Gulliver's Travels
by Jonathan Swift
Gulliver's Travels
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| Academy of Projectors | the scientific institute in the city of Lagado, on the island of Balnibarbi, which Gulliver visits in Part III. A satire on 18th Century science, his account of the "projectors" or experimenters he meets takes up chapters III:5 and III:6. Because Swift's editors chose to alter parts of the politicial discussion in this account, Gulliver makes an earlier note of it in "A Letter, from Capt. Gulliver, to his Cousin Sympson" (Letter;1). |
| Addison, Joseph | (1672-1719); essayist, poet and politician; contributor to the Tatler and publisher, with Richard Steele, of the Spectator; member of Parliament 1709-19. |
| Adventure |
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| Alcoran | Al Koran; the holy text of Islam |
Anne |
(1665-1714) Queen of England 1702-14; daughter of James II, sister of Mary II, and last of the Stuart line, succeeded by George I. During the last four years of Anne's reign, Robert Harley (later made the Earl of Oxford) lead the government under the Tory banner. Though Queen Anne favored the Tories, Swift's party, she was not fond of Swift himself, refusing him a preferment to which he thought he was entitled. Speculation is that Anne's advisors spoke against Swift because of his Tale of a Tub. (see Biography.com)
There is a controversy in the text of the Travels centered on a reference specifically to Anne's reign. Swift's original printer altered the text of Book IV, Chapter 6 to soften the criticism of the government (see Notes: Book IV). In the process he entered a factual mistake that made Swift look misinformed and Swift added "A Letter from Capt. Gulliver, to his Cousin Sympson" to later editions setting the record straight on this point, as well as others: ... the Fact was altogether false; for to my Knowledge, being in England during some Part of her Majesty's Reign, she did govern by a chief Minister; nay, even by two successively; the first whereof was the Lord of Godolphin, and the second the Lord of Oxford; (Letter;1)Ironically Swift's text, a blistering indictment of politicians, would not have been aimed at those serving under Anne, since Oxford at least was Swift's ally. |
| Antelope | ship upon which Gulliver sailed in the voyage landing him in Lilliput; commanded by William Prichard;
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| antient | flag, esp. a national military or naval flag. |
| approved | proved; shown to be worthy; "always approved himself your true Friend." (I:7;14) |
Arbuthnot, John | (1667-1735); physician, writer, and part of Swift's literary circle in London; co-founder of the Scriblerus Club; Swift and he were friends and correspondents; Arbuthnot was physician to Queen Anne; For further information, see "Arbuthnot, John" Encyclopædia Britannica Online. or History of Mathematics archive |
| articles of impeachment | the Lilliputian charges against Gulliver parallel those brought against Oxford and Bolingbroke regarding their negotiations for the Peace of Utrecht. |
| Atterbury, Francis | 1663-1732; English bishop and member of Tory leadership under Queen Anne and appointed Bishop of Rochester in 1713; after being pushed out of power on the ascension of George I, Atterbury became more aligned with the Jacobite movement and was eventually charged in a highly political conspiracy trial in 1722, and convicted and exiled; the conduct of the trial, which was a witchhunt by Walpole and the Whigs meant to consolidate their power, and how evidence was gathered and used was the subject of several pieces by Swift, a friend and colleague; |
| Augustan | 1660-1789; term applied to the Restoration and 18th Century based on comparison of that period with the reign of Augustus Caesar. The restoration of Charles II to the throne was seen to parallel the return of legitimate imperial authority with the ascension of Augustus. Also, some drew parallels between the literary heights of Augustus's reign and the talent on display during the later period. In the long run, this was not a very important or influential idea in the age, but it is a label used to cover the period. |
| Austrian lip | thick lower lip characteristic of the Hapsburg line |
| author | the author, narrator and central character of Travels into Several Remote Nations... is identified by name as Gulliver, Lemuel only on the title pages, never within the text. |