Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, Vol. I | Page 5

Mechanism of the Wings of the Glums and Gawrys, and the Manner in which they use them either to swim or fly.
To the Right Honourable
ELIZABETH,
Countess of Northumberland, Madam,
Few Authors, I believe, who write in my Way (whatever View they may set out with) can, in the Prosecution of their Works, forbear to dress their fictitious Characters in the real Ornaments themselves have been most delighted with.
THIS, I confess, hath been my Case, in the Person of Youwarkee, in the following Sheets; for having formed her Body, I found myself at an inexpressible Loss how to adorn her Mind in the masterly Sentiments I coveted to endue her with; 'till I recollected the most aim[i]able Pattern in your Ladyship; a single View of which, at a Time of the utmost fatigue to his Lordship, hath charmed my Imagination ever since.
If a Participater of the Cares of Life in general, alleviates the Concerns of Man; what an invaluable Blessing must that Lady prove, to the Softness of whose Sex Nature hath conjoined an Aptitude for Council, an Application, Zeal, and Dispatch but too rarely found in his own!
Had my Situation in Life been so happy as to have presented me with Opportunities of more frequent and minuter Remarks upon your Ladyship's Conduct, I might have defy'd the whole British Fair to have outshone my southern Gawry: For if, to a majestic Form and extensive Capacity, I had been qualified to have copied that natural Sweetness of Disposition, that maternal Tenderness, that Cheerfulness, that Complacency, Condescension, Affability, and unaffected Benevolence, which so apparently distinguish the Countess of Northumberland; I had exhibited in my Youwarkee a Standard for future Generations.
Madam, I am the more sensible of my Speaking but the Truth from the late Instance of your Benignity, which entitles me to the Honour of subscribing myself,
Madam, Your Ladyship's
most obliged and
most obedient Servant,
R. P.

CONTENTS OF VOL. I.
CHAPTER I.
Giving an account of the authors birth and family--The fondness of his mother--His being put to an academy at sixteen by the advice of his friend--His thoughts of his own literature
CHAPTER II.
How he spent his time at the academy--An intrigue with a servant maid there--She declares herself with child by him--Her expostulations with him--He is put to it for money--Refused it from home by his friend, who had married his mother--Is drawn in to marry the maid--She lies in at her aunts--Returns to her service--He has another child by her
CHAPTER III.
Minds his studies--Informs his master of his mother's marriage and usage of him--Hears of her death--Makes his master his guardian--Goes with him to take possession of his estate--Is informed all is given to his father-in-law--Moral reflections on his condition and on his father's crimes
CHAPTER IV.
Departs secretly from his master--Travels to Bristol--Religious thoughts by the way--Enters on shipboard, and is made captain's steward
CHAPTER V.
His first entertainment en board--Sets sail--His sickness--Engagement with a French privateer--Is taken and laid in irons--Twenty-one prisoners turned adrift in a small boat with only two days' provisions
CHAPTER VI.
The boat, two hundred leagues from land, makes no way, but drives more to sea by the wind--The people live nine days at quarter allowance--Four die with hunger the twelfth day--Five more the fourteenth day--On the fifteenth they eat one just dead--Want of water excessive--They spy a sail--Are taken up--Work their passage to the African shore--One sent on a secret expedition--Are way-laid, taken, made slaves, and sent up the country
CHAPTER VII.
The author escapes with Glanlepze, a native--His hardships in travel--Plunder of a cottage--His fears--Adventure with a crocodile--Passage of a river--Adventure with a lioness and whelps--Arrives at Glanlepze's house--The trial of Glanlepze s wife's constancy--The tender meeting of her and her husband--The author's reflections thereupon
CHAPTER VIII.
How the author passed his time with Glanlepze--His acquaintance with some English prisoners--They project an escape--He joins them--They seize a Portuguese ship and get off--Make a long run from land--Want water--They anchor at a desert island--The boat goes on shore for water--They lose their anchor in a storm--The author and one Adams drove to sea--A miraculous passage to a rock--Adams drowned there--The authors miserable condition
CHAPTER IX.
He thinks of destroying himself--His soliloquy--Strange accident in the hold--His surprise--Can't climb the rock--His method to sweeten his water--Lives many months on board--Ventures to sea in his boat several times and takes many fish--Almost overcome by an eel
CHAPTER X.
Lays in great store of provisions--Resolves to traverse the rock--Sails for three weeks, still seeing it only--Is sucked under the rock, and hurried down a cataract--Continues there five weeks--His description of the cavern--His thoughts and difficulties--His arrival at a great lake, and his landing in the beautiful country of Graundevolet
CHAPTER XI.
His joy on his arrival at land--A description of the place--No inhabitants--Wants fresh water--Resides in a grotto--Finds water--Views the country--Carries his things to the grotto
CHAPTER XII.
An account of the grotto--A room added to it--A view of that building--The author makes