CHAPTER VI.

Of the inhabitants of Lilliput ; their learning, laws, and customs, the
manner of educating their children. The Author's way of living
in that country. His vindication of a great lady.

LTHOUGH I intend to leave the description of
this Empire to a particular treatise, yet in the:
meantifne I am content to gratify the curious reader
with some general ideas. As the common size of the
natives is somewhat under six inches high, so there is
an exact proportion in all other animals, as well as
plants and trees ; for instance, the tallest horses and
oxen are between four and five inches in height, the
sheep an inch and a half, more or less ; their geese about
the size of a sparrow, and so the several gradations
downwards, till you come to the smallest, which, to my
sight, were almost invisible; but nature had adapted
the eyes of the Lilliputians to all objects proper for
their view. They see with great exactness, but at no
great distance. And to show the sharpness of their
sight, toward objects that are near, I have been much
pleased observing a cook pulling a lark, which was not
so large as a common fly; and a young girl threading
an invisible needle with invisible silk. Their tallest
trees are about seven feet high; I mean some of those