1 Several contrivances of the author to please the king and queen.
2 He makes a proposal of much advantage to the king, which is rejected.
3 The queen buys him of his master the farmer, and presents him to the king.
4 The king inquires into the state of England, which the author relates to him.
5 She took me in her own hand, and carried me to the king, who was then retired to his cabinet.
6 A fancy came into my head, that I would entertain the king and queen with an English tune upon this instrument.
7 The king was struck with horror at the description I had given of those terrible engines, and the proposal I had made.
8 The king, queen, and all the court, sent every day to inquire after my health; and her majesty made me several visits during my sickness.
9 When I attended the king after my recovery, to return him thanks for his favours, he was pleased to rally me a good deal upon this adventure.
10 For the queen, whom I always attended, never went farther when she accompanied the king in his progresses, and there staid till his majesty returned from viewing his frontiers.
11 The king, who delighted in music, had frequent concerts at court, to which I was sometimes carried, and set in my box on a table to hear them: but the noise was so great that I could hardly distinguish the tunes.
12 This conversation was not ended under five audiences, each of several hours; and the king heard the whole with great attention, frequently taking notes of what I spoke, as well as memorandums of what questions he intended to ask me.
13 When it was finished, the queen was so delighted, that she ran with it in her lap to the king, who ordered it to be put into a cistern full of water, with me in it, by way of trial, where I could not manage my two sculls, or little oars, for want of room.
14 They have had the art of printing, as well as the Chinese, time out of mind: but their libraries are not very large; for that of the king, which is reckoned the largest, does not amount to above a thousand volumes, placed in a gallery of twelve hundred feet long, whence I had liberty to borrow what books I pleased.
15 The king, who, as I before observed, was a prince of excellent understanding, would frequently order that I should be brought in my box, and set upon the table in his closet: he would then command me to bring one of my chairs out of the box, and sit down within three yards distance upon the top of the cabinet, which brought me almost to a level with his face.
16 But great allowances should be given to a king, who lives wholly secluded from the rest of the world, and must therefore be altogether unacquainted with the manners and customs that most prevail in other nations: the want of which knowledge will ever produce many prejudices, and a certain narrowness of thinking, from which we, and the politer countries of Europe, are wholly exempted.
17 I described that extraordinary care always taken of their education in arts and arms, to qualify them for being counsellors both to the king and kingdom; to have a share in the legislature; to be members of the highest court of judicature, whence there can be no appeal; and to be champions always ready for the defence of their prince and country, by their valour, conduct, and fidelity.
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