Publicism of three centuries ago

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355 years ago, Jonathan Swift was born, a classic of English literature, known throughout the world as the author of Gulliver’s Travels. The first Russian translation was published 250 years ago.

Even before the release of the first English edition of Travels … Swift was famous among his contemporaries as a pamphleteer, an exposer of the English state system.

True, he did not publish under his own name during his lifetime. With the exception of an early (1710) pamphlet, Proposals for the Correction, Improvement and Consolidation of the English Language. But everyone knew who was the author of these sharp socio-political articles. Swift’s popularity, especially in Ireland, was incredible – right down to his portraits on the streets. An ethnic Englishman, he was born, lived, served and died in Ireland. More precisely, he served Ireland, defending its independence, the right to economic and political freedoms:

“Any government without the consent of the governed is real slavery … According to the laws of God, nature, the state, and also according to your own laws, you can and should be the same free people as your brothers in England.”

It is customary for us that Gulliver’s Travels (full title “Travels to some remote countries of the world in four parts: the work of Lemuel Gulliver, first a surgeon, and then the captain of several ships”) is a children’s book. But this is not only a fantastic, but a political, satirical pamphlet novel. Gulliver, getting to other countries, tells us about their socio-political structure, life and customs, introduces the local rulers to the structure of the state system of England, listens to their opinions. And also reflects and generalizes, using exclusive, as we would say now, information.

So, the prince of the island Glubbdobdrib could call the spirits of the people of the past. And Gulliver talked with them, finding out how everything really was.

“I felt a particularly strong disgust for the new story. I have become well acquainted with men who, during the past century, have enjoyed resounding fame in the courts of kings. I was deeply surprised in what delusion the corrupt hacks keep the world in, attributing the greatest military exploits to cowards, wise advice to fools, sincerity to flatterers, Roman prowess to traitors, piety to atheists, truthfulness to scammers. I learned how many innocent and excellent people were sentenced to death or exile due to the intrigues of powerful ministers. How many scoundrels were elevated to high positions, clothed with trust, power, honor and showered with material benefits …

The three kings announced to me that during their entire time on the throne they had never appointed a worthy person to a public position … They proved to me with great persuasiveness that only a deeply corrupt person is able to stay on the throne, for a positive, courageous, persevering character is only a hindrance in matters of government…

In the kingdom of Tribnia, called Langden by the natives, where I happened to be on one of my travels, the majority of the population consists entirely of informers, witnesses, informers, accusers, plaintiffs, eyewitnesses, juries, along with their numerous henchmen and servants who are on the salary of ministers and their assistants. Conspiracies in this kingdom are usually the work of those who want to advance as a subtle politician, breathe new strength into decrepit governments, stifle or divert public discontent … First of all, they agree on which of the suspicious persons to accuse of conspiracy; then they use all means to take away all the letters and papers from these people, and put them in chains themselves. Captured letters and papers are handed over to specialists, great masters in unraveling the mysterious meaning of words, syllables and letters. So, for example, it costs them nothing to establish that a flock of geese means the senate; lame dog – applicant; sarych – the first minister; gout – the archbishop; gallows – Secretary of State; broom – revolution; mousetrap – public service; bottomless well – treasury; garbage pit – yard; stupid cap – favorite; a broken reed – a judicial chamber; empty barrel – general; festering wound – control system. And then it is very easy to condemn those whose letters contain these expressions…

Judges are trained to condone deceit, perjury, and violence. They use so many special words and expressions that their speech is almost incomprehensible to ordinary people. All laws are made the same way. For example, it is impossible to understand what the words “state secret” mean unless the matter concerns war or a hostile state. Good government does not require secrets, but only common sense, justice and kindness.

There are so many laws, and they are so incomprehensible, so contradictory, that it is absolutely impossible to determine which act is legal and which is not, which is just and which is unjust. Therefore, the courts drag on for years.

The trial of persons accused of state crimes is much faster. Judges simply ask the authorities whether they want the accused to be convicted or acquitted. And then, according to the instructions received, either they are sentenced to a cruel punishment, or they are acquitted.

The highest mental faculties cannot replace moral virtues. There is nothing more dangerous than a quick-witted but immoral person in a high position. A mistake made by one with good intentions can always be corrected. But the activity of a ruler with bad inclinations, gifted with the ability to hide his vices, poses a great danger to society.

In the USSR, the book Lemuel Gulliver’s Travels was published in 1928 by the Academia publishing house, in the Treasures of World Literature series. It was a complete edition – 700 pages with a preface, biography of the author, notes from the editor. Since then, for nine decades, it has been regularly published in different translations, different editions, mostly in the series “adventure literature”, in “retellings for children”, in an abridged form, with a minimum of digressions, political satire. So many grew up in the idea that this is “children’s literature”. For example, in the annotation to one edition of 2019 it says: “For primary school age”, in the annotation to another – “For children of senior school age.”

Gulliver’s Travels was first published in London almost 300 years ago, in 1726. The book immediately became extremely popular in the UK. Readers understood that the author was allegorically describing the reigns of Queen Anne and King George I.

Sergei Baimukhametov.

Message Publicism of three centuries ago first appeared on Moscow truth.

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