Gulliver's travels into several remote nations of the world (Volume 2)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1838. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER X. THE LUGGNAGGIANS COMMENDED. A PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION OF THE STRULDBRUGS, WITH MANY CONVERSATIONS, BETWEEN THE AUTHOR AND SOME EMINENT PERSONS, UPON THAT SUBJECT. J. He Luggnaggians are a polite and generous people; and although they are not without some share of that pride which is peculiar to all Eastern countries, yet they shew themselves courteous to strangers; especially such who are countenanced by the court. I had many acquaintance, and among persons of the best fashion; and being always attended by my interpreter, the conversation we had was not disagreeable. One day, in much good company, 1 was asked by a person of quality, « whether I had seen any of their struldbntgs, or immortals?» I said, «I had not;» and desired he would explain to me, « what he meant by such an appellation applied to a mortal creature.» He told me, « that sometimes, though very rarely, a child happened to be born in a family, with a red circular spot in the forehead, directly over the left eyebrow, which was an infallible mark that it should never die. The spot,» as he described it, « was about the compass of .< silver threepence, but in the course of time grew larger, and changed its colour; for at twelve years old it became green, so continued till five-and-twenty, then turned to a deep blue; at five-and-forty it grew coal black, and as large as an English shilling; but never admitted any further alteration. He said, « these births were so rare, that he did not believe there could bf above eleven hundred struldbrugs, of both sexes, in the whole kingdom; of which he computed about fifty in the metropolis, and, among the rest, a young girl born about three years ago; that these productions were not peculiar to any fami...