rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第27章

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　has　parts　may　be　destroyed。〃
〃Consider　your　own　conceptions；〃　replied　Imlac；　〃and　the　difficulty　　will　be　less。　　You　will　find　substance　without　extension。　　An　ideal　　form　is　no　less　real　than　material　bulk；　yet　an　ideal　form　has　no　　extension。　　It　is　no　less　certain；　when　you　think　on　a　pyramid；　　that　your　mind　possesses　the　idea　of　a　pyramid；　than　that　the　　pyramid　itself　is　standing。　　What　space　does　the　idea　of　a　pyramid　　occupy　more　than　the　idea　of　a　grain　of　corn？　or　how　can　either　　idea　suffer　laceration？　　As　is　the　effect；　such　is　the　cause；　as　　thought；　such　is　the　power　that　thinks；　a　power　impassive　and　　indiscerptible。〃
〃But　the　Being；〃　said　Nekayah；　〃whom　I　fear　to　name；　the　Being　　which　made　the　soul；　can　destroy　it。〃
〃He　surely　can　destroy　it；〃　answered　Imlac；　〃since；　however　　imperishable；　it　receives　from　a　superior　nature　its　power　of　　duration。　　That　it　will　not　perish　by　any　inherent　cause　of　decay　　or　principle　of　corruption；　may　be　shown　by　philosophy；　but　　philosophy　can　tell　no　more。　　That　it　will　not　be　annihilated　by　　Him　that　made　it；　we　must　humbly　learn　from　higher　authority。〃
The　whole　assembly　stood　awhile　silent　and　collected。　　〃Let　us　　return；〃　said　Rasselas；　〃from　this　scene　of　mortality。　　How　gloomy　　would　be　these　mansions　of　the　dead　to　him　who　did　not　know　that　he　　should　never　die；　that　what　now　acts　shall　continue　its　agency；　and　　what　now　thinks　shall　think　on　for　ever。　　Those　that　lie　here　　stretched　before　us；　the　wise　and　the　powerful　of　ancient　times；　　warn　us　to　remember　the　shortness　of　our　present　state；　they　were　　perhaps　snatched　away　while　they　were　busy；　like　us；　in　the　CHOICE　　OF　LIFE。〃
〃To　me；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃the　choice　of　life　is　become　less　　important；　I　hope　hereafter　to　think　only　on　the　choice　of　　eternity。〃
They　then　hastened　out　of　the　caverns；　and　under　the　protection　of　　their　guard　returned　to　Cairo。

CHAPTER　XLIX　…　THE　CONCLUSION；　IN　WHICH　NOTHING　IS　CONCLUDED。

IT　was　now　the　time　of　the　inundation　of　the　Nile。　　A　few　days　　after　their　visit　to　the　catacombs　the　river　began　to　rise。
They　were　confined　to　their　house。　　The　whole　region　being　under　　water；　gave　them　no　invitation　to　any　excursions；　and　being　well　　supplied　with　materials　for　talk；　they　diverted　themselves　with　　comparisons　of　the　different　forms　of　life　which　they　had　observed；　　and　with　various　schemes　of　happiness　which　each　of　them　had　　formed。
Pekuah　was　never　so　much　charmed　with　any　place　as　the　Convent　of　　St。　Anthony；　where　the　Arab　restored　her　to　the　Princess；　and　　wished　only　to　fill　it　with　pious　maidens　and　to　be　made　prioress　　of　the　order。　　She　was　weary　of　expectation　and　disgust；　and　would　　gladly　be　fixed　in　some　unvariable　state。
The　Princess　thought　that；　of　all　sublunary　things；　knowledge　was　　the　best。　　She　desired　first　to　learn　all　sciences；　and　then　　proposed　to　found　a　college　of　learned　women；　in　which　she　would　　preside；　that；　by　conversing　with　the　old　and　educating　the　young；　　she　might　divide　her　time　between　the　acquisition　and　communication　　of　wisdom；　and　raise　up　for　the　next　age　models　of　prudence　and　　patterns　of　piety。
The　Prince　desired　a　little　kingdom　in　which　he　might　administer　　justice　in　his　own　person　and　see　all　the　parts　of　government　with　　his　own　eyes；　but　he　could　never　fix　the　limits　of　his　dominion；　　and　was　always　adding　to　the　number　of　his　subjects。
Imlac　and　the　astronomer　were　contented　to　be　driven　along　the　　stream　of　life　without　directing　their　course　to　any　particular　　port。
Of　those　wishes　that　they　had　formed　they　well　knew　that　none　could　　be　obtained。　　They　deliberated　awhile　what　was　to　be　done；　and　　resolved；　when　the　inundation　should　cease；　to　return　to　Abyssinia。




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