A phenomenon solved by modern philosophy and astronomy. The Laputians' great improvements in the latter. The king's method of suppressing insurrections. 在现代哲学和天文学中已经解决了的一种现象；勒皮他人在天文学上的极大进展；国王镇压动乱的手段。
I desired leave of this prince to see the curiosities of the island, which he was graciously pleased to grant, and ordered my tutor to attend me. I chiefly wanted to know, to what cause, in art or in nature, it owed its several motions, whereof I will now give a philosophical account to the reader. 我请求君王允许我看一下岛上稀奇古怪的事物，他慷慨愉快地答应了我，并且命令我的老师陪我前往。我主要想知道，是人工还是自然的力量让这座岛运行起来。现在我就要从哲学上给读者解释一下。
The flying or floating island is exactly circular, its diameter 7837 yards, or about four miles and a half, and consequently contains ten thousand acres. It is three hundred yards thick. The bottom, or under surface, which appears to those who view it below, is one even regular plate of adamant, shooting up to the height of about two hundred yards. Above it lie the several minerals in their usual order, and over all is a coat of rich mould, ten or twelve feet deep. The declivity of the upper surface, from the circumference to the centre, is the natural cause why all the dews and rains, which fall upon the island, are conveyed in small rivulets toward the middle, where they are emptied into four large basins, each of about half a mile in circuit, and two hundred yards distant from the centre. From these basins the water is continually exhaled by the sun in the daytime, which effectually prevents their overflowing. Besides, as it is in the power of the monarch to raise the island above the region of clouds and vapours, he can prevent the falling of dews and rain whenever he pleases. For the highest clouds cannot rise above two miles, as naturalists agree, at least they were never known to do so in that country. 飞岛或者叫浮岛，是正圆形，直径约有七千八百三十七码，也就是大约四英里半，所以面积有十万英亩。岛的厚度是三百码。在下面的人看来，岛的底部或者叫下表面是一块平滑、匀称的金刚石，厚度约为两百码。金刚石板的上面按照常规的序列埋藏着一层层的各种矿物，最上层是十到十二英尺深的松软肥沃的土壤。从岛的上层边缘到中心形成一个斜坡，因此所有降落到这个岛上的露水和雨水就会自然而然地顺小河沟流向中心，之后又全都流进四个周界约半英里的大塘——这些大塘距岛的中心约有两百码。因为白天太阳的照射，水塘里的水不断蒸发，所以不会满得溢出来。而且君王有本事将岛升到云雾层以上的区域，因此他可以随意地阻止雨露降落到岛上。博物学家们一致认为，云层怎样也不会升到两英里以上的高度；至少在这个国家还从没有听说过有升得这么高的云层。
At the centre of the island there is a chasm about fifty yards in diameter, whence the astronomers descend into a large dome, which is therefore called flandona gagnole, or the astronomer's cave, situated at the depth of a hundred yards beneath the upper surface of the adamant. In this cave are twenty lamps continually burning, which, from the reflection of the adamant, cast a strong light into every part. The place is stored with great variety of sextants, quadrants, telescopes, astrolabes, and other astronomical instruments. But the greatest curiosity, upon which the fate of the island depends, is a loadstone of a prodigious size, in shape resembling a weaver's shuttle. It is in length six yards, and in the thickest part at least three yards over. This magnet is sustained by a very strong axle of adamant passing through its middle, upon which it plays, and is poised so exactly that the weakest hand can turn it. It is hooped round with a hollow cylinder of adamant, four feet yards in diameter, placed horizontally, and supported by eight adamantine feet, each six yards high. In the middle of the concave side, there is a groove twelve inches deep, in which the extremities of the axle are lodged, and turned round as there is occasion. 岛中心有一个直径约为五十码的窟窿，天文学家由此进入一个大的圆顶洞，叫“佛兰多纳·革格诺尔”，意思是“天文学家之洞”，位于金刚石板上表面以下一百码的深处。洞内有二十盏灯长明不熄，金刚石板面的返照又将强烈的灯光投射到四面八方。这地方收藏着五花八门的六分仪、四分仪、望远镜、星盘以及其他天文仪器。但是，最稀奇的东西，也是决定该岛命运的东西是一块形状像织布工用的梭子一样的巨大的磁石。磁石长六码，最厚的地方至少有三码。依靠磁石中间穿着的那根坚硬无比的金刚石轴，磁石就可以转动，因为磁石在轴上绝对平衡，所以就算力气最小的人也可以转动它。磁石的外面套着个四英尺深、四英尺厚、直径十二码的金刚石圆筒，圆筒平放在那儿，底部有八根六码长的金刚石柱子支撑着。圆筒内壁的中部是一个深十二英寸的凹口，轴的两端就装在里面，可以根据所需随时转动。
The stone cannot be removed from its place by any force, because the hoop and its feet are one continued piece with that body of adamant which constitutes the bottom of the island. 任何力量都不能把这块磁石从原来的地方搬开，因为圆筒支柱和构成岛底面的那一部分金刚石板连成了一体。
By means of this loadstone, the island is made to rise and fall, and move from one place to another. For, with respect to that part of the earth over which the monarch presides, the stone is endued at one of its sides with an attractive power, and at the other with a repulsive. Upon placing the magnet erect, with its attracting end towards the earth, the island descends; but when the repelling extremity points downwards, the island mounts directly upwards. When the position of the stone is oblique, the motion of the island is so too: for in this magnet, the forces always act in lines parallel to its direction. 飞岛就是借助这块磁石或升或降，或从一处移动到另一处。在这位君王统治的这块土地上，磁石的一端具有吸力，另一端具有推力。如果把磁石竖直，让有吸力的一端指向地球，岛就下降；如果让有推力的一端指向地球，岛就径直往上升。假如磁石的位置是倾斜的，岛的动向也是倾斜的，因为这磁石所具有的力量总是在与其方向相平行的线上发生作用。
By this oblique motion, the island is conveyed to different parts of the monarch's dominions. To explain the manner of its progress, let AB represent a line drawn across the dominions of Balnibarbi, let the line CD represent the loadstone, of which let D be the repelling end, and c the attracting end, the island being over C; let the stone be placed in the position cd, with its repelling end downwards; then the island will be driven upwards obliquely towards D. When it is arrived at D, let the stone be turned upon its axle, till its attracting end points towards E, and then the island will be carried obliquely towards E; where, if the stone be again turned upon its axle till it stands in the position EF, with its repelling point downwards, the island will rise obliquely towards F, where, by directing the attracting end towards G, the island may be carried to G, and from G to H, by turning the stone, so as to make its repelling extremity to point directly downwards. And thus, by changing the situation of the stone, as often as there is occasion, the island is made to rise and fall by turns in an oblique direction, and by those alternate risings and fallings (the obliquity being not considerable) is conveyed from one part of the dominions to the other. 飞岛凭借这种斜向的运动可到君王领土的各个不同地区。为了解释岛的运行方式，让我们假设AB代表横贯巴尔尼巴比领地的一条线，CD线代表磁石，D是有推力的一端，C是有吸力的一端，岛正停在C地上空。假如将磁石按照位置摆好，让有推力的一端向下，那么岛就会斜着上升被推到D处。到达D以后，让磁石在轴上转动，使有吸力的一端指向E，岛就会斜着运行到E。这时候如果再转动磁石，使具有推力的一端朝下指，磁石的方向是EF，岛就会斜向往上升到F的位置。到F后，只要把有吸力的一端指向G，岛就朝G处运行。再转动磁石，令有推力的一端直指向下，岛就会从G运行到H。这样根据需要随时变动磁石的位置，岛就可以按照倾斜的方向依次或升或降。通过这种倾斜度不是很大的交替升降，岛就从一块领地被送到另一块领 地。
But it must be observed, that this island cannot move beyond the extent of the dominions below, nor can it rise above the height of four miles. For which the astronomers (who have written large systems concerning the stone) assign the following reason: that the magnetic virtue does not extend beyond the distance of four miles, and that the mineral, which acts upon the stone in the bowels of the earth, and in the sea about six leagues distant from the shore, is not diffused through the whole globe, but terminated with the limits of the king's dominions; and it was easy, from the great advantage of such a superior situation, for a prince to bring under his obedience whatever country lay within the attraction of that magnet. 但是一定要注意，这个岛的运行不能超出下方领地的范围，也不能升到超过四英里的高度。天文学家们（他们曾就那块磁石写过大量系统性著作）给出的理由如下：磁力在四英里以上的高度就不发生作用；在地球这一带的地层里以及在离岸四英里的海里，能对磁石发生作用的矿物并非遍布全球，而是仅仅在国王的领土。飞岛处在这么一个优越的位置，一位君王想让处于磁场引力范围内的任何一个国家归顺他的统治十分容易。
When the stone is put parallel to the plane of the horizon, the island stands still; for in that case the extremities of it, being at equal distance from the earth, act with equal force, the one in drawing downwards, the other in pushing upwards, and consequently no motion can ensue. 如果把磁石放在与水平面相平行的位置，飞岛就静止不动。因为这种情况下，磁石的两端离地球的距离相等，一端往下拉，一端往上推，作用力相等，也就不会产生任何运动了。
This loadstone is under the care of certain astronomers, who, from time to time, give it such positions as the monarch directs. They spend the greatest part of their lives in observing the celestial bodies, which they do by the assistance of glasses, far excelling ours in goodness. For, although their largest telescopes do not exceed three feet, they magnify much more than those of a hundred with us, and show the stars with greater clearness. This advantage has enabled them to extend their discoveries much further than our astronomers in Europe; for they have made a catalogue of ten thousand fixed stars, whereas the largest of ours do not contain above one third part of that number. They have likewise discovered two lesser stars, or satellites, which revolve about Mars; whereof the innermost is distant from the centre of the primary planet exactly three of his diameters, and the outermost, five; the former revolves in the space of ten hours, and the latter in twenty-one and a half; so that the squares of their periodical times are very near in the same proportion with the cubes of their distance from the centre of Mars; which evidently shows them to be governed by the same law of gravitation that influences the other heavenly bodies. 这块磁石由一些天文学家管理，他们时时遵照国王的指令移动它的位置。他们一生中的绝大部分时间都用在观察天体上，观察时所用的望远镜比我们的要好得多。虽然他们最大的望远镜长度不出三英尺，望远的效果却比我们一百英尺的还要好得多，各种星宿看起来更加清楚。这一先进条件使他们的发现远远超过了我们欧洲的天文学家。他们曾编制过一份万座恒星表，而我们最大的恒星表中所列的恒星还不到这份表给出的数量的三分之一。他们还发现了两颗围绕火星转动的较小的星星或者卫星。靠近主星的一颗离主星中心的距离恰好是主星直径的三倍，外面一颗与主星中心的距离为主星直径的五倍。前者在太空中十小时运转一周，后者则二十一小时半运转一周；这样，它们运转周期的平方就差不多相当于它们距火星中心的距离的立方；由此可见，它们明显也受万有引力的支配，此万有引力也影响着其他天体。
They have observed ninety-three different comets, and settled their periods with great exactness. If this be true (and they affirm it with great confidence), it is much to be wished, that their observations were made public, whereby the theory of comets, which at present is very lame and defective, might be brought to the same perfection with other arts of astronomy. 他们观察到了九十三颗不同的彗星，同时也极精确地确定了它们的周期。如果这一点是真的（他们极有把握地断言这是真的），我们非常希望他们能把观察的结果公之于世，那样的话，目前这大有缺陷的彗星学说也许就有可能像天文学的其他部分一样，能逐步达到完美的程度。
The king would be the most absolute prince in the universe, if he could but prevail on a ministry to join with him; but these having their estates below on the continent, and considering that the office of a favourite has a very uncertain tenure, would never consent to the enslaving of their country. 国王要是能说服他的内阁跟自己合作，他就可以成为宇宙间最专制的君王。可那些人在下面大陆上都各有自己的产业，再想想宠臣的地位又非常不稳定，所以从来都不肯奴役自己的国家。
If any town should engage in rebellion or mutiny, fall into violent factions, or refuse to pay the usual tribute, the king has two methods of reducing them to obedience. The first and the mildest course is, by keeping the island hovering over such a town, and the lands about it, whereby he can deprive them of the benefit of the sun and the rain, and consequently afflict the inhabitants with dearth and diseases; and if the crime deserves it, they are at the same time pelted from above with great stones, against which they have no defence but by creeping into cellars or caves, while the roofs of their houses are beaten to pieces. But if they still continue obstinate, or offer to raise insurrections, he proceeds to the last remedy, by letting the island drop directly upon their heads, which makes a universal destruction both of houses and men. However, this is an extremity to which the prince is seldom driven, neither indeed is he willing to put it in execution; nor dare his ministers advise him to an action, which, as it would render them odious to the people, so it would be a great damage to their own estates, which all lie below; for the island is the king's demesne. 如果哪一座城市发生叛乱或兵变，卷入激烈的内讧，或者拒绝像平时一样缴纳贡奉，国王有两种手段可以使他们顺从。第一种手段比较温和，就是让飞岛浮在这座城市及其周围土地的上空，剥夺他们享受阳光和雨水的权利，因此用饥荒和疾病来折磨当地居民。如果罪有应得，上面还可以投掷大石块砸碎他们的房顶，他们无力自卫就只好爬进地窖或洞穴藏身。可要是他们依然顽固不化，甚至还想谋反，国王就要拿出他最后的办法来了——让飞岛直接落到他们的头上，用这种方法将人和房屋统统毁灭。不过，国王很少采用这种极端手段，实际上他也不想把它付诸实践。大臣们也不敢向国王建议采取这样的行动，如果采取这样的行动，下面的百姓会憎恨他们，而他们的产业都在下方，会因此受到极大的损害；而飞岛是国王的领地，不受任何影响。
But there is still indeed a more weighty reason, why the kings of this country have been always averse from executing so terrible an action, unless upon the utmost necessity. For, if the town intended to be destroyed should have in it any tall rocks, as it generally falls out in the larger cities, a situation probably chosen at first with a view to prevent such a catastrophe; or if it abound in high spires, or pillars of stone, a sudden fall might endanger the bottom or under surface of the island, which, although it consists, as I have said, of one entire adamant, two hundred yards thick, might happen to crack by too great a shock, or burst by approaching too near the fires from the houses below, as the backs, both of iron and stone, will often do in our chimneys. Of all this the people are well apprised, and understand how far to carry their obstinacy, where their liberty or property is concerned. And the king, when he is highest provoked, and most determined to press a city to rubbish, orders the island to descend with great gentleness, out of a pretence of tenderness to his people, but, indeed, for fear of breaking the adamantine bottom; in which case, it is the opinion of all their philosophers, that the loadstone could no longer hold it up, and the whole mass would fall to the ground. 但是，国王不到万不得已是不会施行这种可怕的手段的，实际这还有一个更重要的原因。因为，如果他想毁灭的城市中有什么高耸的岩石（这是大一点的城市里通常有的情况，当初选定有岩石的地点很可能就是为了防止这种灾难的袭击），或者有高耸的尖塔或石柱，那么飞岛突然下降就有可能危及岛的下表面。虽然我前面说过，岛的底部是由两百码厚的一整块金刚石板构成的，但过大的震动说不定也会被撞得粉碎；或者因为太接近下方房屋的炉火而发生爆裂。就像我们的烟囱，尽管是用铁石修成的，有时也会因火烧而爆裂。老百姓对这一切都很明白，但是当事关自己的自由和财产的时候，大家都顽固不屈地坚持。要是国王已经忍无可忍，坚决要把一座城市碾成一堆废墟，他就会以体贴人民为借口，命令飞岛以极慢的速度降落，但实际是怕伤了那金刚石的下表面。因为哲学家们一致认为，岛底要是坏了，磁石就再也不能指挥飞岛升起，整个岛就会落到地上。
By a fundamental law of this realm, neither the king, nor either of his two eldest sons, are permitted to leave the island; nor the queen, till she is past child-bearing. 根据这个国家的一项基本法律，国王和他的两个年龄大一点的儿子都不允许离开飞岛；王后也不准离开，除非她已经过了生育年龄。