Gulliver’s travels were brought out by his cousin Richard Sympson. Sympson is Gulliver’s old and close friend, and a relation on his mother’s side. At the front of the book he added a note called “The Publisher to the Reader”.
In it Sympson tells us that Gulliver, worn out by curious visitors, has retired to his native Nottinghamshire. Gulliver was so famous for honesty, he says, that when anyone in Redriff affirmed something, the neighbours would say it was as true as if Mr. Gulliver had spoken it.
Sympson read the papers carefully three times. He admits he struck out a great deal about winds and tides, bearings on the voyages and the handling of ships in storms. Otherwise the book would have been twice as thick. He knew Gulliver might be a little displeased.