to be the seat of the muses.

I hurried on with all possible celerity. But the roads were so full of
stones, holes and bogs, that I was delayed, besmirched, and bruised.
However, I endured these troubles patiently, anticipating the delights
that awaited me, and well knowing that the path to paradise is not over
roses. When I had struggled onward for an hour I met a peasant, of whom,
after saluting him, I demanded how far distant the borders of Maskattia
were? "You should rather ask," he replied, "how far you must go
back;--for you are now in the very middle of it!"

In great astonishment I asked, "How is it, that a land inhabited by pure
philosophers, should appear like the abode of wild animals and ignorant
barbarians?" "Indeed," said the peasant, "It would look better if the
people could find time to attend to such trifles. At present they must
be excused, for they have higher and nobler things in their heads: they
are now speculating about the shortest road to the sun. Nobody can blow
and swallow at the same time."

I understood the meaning of the cunning peasant, and left him, after
getting the direction to the capital city, Casea. Instead of guards and
the usual collection about the gates of a large town, hens and geese
strutted about at their ease: in the crevices of the gate hung
birds-nests and cobwebs.

In the streets philosophers and swine were mingled together, and both
classes being alike filthy, they were only to be distinguished from each
other by form.

The philosophers wore a kind of cloak, of the color of which I should
not dare to give an opinion, so thick was the dirt upon them. I was run
into by one of these wise men, who seemed to be enraptured by some
speculation.

"I beg pardon, master of arts!" I exclaimed, "may I ask of you the name
of this town?" He stood for some time immovable, with closed eyes; then
recovering somewhat from his trance, and rolling his eyes upwards, he
muttered: "We are not far from noon!"

This untimely answer, which betrayed a perfect insensibility, convinced
me that intelligence resulting from methodical and practical study is
preferable to the torpid insanity incident to much learning.

I went on, hoping to meet with some sensible animal, or any body rather
than a philosopher. In the market-place,--a very extensive square,--were
a great many statues and pillars, covered with inscriptions.

I approached one of them to get, if possible, the meaning of the
charac