high, and the Trees fo lofty that I could make no Computation of their Altitude. There was a Stile to pafs from this Field into the next. It had four Steps, and a Stone to cross over when you came to the uppermoft. It was impoffible for me to climb this Stile, becaufe every Step was fix Feet high, and the upper Stone above twenty. I was endeavouring to find fome Gap in the Hedge, when I difcovered one of the Inhabitants in the next Field, advancing towards the Stile, of the fame Size with him I faw in the Sea, purfuing our Boat. He appeared as tall as an ordinary Spirefteeple, and took about ten Yards at every Stride, as near as I could guess. I was struck with the utmost Fear and Aftonishment, and ran to hide myfelf in the Corn from whence I faw him at the Top of the Stile, looking back into the next Field on the right Hand, and heard him call in a Voice many Degrees louder than a Speaking-Trumpet; but the Noife was fo high in the Air, that at first I certainly thought it was Thunder. Whereupon, feven Monsters, like himself, came towards him with Reaping-Hooks in their Hands, each Hook about the Largenefs of fix Scythes. These People were not fo well clad as the firft, whofe Servants or Labourers they seemed to be: For, upon fome Words he spoke, they went to reap the Corn in the Field where I lay. I kept from them at as great a Distance as I could, but was forced to move with extreme Difficulty, for the Stalks of the Corn were fometimes not above a Foot diftant, fo that I could hardly fqueefe my Body betwixt them. I made fhift to go forward, till I came to a Part of the Field where the Corn had been laid by the Rain and Wind. Here it was impoffible for me to advance a Step; for the Stalks were fo interwo

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ven

ed

ven that I could not creep thorough, and the Beards of the fallen Ears fo ftrong and pointed that they pierced through my Cloaths into my Flesh. At the fame Time I heard the Reapers not above an hundred Yards behind me. Being quite difpirited with Toil, and wholly overcome by Grief and Defpair, I lay down between two Ridges, and heartily wished I might there end my Days. I bemoanmy defolate Widow, and fatherlefs Children. I lamented my own Folly and Wilfulness in attempting a fecond Voyage against the Advice of all my Friends and Relations. In this terrible Agitation of Mind I could not forbear thinking of Lilliput, whose Inhabitants looked upon me as the greatest Prodigy that ever appeared in the World: Where I was able to draw an Imperial Fleet in my Hand, and perform those other Actions which will be recorded for ever in the Chronicles of that Empire, while Pofterity fhall hardly believe them, altho' attefted by Millions. I reflected what a Mortification it muft prove to me to appear as inconfiderable in this Nation, as one fingle Lilliputian would be among us. But this I conceived was to be the leaft of my Misfortunes: For, as human Creatures are obferved to be more favage and cruel in Proportion to their Bulk, what could I expect but to be a Morfel in the Mouth of the first among these enormous Barbarians that fhould happen to seize me? Undoubtedly Philofophers are in the Right when they tell us, that nothing is great or little otherwife than by Comparison. It might have pleafed Fortune to let the Lilliputians find fome Nation, where the People were as diminutive with respect to them, as they were to me. And who knows but that even this prodigious Race of Mortals might be equally overmatched in fome distant Part of

the

the World, whereof we have yet no Difcovery ?

Scared and confounded as I was, I could not forbear going on with these Reflections, when one of the Reapers, approaching within ten Yards of the Ridge where I lay, made me apprehend that with the next Step I fhould be fquafhed to Death under his Foot, or cut in two with his Reaping-hook. And therefore, when he was again about to move, I fcreamed as loud as Fear could make me. Whereupon the huge Creature trod fhort, and, looking round about under him for fome Time, at last espied me as I lay on the Ground. He confidered a while with the Cauti on of one who endeavours to lay hold on a fmall dangerous Animal, in fuch a Manner that it may not be able either to scratch or to bite him, as I myself have sometimes done with a Weafel in England. At length he ventured to take me up behind by the Middle between his fore Finger and Thumb, and brought me within three Yards of his Eyes that he might behold my Shape more perfectly. I gueffed his Meaning, and my good Fortune gave me fo much Prefence of Mind, that I refolved not to ftruggle in the least as he held me in the Air, about fixty Feet from the Ground, although he grievously pinched my Sides, for fear I fhould flip through his Fingers. All I ventur ed was to raise mine Eyes towards the Sun, and place my Hands together in a fupplicating Pofture, and to fpeak fome Words in an humble melan choly Tone, fuitable to the Condition I then was in. For I apprehended every Moment that he would dash me against the Ground, as we ufually do any little hateful Animal which we have a Mind to destroy. But my good Star would haye

my

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it, that he appeared pleased with my Voice and Gestures, and began to look upon me as a Cu riofity, much wondering to hear me pronounce articulate Words, although he could not under-. stand them. In the mean Time I was not able to forbear groaning and fhedding Tears, and turning my Head towards my Sides; letting him know, as well as I could, how cruelly I was hurt by the Preffure of his Thumb and Finger. He seemed to apprehend my Meaning; for, lifting up the Lappet of his Coat, he put me gently into it, and immediately ran along with me to his Master, who was a fubftantial Farmer, and the fame Perfon I had firft feen in the Field.

The Farmer having (as I fuppofe by their Talk) received fuch an Account of me as his Servant could give him, took a Piece of a fmall Staw, about the Size of a Walking-staff, and therewith lifted up the Lappets of my Coat; which it feems he thought to be fome Kind of Covering that Nature had given me. He blew my Hairs afide to take a better View of my Face. He called his Hinds about him, and asked them (as I afterwards learned) whether they had ever feen in the Fields any little Creature that refembled me: He then placed me foftly on the Ground upon all four, but I got immediately up, and walked flowly backwards and forwards, to let thofe People fee I had. no Intent to run away. They all fat down in a Circle about me, the better to obferve my Motions. I pulled off my Hat, and made a low Bow towards the Farmer. I fell on my Knees, and lifted up my Hands and Eyes, and fpoke feveral Words as loud as I could: I took a Purfe of Gold out of my Pocket, and humbly presented it to him. He received it on the Palm of his Hand,

then

then applied it close to his Eye, to see what it. was, and afterwards turned it several Times with the Point of a Pin (which he took out of his Sleeve) but could make nothing of it. Whereupon I made a Sign that he should place his Hand on the Ground. I then took the Purfe, and, opening it, poured all the Gold into his Palm. There were fix Spanish Pieces of four Piftoles each, befides twenty or thirty fmaller Coins. I faw him wet the Tip of his little Finger upon his Tongue, and take up one of my largest Pieces, and then another, but he feemed to be wholly ignorant what they were. He made me a Sign to put them again into my Purse, and the Purfe again into my Pocket, which, after offering it to him several Times, I thought it beft to do.

The Farmer by this Time was convinced I muft be a rational Creature. He spoke often to me, but the Sound of his Voice pierced my Ears like that of a Water-mill, yet his Words were articulate enough. I answered as loud as I could, in feveral Languages, and he often laid his Ear within two Yards of me; but all in vain, for we were wholly unintelligible to each other. He then fent his Servants to their Work, and, taking his Handkerchief out of his Pocket, he doubled and fpread it on his left Hand, which he placed flat on the Ground, with the Palm upwards, making me a Sign to ftep into it, as I could eafily do, for it was not above a Foot in Thickness. I thought it my Part to obey, and, for fear of falling, laid myself at Length upon the Handkerchief, with the Remainder of which he lapped me up to the Head for farther Security, and in this Manner carried me home to his Houfe. There he called his Wife, and fhewed me to her; but fhe fcreamed and ran back,