AN ACCOUNT OF THE

STATE OF LEARNING IN THE EMPIRE

OF LILLIPUT;

TOGETHER WITH

THE HISTORY AND CHARACTER

OF

BULLUM THE EMPEROR'S LIBRARY KEEPER.

Faithfully transcribed out of Captain Lemuel Gulliver's general description of Lilliput, mentioned in the 69th page of the first volume of his Travels '.

As I always had a strong inclination to reading, from the time I first went to Emanuel College in Cambridge, and had gone through the most valuable ancient writers; during my stay in Lilliput, I was very inquisitive about the state of learning in that nation, and received the following information upon that subject.

In former ages, the government of the island Blefuscu was, in many respects, like what we call a commonwealth, and for a long time flourished both in arms and learning, whilst the Lilliputians were a barbarous people; at this time many excellent books were wrote in oratory, poetry, history, and philosophy, but the Blefuscudians having at length lost their liberties and form of government, which was changed into an empire, learning decayed amongst them very fast; the faster by reason of hot disputes which arose concerning the proper manner of dressing and eating

1 See page 124.

eggs; and in these the whole studies of all the of that age were consumed.

The first emperor of Blefuscu, that he migh himself with his people, whom he had enslave an expedition against the island of Lilliput; whic governed by several petty kings, ignorant of the was, by degrees, subdued to the empire of Blefus this intercourse between the two nations, the language was very much changed, by the mi Lilliputian; and those authors who wrote in the were neglected, and understood by very few.

In process of time the Lilliputians grew weary flung off the foreign yoke, set up an emperor with great success, and ever since have been a di from that of Blefuscu.

As they were an ingenious people, and bl race of good emperors, they soon excelled bours in learning and arms; they got togethe Blefuscudian books, their emperor founded a g seminary, with different schools, to instruct th the old Blefuscudian language and learning; and chose their Nardacs, Glumglums, and Hurgos, and had themselves a large collection of these book belonging to the palace.

Thus the Lilliputians flourished in politeness a for some ages; till at length, by the plenty of they also grew corrupt, gave themselves up to idl and intriguing, and fell into controversies al their eggs; the old Blefuscudian books were la nothing regarded but eggs and politics. The gom continued, each school had its mulro, or governor but the taste of the age being changed, they onl the old authors to amuse themselves, and enjoyed revenues bequeathed to them by former en present emperor indeed had endeavoured to bri esteem again; he increased their possessions, an present of books to the gomflastru; but having inconstant people to rule over, and being kept alarms of wars by his neighbours, he had not lei his good intentions.

I was at this time in his favour, and when

I had been inquisitive about these affairs, he very graciously desired me to look into his library, and sent orders to the keeper of it to use me with great respect, and to present me with five hundred books, such as I should choose.

Accordingly upon a day appointed, I went to the library, which I took a view of in the same manner as I had done of the rest of the palace, by lying down and looking in at the window. The building was ruinous, the inside dusty, the books many in number, but scattered about in great disorder; the library-keeper, whose name is Bullum, was alone stalking amidst the rubbish. As soon as he saw my face at the window, he made his best bow, and began his speech to me, which as I was afterwards informed, he had taken a great deal of pains about, knowing me to be in the emperor's good graces. Most part of what he spoke was unintelligible to me, by a ridiculous mixture of the old Blefuscudian language; and what I did understand was fulsome flattery, and compliments that nothing mortal could deserve.

This was very dull entertainment to a man of my modesty, and thereupon finding his speech would be long, and that he was forced to strain his voice to make me hear at that distance, I thought it would be a kindness to us both to put a stop to him, which I did, returning him thanks in few words for his great opinion of me, and desired to see him the next day, that I might choose out the five hundred books which the emperor had given me.

Bullum, as I heard afterwards, was in great wrath, and loaded me with many opprobrious names, for refusing to hear his speech out, and daring to treat a man of his learning with so little respect. However, he stifled his resentment a little for the present, and came to me at the time appointed.

I desired him to shew me a catalogue of the books, and to give me some account of what they treated of, that I might be able to make a choice. He replied, that he had not troubled himself to bring a written catalogue, but that he had one in his memory, and immediately he repeated to me the titles of a vast number of old Blefuscudian books, and run on with a great fluency of speech, until he was out of breath.

It was a pain to me to forbear laughing, to hear Bullum sputter out so much jargon; at last I told him, that I was not in the least wiser for what he had said, because I understand

more than giving the town a polite entertainment, shall never deviate one single step from the paths which is so strictly followed by all writers, since th set us by Gilbert] B[urnet], Bishop] of Sarum], th party, passion, nor private pique, can make an Engl guilty of even an equivocation. I would be unders ever, to except Jesuits and Jacobites, for they are ki incorrigible in their hatred to that exemplary pious so great is their rage, that I verily believe, had he in to flattery and falsehood, two vices which filled his soul with horror, they would have embraced truth dealing. But it is not my business here to examin ciples of any party or faction; nor does it become of a refined taste and polite education, to expose slips, mistakes, errors, or inhumanity of our neighb criticise their morals.

I shall therefore come to the subject matter, withou my reader any longer, since I suppose him of him make all necessary reflections, and it would be an myself a superiority of judgment, should I preten them for him. Be it known then, that Mynheer a Dutch gentleman, who keeps a gin shop in A hearing the kind reception the wild boy met wi England, and of the great care taken for his instru principles of the Christian faith, thought he coul more acceptable piece of service to this generous that of enquiring out, and bringing over the bear t care of his infant state was committed. And know generous English would not suffer him to lose eith or expenses, if he succeeded in his search and en serve them, he left Amsterdam, resolving to hunt a of Germany but he would find her out. To this e a young child with him, and having prepared his to the evening, in a certain forest, he made the child c that the nurse, being accustomed to these infant would be allured by them. The success answere tions; for a she bear made up to the place whene cries proceeded, and was taken in the toils. No so with the men who accompanied him, muzzled her could do no mischief, but he offered the child to he she, without reluctance, nay, with a visible tendern

to draw her milk, and endeavoured, though too straitly muzzled, to caress it with her velvet tongue. Mynheer, to try her farther, took the child away; whereat she began to grumble in a frightful manner; roar she could not, for the above-mentioned reason. Mynheer therefore being fully satisfied, was hoisting her into a cart brought to carry her off, when he was surprised by an uncommon sight; a child of about two years old, with his nose to the ground, and followed by some bear's cubs, came galloping upon all four in search of the dam and nurse, whom they followed by the scent. This sight made the Dutch gentleman fear he had not the real nurse of the English wild boy; but one of his huntsmen told him it was a confirmation that she had nursed the English gentleman; for, says he, when a bear has once brought up an infant, they grow so fond of children, that they never rest contented without one for the entertainment and diversion of their cubs; and they'll venture their lives to steal one from the neighbouring villages. Satisfied with what he heard, Mynheer Veteranus ordered the child and cubs to be taken, which was no hard matter, for they would not quit the dam. He then made the best of his way home, overjoyed that he could be so serviceable to the British nation, for which the Dutch in general have an inviolable affection, as is demonstrable in all their actions; he took shipping afterwards with his prize, and safely landed at Tower Wharf, the first of this month; though some have falsely reported that he was here four months before. However, he was no sooner arrived, than he received the thanks and compliments of all the nobility, who had the honour of waiting on him, to whom he shewed this rarity gratis. A certain person of distinction purchased his whole cargo, the bear with her cubs and their foster brother; and sending for the wild gentleman, he shewed him the old bear. The lad no sooner saw her, but, with tears of joy, he embraced his dear nurse; who on her part gave as great demonstration of fondness, hugging him, throwing herself on her back, and opening her legs, offered him the teat, which he sucked as heartily as if he had never been weaned he unmuzzled her, and it's impossible to express the joy which appeared in the eyes of both. The cubs and new-found infant were brought in, but the English gentleman would not suffer them to approach; and indeed the fondness the bear shewed for the recovery of her former care, made her neglect her cubs