cede from the choice they had made. A poor galley slave, who
had thrown down his chains, took up the gout in their stead, but made such
wry faces that one might easily perceive he was no great gainer by the
bargain.

The female world were very busy among themselves in bartering for
features; one was trucking a lock of gray hairs for a carbuncle; and
another was making over a short waist for a pair of round shoulders; but
on all these occasions there was not one of them who did not think the new
blemish, as soon as she had got it into her possession, much more
disagreeable than the old one.

I must not omit my own particular adventure. My friend with the long
visage had no sooner taken upon him my short face, but he made such a
grotesque figure in it, that as I looked upon him, I could not forbear
laughing at myself, insomuch that I put my own face out of countenance.
The poor gentleman was so sensible of the ridicule, that I found he was
ashamed of what he had done. On the other side, I found that I myself had
no great reason to triumph, for as I went to touch my forehead, I missed
the place, and clapped my finger upon my upper lip. Besides, as my nose
was exceedingly prominent, I gave it two or three unlucky knocks as I was
playing my hand about my face, and aiming at some other part of it.

I saw two other gentlemen by me who were in the same ridiculous
circumstances. These had made a foolish swap between a couple of thick
bandy legs and two long trapsticks that had no calves to them. One of
these looked like a man walking upon stilts, and was so lifted up into the
air, above his ordinary height, that his head turned round with it, while
the other made such awkward circles, as he attempted to walk, that he
scarcely knew how to move forward upon his new supporters. Observing him
to be a pleasant kind of a fellow, I stuck my cane in the ground, and told
him I would lay him a bottle of wine that he did not march up to it on a
line that I drew for him, in a quarter of an hour.

The heap was at last distributed among the two sexes, who made a most
piteous sight, as they wandered up and down under the pressure of their
several burthens. The whole plain was filled with murmurs and complaints,
groans and lamentations. Jupiter, at length taking compassion on the poor
mortals, ordered them a second time to lay down their loads, with a design
to give everyone his own again. They discharged themselves with a great
deal of plea