Gulliver's travels

Travels. Part I. A voyage to lilliput.

HE Author gives some Account of himself and Family: His first Inducements to travel.

MY FATHER had a small Estate in Nottinghamshire; I was the Third of five Sons. He sent me to Emanuel-College in Cambridge, at Fourteen Years old, where I resided three Years, and applyed my self close to my Studies.

(…) and my Father now and then sending me small Sums of Money, I laid them out in learning Navigation, and other parts of the Mathematicks, useful to those who intend to travel, as I always believed it would be some time or other my Fortune to do.

(…) I studied Physick two Years and seven Months, knowing it would be useful in long Voyages.

I determined to go again to Sea. I was Surgeon successively in two Ships, and made several Voyages, for six Years, to the East and West-Indies, by which I got some Addition to my Fortune. My Hours of Leisure I spent in reading the best Authors, antient and modern, being always provided with a good Number of Books ; and when I was ashore, in observing the Manners and Dispositions of the People, well as learning their Language, wherein I had a great Facility by the Strength of my Memory.

The last of these Voyages not proving very fortunate, I grew weary of the Sea, and intended to stay at home with my Wife and Family. I removed from the Old Jury to Fetter-Lane, and from thence to Wapping hoping to get business among the sailors; but it would not turn to account.

After three Years Expectation that things would mend, I accepted an advantageous Offer from Captain William Prichard, Master of the Antelope, who was making a Voyage to the South-Sea. We set sail from Bristol May 4th, 1699 and our Voyage at first was very prosperous. (…)

Travels. Part IV. A voyage to the country of the houyhnhnms. Chapter XII.

The Author's Veracity. His Design in publishing this Work. His Censure of those Travellers who swerve from the Truth.

It is easy for us who travel into remote Countries, which are seldom visited by Englishmen or other Europeans, to form Descriptions of wonderful Animals both at Sea and Land. Whereas a Traveller's chief Aim should be to make Men wiser and better, and to improve their Minds by the bad as well as good Example of what they deliver concerning foreign Places.

I have perused several Books of Travels with great Delight in my younger Days; but having since gone over most Parts of the Globe, and been able to contradict many fabulous Accounts from my own Observation, it hath given me a great Disgust against this Part of Reading, and some Indignation to see the Credulity of Mankind so impudently abused.

Qüestions:

—1. Explain briefly how did Gulliver finish the following travel:

"We set sail from Bristol May 4th, 1699 and our Voyage at first was very prosperous..."

—2. Gulliver acquires a solid training before setting off (navigation, mathematics, medicine, classic and modern authors.). It is necessary nowadays a similar training before going on a trip or travel?

—3. Discurs the following sentences by agreeing or disagreeing:

a.- "My principal Design was to Inform, and not to amuse you"

b.- "Whereas a Traveller's chief Aim should be to make Men wiser and better, and to improve their Minds by the bad as well as good Example of what they deliver concerning foreign Places"

—4. Taking into account the fantastic nature of Gulliver's travels, how would you justify the following sentence argued by the main character of the novel?

"I have perused several Books of Travels with great Delight in my younger Days; but having since gone over most Parts of the Globe, and been able to contradict many fabulous Accounts from my own Observation, it has given me a great Disgust against this Part of Reading, and some Indignation to see the Credulity of Mankind so impudently abused"