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Dear wife,
I am writing you this letter to let you know
that I’m in Blefuscu at the moment. Unfortunately, I can’t
stay in Lilliput anymore since I was accused of treason. I’m
trying to repair a boat and sail to England as soon as
possible.
You have no idea of how peculiar the Lilliputian
laws and customs are. Their systems of penalties, rewards,
and the way they raise their children are something I had
never seen before.
Their system punishes
the traitors, false accusers,
and fraudsters with death.
Ingratitude is also a capital
crime. On the other hand, the
good citizens and any innocent
man who is vindicated of a
charge are highly rewarded.
As regards the raising
of their children, parents are
the last of all others to be trusted for the education of their
own children. There are public schools for children. Young
nobles are trained in honour, justice, courage, modesty,
clemency, religion and patriotism. The schools for
tradesmen and ordinary people are like those of the nobles,
but the duration of schooling is shorter. The Lilliputians
educate women to be reasonable, agreeable, and literate,
because they cannot always be young. Cottagers and
labourers have no schools.
Returning to the matter of my escape, I almost forgot
to mention that after the
Emperor, his family, and
Flimnap (the treasurer)
visited me three nights ago,
somebody told me that
Flimnap, Skyresh Bolgolam,
and others have approved
articles of treason against
me. My crimes include
urinating in the palace,
refusing to devastate Blefuscu, speaking to the peace
embassy of Blefuscu, and preparing to take advantage of the
Emperor's permission to visit Blefuscu. Another accusation
(which is a calumny, honey. I swear!) was that Flimnap’s
wife had been visiting me secretly. Although the Emperor
accepted the charges, he refused to kill me. However, he
decided to take my eyes off me and to starve me slowly to
death. These are the reasons that made me leave Lilliput.
A few days after my
arrival at Blefuscu, a
Lilliputian envoy came and
demanded me to be returned
as a traitor. Fortunately,
the Emperor of Blefuscu
refused to do so. He allowed
me to cut off some of the
tallest trees and he ordered
some of his subjects to help
me to repair a boat I found days ago. I hope to finish soon
and sail to England in a day or two. I miss you so much!
Loves you and misses you,
your husband,
Lemuel