Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 12 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

> Oa reer. - - . v? eeeny Phe: will certainly lange thoughts and imagina to the od sured as tedious and t 10 Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. I remember, when I was at Lilliput, the complex- ions of those diminutive pe. Sepesond to me the fairest in the world; and talking upon this subject with a person of learning there, who was an intimate friend of mine, he said, that my face appeared much fairer and smoother when he looked on me from the und, than it did upon a nearer view, when I took him up in my hand, and brought him close, which he confessed was at first a very shocking si ht. He said he could discover great holes in my skin; that the stumps of my beard were ten times stronger than the bristles of a boar, and my complexion made up of several colors altogether disagreeable; al- though I must beg leave to say for myself, that I am - as fair as most of my sex and country, and very little sun-burnt by my travels. On the other side, discoursing of the ladies in that emperor’s court, he used to tell me one had freckles, another too large a mouth, a third too large a nose; nothing of which I was able to distinguish. I confess, this reflection was obvious enough, which, however, I could not forbear, lest the reader might think those vast creatures were actually deformed; for I must do them the justice to say they are a comely race of ple; and, particularly, the features of my mas- r’s countenance, although he was but a farmer, when I beheld 7 soak : e aan of sixty feet, ap- peared very well pro oned, When dtntiet wis over ny master went out to his laborers, and, as I could discover by his voice and gesture, gave his wife a strict charge to take care of me. was very much tired, and disposed to sleep, which my mistress perceiving she put me on her own bed, and covered me with a clean white handkerchief, but larger and coarser than the main- sail of a man of war. I slept about two hours, and dreamt I was at home with my wife and mete, which vated my sorrow when I awoke, and found m alone in a vast room, between two and three hundred feet wide, and above two hundred high, lying in a bed twenty yards wide. My mistress was gone about her household affairs, and had locked mein. The bed was eight yards from the floor. Some natural neces- sities req me to get down; I durst not presume to call, and if I had, it would have been in vain, with such a voice as mine, at so great a distance as from the room where I lay to the kitchen where the fami- ty kept. While I was under these circumstances, two rats crept up the curtains, and ran smelling backward and forward on the bed. One of them came up almost to my face, whereupon I rose in a fright, and drew out my hanger to defend myself. These horrible animals had the boldness to attack me on both sides, and one of them held his fore-feet at my collar; but I had the good fortune to rip oe Fm id before he could do me any mischief. He fell down at my feet, and the other, the fate of his comrade made his esca , but not without one good wound on the back, which I gave him as he fled, and made the blood run trickling from him. After this exploit, I walked gently to and fro on the bed, to recover my breath and loss of spirits. These creatures were of the size of a large mastiff, but in- finitely more nimble and fierce; so that, taken off my belt before I went tosleep, I must have infallibly been torn to pieces and devoured. I mea- sured the tail of the dead rat, and found it to be two yards long, wanting an inch; but it went against my sto hie the carcase off the bed, where it lay . observed it had yet some life, but with a — slash across the neck, I thoroughly n after, my mistress came into the room, who seeing me bloody, ran and took me up in her hand. I pointed to the dead rat, smiling, and making other ‘to show I was not 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 she set me on a table, where Ishowed her my hanger all pe | and wiping it on the lap- pet of my coat return it to the scabbard. I was pressed to do more than one thing which another could not do for me, and therefore endeavored to make my mistress understand that I desired to be set down on the floor; which after she had done, m ess would not suffer me to express myse further, than by pointing to the door and ag J several times. e good woman with much - at last perceived what I would be at, and tak- ing me up — into her hand, walked into the gar- den, where she set me down. I went on one side - about two hundred ya and beckoning her not to i yt hid look or to follow me, myself between two leaves of sorrel, and there discharged the necessities of nature, I the gentle reader will excuse me for dwell- ing on and the like ator. ie: vedliir else insignificant they may a r rove vulgar “4 4 Seip a philosopher to en- tion, and apply them benefit of public as well as private life, which was sole design in presennng this, and other acctkines of my travels, tothe world; wherein I have been chiefly studious of truth, without affecting any ornaments of learning or of style. But the whole scene of this voyage made so strong an impression on my mind, ana is so deeply fixed on my memory, that tn committing it to paper I did not omit one material circumstance; however, upon a strict re- view, I blotted out several passages of less moment which were in my first copy, for fear of being cen- ng, whereof travelers are often, perhaps not without justice, accused. CHAPTER I. v Patra in dressing her aby. Hermother ! a daughter of nine years old, a child of toward mer for her age dexterous at her needle, an -—- = —_—— - —- - OC Ce ae ee ‘ P : - Oe a ee eo — and she contrived to fit up the baby’s cradle for me against night; and the cradle was put into a small drawer of a cabinet, and the drawer — upon a hanging shelf, for fear of the rats. This was my bed all the time I stayed with those perp. though made more convenient by degrees, as 1 began learn their language, and make my wants known. This young girl was so handy, that after I had once or twice pulled off my clo to dress and undress me, though I never gave her that trouble when she would let me do either myself. She made me seven shirts, and some other linen, of as fine cloth as could be got, which, indeed, was coarser than sackcloth; an these she constantly washed for me with her own hands. She was like- wise my schoolmistress, to teach me the language; when I pointed to anything, she told me the name o it in her own tongue, so hat 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, be- ing little for her age. She gave me the name of Grildrig, which the family took up, and afterward the whole kingdom. The word imports what the Latins call nonunculus, the Italians, homunceletion, and the English, mannikin. To her I chiefly owe my preservation in that country; we never ted while I was there; I called her my Glumdalelitch, or little nurse, and should be guilty of great ingrati- tude, if I omitted this honorable mention of her care and affection toward me, which I heartily wish it lay in my power to requite as she deserves, instead of being the innocent but unhappy instrument of her disgrace, as I have too much reason to fear. It now began to be known and talked of in the neighborhood, that my master had found a strange animal in the field, about the bigness of a splacknuck, but eos er es in every part like a human crea- ture, which it likewise imitated in all its actions; it seemed to speak a little lan e of its own, had al- ready learned several words of theirs, went erect up- on two legs, was tame and gentle, would come when it was ed, do whatever it was bid, had the finest 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 visit on purpose to inquire into the truth of this story. I was immedi- ate y produced, and placed upon a table, where I walked as I was commanded, drew my hanger, put it u Bre made my reverence to my master’s guest, ed him in his own e how he did, and told him he was welcome, just as my little nurse had instructed me, This man, who was old and dim- sighted, put on his spectacles to behold me better; at which I could not forbear a gna) very heartily, for his eyes appeared like the full moon shining into a chamber at two windows. Our people, who dis- covered 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 Ag: miser; and, to my misfortune, he well deserved it, by the cursed advice he gave my master, to show me as a sight upon a market-day in the next town, which was half an hour’s ride, about two-and-twenty miles from our house. I guessed there was some mischief contriving,*when I observed my master and his friend whispering long together, sometimes pointing at me: and my fears made me fancy that I overheard and understood some of their words. But the next ONE Glumdaleclitch, my little nurse, told me the whole matter, which ghe had c ly picked out from her mother. The poor girl laid me on her bosom, and fell a weeping with shame and grief. She apprehended some mis- chief would happen to me from rude vulgar folks who might squeeze me to death, or break one of my limbs by taking me in their hands. She had also ob- served how modest I was in my nature, how nicely I regarded my honor, and what an indignity I should conceive it, to be e for money as a Ai ym spectacle to the meanest of the people. She said her papa and mamma promised that Grildrig should ers; but now she found they meant to serve her as they did last year, when they pretended to give her a lamb, and yet, as soon as it was fat, sold it toa butcher. For my own pass I may truly affirm, that I was less 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 ominy of being carried about for a monster, I considered my- self to be a perfect stranger in the country, and such a misfortune could never be ch upon me asa reproach, if ever I should return England; since the king of Great Britain himself, in my condition, must have undergone the same distress. My master, pursuant to the advice of his friend, carried me in a box, the next rm ey ae the neighboring town, and took along with him his little daughter, my nurse, upon a pillion behind him. The box was close on every side, with a little door for me to go in and out, and a few gimlet holes to let in air. The girl had been so careful as to put the uilt of her bady’s bed into it, for me to lie down on. owever, I was terribly shaken and discomposed in this * meembag though it was but of half an hour; for the horse went about forty feet at every step, and trotted so high, that the agitation was equal to the rising and f g of a ship in a great storm, but much more frequent. Our journey was somewhat further than from London to St. Alban’s. My mas- ter alighted at an inn which he used to frequent; and after consulting awhile with the innkeeper, and making some necessary preparations, he hired the grultrud, or crier, to give notice through the town of a stra creature be seen, at the sign of the Green le, not so big as a splacknuck (an animal in that country very finely shaped, about six feet long), and in every ye of the body resembling a hu- man creature, coul Sneek several words, and per- form a hundred diverting tricks. - i > 4 ag = — eer 4 snd - >: —— rs — — sie . = — i nook Oe ie ak i es before her, she was able Se I was placed the inn, which ht be near three hundred feet square. My little nurse stood on a low stool close to the table, to take care of me, and direct what I should do, My master, to avoid a crowd, would suf- fer only thirty people at a time to see me. I walked about on the table as the girl commanded; she ask- ed me questions, as far as she knew my understand- ing of the language reached, and I answered them as loud as I could. I turned about several times to the company, paid my humble respects, said the were welcome, and used some other speeches I had been taught. Itook up a thimble filled with liquor which Glumdalclitch had given me for a cup, an drank their health. I drew out my hanger, and flour- ished with it after the manner of fencers in England. My nurse gave me a part of a straw, which I exer- cised as a ue, having learnt the art in my youth, I was that day shown to twelve sets of company, and as often forced to act over again the same fop- peries, till 1 was half dead with weariness and vexa- tion; for those who had seen me made such wonder- ful reports, that the people were Peng | to break down the doors to come in. My master, for his own interest, would not suffer any one to touch me, ex- cept my nurse; and to prevent danger, benches were set round the table at such a distance as to put me out of everybody’s reach. However, an wn mer schoolboy aimed a hazel nut directly at my hea which very narrowly missed me; otherwise, it came with so much violence, that it would have infallibly knocked out my brains, for it was almest as large as a small pumpion; but i had the satisfaction to see the young rogue well beaten, and turned out of the room, My master gave public notice that he would show me again the next market-day; and in the meantime he poepared a more convenient vehicle for me, which he reason enough to do, for I was so tired with my first journey, and with entertaining company for eight hours together, that I could hardly stand upon my legs or speak a word. It was at least three days before I recovered my strength; and, that I might have no rest at home, all the neighboring en- tlemen from a hundred miles around, hearing of: my fame, came to see me at my master’s own house. There could not be fewer than thirty persons, with their wives and children (for the country is Mest popu- lous); and my master demanded the rate o a full room whenever he showed me at home although it were only to a single family; so that for some time I had but little ease every mo of the week (except Wednesday, which is their sabbath), although I were not carried to the town. My master, finding how profitable I was likelyeto be, resolved to carry me to the most considerable cities of the kingdom. Having, therefore, provided himself with all things necessary for a long journey, and settled bis affairs at home, he took leave of wife, and upon the 17th of Avgust, 1708, about two months after my arrival, we set out for the metropo- lis, situate near the middle of that empire, and about three thousand miles’ distance from our house. My master made his daughter Glumdalclitch ride behind him; she carried me on her lap, in a box tied about her waist. The girl had lined it on all sides with the softest cloth she could get, well quilted underneath, furnished it with her baby’s bed, provided it with linen and other necessaries, and made everything as convenient as she could. We had no other company sae a boy of the house, who rode after us with the uggage. Sap ah design was to show me in all the towns by the way, and to step out of the road, for fifty or a hundred miles, to any village or person of quality’s house, where he might expect custom. e made easy journeys, of not above seven or eight score miles a day; for Glumdalclitch, on eer £e to spare me, complained she was tired with the trotting of the horse. She often tock me out of my box, at my own desire, to give me air, and show me the coun- try, but always held me fast by a leading-string. We passed over five or six rivers, many degrees broader and deeper than the Nile or the Ganges; and there was hardly a rivulet so small as the Thames at Lon- con Bridge. I was shown in eighteen large towns, besides many villages and private families. : On the 26th day of October we arrived at the me- ngs called, in their language, Lo7brulgrud, or Pride of the Universe. My master took a lodging in the principal street of the any not far from the royal palace, and put out bills in the usual form, contein- ing an exact ee of my person and parts. He hired a large room between three and four hundred feet wide. He provided a table sixty feet in diame- ter, upon which I was to act my part, and palisadoed it round three feet from the edge, and as many high, to prevent my falling over. I was shown ten times a day, to the wonder and satisfaction of all ae 2 I could now speak the language tolerably well, and perfectly understood every word that was spoken to me; besides, I had learnt their alphabet, and could make a shift to explain a sentence here and there; for Glumdalclitch had been my instructor while we were at home, and at leisure hours during our jour- ney. She carried a little book in her pocket, not much er than a Sanson’s Atlas; it was a common treatise, for the use of young girls, giving 8 short ac- count of their religion; out of this she taught me my letters, and interpreted the words. , CHAPTER III. _ THe frequent labors I underwent every day, made, ina few weeks, a very considerable change in my health: the more my master got by me, the more insatiable he grew: 1 had quite lost ny ae and was almost reduced to a skeleton. The farmer ob- served it, and concluding I must soon die, resolved to ! | a =e SEOm na table in the largest room of: We were ten weeks in our journey, and eo BS i