I went on one fide about two hundred yards, and beckoning to her not to look or to follow me, I hid myself between two leaves of forrel, and there difcharged the neceflities of nature. I hope the gentle reader will excufe me for dwelling on thefe and the like particulars, which, however infignificant they may appear to grovelling vulgar minds, yet will certainly help a philofopher to enlarge his thoughts and imagination, and apply them to the benefit of public as well as private life, which was my fole defign in prefenting this and other accounts of my travels to the world; wherein I have been chiefly ftudious of truth, without affecting any ornaments of learning or of ftyle. 1 ftyle. Ċ HA P. ÏÌ. A defcription of the farmer's daughter. The author carried to a market-town, and then to the metropolis. The particulars of his jour→ ney. MY miftrefs had a daughter of nine years old, a child of towardly parts for her age, very dexterous at her needle, and fkilful in dreffing her baby. Her mother and she 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 fhelf 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 handy, that, after I had once or twice pulled off my cloaths before her, she was able to drefs and undrefs me, though I never gave her VOL. II. Ι that that trouble, when fhe would let me do either myself. She made me feven shirts, and fome other linnen, of as fine cloth as could be got, which indeed was coarfer than fackcloth; and these she conftantly washed for me with her own hands. She was likewise my schoolmistress 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 English 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 nurse; and fhould 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 the deferves, instead of being the innocent, but unhappy inftrument of her dif grace, as I have too much reason to fear. It now began to be known and talked of in the neighbourhood, that my mafter had found a ftrange animal in the field, about the bignefs of a placnuck, but exactly shaped in every part like a human creature; which it likewife imitated in all its actions; feemed to speak in a little language of its own, had already learned feveral 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 fineft 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 master, came on a vifit on purpose to enquire into the truth of this story. 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, afked him in his own language how he did, and told him he was welcome, just as my little nurse had instructed me. This 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 shining 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 deserved 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 house. I gueffed there was some mischief contriving, when I obferved my master and his friend whispering long together, fometimes pointing at me; and my fears made me fancy that I 2 that I overheard and understood fome of their words. But the next morning Glumdalclitch, my little nurse, told me the whole matter, which she 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 fome mifchief would happen to me from rude vulgar folks, who might squeese 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 indignity I fhould conceive it to be expofed for money as a publick fpectacle to the meanest of the people. She faid, her papa and mamma had promised that Grildrig fhould be hers, but now the found they meant to serve her as they did laft 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 nurse. 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 myself to be a perfect ftranger in the country, and that such a misfortune could never be charged upon me as a reproach, if ever I should return to England; fince the king of Great-Britain himself, in my condition, must have undergone the fame distress. My mafter, pursuant to the advice of his friend, carried me in a box the next marketday to the neighbouring town, and took along |