CHAPTER IV.

The author leaves Laputa; is conveyed to Balnibarbi; arrives at the
metropolis. A description of the metropolis, and the country adjoining.
The author hospitably received by a great lord. His conversation with
that lord.

Although I cannot say that I was ill treated in this island, yet I must
confess I thought myself too much neglected, not without some degree of
contempt; for neither prince nor people appeared to be curious in any
part of knowledge, except mathematics and music, wherein I was far their
inferior, and upon that account very little regarded.

On the other side, after having seen all the curiosities of the island, I
was very desirous to leave it, being heartily weary of those people.
They were indeed excellent in two sciences for which I have great esteem,
and wherein I am not unversed; but, at the same time, so abstracted and
involved in speculation, that I never met with such disagreeable
companions. I conversed only with women, tradesmen, flappers, and
court-pages, during two months of my abode there; by which, at last, I
rendered myself extremely contemptible; yet these were the only people
from whom I could ever receive a reasonable answer.

I had obtained, by hard study, a good degree of knowledge in their
language: I was weary of being confined to an island where I received so
little countenance, and resolved to leave it with the first opportunity.

There was a great lord at court, nearly related to the king, and for that
reason alone used with respect. He was universally reckoned the most
ignorant and stupid person among them. He had performed many eminent
services for the crown, had great natural and acquired parts, adorned
with integrity and honour; but so ill an ear for music, that his
detractors reported, "he had been often known to beat time in the wrong
place;" neither could his tutors, without extreme difficulty, teach him
to demonstrate the most easy proposition in the mathematics. He was
pleased to show me many marks of favour, often did me the honour of a
visit, desired to be informed in the affairs of Europe, the laws and
customs, the manners and learning of the several countries where I had
travelled. He listened to me with great attention, and made very wise
observations on all I spoke. He had two flappers attending him for
state, but never made use of them, except at court and in visits of
ceremony, and would always command them to withdraw, when we were alo