A Letter From a Clergyman to his Friend, with an Account of the Travels of Captain Lemuel Gulliver

This volume presents a facsimile of the one‑officer, sharply critical letter written by an 18th‑century clergyman to a friend, reacting to the fiery reception of Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels. The writer, scandalized by Swift’s biting satire, portrays the author as a sly, almost demonic figure whose humor threatens the decorum of the church. The letter captures the polarized opinions that swirled through London salons when the book first appeared.

Accompanying the text is an accessible introduction that situates the controversy within the political and religious tensions of the Augustan age. Readers learn how pamphlet wars, rival commentaries called the “Keys,” and satirical frontispieces fueled a public debate over the purpose and morality of Swift’s imagination. The edition offers a concise glimpse into the literary battles that shaped the early reputation of Gulliver’s Travels without spoiling the novel itself.