
the Productions of Art and Reason, on our Side of the Globe.
 

                                  Chap. VIII.

The Author relateth several Particulars of the Yahoos. The great Virtues of the
Houyhnhnms. The Education and Exercise of their Youth. Their general Assembly.
 
As I ought to have understood human Nature much better than I supposed it
possible for my Master to do, so it was easy to apply the Character he gave of
the Yahoos to myself and my Countrymen; and I believed I could yet make farther
Discoveries from my own Observation. I therefore often begged his Honour to let
me go among the Herds of Yahoos in the Neighbourhood; to which he always very
graciously consented, being perfectly convinced that the Hatred I bore those
Brutes would never suffer me to be corrupted by them; and his Honour ordered one
of his Servants, a strong Sorrel Nag, very honest and good-natured, to be my
Guard; without whose Protection I durst not undertake such Adventures. For I
have already told the Reader how much I was pestered by those odious Animals
upon my first Arrival. I afterwards failed very narrowly three or four times of
falling into their Clutches, when I happened to stray at any Distance without my
Hanger. And I have Reason to believe, they had some Imagination that I was of
their own Species, which I often assisted myself, by stripping up my Sleeves,
and shewing my naked Arms and Breast in their Sight, when my Protector was with
me: At which times they would approach as near as they durst, and imitate my
Actions after the Manner of Monkeys, but ever with great Signs of Hatred; as a
tame Jack Daw with Cap and Stockings, is always persecuted by the wild ones,
when he happens to be got among them.
    They are prodigiously nimble from their Infancy; however, I once caught a
young Male of three Years old, and endeavoured by all Marks of Tenderness to
make it quiet; but the little Imp fell a squalling, and scratching, and biting
with such Violence, that I was forced to let it go; and it was high time, for a
whole Troop of old ones came about us at the Noise; but finding the Cub was
safe, (for away it ran) and my Sorrel Nag being by, they durst not venture near
us. I observed the young Animal's Flesh to smell very rank, and the Stink was
somewhat between a Weasel and a Fox, but much more disagreeable. I forgot
another Circumstance, (and perhaps I might have the Reader's Pardon, if it were
wholly omitted) that while I held
