rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第4章

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　to　the　different　density　of　matter　through　which　we　are　　to　pass。　　You　will　be　necessarily　up…borne　by　the　air　if　you　can　　renew　any　impulse　upon　it　faster　than　the　air　can　recede　from　the　　pressure。〃
〃But　the　exercise　of　swimming；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃is　very　　laborious；　the　strongest　limbs　are　soon　wearied。　　I　am　afraid　the　　act　of　flying　will　be　yet　more　violent；　and　wings　will　be　of　no　　great　use　unless　we　can　fly　further　than　we　can　swim。〃
〃The　labour　of　rising　from　the　ground；〃　said　the　artist；　〃will　be　　great；　as　we　see　it　in　the　heavier　domestic　fowls；　but　as　we　mount　　higher　the　earth's　attraction　and　the　body's　gravity　will　be　　gradually　diminished；　till　we　shall　arrive　at　a　region　where　the　　man　shall　float　in　the　air　without　any　tendency　to　fall；　no　care　　will　then　be　necessary　but　to　move　forward；　which　the　gentlest　　impulse　will　effect。　　You；　sir；　whose　curiosity　is　so　extensive；　　will　easily　conceive　with　what　pleasure　a　philosopher；　furnished　　with　wings　and　hovering　in　the　sky；　would　see　the　earth　and　all　its　　inhabitants　rolling　beneath　him；　and　presenting　to　him　　successively；　by　its　diurnal　motion；　all　the　countries　within　the　　same　parallel。　　How　must　it　amuse　the　pendent　spectator　to　see　the　　moving　scene　of　land　and　ocean；　cities　and　deserts；　to　survey　with　　equal　security　the　marts　of　trade　and　the　fields　of　battle；　　mountains　infested　by　barbarians；　and　fruitful　regions　gladdened　by　　plenty　and　lulled　by　peace。　　How　easily　shall　we　then　trace　the　　Nile　through　all　his　passages；　pass　over　to　distant　regions；　and　　examine　the　face　of　nature　from　one　extremity　of　the　earth　to　the　　other。〃
〃All　this；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃is　much　to　be　desired；　but　I　am　　afraid　that　no　man　will　be　able　to　breathe　in　these　regions　of　　speculation　and　tranquillity。　　I　have　been　told　that　respiration　is　　difficult　upon　lofty　mountains；　yet　from　these　precipices；　though　　so　high　as　to　produce　great　tenuity　of　air；　it　is　very　easy　to　　fall；　therefore　I　suspect　that　from　any　height　where　life　can　be　　supported；　there　may　be　danger　of　too　quick　descent。〃
〃Nothing；〃　replied　the　artist；　〃will　ever　be　attempted　if　all　　possible　objections　must　be　first　overcome。　　If　you　will　favour　my　　project；　I　will　try　the　first　flight　at　my　own　hazard。　　I　have　　considered　the　structure　of　all　volant　animals；　and　find　the　　folding　continuity　of　the　bat's　wings　most　easily　accommodated　to　　the　human　form。　　Upon　this　model　I　shall　begin　my　task　to…morrow；　　and　in　a　year　expect　to　tower　into　the　air　beyond　the　malice　and　　pursuit　of　man。　　But　I　will　work　only　on　this　condition；　that　the　　art　shall　not　be　divulged；　and　that　you　shall　not　require　me　to　　make　wings　for　any　but　ourselves。〃
〃Why；〃　said　Rasselas；　〃should　you　envy　others　so　great　an　　advantage？　　All　skill　ought　to　be　exerted　for　universal　good；　every　　man　has　owed　much　to　others；　and　ought　to　repay　the　kindness　that　　he　has　received。〃
〃If　men　were　all　virtuous；〃　returned　the　artist；　〃I　should　with　　great　alacrity　teach　them　to　fly。　　But　what　would　be　the　security　　of　the　good　if　the　bad　could　at　pleasure　invade　them　from　the　sky？　　　Against　an　army　sailing　through　the　clouds　neither　walls；　　mountains；　nor　seas　could　afford　security。　　A　flight　of　northern　　savages　might　hover　in　the　wind　and　light　with　irresistible　　violence　upon　the　capital　of　a　fruitful　reason。　　Even　this　valley；　　the　retreat　of　princes；　the　abode　of　happiness；　might　be　violated　　by　the　sudden　descent　of　some　of　the　naked　nations　that　swarm　on　　the　coast　of　the　southern　sea！〃
The　Prince　promised　secrecy；　and　waited　for　the　performance；　not　　wholly　hopeless　of　success。　　He　visited　the　work　from　time　to　time；　　observed　its　progress；　and　remarked　many　ingenious　contrivances　to　　facilitate　motion　and　unite　levity　with　strength。　　The　artist　was　　every　day　more　certain　that　he　should　leave　vultures　and　eagles　　behind　him；　and　the　contagion　of　his　confidence　seized　upon　the　　Prince。　　In　a　year　the　wings　were　finished；　and　on　a　morning　　appointed　the　maker　appeared；　furnished　for　flight；　on　a　little　　promontory；　he　waved　his　pinions　awhile　to　gather　air；　then　leaped　　from　his　stand；　and　in　an　instant　dropped　into　the　lake。　　His　　wings；　which　were　of　no　use　in　the　air；　sustained　him　in　the　water；　　and　the　Prince　drew　him　to　land　half　dead　with　terror　and　vexation。

CHAPTER　VII　…　　THE　PRINCE　FINDS　A　MAN　OF　LEARNING。

THE　Prince　was　not　much　afflicted　by　this　disaster；　having　suffered　　himself　to　hope　for　a　happier　event　only　because　he　had　no　other　　means　of　escape　in　view。　　He　still　persisted　in　his　design　to　leave　　the　Happy　Valley　by　the　first　opportunity。
His　imagination　was　now　at　a　stand；　he　had　no　prospect　of　entering　　into　the　world；　and；　notwithstanding　all　his　endeavours　to　support　　himself；　discontent　by　degrees　preyed　upon　him；　and　he　began　again　　to　lose　his　thoughts　in　sadness　when　the　rainy　season；　which　in　　these　countries　is　periodical；　made　it　inconvenient　to　wander　in　　the　woods。
The　rain　continued　longer　and　with　more　violence　than　had　ever　been　　known；　the　clouds　broke　on　the　surrounding　mountains；　and　the　　torrents　streamed　into　the　plain　on　every　side；　till　the　cavern　was　　too　narrow　to　discharge　the　water。　　The　lake　overflowed　its　banks；　　and　all　the　level　of　the　valley　was　covered　with　the　inundation。　　　The　eminence　on　which　the　palace　was　built；　and　some　other　spots　of　　rising　ground；　were　all　that　the　eye　could　now　discover。　　The　herds　　and　flocks　left　the　pasture；　and　both　the　wild　beasts　and　the　tame　　retreated　to　the　mountains。
This　inundation　confined　all　the　princes　to　domestic　amusements；　　and　the　attention　of　Rasselas　was　particularly　seized　by　a　poem　　（which　Imlac　rehearsed）　upon　the　various　conditions　of　humanity。　　　He　commanded　the　poet　to　attend　him　in　his　apartment；　and　recite　　his　verses　a　second　time；　then　entering　into　familiar　talk；　he　　thought　himself　happy　in　having　found　a　man　who　knew　the　world　so　　well；　and　could　so　skilfully　paint　the　scenes　of　life。　　He　asked　a　　thousand　questions　about　things　to　which；　though　common　to　all　　other　mortals；　his　confinement　from　childhood　had　kept　him　a　　stranger。　　The　poet　pitied　his　ignorance；　and　loved　his　curiosity；　　and　entertained　him　from　day　to　day　with　novelty　and　instruction　so　　that　the　Prince　regretted　the　necessity　of　sleep；　and　longed　till　　the　morning　should　renew　his　pleasure。
As　they　were　sitting　together；　the　Prince　commanded　Imlac　to　relate　　his　history；　and　to　tell　by　what　accident　he　was　forced；　or　by　what　　motive　induced；　to　close　his　life　in　the　Happy　Valley。　　As　he　was　　going　to　begin　his　narrative；　Rasselas　was　called　to　a　concert；　and　　obliged　to　restrain　his　curiosity　till　the　evening。

CHAPTER　VIII　…　THE　HISTORY　OF　IMLAC。

THE　close　of　the　day　is；　in　the　regions　of　the　torrid　zone；　the　　only　season　of　diversion　and　entertainment；　and　it　was　therefore　　midnight　before　the　music　ceased　and　the　princesses　retired。　　　Rasselas　then　called　for　his　companion；　and　required　him　to　begin　　the　story　of　his　life。
〃Sir；〃　said　Imlac；　〃my　history　will　not　be　long：　　the　life　that　is　　devoted　to　knowledge　passes　silently　away；　and　is　very　little　　diversified　by　events。　　To　talk　in　public；　to　think　in　solitude；　to　　read　and　to　hear；　to　inquire　and　answer　inquiries；　is　the　business　　of　a　scholar。　　He　wanders　about　the　world　without　pomp　or　terror；　　and　is　neither　known　nor　valued　but　by　men　like　himself。
〃I　was　born　in　the　kingdom　of　Goiama；　at　no　great　distance　from　the　　fountain　of　the　Nile。　　My　father　was　a　wealthy　merchant；　who　traded　　between　the　inland　countries　of　Africa　and　the　ports　of　the　Red　　Sea。　　He　was　honest；　frugal；　and　diligent；　but　of　mean　sentiments　　and　narrow　comprehension；　he　desired　only　to　be　rich；　and　to　　conceal　his　riches；　lest　he　should　be　spoiled　by　the　governors　of　　the　province。〃
〃Surely；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃my　father　must　be　negligent　of　his　　charge　if　any　man　in　his　dominions　dares　take　that　which　belongs　to　　another。　　Does　he　not　know　that　kings　are　accountable　for　injustice　　permitted　as　well　as　done？　　If　I　were　Emperor；　not　the　meanest　of　　my　subjects　should　he　oppressed　with　impunity。　　My　blood　boils　when　　I　am　told　that　a　merchant　durst　not　enjoy　his　honest　gains　for　fear　　of　losing　them　by　the　ra