Gulliver's father was, evidently, a gentleman, as he owned a small estate. However, he had five sons and so, presumably, all but the first-born would have to make their way in the world because they would not inherit any property. Gulliver's father seemed to understand this, and so he made provisions to send Gulliver away to school when he was fourteen. His father tried to support him here but had only a "narrow fortune" and could provide him with but a very small allowance, and, thus, it was necessary for Gulliver to become a doctor's apprentice. It seems, then, that his father was a man who tried to do the best he could by his sons. He clearly believed in the importance and value of education since he was willing to exhaust his funds in an attempt to educate Gulliver; however, his inability to support his family (Gulliver is only the third son, so we might wonder what becomes of the fourth and fifth sons when the money has run out) might indicate some poor planning on his part.
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