Путешествие Гулливера

           Uponthisimagination,heputseveralotherquestionstome,andstillreceivedrationalanswers:nootherwisedefectivethanbyaforeignaccent,andanimperfectknowledgeinthelanguage,withsomerusticphraseswhichIhadlearnedatthefarmer’shouse,anddidnotsuitthepolitestyleofacourt.

           Hismajestysentforthreegreatscholars,whowerethenintheirweeklywaiting,accordingtothecustominthatcountry.Thesegentlemen,aftertheyhadawhileexaminedmyshapewithmuchnicety,wereofdifferentopinionsconcerningme.TheyallagreedthatIcouldnotbeproducedaccordingtotheregularlawsofnature,becauseIwasnotframedwithacapacityofpreservingmylife,eitherbyswiftness,orclimbingoftrees,ordiggingholesintheearth.Theyobservedbymyteeth,whichtheyviewedwithgreatexactness,thatIwasacarnivorousanimal;yetmostquadrupedsbeinganovermatchforme,andfieldmice,withsomeothers,toonimble,theycouldnotimaginehowIshouldbeabletosupportmyself,unlessIfeduponsnailsandotherinsects,whichtheyoffered,bymanylearnedarguments,toevincethatIcouldnotpossiblydo.OneofthesevirtuosiseemedtothinkthatImightbeanembryo,orabortivebirth.Butthisopinionwasrejectedbytheothertwo,whoobservedmylimbstobeperfectandfinished;andthatIhadlivedseveralyears,asitwasmanifestfrommybeard,thestumpswhereoftheyplainlydiscoveredthroughamagnifyingglass.Theywouldnotallowmetobeadwarf,becausemylittlenesswasbeyondalldegreesofcomparison;forthequeen’sfavouritedwarf,thesmallesteverknowninthatkingdom,wasnearthirtyfeethigh.Aftermuchdebate,theyconcludedunanimously,thatIwasonlyrelplumscalcath,whichisinterpretedliterallylususnaturae;