128 GULLIVER’S VOYAGE

It may, perhaps, divert the curious reader to give some
account of my domestics, and my manner of living in this
country, during a residence of nine months and thirteen days.
Having some knowledge of mechanics, and being likewise com-
pelled by necessity, I had made myself a chair and table con-
venient enough, out of the largest trees in the royal park. Two
hundred sempstresses were employed to make me shirts, and
Tinen for my bed and table, all of the-strongest and coarsest
kind they could get; which, however, they were forced to quilt
together in several folds, for the thickest was some degrees
finer than lawn. The sempstresses took my measure as I lay
on the ground, one at my neck, and another at my mid-leg,
holding a strong cord extended, while a third measured the
cord with a rule of an inch long, Then they measured my
thumb, and desired no more; for, by a mathematical compu-
tation, that twice round the thumb is once round the wrist, and
so on the neck and the waist, and by the help of my old shirt,
which I displayed on the ground before them as a pattern, they
fitted me exactly, Three hundred tailors were in the same
manner to make my clothes; but
they had another contrivance for
taking my measure. I kneeled
down, and they raised a ladder
from the ground to my neck;
upon this ladder one of them
mounted, and let fall a plumb-
line from my collar to the floor,
which just answered the length of
my coat ; but my waist and arms
I measured myself. When my clothes were finished, they
looked like the patch-work made by the ladies in England, the
only difference being, that they were all of one colour. I had