e of several worthy persons, to whom, with the author's
permission, I communicated these papers, I now venture to send them into
the world, hoping they may be, at least for some time, a better
entertainment to our young noblemen, than the common scribbles of
politics and party.

This volume would have been at least twice as large, if I had not made
bold to strike out innumerable passages relating to the winds and tides,
as well as to the variations and bearings in the several voyages,
together with the minute descriptions of the management of the ship in
storms, in the style of sailors; likewise the account of longitudes and
latitudes; wherein I have reason to apprehend, that Mr. Gulliver may be a
little dissatisfied. But I was resolved to fit the work as much as
possible to the general capacity of readers. However, if my own
ignorance in sea affairs shall have led me to commit some mistakes, I
alone am answerable for them. And if any traveller hath a curiosity to
see the whole work at large, as it came from the hands of the author, I
will be ready to gratify him.

As for any further particulars relating to the author, the reader will
receive satisfaction from the first pages of the book.

RICHARD SYMPSON.

A LETTER FROM CAPTAIN GULLIVER TO HIS COUSIN SYMPSON.

WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1727.

I hope you will be ready to own publicly, whenever you shall be called to
it, that by your great and frequent urgency you prevailed on me to
publish a very loose and uncorrect account of my travels, with directions
to hire some young gentleman of either university to put them in order,
and correct the style, as my cousin Dampier did, by my advice, in his
book called "A Voyage round the world." But I do not remember I gave you
power to consent that any thing should be omitted, and much less that any
thing should be inserted; therefore, as to the latter, I do here renounce
every thing of that kind; particularly a paragraph about her majesty
Queen Anne, of most pious and glorious memory; although I did reverence
and esteem her more than any of human species. But you, or your
interpolator, ought to have considered, that it was not my inclination,
so was it not decent to praise any animal of our composition before my
master _Houyhnhnm_: And besides, the fact was altogether false; for to my
knowledge, being in England during some part of her ma