 a Subject, belong to the Crown.
But I doubt, whether our Conquests in the Countries I treat of, would be as easy
as those of Ferdinando Cortez over the naked Americans. The Lilliputians I
think, are hardly worth the Charge of a Fleet and Army to reduce them; and I
question whether it might be prudent or safe to attempt the Brobdingnagians: Or,
whether an English Army would be much at their Ease with the Flying Island over
their Heads. The Houyhnhnms, indeed, appear not to be so well prepared for War,
a Science to which they are perfect Strangers, and especially against missive
Weapons. However, supposing myself to be a Minister of State, I could never give
my Advice for invading them. Their Prudence, Unanimity, Unacquaintedness with
Fear, and their Love of their Country would amply supply all Defects in the
military Art. Imagine twenty Thousand of them breaking into the Midst of an
European Army, confounding the Ranks, overturning the Carriages, battering the
Warriors Faces into Mummy, by terrible Yerks from their hinder Hoofs: For they
would well deserve the Character given to Augustus; Recalcitrat undique tutus.
But instead of Proposals for conquering that magnanimous Nation, I rather wish
they were in a Capacity or Disposition to send a sufficient Number of their
Inhabitants for civilizing Europe; by teaching us the first Principles of
Honour, Justice, Truth, Temperance, publick Spirit, Fortitude, Chastity,
Friendship, Benevolence, and Fidelity. The Names of all which Virtues are still
retained among us in most Languages, and are to be met with in modern as well as
ancient Authors; which I am able to assert from my own small Reading.
    But, I had another Reason which made me less forward to enlarge his
Majesty's Dominions by my Discoveries: To say the Truth, I had conceived a few
Scruples with relation to the distributive Justice of Princes upon those
Occasions. For Instance, A Crew of Pyrates are driven by a Storm they know not
whither; at length a Boy discovers Land from the Top-mast; they go on Shore to
rob and plunder; they see an harmless People, are entertained with Kindness,
they give the Country a new Name, they take formal Possession of it for the
King, they set up a rotten Plank or a Stone for a Memorial, they murder two or
three Dozen of the Natives, bring away a Couple more by Force for a Sample,
return home, and get their Pardon. Here commences a new Dominion acquired with a
Title by Divine Right. Ships are sent with the first Opportunity; the Natives
driven out or
