Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Regions of the World, Page 3
Jonathan Swift
THE FIRST PUBLISHER TO THE READER.
The author of these travels, Mr. Lemuel Gulliver, is my ancient andintimate friend; there is likewise some relation between us on themother's side. About three years ago, Mr. Gulliver, growing weary of theconcourse of curious people coming to him at his house in Redriff,[1]made a small purchase of land, with a convenient house, near Newark, inNottinghamshire, his native county, where he now lives retired, yet ingood esteem among his neighbors.
Although Mr. Gulliver was born in Nottinghamshire, where his fatherdwelt, yet I have heard him say his family came from Oxfordshire; toconfirm which, I have observed in the churchyard at Banbury, in thatcounty, several tombs and monuments of the Gullivers. Before he quittedRedriff he left the custody of the following papers in my hands, withthe liberty to dispose of them as I should think fit. I have carefullyperused them three times. The style is very plain and simple, and theonly fault I find is, that the author, after the manner of travellers,is a little too circumstantial. There is an air of truth apparentthrough the whole; and, indeed, the author was so distinguished for hisveracity, that it became a sort of proverb among his neighbors atRedriff, when any one affirmed a thing, to say it was as true as if Mr.Gulliver had spoken it.
By the advice of several worthy persons, to whom, with the author'spermission, I communicated these papers, I now venture to send them intothe world, hoping they may be, at least for some time, a betterentertainment than the common scribbles about politics and party.
This volume would have been at least twice as large if I had not madebold to strike out innumerable passages relating to the winds and tides,as well as to the variations and bearings in the several voyages;together with the minute description of the management of the ship inthe storms, in the style of sailors; likewise the account of longitudesand latitudes; wherein I have reason to apprehend that Mr. Gulliver maybe a little dissatisfied; but I was resolved to fit the work as much aspossible to the general capacity of readers. However, if my ownignorance in sea affairs shall have led me to commit some mistakes, Ialone am answerable for them, and if any traveller hath a curiosity tosee the whole work at large, as it came from the hand of the author, Iwill be ready to gratify him.
As for any farther particulars relating to the author, the reader willreceive satisfaction from the first pages of the book.
RICHARD SYMPSON.
