59 



" arms, and pull the beard. You would hardly believe how 

 " cleanly every tbing is kept in the house, where the men 

 " do all the scouring, sweeping, and cooking. * * * 

 " I saw nothing dirty but the mens' clothes, which, being 

 " neglected by themselves as well as by the women, were 

 " indeed in a filthy state. Out of doors, however, I observed 

 " the fields and buildings, which the women profess to attend 

 " to, in a wretched condition, and the city walls half tumbling 

 "down." &c. * * 



From this dangerous country our traveller makes his 

 escape, and, crossing a wide river, arrives at Moronia,or 

 the Land of Fools. 



Book III. 



Moronia is described as being very uncultivated, very 

 extensive, and very populous. Lying below the Antarctic 

 Circle, as the land of Pigmies lies within the Arctic, it is in 

 like manner affected by the extreme cold, which contracts 

 the mental powers in the one, as it does the bodily dimen- 

 sions in the other. The country is divided into five parts — 

 Moronia variana, aspera,felix-fatua, and pia ; and although 

 the inhabitants of each have their distinctive manners, there 

 are certain habits and practices which characterise the whole. 

 " They are ready to place at the disposal of any stranger, 

 " their houses, their table, their very cities. Go to any one 

 "of them, salute him obsequiously with high-souuding 

 " titles, like those used by the Spaniards — laud his appear- 

 " ance, or his garment, or his house, and assent to every- 

 " thing he says — you obtain a regular footing in his house, 

 " and may have just whatever you choose. With fine words 

 " and promises every thing may be purchased. For feathers, 

 " flowers, and toys, a very high price is given. In the midst 

 " of winter, the people go about in thin clothing, with the 



