Путешествие Гулливера

           Thequeen’sjoinerhadcontrivedinoneofGlumdalclitch’srooms,akindofwoodenmachinefive-and-twentyfeethigh,formedlikeastandingladder;thestepswereeachfiftyfeetlong.Itwasindeedamoveablepairofstairs,thelowestendplacedattenfeetdistancefromthewallofthechamber.ThebookIhadamindtoread,wasputupleaningagainstthewall:Ifirstmountedtotheupperstepoftheladder,andturningmyfacetowardsthebook,beganatthetopofthepage,andsowalkingtotherightandleftabouteightortenpaces,accordingtothelengthofthelines,tillIhadgottenalittlebelowthelevelofmineeyes,andthendescendinggraduallytillIcametothebottom:afterwhichImountedagain,andbegantheotherpageinthesamemanner,andsoturnedovertheleaf,whichIcouldeasilydowithbothmyhands,foritwasasthickandstiffasapasteboard,andinthelargestfoliosnotaboveeighteenortwentyfeetlong.

           Theirstyleisclear,masculine,andsmooth,butnotflorid;fortheyavoidnothingmorethanmultiplyingunnecessarywords,orusingvariousexpressions.Ihaveperusedmanyoftheirbooks,especiallythoseinhistoryandmorality.Amongtherest,Iwasmuchdivertedwithalittleoldtreatise,whichalwayslayinGlumdalclitch’sbedchamber,andbelongedtohergoverness,agraveelderlygentlewoman,whodealtinwritingsofmoralityanddevotion.Thebooktreatsoftheweaknessofhumankind,andisinlittleesteem,exceptamongthewomenandthevulgar.However,Iwascurioustoseewhatanauthorofthatcountrycouldsayuponsuchasubject.ThiswriterwentthroughalltheusualtopicsofEuropeanmoralists,showing"howdiminutive,contemptible,andhelplessananimalwasmaninhisownnature;howunabletodefendhimselffrominclemenciesoftheair,orthefuryofwildbeasts:howmuchhewasexcelledbyonecreatureinstrength,byanotherinspeed,byathirdinforesight,byafourthinindustry."Headded,"thatnaturewasdegeneratedintheselatterdecliningagesoftheworld,andcouldnowproduceonlysmallabortivebirths,incomparisonofthoseinancienttimes."