Rudolf Erich Raspe: Gulliver revived, London 1786 (R5)

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From hence I travelled up to St. Petersburg a second time: here an old friend gave me a most excellent pointer, descended from the famous bitch before-mentioned, that littered while she was hunting a hare. I had the misfortune to have him shot soon after by a blundering sportsman, who fired at him instead of a covey of partridges which he had just set. Of this creatureʼs skin I have had this waistcoat made (showing his waistcoat,) which always leads me involuntarily to game if I walk in the fields in the proper season; and when I come within shot, one of the buttons constantly flies off, and lodges upon the spot where the sport is; and, as the birds rise, being always primed and cocked, I never miss them. Here are now but three buttons left. I shall have a new set sewed on against the shooting season commences.

When a covey of partridges is disturbed in this manner, by the button falling amongst them, they always rise from the ground in a direct line before each other. I one day, by forgetting to take my ramrod out of my gun, shot it straight through a leash, as regularly as if the cook had spitted them. I had forgot to put in any shot, and the rod had been made so hot with the powder, that the birds were completely roasted by the time I reached home.

Since my arrival in England I have accomplished what I had very much at heart, viz. providing for an inhabitant of the Cheese Island, whom I had brought with me. My old friend, Sir William Chambers, who is entirely indebted to me for all his ideas of Chinese gardening, by a description of which he has gained such high reputation; I say, gentlemen, in a discourse which I had with this gentleman, he seemed much distressed for a contrivance to light the lamps at the new buildings, Somerset House: the common mode with ladders, he observed, was both dirty and inconvenient; my native of the Cheese Island popped into my head; he was only nine feet high when I first brought him from his own country, but was now increased to ten and a half; I introduced him to Sir William, and he is appointed to that honourable office. He is also to carry, under a large cloak, an utensil in each coat pocket, instead of those which Sir William has fixed in so conspicuous a situation in the middle of the great quadrangle.

ΤΗΕ END.

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R5, S. 203-207.

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