Gulliver's Travels

The language of this country being always upon the flux, the
struldbrugs of one age do not understand those of another; neither
are they able, after two hundred years, to hold any conversation
(farther than by a few general words) with their neighbours the
mortals; and thus they lie under the disadvantage of living like
foreigners in their own country."

This was the account given me of the struldbrugs, as near as I can
remember.  I afterwards saw five or six of different ages, the
youngest not above two hundred years old, who were brought to me at
several times by some of my friends; but although they were told,
"that I was a great traveller, and had seen all the world," they
had not the least curiosity to ask me a question; only desired "I
would give them slumskudask," or a token of remembrance; which is a
modest way of begging, to avoid the law, that strictly forbids it,
because they are provided for by the public, although indeed with a
very scanty allowance.

They are despised and hated by all sorts of people.  When one of
them is born, it is reckoned ominous, and their birth is recorded
very particularly so that you may know their age by consulting the
register, which, however, has not been kept above a thousand years
past, or at least has been destroyed by time or public
disturbances.  But the usual way of computing how old they are, is
by asking them what kings or great persons they can remember, and
then consulting history; for infallibly the last prince in their
mind did not begin his reign after they were fourscore years old.

They were the most mortifying sight I ever beheld; and the women
more horrible than the men.  Besides the usual deformities in
extreme old age, they acquired an additional ghastliness, in
proportion to their number of years, which is not to be described;
and among half a dozen, I soon distinguished which was the eldest,
although there was not above a century or two between them.

The reader will easily believe, that from what I had hear and seen,
my keen appetite for perpetuity of life was much abated.  I grew
heartily ashamed of the pleasing visions I had formed; and thought
no tyrant could invent a death into which I would not run with
pleasure, from such a life.  The king heard of all that had passed
between me and my friends upon this occasion, and rallied me very
pleasantly; wishing I could send a couple of struldbrugs to my own
country, to arm our people against the fear of death; but this, it
seems, is forbidden by the fundamental laws of the kingdom, or else
I should have been well content with the trouble and expense of
transporting them.

I could not but agree, that the laws of this kingdom relative to
the struldbrugs were founded upon the strongest reasons, and such
as any other country would be under the necessity of enacting, in
the like circumstances.  Otherwise, as avarice is the necessary
consequence of old age, those immortals would in time become
proprietors of the whole nation, and engross the civil power,
which, for want of abilities to manage, must end in the ruin of the
public.



CHAPTER XI.



[The author leaves Luggnagg, and sails to Japan.  From thence he
returns in a Dutch ship to Amsterdam, and from Amsterdam to
England.]

I thought this account of the struldbrugs might be some
entertainment to the reader, because it seems to be a little out of
the common way; at least I do not remember to have met the like in
any book of travels that has come to my hands:  and if I am
deceived, my excuse must be, that it is necessary for travellers
who describe the same country, very often to agree in dwelling on
the same particulars, without deserving the censure of having
borrowed or transcribed from those who wrote before them.

There is indeed a perpetual commerce between this kingdom and the
great empire of Japan; and it is very probable, that the Japanese
authors may have given some account of the struldbrugs; but my stay
in Japan was so short, and I was so entirely a stranger to the
language, that I was not qualified to make any inquiries.  But I
hope the Dutch, upon this notice, will be curious and able enough
to supply my defects.

His majesty having often pressed me to accept some employment in
his court, and finding me absolutely determined to return to my
native country, was pleased to give me his license to depart; and
honoured me with a letter of recommendation, under his own hand, to
the Emperor of Japan.  He likewise presented me with four hundred
and forty-four large pieces of gold (this nation delighting in even
numbers), and a red diamond, which I sold in England for eleven
hundred pounds.

On the 6th of May, 1709, I took a solemn leave of his majesty, and
all my friends.  This prince was so gracious as to order a guard to
conduct me to Glanguenstald, which is a royal port to the south-
west part of the island.  In six days I found a vessel ready to
carry me to Japan, and spent fifteen days in the voyage.  We landed
at a small port-town called Xamoschi, situated on the south-east
part of Japan; the town lies on the western point, where there is a
narrow strait leading northward into along arm of the sea, upon the