 fast as they could; but the Flame was so
violent, that they did little Good. I might easily have stifled it with my Coat,
which I unfortunately left behind me for haste, and came away only in my
Leathern Jerkin. The Case seemed wholly desperate and deplorable; and this
magnificent Palace would have infallibly been burnt down to the Ground, if, by a
Presence of Mind, unusual to me, I had not suddenly thought of an Expedient. I
had the Evening before drank plentifully of a most delicious Wine, called
Glimigrim, (the Blefuscudians call it Flunec, but ours is esteemed the better
Sort) which is very diuretick. By the luckiest Chance in the World, I had not
discharged myself of any Part of it. The Heat I had contracted by coming very
near the Flames, and by my labouring to quench them, made the Wine begin to
operate by Urine; which I voided in such a Quantity, and applied so well to the
proper Places, that in three Minutes the Fire was wholly extinguished; and the
rest of that noble Pile, which had cost so many Ages in erecting, preserved from
Destruction.
    It was now Day-light, and I returned to my House, without waiting to
congratulate with the Emperor; because, although I had done a very eminent Piece
of Service, yet I could not tell how his Majesty might resent the Manner by
which I had performed it: For, by the fundamental Laws of the Realm, it is
Capital in any Person, of what Quality soever, to make water within the
Precincts of the Palace. But I was a little comforted by a Message from his
Majesty, that he would give Orders to the Grand Justiciary for passing my Pardon
in Form; which, however, I could not obtain. And I was privately assured, that
the Empress conceiving the greatest Abhorrence of what I had done, removed to
the most distant Side of the Court, firmly resolved that those Buildings should
never be repaired for her Use; and, in the Presence of her chief Confidents,
could not forbear vowing Revenge.
 

                                   Chap. VI.

Of the Inhabitants of Lilliput; their Learning, Laws, and Customs. The Manner of
Educating their Children. The Author's Way of living in that Country. His
Vindication of a great Lady.
 
Although I intend to leave the Description of this Empire to a particular
Treatise, yet in the mean time I am content to gratify the curious Reader with
some general Ideas. As the common Size of the Natives is somewhat under six
Inches, so there is an exact Proportion in all
