A grand debate at the general assembly of the Houyhnhnms, and how it was determined1. The learning of the Houyhnhnms. Their buildings. Their manner of burials. The defectiveness2 of their language.
One of these grand assemblies was held in my time, about three months before my departure, whither my master went as the representative of our district. In this council was resumed their old debate, and indeed the only debate that ever happened in their country; whereof my master, after his return, give me a very particular account.
The question to be debated was, “whether the Yahoos should be exterminated3 from the face of the earth?” One of the members for the affirmative offered several arguments of great strength and weight, alleging4, “that as the Yahoos were the most filthy5, noisome6, and deformed7 animals which nature ever produced, so they were the most restive8 and indocible, mischievous9 and malicious10; they would privately11 suck the teats of the Houyhnhnms’ cows, kill and devour12 their cats, trample13 down their oats and grass, if they were not continually watched, and commit a thousand other extravagancies.” He took notice of a general tradition, “that Yahoos had not been always in their country; but that many ages ago, two of these brutes14 appeared together upon a mountain; whether produced by the heat of the sun upon corrupted15 mud and slime, or from the ooze16 and froth of the sea, was never known; that these Yahoos engendered17, and their brood, in a short time, grew so numerous as to overrun and infest18 the whole nation; that the Houyhnhnms, to get rid of this evil, made a general hunting, and at last enclosed the whole herd19; and destroying the elder, every Houyhnhnm kept two young ones in a kennel20, and brought them to such a degree of tameness, as an animal, so savage21 by nature, can be capable of acquiring, using them for draught22 and carriage; that there seemed to be much truth in this tradition, and that those creatures could not be yinhniamshy (or aborigines of the land), because of the violent hatred23 the Houyhnhnms, as well as all other animals, bore them, which, although their evil disposition24 sufficiently25 deserved, could never have arrived at so high a degree if they had been aborigines, or else they would have long since been rooted out; that the inhabitants, taking a fancy to use the service of the Yahoos, had, very imprudently, neglected to cultivate the breed of asses26, which are a comely27 animal, easily kept, more tame and orderly, without any offensive smell, strong enough for labour, although they yield to the other in agility28 of body, and if their braying29 be no agreeable sound, it is far preferable to the horrible howlings of the Yahoos.”
Several others declared their sentiments to the same purpose, when my master proposed an expedient30 to the assembly, whereof he had indeed borrowed the hint from me. “He approved of the tradition mentioned by the honourable31 member who spoke32 before, and affirmed, that the two Yahoos said to be seen first among them, had been driven thither33 over the sea; that coming to land, and being forsaken34 by their companions, they retired35 to the mountains, and degenerating36 by degrees, became in process of time much more savage than those of their own species in the country whence these two originals came. The reason of this assertion was, that he had now in his possession a certain wonderful Yahoo (meaning myself) which most of them had heard of, and many of them had seen. He then related to them how he first found me; that my body was all covered with an artificial composure of the skins and hairs of other animals; that I spoke in a language of my own, and had thoroughly37 learned theirs; that I had related to him the accidents which brought me thither; that when he saw me without my covering, I was an exact Yahoo in every part, only of a whiter colour, less hairy, and with shorter claws. He added, how I had endeavoured to persuade him, that in my own and other countries, the Yahoos acted as the governing, rational animal, and held the Houyhnhnms in servitude; that he observed in me all the qualities of a Yahoo, only a little more civilized38 by some tincture of reason, which, however, was in a degree as far inferior to the Houyhnhnm race, as the Yahoos of their country were to me; that, among other things, I mentioned a custom we had of castrating Houyhnhnms when they were young, in order to render them tame; that the operation was easy and safe; that it was no shame to learn wisdom from brutes, as industry is taught by the ant, and building by the swallow (for so I translate the word lyhannh, although it be a much larger fowl); that this invention might be practised upon the younger Yahoos here, which besides rendering39 them tractable40 and fitter for use, would in an age put an end to the whole species, without destroying life; that in the mean time the Houyhnhnms should be exhorted41 to cultivate the breed of asses, which, as they are in all respects more valuable brutes, so they have this advantage, to be fit for service at five years old, which the others are not till twelve.”
This was all my master thought fit to tell me, at that time, of what passed in the grand council. But he was pleased to conceal42 one particular, which related personally to myself, whereof I soon felt the unhappy effect, as the reader will know in its proper place, and whence I date all the succeeding misfortunes of my life.
The Houyhnhnms have no letters, and consequently their knowledge is all traditional. But there happening few events of any moment among a people so well united, naturally disposed to every virtue43, wholly governed by reason, and cut off from all commerce with other nations, the historical part is easily preserved without burdening their memories. I have already observed that they are subject to no diseases, and therefore can have no need of physicians. However, they have excellent medicines, composed of herbs, to cure accidental bruises44 and cuts in the pastern or frog of the foot, by sharp stones, as well as other maims and hurts in the several parts of the body.
They calculate the year by the revolution of the sun and moon, but use no subdivisions into weeks. They are well enough acquainted with the motions of those two luminaries45, and understand the nature of eclipses; and this is the utmost progress of their astronomy.
In poetry, they must be allowed to excel all other mortals; wherein the justness of their similes46, and the minuteness as well as exactness of their descriptions, are indeed inimitable. Their verses abound47 very much in both of these, and usually contain either some exalted48 notions of friendship and benevolence49 or the praises of those who were victors in races and other bodily exercises. Their buildings, although very rude and simple, are not inconvenient50, but well contrived51 to defend them from all injuries of and heat. They have a kind of tree, which at forty years old loosens in the root, and falls with the first storm: it grows very straight, and being pointed52 like stakes with a sharp stone (for the Houyhnhnms know not the use of iron), they stick them erect53 in the ground, about ten inches asunder54, and then weave in oat straw, or sometimes wattles, between them. The roof is made after the same manner, and so are the doors.
The Houyhnhnms use the hollow part, between the pastern and the hoof55 of their fore-foot, as we do our hands, and this with greater dexterity56 than I could at first imagine. I have seen a white mare57 of our family thread a needle (which I lent her on purpose) with that joint58. They milk their cows, reap their oats, and do all the work which requires hands, in the same manner. They have a kind of hard flints, which, by grinding against other stones, they form into instruments, that serve instead of wedges, axes, and hammers. With tools made of these flints, they likewise cut their hay, and reap their oats, which there grow naturally in several fields; the Yahoos draw home the sheaves in carriages, and the servants tread them in certain covered huts to get out the grain, which is kept in stores. They make a rude kind of earthen and wooden vessels59, and bake the former in the sun.
If they can avoid casualties, they die only of old age, and are buried in the obscurest places that can be found, their friends and relations expressing neither joy nor grief at their departure; nor does the dying person discover the least regret that he is leaving the world, any more than if he were upon returning home from a visit to one of his neighbours. I remember my master having once made an appointment with a friend and his family to come to his house, upon some affair of importance: on the day fixed60, the mistress and her two children came very late; she made two excuses, first for her husband, who, as she said, happened that very morning to shnuwnh. The word is strongly expressive61 in their language, but not easily rendered into English; it signifies, “to retire to his first mother.” Her excuse for not coming sooner, was, that her husband dying late in the morning, she was a good while consulting her servants about a convenient place where his body should be laid; and I observed, she behaved herself at our house as cheerfully as the rest. She died about three months after.
They live generally to seventy, or seventy-five years, very seldom to fourscore. Some weeks before their death, they feel a gradual decay; but without pain. During this time they are much visited by their friends, because they cannot go abroad with their usual ease and satisfaction. However, about ten days before their death, which they seldom fail in computing62, they return the visits that have been made them by those who are nearest in the neighbourhood, being carried in a convenient sledge63 drawn64 by Yahoos; which vehicle they use, not only upon this occasion, but when they grow old, upon long journeys, or when they are lamed65 by any accident: and therefore when the dying Houyhnhnms return those visits, they take a solemn leave of their friends, as if they were going to some remote part of the country, where they designed to pass the rest of their lives.
I know not whether it may be worth observing, that the Houyhnhnms have no word in their language to express any thing that is evil, except what they borrow from the deformities or ill qualities of the Yahoos. Thus they denote the folly66 of a servant, an omission67 of a child, a stone that cuts their feet, a continuance of foul68 or unseasonable weather, and the like, by adding to each the epithet69 of Yahoo. For instance, hhnm Yahoo; whnaholm Yahoo, ynlhmndwihlma Yahoo, and an ill-contrived house ynholmhnmrohlnw Yahoo.
I could, with great pleasure, enlarge further upon the manners and virtues70 of this excellent people; but intending in a short time to publish a volume by itself, expressly upon that subject, I refer the reader thither; and, in the mean time, proceed to relate my own sad catastrophe71.
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1
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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defectiveness
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| n.有缺陷，缺乏 | |
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exterminated
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| v.消灭，根绝( exterminate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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alleging
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| 断言，宣称，辩解( allege的现在分词 ) | |
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filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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noisome
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| adj.有害的，可厌的 | |
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deformed
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| adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的 | |
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restive
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| adj.不安宁的，不安静的 | |
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mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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devour
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| v.吞没；贪婪地注视或谛听，贪读；使着迷 | |
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trample
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| vt.踩，践踏；无视，伤害，侵犯 | |
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brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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corrupted
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| （使）败坏( corrupt的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）腐化； 引起（计算机文件等的）错误； 破坏 | |
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ooze
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| n.软泥，渗出物；vi.渗出，泄漏；vt.慢慢渗出，流露 | |
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engendered
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| v.产生（某形势或状况），造成，引起( engender的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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infest
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| v.大批出没于；侵扰；寄生于 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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kennel
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| n.狗舍，狗窝 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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asses
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| n. 驴，愚蠢的人，臀部 adv. (常用作后置)用于贬损或骂人 | |
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comely
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| adj.漂亮的，合宜的 | |
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agility
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| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
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braying
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| v.发出驴叫似的声音( bray的现在分词 )；发嘟嘟声；粗声粗气地讲话（或大笑）；猛击 | |
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expedient
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| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
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honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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Forsaken
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| adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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degenerating
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| 衰退，堕落，退化( degenerate的现在分词 ) | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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tractable
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| adj.易驾驭的；温顺的 | |
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exhorted
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| v.劝告，劝说( exhort的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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bruises
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| n.瘀伤，伤痕，擦伤( bruise的名词复数 ) | |
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luminaries
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| n.杰出人物，名人（luminary的复数形式） | |
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46
similes
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| （使用like或as等词语的）明喻( simile的名词复数 ) | |
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47
abound
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| vi.大量存在；(in，with)充满，富于 | |
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48
exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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49
benevolence
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| n.慈悲，捐助 | |
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50
inconvenient
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| adj.不方便的，令人感到麻烦的 | |
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51
contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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52
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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53
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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asunder
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| adj.分离的，化为碎片 | |
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hoof
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| n.(马，牛等的)蹄 | |
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56
dexterity
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| n.(手的)灵巧，灵活 | |
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mare
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| n.母马，母驴 | |
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joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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60
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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expressive
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| adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的 | |
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computing
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| n.计算 | |
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sledge
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| n.雪橇，大锤；v.用雪橇搬运，坐雪橇往 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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lamed
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| 希伯莱语第十二个字母 | |
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66
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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omission
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| n.省略，删节；遗漏或省略的事物，冗长 | |
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foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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epithet
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| n.（用于褒贬人物等的）表述形容词，修饰语 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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