 ours. For, since the Conjunction of Male and Female is founded
upon the great Law of Nature, in order to propagate and continue the Species;
the Lilliputians will needs have it, that Men and Women are joined together like
other Animals, by the Motives of Concupiscence; and that their Tenderness
towards their Young, proceedeth from the like natural Principle: For which
Reason they will never allow, that a Child is under any Obligation to his Father
for begetting him, or to his Mother for bringing him into the World; which,
considering the Miseries of human Life, was neither a Benefit in itself, nor
intended so by his Parents, whose Thoughts in their Love-encounters were
otherwise employed. Upon these, and the like Reasonings, their Opinion is, that
Parents are the last of all others to be trusted with the Education of their own
Children: And therefore they have in every Town publick Nurseries, where all
Parents, except Cottagers and Labourers, are obliged to send their Infants of
both Sexes to be reared and educated when they come to the Age of twenty Moons;
at which Time they are supposed to have some Rudiments of Docility. These
Schools are of several kinds, suited to different Qualities, and to both Sexes.
They have certain Professors well skilled in preparing Children for such a
Condition of Life as befits the Rank of their Parents, and their own Capacities
as well as Inclinations. I shall first say something of the Male Nurseries, and
then of the Female.
    The Nurseries for Males of Noble or Eminent Birth, are provided with grave
and learned Professors, and their several Deputies. The Clothes and Food of the
Children are plain and simple. They are bred up in the Principles of Honour,
Justice, Courage, Modesty, Clemency, Religion, and Love of their Country: They
are always employed in some Business, except in the Times of eating and
sleeping, which are very short, and two Hours for Diversions, consisting of
bodily Exercises. They are dressed by Men until four Years of Age, and then are
obliged to dress themselves, although their Quality be ever so great; and the
Women Attendants, who are aged proportionably to ours at fifty, perform only the
most menial Offices. They are never suffered to converse with Servants, but go
together in small or greater Numbers to take their Diversions, and always in the
Presence of a Professor, or one of his Deputies; whereby they avoid those early
bad Impressions of Folly and Vice to which our Children are subject. Their
Parents are suffered to see them only twice a Year; the Visit is not
