 other Animals, as well as Plants
and Trees: For Instance, the tallest Horses and Oxen are between four and five
Inches in Height, the Sheep an Inch and a half, more or less; their Geese about
the Bigness of a Sparrow; and so the several Gradations downwards, till you come
to the smallest, which, to my Sight, were almost invisible; but Nature hath
adapted the Eyes of the Lilliputians to all Objects proper for their View: They
see with great Exactness, but at no great Distance. And to show the Sharpness of
their Sight towards Objects that are near, I have been much pleased with
observing a Cook pulling a Lark, which was not so large as a common Fly; and a
young Girl threading an invisible Needle with invisible Silk. Their tallest
Trees are about seven Foot high; I mean some of those in the great Royal Park,
the Tops whereof I could but just reach with my Fist clinched. The other
Vegetables are in the same Proportion: But this I leave to the Reader's
Imagination.
    I shall say but little at present of their Learning, which for many Ages
hath flourished in all its Branches among them: But their Manner of Writing is
very peculiar; being neither from the Left to the Right, like the Europeans; nor
from the Right to the Left, like the Arabians; nor from up to down, like the
Chinese; nor from down to up, like the Cascagians; but aslant from one Corner of
the Paper to the other, like Ladies in England.
    They bury their Dead with their Heads directly downwards; because they hold
an Opinion, that in eleven Thousand Moons they are all to rise again; in which
Period, the Earth (which they conceive to be flat) will turn upside down, and by
this Means they shall, at their Resurrection, be found ready standing on their
Feet. The Learned among them confess the Absurdity of this Doctrine; but the
Practice still continues, in Compliance to the Vulgar.
    There are some Laws and Customs in this Empire very peculiar; and if they
were not so directly contrary to those of my own dear Country, I should be
tempted to say a little in their Justification. It is only to be wished, that
they were as well executed. The first I shall mention, relateth to Informers.
All Crimes against the State, are punished here with the utmost Severity; but if
the Person accused make his Innocence plainly to appear upon his Tryal, the
Accuser is immediately put to an ignominious Death; and out of his Goods or
Lands, the innocent
