small purchase of land, with a convenient house, near Newark, in Nottinghamshire, his nativecountry; where he now lives retired, yet in good esteem among his neighbours.Although Mr. Gulliver was born in Nottinghamshire, where his father dwelt, yet I have heardhim say his family came from Oxfordshire; to confirm which, I have observed in the churchyardat Banbury in that county, several tombs and monuments of the Gullivers.Before he quitted Redriff, he left the custody of the following papers in my hands, with theliberty to dispose of them as I should think fit. I have carefully perused them three times. Thestyle is very plain and simple; and the only fault I find is, that the author, after the manner oftravellers, is a little too circumstantial. There is an air of truth apparent through the whole; andindeed the author was so distinguished for his veracity, that it became a sort of proverb amonghis neighbours at Redriff, when any one affirmed a thing, to say, it was as true as if Mr. Gulliverhad spoken it.By the advice of several worthy persons, to whom, with the author’s permission, I communicatedthese papers, I now venture to send them into the world, hoping they may be, at least for sometime, a better entertainment to our young noblemen, than the common scribbles of politics andparty.This volume would have been at least twice as large, if I had not made bold to strike outinnumerable passages relating to the winds and tides, as well as to the variations and bearings inthe several voyages, together with the minute descriptions of the management of the ship instorms, in the style of sailors; likewise the account of longitudes and latitudes; wherein I havereason to apprehend, that Mr. Gulliver may be a little dissatisfied. But I was resolved to fit thework as much as possible to the general capacity of readers. However, if my own ignorance in
