Diseases; which, however, were much fewer than Horfes have among us, and contracted not by any ill Treatment they meet with, but by the Naftiness, and Greediness of that fordid Brute. Neither has their Language any more than a general Appellation for thofe Maladies, which is borrowed from the Name of the Beaft, and called Hnea-Yahoo or the Yahoo's Evil, and the Cure prescribed is a Mixture of their own Dung and Urine, forcibly put down the Yahoo's Throat. This I have fince often known to have been taken with Succefs, and do freely recommend it to my Countrymen, for the Public Good, as an admirable Specific against all Diseases produced by Repletion.

For

As to Learning, Government, Arts, Manufactures, and the like, my Mafter confeffed, he could find little or no Refemblance between the Yahoos of that Country and thofe in ours. he only meant to obferve what Parity there was in our Natures. He had heard, indeed, fome curious Houyhnhnms obferve, that, in most Herds, there was a Sort of ruling Yahoo (as, among us, there is generally fome leading or principal Stag in a Park) who was always more deformed in Body, and mischievous in Difpofition, than any of That this Leader had ufually a Favourite as like himself as he could get, whofe Employment was to lick his Mafler's Feet and Pofteriors, and drive the Female Yahoos to his Kennel; for which he was now and then rewarded with a Piece of Afs's Flefh. This Favourite is hated by the whole Herd, and therefore, to protect himself, keeps always near the Perfon of his Leader. ufually continues in Office till a worfe can be found; but, the very Moment he is difcarded, his Succeffor at the Head of all the Yahoos in that

the rest.

He

District, Young and Old, Male and Female, come in a Body, and difcharge their Excrements upon him from Head to Foot. But how far this might be applicable to our Courts and Favourites, and Minifters of State, my Mafter faid I could beft determine.

I durft make no Return to this malicious Infinuation, which debafed human Understanding below the Sagacity of a common Hound, who has Judgment enough to diftinguish and follow the Cry of the ableft Dog in the Pack, without being ever mistaken.

My Mafter told me, there were fome Qualities remarkable in the Yaboos, which he had not observed me to mention, or at leaft very flightly, in the Accounts I had given him of Human Kind; he faid, thofe Animals, like other Brutes, had their Females in common ; but in this they differed, that the She Yahoo would admit the Male, while fhe was pregnant; and that the Hees would quarrel and fight with the Females, as fiercely as with each other. Both which Practices were fuch Degrees of infamous Brutality, that no other fenfitive Creature ever arrived at.

Another Thing he wondered at in the Yaboos, was their ftrange Difpofition to Naftinefs and Dirt; whereas there appears to be a natural Love of Cleanliness in all other Animals. As to the two former Accufations, I was glad to let them pass without any Reply, because I had not a Word to offer upon them in Defence of my Species, which otherwife I certainly had done from my own Inclinations. But I could have easily vindicated Human Kind from the Imputation of Singularity upon the laft Article, if there had been any Savine in that Country (as unluckily for

me there were not) which, although it may be a fweeter Quadruped than a Yahoo, cannot, I humbly conceive in Juftice, pretend to more Cleanlinefs; and fo his Honour himself must have owned, if he had feen their filthy Way of Feeding, and their Cuftom of wallowing and fleeping in the Mud.

My Mafter likewife mentioned another Quality which his Servants had discovered in feveral raboos, and to him was wholly unaccountable. He faid, a Fancy would fometimes take a Yahoo, to retire into a Corner, to lie down, and howl and groan, and fpurn away all that came near him, although he were young and fat, wanted neither Food nor Water: Nor did the Servants imagine what could poffibly ail him. And the only Remedy they found was, to fet him to hard Work, after which he would infallibly come to himself. To this I was filent, out of Partiality to my own Kind; yet here I could plainly difcover the true Seeds of Spleen, which only feizeth on the Lazy, the Luxurious, and the Rich; who, if they were forced to undergo the fame Regimen, I would undertake for the Cure.

His Honour had farther obferved, that a Female Yahoo would often ftand behind a Bank or a Bush, to gaze on the young Males paffing by, and then appear, and hide, ufing many antic Geftures and Grimaces, at which Time, it was obferved, that he had a moft offenfive Smell; and, when any of the Males advanced, would flowly retire, looking often back, and, with a counterfeit Shew of Fear, run off into fome convenient Place, where the knew the Male would follow her.

At other Times, if a Female Stranger came among them, three or four of her own Sex would get about her, and ftare, and chatter, and grin, and smell her all over; and then turn off with Geftures, that feemed to exprefs Contempt and Disdain.

Perhaps my Mafter might refine a little in these Speculations, which he had drawn from what he obferved himself, or had been told him by others : However, I could not reflect, without fome Amazement, and much Sorrow, that the Rudiments of Lewdness, Coquetry, Cenfure, and Scandal, fhould have Place, by Instinct, in Womankind.

I expected, every Moment, that my Mafter would accufe the Yahoos of thofe unnatural Appetites in both Sexes, fo common among us. But Nature, it feems, hath not been fo expert a School-miftref; and thefe politer Pleafures are intirely the Productions of Art and Reason, on our Side of the Globe.

CHA P. VIII.

The Author relates feveral Particulars of the Yahoos. The great Virtues of the Houyhnhnms. The Education and Exercife of their Youth. Their general Assembly.

SI ought to have understood human Nature much better than I supposed it poffible for my Mafter to do, fo it was eafy to apply the Cha racter he gave of the Yahoos to myself, and my Countrymen; and, I believed, I could yet make farther Difcoveries from my own Obfervation. I there.

I therefore often begged his Favour to let me go among the Herds of Yahoos in the Neighbourhood, to which he always very gracioufly confented, being perfectly convinced, that the Hatred I bore thofe Brutes would never fuffer me to be corrupted by them; and his Honour ordered one of his Servants, a ftrong Sorrel Nag, very honest and good-natured, to be my Guard, without whofe Protection, I durft not undertake fuch Adventures. For I have already told the Reader, how much I was pestered by thofe odious Animals upon my first Arrival. And I afterwards failed very narrowly three or four Times of falling into their Clutches, when I happened to ftray at any Distance without my Hanger. And I have Reason to believe they had fome Imagination that I was of their own Species, which I often affifted myself, by stripping up my Sleeves, and fhewing my naked Arms and Breaft in their Sight, when my Protector was with me. At which Times they would approach as near as they durft, and imitate my Actions after the Manner of Monkies, but ever with great Signs of Hatred; as a tame Jack-Dar, with Cap and Stockings, is always perfecuted by the wild ones, when he happens to be got among them.

They are prodigioufly nimble from their Infancy; however, I once caught a young Male of three Years old, and endeavoured, by all Marks of Tenderness, to make it quiet; but the little Imp fell a Squalling, and Scratching, and Biting, with fuch Violence, that I was forced to let it go; and it was high Time, for a whole Troop of old ones came about us at the Noife, but finding the Cub was fafe (for away it ran) and my Sorrel Nag being by, they durft not venture near us. I obferved the young Animal's Flesh to smell

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