'poor nations are hungry, and rich nations are proud; and pride and hunger will ever be at variance' (S. viii.-255).
P. 2, l. 4. to speak in the phrase, &c., perhaps a reference to Hobbes, who, like other philosophers, occasionally refers to the animals for illustrations of human policy, e. g. Leviathan, Part II. Chap. 17.
P. 3, l. 16. somewhere or other. In the original editions a very large number of words and phrases are printed in italics, as well as the speeches of the Spider, the Bee, and the others: it would be contrary to modern usage to keep the italics in all these cases; but most editions italicise this phrase and the others so printed in this edition. The words were probably inserted that Swift might avoid saying in so many words whether he favoured the Ancients or the Moderns. (Cf. p. lxiv., ll. 10, 11.)
P. 4, l. 6. especially towards the East. According to Temple the Ancients obtained their knowledge from Eastern countries (cf. p. 55).
P. 4, l. 9. summity. (Lat. summitas), an obsolete form of summit. Sandys in his Relation of a Journey (1615) speaks of 'the summity of a hill.' (N.E.D.)
P. 5, last line, engine, contrivance.
P. 6, l. 3. engineer, the contriver of the engine.
Cf." . . . nor did he [Vulcan] escape
By all his engines, but was headlong sent
With his industrious crew, to build in Hell."
P.L. l. 749-51
"The dreadfull enginer of phrases insteede of thunderboltes."—G. Harvey. Pierce's Supererogation. (N.E.D.)
P. 6, l. 7. the Grecians after an engagement, &c. Cf. Thucydides l. 54 (Battle of Sybota), II. 92, &c. Swift was reading
