TO LILLIPUT. 127

me the honour to be present at the whole ceremony. I made
my acknowledgments by prostrating myself at his majesty’s
fect, but he commanded me to rise, and after many gracious
expressions, which, to avoid censure of vanity, I shall not
repeat, he added, that he hoped I should prove an useful
servant, and well deserve all the favours he had already con-
ferred upon me, or might do for the future. ‘The first request
made, after I had obtained my liberty, was, that I might have
license to see Mildendo, the metropolis, which the emperor
readily granted me, but with a special charge to do no hurt to
the inhabitants or their houses. ‘The people had notice, by
proclamation, of my design to visit the town. The wall which
eneompassed it is two feet and a half high, and at least eleven
inches broad, and it is flanked with strong towers at ten fect
distance. I stepped over the great western gate, and passed very
gently through the two principal streets, only in my short
waistcoat, for fear of damaging the roofs of the houses with the
skirts of my coat. I walked with the utmost circumspection,
to avoid treading on any stragglers who might remain in the
streets; although the orders were very strict, that all people
should keep in their houses at their own peril. The garret
windows and the tops of the houses were so crowded with
spectators, that I thought I had never seen a more populous
place. The emperor had a great desire that I should see the
magnificence of his palace ; and having got into the inmost
court, I applied my face to the windows of the middle stories,
which were left open on purpose, and discovered the most
beautiful apartments that can be imagined. There I saw the
empress and young princes, with their chicf attendants about
them. Her imperial majesty was pleased to smile very
graciously upon me, and gave me out of the window her hand
to kiss.