The reader may please to observe, that, in the last
article of the recovery of my liberty, the emperor
stipulates to allow me a quantity of meat and drink
sufficient for the support of 1724 Lilliputians.
Some time after, asking a friend at court how they
came to fix on that determinate number, he told me
that his majesty’s mathematicians, having taken
the height of my body by the help of a quadrant, and
finding it to exceed theirs in the proportion of twelve
to one, they concluded from the similarity of their
bodies, that mine must contain at least 1724 of theirs,
and consequently would require as much food as was
necessary to support that number of Lilliputians.
By which the reader may conceive an idea of the ingenuity
of that people, as well as the prudent and exact economy
of so great a prince.
CHAPTER IV.
[Mildendo, the metropolis of Lilliput, described,
together with the emperor’s palace. A
conversation between the author and a principal secretary,
concerning the affairs of that empire. The author’s
offers to serve the emperor in his wars.]
The first request I made, after I had obtained my
liberty, was, that I might have license to see Mildendo,
the metropolis; which the emperor easily granted me,
but with a special charge to do no hurt either to
the inhabitants or their houses. The people had
notice, by proclamation, of my design to visit the
town. The wall which encompassed it is two feet
and a half high, and at least eleven inches broad,
so that a coach and horses may be driven very safely
round it; and it is flanked with strong towers at ten
feet distance. I stepped over the great western
gate, and passed very gently, and sidling, through
the two principal streets, only in my short waistcoat,
for fear of damaging the roofs and eaves of the houses
with the skirts of my coat. I walked with the
utmost circumspection, to avoid treading on any stragglers
who might remain in the streets, although the orders
were very strict, that all people should keep in their
houses, at their own peril. The garret windows
and tops of houses were so crowded with spectators,
that I thought in all my travels I had not seen a more
populous place. The city is an exact square,
each side of the wall being five hundred feet long.
The two great streets, which run across and divide
it into four quarters, are five feet wide. The
lanes and alleys, which I could not enter, but only
view them as I passed, are from twelve to eighteen
inches. The town is capable of holding five
hundred thousand souls: the houses are from three
to five stories: the shops and markets well
provided.
