Text Bank 22
T22 The inventory1 Jonathan Swift
Gulliver’s Travels (1726)
Gulliver’s ship is caught by a storm and wrecks in a strange region called Lilliput. After Book 1, Chapter 2
the shipwreck Gulliver falls asleep. When he wakes up, he finds that he has been tied up
by the Lilliputians, who are now inspecting his clothes.
I took up the two officers in my hands, put them first into my coat-pockets,
and then into every other pocket about me, except my two fobs2, and another
secret pocket which I had no mind should be searched3, wherein I had some
little necessaries of no consequence4 to any but myself. In one of my fobs there
5 was a silver watch, and in the other a small quantity of gold in a purse. These
gentlemen, having pen, ink and paper about them, made an exact inventory of
everything they saw; and when they had done, desired I would set them down5,
that they might deliver it to the Emperor. This inventory I afterwards translated
into English, and is word for word as follows.
10 IMPRIMIS, In the right coat-pocket of the Great Man-Mountain (for
so I interpret the words Quinbus Flestrin) after the strictest search, we found
only one great piece of coarse cloth6, large enough to be a foot-cloth for your
Majesty’s chief room of state. In the left pocket, we saw a huge silver chest7,
with a cover of the same metal, which we the searchers were not able to lift 8.
15 We desired it should be opened, and one of us stepping into9 it, found himself
up to the mid leg in a sort of dust, some part whereof flying up to our faces set
us both a sneezing10 for several times together. In his right waistcoat11-pocket,
we found a prodigious bundle12 of white thin substances, folded13 one over
another, about the bigness of three men, tied with a strong cable, and marked
20 with black figures; which we humbly conceive14 to be writings, every letter
almost half as large as the palm of our hands. In the left, there was a sort of
engine, from the back of which were extended twenty long poles15, resembling
the palisados16 before your Majesty’s Court; wherewith we conjecture the Man-
1 inventory. Inventario.
Mountain combs his head, for we did not always trouble him with questions, 2 fobs. Taschini per l’orologio.
25 because we found it a great difficulty to make him understand us. […] There 3 searched. Ispezionata.
were two pockets which we could not enter: these he called his fobs; they were 4 consequence. Importanza.
5 I would set them down. Che
two large slits17 cut into the top of his middle cover, but squeezed close by the li mettessi giù.
pressure of his belly18. Out of the right fob hung a great silver chain, with a 6 coarse cloth. Stoffa grezza,
non pregiata.
wonderful kind of engine at the bottom. We directed him to draw out whatever 7 chest. Scrigno, forziere.
30 was at the end of that chain; which appeared to be a globe, half silver, and half 8 lift. Sollevare.
9 stepping into. Essendovi
of some transparent metal: for on the transparent side we saw certain strange entrato.
figures circularly drawn, and thought we could touch them, till we found our 10 sneezing. Starnutire.
11 waistcoat. Panciotto, gilè.
fingers stopped with that lucid substance. He put this engine to our ears, which 12 bundle. Fascio, fagotto.
made an incessant noise like that of a watermill. And we conjecture it is either 13 folded. Piegate.
35 some unknown animal, or the god that he worships: but we are more inclined 14 we humbly conceive.
Umilmente riteniamo.
to the latter19 opinion, because he assured us (if we understood him right, for 15 poles. Pali.
he expressed himself very imperfectly), that he seldom did any thing without 16 palisados. Palizzate, steccati.
17 slits. Fessure.
consulting it. He called it his oracle, and said it pointed out the time for every 18 belly. Ventre.
action of his life. 19 the latter. La seconda.
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Text Bank 22
READING COMPETENCE
1 READ the text and match the highlighted words and phrases
with their Italian translation.
1 mulino ad acqua ...................................................................................................................... 5 pettina ....................................................................................................................................................
2 dove ........................................................................................................................................................... 6 cavo ............................................................................................................................................................
3 cifre ............................................................................................................................................................ 7 la più rigorosa ............................................................................................................................
4 riportare .............................................................................................................................................. 8 schiacciati ........................................................................................................................................
2 READ the text again and do the following activities.
1 The Lilliputians are … while making the inventory.
A near Gulliver’s body
B on Gulliver’s body
C far from Gulliver’s body
2 The word ‘Great Man-Mountain’ (line 10) refers to
A Lilliputians’ king.
B a great mountain near the seaside.
C Gulliver.
3 List the objects the Lilliputians find on Gulliver.
1 ................................................................................................................................................................... 4 ...................................................................................................................................................................
2 ................................................................................................................................................................... 5 ...................................................................................................................................................................
3 ...................................................................................................................................................................
4 Focus on the description of the inventory. How would you define it? Choose from the following adjectives.
vague realistic
rambling
detailed precise
5 To the impression of realism conveyed by the description of the objects, Swift adds a twist of absurdity through the
distorted perspective of the Lilliputians. Complete the table below.
Lilliputians’ description What they actually find
6 Underline the personal pronouns used in the text and write down who they refer to.
1 →
2 →
Does the narrator interpret what he sees for the reader or does he just describe what he sees?
7 Circle the words referring to the Lilliputians’ behaviour. What is the main feature that strikes Gulliver?
8 How is Gulliver referred to in the text? What does he stand for, in contrast to the Lilliputians?
9 What kind of language is used in the passage? Tick as appropriate.
Witty. Emphatic. Ironic.
Amusing. Objective. Moralising.
10 What do you think the author’s aim is? Tick as appropriate.
To amuse the reader.
To moralise.
To satirise some aspects of his society.
11 What do you think the targets of Swift’s satire are in this passage? Tick as appropriate.
Man’s pettiness. Man’s lust. Man’s lack of sense.
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Text Bank 22
3 COMPLETE the summary with the words from the box.
comb handkerchief
tiny people bundle
animality conveyed
distorted details
efficiency absurdity
When Gulliver wakes up, he finds that his arms, legs and long hair have been tied to the ground with pieces
of thread. He feels something over his chest, and looking down, he sees six-inch-tall people climb onto
his body. The objects these (1) find on Gulliver are described in (2) . To the
impression of realism (3) by this description, Swift adds a twist of (4) through
the (5) perspective of the Lilliputians. In fact a (6) is described as a coarse
cloth, a snuffbox as a huge silver chest, some letters as a (7) of white thin substances,
a (8) is perceived as an engine, and a watch as a globe. Gulliver is impressed by the
Lilliputians’ perfect organisation and (9) . These tiny people stand for the systematic use of
reason, whereas Gulliver is a body and represents materiality and (10) opposed to rationality.
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