
in my Hand during our Conversation. He began with Compliments on my Liberty;
said, he might pretend to some Merit in it; but, however, added, that if it had
not been for the present Situation of things at Court, perhaps I might not have
obtained it so soon. For, said he, as flourishing a Condition as we appear to be
in to Foreigners, we labour under two mighty Evils; a violent Faction at home,
and the Danger of an Invasion by a most potent Enemy from abroad. As to the
first, you are to understand, that for above seventy Moons past, there have been
two struggling Parties in this Empire, under the Names of Tramecksan, and
Slamecksan, from the high and low Heels on their Shoes, by which they
distinguish themselves.
    It is alledged indeed, that the high Heels are most agreeable to our ancient
Constitution: But however this be, his Majesty hath determined to make use of
only low Heels in the Administration of the Government, and all Offices in the
Gift of the Crown; as you cannot but observe; and particularly, that his
Majesty's Imperial Heels are lower at least by a Drurr than any of his Court; (
Drurr is a Measure about the fourteenth Part of an Inch.) The Animosities
between these two Parties run so high, that they will neither eat nor drink, nor
talk with each other. We compute the Tramecksan, or High-Heels, to exceed us in
Number; but the Power is wholly on our Side. We apprehend his Imperial Highness,
the Heir to the Crown, to have some Tendency towards the High-Heels; at least we
can plainly discover one of his Heels higher than the other; which gives him a
Hobble in his Gait. Now, in the midst of these intestine Disquiets, we are
threatened with an Invasion from the Island of Blefuscu, which is the other
great Empire of the Universe, almost as large and powerful as this of his
Majesty. For as to what we have heard you affirm, that there are other Kingdoms
and States in the World, inhabited by human Creatures as large as your self, our
Philosophers are in much Doubt; and would rather conjecture that you dropt from
the Moon, or one of the Stars; because it is certain, than an hundred Mortals of
your Bulk, would, in a short Time, destroy all the Fruits and Cattle of his
Majesty's Dominions. Besides, our Histories of six Thousand Moons make no
Mention of any other Regions, than the two great Empires of Lilliput and
Blefuscu. Which
