University of California Berkeley - Blue and Gold Yearbook (Berkeley, CA)

Page 27 text:

BLUE AND GOLD [Being extracts from a description of a strange and hitherto unknown country called Yelekreb, by one GEMUEL LULLIVER.] T ne manners an d customs of the people among whom I now found myself were far different from those of the people I had formerly visited. As I had yet but a very imper- fect knowledge of their language, though quite ready in learning a new tongue, my kind guardian took great pains with me, and in the course of our conversations gave me much information in regard to the history and people of the country. And, I may make bold to say, my accounts of my own country seemed to please him quite well, and thus we derived mutual satisfaction from our talks, which we often prolonged far into the night ; for these people are very prolix in speech and fond of expres- sing their ideas upon any subject whatever, even though it be one they have never heard of before. The form and workings of their government was at first a source of great astonishment to me. The principal power lies in the hands of a council, who dwell on another island. The basis on which new members of the council are chosen, is hostility to anyone who may be their associate, and hatred of the home gov- ernment. They must also be completely ignorant of the object of the council, and never, under penalty of death, visit Yelekreb. The wisdom of this system, my protector informed me, was, that by this continual opposition, the home government is de- terred from doing any mischief. For unrestricted power, as anyone knows, is dangerous. At the head of the council and state is the King. A change in the dynasty had taken place a short time before my arrival, the former king being banished and all records of him obliterated. I found it very difficult to catch sight of the present sovereign on account of his being continually engaged in preventing the earth from bumping against the sun, which would of course re- sult in the annihilation of both. And even when he was free from his laborious task, the nobility swarmed around him and prevented any access to him. They did this, I conjectured, that there might be no danger of assassination ; for then one of their own number would succeed to the throne and surely be killed One Janitorius.