fures or Amusements of Life. When they meet an Acquaintance in the Morning, the firft Quef tion is about the Sun's Health, how he looked at his Setting and Rifing, and what Hopes they have to avoid the Stroke of the approaching Comet. This Conversation they are apt to run into with the fame Temper that Boys difcover, in delight ing to hear terrible Stories of Spirits and Hobgoblins, which they greedily liften to, and dare not go to Bed for Fear.

The Women of the Ifland have Abundance of Vivacity; they contemn their Husbands, and are exceedingly fond of Strangers, whereof there is always a confiderable Number from the Continent below, attending at Court, either upon Affairs of the feveral Towns and Corporations, or their own particular Occafions, but are much despised, be caufe they want the fame Endowments. Among thefe, the Ladies chufe their Gallants: But the Vexation is, that they act with too much Eafe and Security, for the Husband is always fo rapt in Speculation, that the Miftrefs and Lover may proceed to the greateft Familiarities before his Face, if he be but provided with Paper and Implements, and without his Flapper at his Side.

The Wives and Daughters lament their Confinement to the Ifland, although I think it the moft delicious Spot of Ground in the World and although they live here in the greatest Plenty and Magnificence, and are allowed to do whatever they pleafe, they long to fee the World, and take the Diverfions of the Metropolis, which they are not allowed to do, without a particular Licence from the King; and this is not eafy to be obtained, becaufe the People of Quality have found by frequent Experience, how

hard

hard it is to perfuade their Women to return from below. I was told, that a great Court Lady, who had feveral Children, is married to the Prime Minister, the richest Subject in the Kingdom, a very graceful Perfon, extremely fond of her, and lives in the finest Palace of the Island, went down to Lagado, on the Pretence of Health, there hid herself for feveral Months, till the King fent a Warrant to fearch for her, and he was found in an obfcure Eating-Houfe all in Rags, having pawned her Cloths to maintain an old deformed Foot-man, who beat her every Day, and in whofe Company fhe was taken much against her Will. And although her Husband received her with all poffible Kindnefs, and without the leaft Reproach, the foon after contrived to steal down again with all her Jewels, to the fame Gallant, and hath not been heard of fince.

This may perhaps pafs with the Reader rather for an European or English Story, than for one of a Country fo remote. But he may please to confider, that the Caprices of Women-kind are not limited by any Climate, or Nation, and that they are much more uniform than can be easily imagined.

In about a Month's Time, I had made a tolerable Proficiency in their Language, and was able to answer most of the King's Questions, when I had the Honour to attend him. His Majesty difcovered not the leaft Curiofity to enquire into the Laws, Government, History, Religion, or Manners of the Countries where I had been, but confined his Queftions to the State of Mathematics, and received the Account I gave him, with great Contempt and Indifference, though often roufed by his Flapper on each Side.

CHAP.

CHAP. III.

A Phænomenon folved by modern Philosophy and Aftronomy. The Laputians great Improvements in the latter. The King's Method of fuppreffing Infurrections.

I

DESIRED Leave of this Prince to fee the Curiofities of the Ifland, which he was graciously pleased to grant, and ordered my Tutor to attend me. I 'chiefly wanted to know to what Cause in Art, or in Nature, it owed its feveral Motions, whereof I will now give a philosophical Account to the Reader.

The flying or floating Island is exactly circular, its Diameter 7837 Yards, or about four Miles and half, and confequently contains ten thoufand Acres. It is three hundred Yards thick. The Bottom, or under Surface, which appears to those who view it from below, is one even regular Plate of Adamant, fhooting up to the Height of about two hundred Yards. Above it lie the feveral Minerals in their ufual Order, and over all is a Coat of rich Mould, ten or twelve Feet deep. The Declivity of the upper Surface, from the Circumference to the Center, is the natural Caufe why all the Dews and Rains, which fall upon the Ifland, are conveyed in fmall Rivulets towards the Middle, where they are emptied into four large Bafons, each of about half a Mile in Circuit, and two hundred Yards diftant from the Center. From thefe Bafons, the Water is continually exhaled by the Sun in the Day-time, which effectually prevents their Overflowing. Befides, as it is in the

Power

Power of the Monarch to raise the Island above the Region of Clouds and Vapours, he can prevent the Falling of Dews and Rains whenever he pleases. For the highest Clouds cannot rise above two Miles, as Naturalifts agree, at least they were never known to do fo in that Country.

At the Center of the Island there is a Chafm about fifty Yards in Diameter, from whence the Aftronomers defcend into a large Dome, which is therefore called Flandona Gagnole, or the Aftronomer's Cave, fituated at the Depth of a hundred Yards, beneath the upper Surface of the Adamant. In this Cave are twenty Lamps continually burning, which, from the Reflection of the Adamant, caft a ftrong Light into every Part. The Place is ftored with great Variety of Sextants, Quadrants, Telescopes, Aftrolabes, and other aftronomical Inftruments. But the greatest Curiofity, upon which the Fate of the Ifland depends, is a Loadftone of a prodigious Size, in Shape refembling a Weaver's Shuttle. It is in Length fix Yards, and, in the thickest Part, at least three Yards over. This Magnet is fuftained by a very strong Axle of Adamant paffing through its Middle, upon which it plays, and is poifed fo exactly, that the weakeft Hand can turn it. It is hooped round with an hollow Cylinder of Adamant, four Feet deep, as many thick, and twelve Yards in Diameter, placed horizontally, and fupported by eight adamantine Feet, each fix Yards high. In the Middle of the concave Side there is a Groove twelve Inches deep, in which the Extremities of the Axle are lodged, and turned round as there is Occafion.

The Stone cannot be moved from its Place by any Force, becaufe the Hoop and its Feet are one

con

continued Piece with that Body of Adamant which conftitutes the Bottom of the Island.

By Means of this Load-ftone, the Ifland is made to rife and fall, and move from one Place to ano ther. For, with Refpect to that Part of the Earth over which the Monarch prefides, the Stone is endued at one of its Sides with an attractive Power, and at the other with a repulfive. Upon placing the Magnet erect, with its attracting End towards the Earth, the Island defcends; but, when the repelling Extremity points downwards, the Island mounts directly upwards. When the Pofition of the Stone is oblique, the Motion of the Ifland is fo too. For, in this Magnet, the Forces always act in Lines parallel to its Direction.

с

By this oblique Motion, the Island is conveyed to different Parts of the Monarch's Dominions, To explain the Manner of its Progress, let AB reprefent a Line drawn cross the Dominions of Balnibarbi, let the Line c d represent the Loadftone, of which let d be the repelling End, and the attracting End, the Island being over C; let the Stone be placed in the Pofitione d, with its repelling End downwards; then the Island will be driven upwards obliquely towards D. When it is arrived at D, let the Stone be turned upon its Axle till its attracting End points towards E, and then the Ifland will be carried obliquely towards E; where if the Stone be again turned upon its Axle till it ftands in the Pofition EF, with its repelling Point downward, the Ifland will rife ob liquely towards F, where, by directing the attracting End towards G, the Ifland may be carri ed to G, and from G to H, by turning the Stone, fo as to make its repelling Extremity point directly dowaward. And thus, by changing the Situation

of