being an overmatch for me, and field mice, with some
others, too nimble, they could not imagine how I should be able to
support myself, unless I fed upon snails and other insects, which they
offered, by many learned arguments, to evince that I could not possibly
do. One of these virtuosi seemed to think that I might be an embryo, or
abortive birth. But this opinion was rejected by the other two, who
observed my limbs to be perfect and finished; and that I had lived
several years, as it was manifest from my beard, the stumps whereof they
plainly discovered through a magnifying glass. They would not allow me
to be a dwarf, because my littleness was beyond all degrees of
comparison; for the queen's favourite dwarf, the smallest ever known in
that kingdom, was near thirty feet high. After much debate, they
concluded unanimously, that I was only _relplum scalcath_, which is
interpreted literally _lusus naturae_; a determination exactly agreeable
to the modern philosophy of Europe, whose professors, disdaining the old
evasion of occult causes, whereby the followers of Aristotle endeavoured
in vain to disguise their ignorance, have invented this wonderful
solution of all difficulties, to the unspeakable advancement of human
knowledge.

After this decisive conclusion, I entreated to be heard a word or two. I
applied myself to the king, and assured his majesty, "that I came from a
country which abounded with several millions of both sexes, and of my own
stature; where the animals, trees, and houses, were all in proportion,
and where, by consequence, I might be as able to defend myself, and to
find sustenance, as any of his majesty's subjects could do here; which I
took for a full answer to those gentlemen's arguments." To this they
only replied with a smile of contempt, saying, "that the farmer had
instructed me very well in my lesson." The king, who had a much better
understanding, dismissing his learned men, sent for the farmer, who by
good fortune was not yet gone out of town. Having therefore first
examined him privately, and then confronted him with me and the young
girl, his majesty began to think that what we told him might possibly be
true. He desired the queen to order that a particular care should be
taken of me; and was of opinion that Glumdalclitch should still continue
in her office of tending me, because he observed we had a great affection
for each other. A convenient apartment was provided for her at cour