rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第7章

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s　　thither。〃
〃They　are　more　powerful；　sir；　than　we；〃　answered　Imlac；　〃because　　they　are　wiser；　knowledge　will　always　predominate　over　ignorance；　　as　man　governs　the　other　animals。　　But　why　their　knowledge　is　more　　than　ours　I　know　not　what　reason　can　be　given　but　the　unsearchable　　will　of　the　Supreme　Being。〃
〃When；〃　said　the　Prince　with　a　sigh；　〃shall　I　be　able　to　visit　　Palestine；　and　mingle　with　this　mighty　confluence　of　nations？　　Till　　that　happy　moment　shall　arrive；　let　me　fill　up　the　time　with　such　　representations　as　thou　canst　give　me。　　I　am　not　ignorant　of　the　　motive　that　assembles　such　numbers　in　that　place；　and　cannot　but　　consider　it　as　the　centre　of　wisdom　and　piety；　to　which　the　best　　and　wisest　men　of　every　land　must　be　continually　resorting。〃
〃There　are　some　nations；〃　said　Imlac；　〃that　send　few　visitants　to　　Palestine；　for　many　numerous　and　learned　sects　in　Europe　concur　to　　censure　pilgrimage　as　superstitious；　or　deride　it　as　ridiculous。〃
〃You　know；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃how　little　my　life　has　made　me　　acquainted　with　diversity　of　opinions；　it　will　be　too　long　to　hear　　the　arguments　on　both　sides；　you；　that　have　considered　them；　tell　　me　the　result。〃
〃Pilgrimage；〃　said　Imlac；　〃like　many　other　acts　of　piety；　may　be　　reasonable　or　superstitious；　according　to　the　principles　upon　which　　it　is　performed。　　Long　journeys　in　search　of　truth　are　not　　commanded。　　Truth；　such　as　is　necessary　to　the　regulation　of　life；　　is　always　found　where　it　is　honestly　sought。　　Change　of　place　is　no　　natural　cause　of　the　increase　of　piety；　for　it　inevitably　produces　　dissipation　of　mind。　　Yet；　since　men　go　every　day　to　view　the　　fields　where　great　actions　have　been　performed；　and　return　with　　stronger　impressions　of　the　event；　curiosity　of　the　same　kind　may　　naturally　dispose　us　to　view　that　country　whence　our　religion　had　　its　beginning；　and　I　believe　no　man　surveys　those　awful　scenes　　without　some　confirmation　of　holy　resolutions。　　That　the　Supreme　　Being　may　be　more　easily　propitiated　in　one　place　than　in　another　　is　the　dream　of　idle　superstition；　but　that　some　places　may　operate　　upon　our　own　minds　in　an　uncommon　manner　is　an　opinion　which　hourly　　experience　will　justify。　　He　who　supposes　that　his　vices　may　be　　more　successfully　combated　in　Palestine；　will　perhaps　find　himself　　mistaken；　yet　he　may　go　thither　without　folly；　he　who　thinks　they　　will　be　more　freely　pardoned；　dishonours　at　once　his　reason　and　　religion。〃
〃These；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃are　European　distinctions。　　I　will　　consider　them　another　time。　　What　have　you　found　to　be　the　effect　　of　knowledge？　　Are　those　nations　happier　than　we？〃
〃There　is　so　much　infelicity；〃　said　the　poet；　〃in　the　world；　that　　scarce　any　man　has　leisure　from　his　own　distresses　to　estimate　the　　comparative　happiness　of　others。　　Knowledge　is　certainly　one　of　the　　means　of　pleasure；　as　is　confessed　by　the　natural　desire　which　　every　mind　feels　of　increasing　its　ideas。　　Ignorance　is　mere　　privation；　by　which　nothing　can　be　produced；　it　is　a　vacuity　in　　which　the　soul　sits　motionless　and　torpid　for　want　of　attraction；　　and；　without　knowing　why；　we　always　rejoice　when　we　learn；　and　　grieve　when　we　forget。　　I　am　therefore　inclined　to　conclude　that　if　　nothing　counteracts　the　natural　consequence　of　learning；　we　grow　　more　happy　as　out　minds　take　a　wider　range。
〃In　enumerating　the　particular　comforts　of　life；　we　shall　find　many　　advantages　on　the　side　of　the　Europeans。　　They　cure　wounds　and　　diseases　with　which　we　languish　and　perish。　　We　suffer　inclemencies　　of　weather　which　they　can　obviate。　　They　have　engines　for　the　　despatch　of　many　laborious　works；　which　we　must　perform　by　manual　　industry。　　There　is　such　communication　between　distant　places　that　　one　friend　can　hardly　be　said　to　be　absent　from　another。　　Their　　policy　removes　all　public　inconveniences；　they　have　roads　cut　　through　the　mountains；　and　bridges　laid　over　their　rivers。　　And；　if　　we　descend　to　the　privacies　of　life；　their　habitations　are　more　　commodious　and　their　possessions　are　more　secure。〃
〃They　are　surely　happy；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃who　have　all　these　　conveniences；　of　which　I　envy　none　so　much　as　the　facility　with　　which　separated　friends　interchange　their　thoughts。〃
〃The　Europeans；〃　answered　Imlac；　〃are　less　unhappy　than　we；　but　　they　are　not　happy。　　Human　life　is　everywhere　a　state　in　which　much　　is　to　be　endured　and　little　to　be　enjoyed。〃

CHAPTER　XII　…　THE　STORY　OF　IMLAC　（CONTINUED）。

〃I　AM　not　willing；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃to　suppose　that　happiness　is　　so　parsimoniously　distributed　to　mortals；　nor　can　I　believe　but　　that；　if　I　had　the　choice　of　life；　I　should　be　able　to　fill　every　　day　with　pleasure。　　I　would　injure　no　man；　and　should　provoke　no　　resentments；　I　would　relieve　every　distress；　and　should　enjoy　the　　benedictions　of　gratitude。　　I　would　choose　my　friends　among　the　　wise　and　my　wife　among　the　virtuous；　and　therefore　should　be　in　no　　danger　from　treachery　or　unkindness。　　My　children　should　by　my　care　　be　learned　and　pious；　and　would　repay　to　my　age　what　their　　childhood　had　received。　　What　would　dare　to　molest　him　who　might　　call　on　every　side　to　thousands　enriched　by　his　bounty　or　assisted　　by　his　power？　　And　why　should　not　life　glide　away　in　the　soft　　reciprocation　of　protection　and　reverence？　　All　this　may　be　done　　without　the　help　of　European　refinements；　which　appear　by　their　　effects　to　be　rather　specious　than　useful。　　Let　us　leave　them　and　　pursue　our　journey。〃
〃From　Palestine；〃　said　Imlac；　〃I　passed　through　many　regions　of　　Asia；　in　the　more　civilised　kingdoms　as　a　trader；　and　among　the　　barbarians　of　the　mountains　as　a　pilgrim。　　At　last　I　began　to　long　　for　my　native　country；　that　I　might　repose　after　my　travels　and　　fatigues　in　the　places　where　I　had　spent　my　earliest　years；　and　　gladden　my　old　companions　with　the　recital　of　my　adventures。　　Often　　did　I　figure　to　myself　those　with　whom　I　had　sported　away　the　gay　　hours　of　dawning　life；　sitting　round　me　in　its　evening；　wondering　　at　my　tales　and　listening　to　my　counsels。
〃When　this　thought　had　taken　possession　of　my　mind；　I　considered　　every　moment　as　wasted　which　did　not　bring　me　nearer　to　Abyssinia。　　　I　hastened　into　Egypt；　and；　notwithstanding　my　impatience；　was　　detained　ten　months　in　the　contemplation　of　its　ancient　　magnificence　and　in　inquiries　after　the　remains　of　its　ancient　　learning。　　I　found　in　Cairo　a　mixture　of　all　nations：　　some　brought　　thither　by　the　love　of　knowledge；　some　by　the　hope　of　gain；　many　by　　the　desire　of　living　after　their　own　manner　without　observation；　　and　of　lying　hid　in　the　obscurity　of　multitudes；　for　in　a　city　　populous　as　Cairo　it　is　possible　to　obtain　at　the　same　time　the　　gratifications　of　society　and　the　secrecy　of　solitude。
〃From　Cairo　I　travelled　to　Suez；　and　embarked　on　the　Red　Sea；　　passing　along　the　coast　till　I　arrived　at　the　port　from　which　I　had　　departed　twenty　years　before。　　Here　I　joined　myself　to　a　caravan；　　and　re…entered　my　native　country。
〃I　now　expected　the　caresses　of　my　kinsmen　and　the　congratulations　　of　my　friends；　and　was　not　without　hope　that　my　father；　whatever　　value　he　had　set　upon　riches；　would　own　with　gladness　and　pride　a　　son　who　was　able　to　add　to　the　felicity　and　honour　of　the　nation。　　　But　I　was　soon　convinced　that　my　thoughts　were　vain。　　My　father　had　　been　dead　fourteen　years；　having　divided　his　wealth　among　my　　brothers；　who　were　removed　to　some　other　provinces。　　Of　my　　companions；　the　greater　part　was　in　the　grave；　of　the　rest；　some　　could　with　difficulty　remember　me；　and　some　considered　me　as　one　　corrupted　by　foreign　manners。
〃A　man　used　to　vicissitudes　is　not　easily　dejected。　　I　forgot；　　after　a　time；　my　disappointment；　and　endeavoured　to　recommend　　myself　to　the　nobles　of　the　kingdom；　they　admitted　me　to　their　　tables；　heard　my　story；　and　dismissed　me。　　I　opened　a　school；　and　　was　prohibited　to　teach。　　I　then　resolved　to　sit　down　in　the　quiet　　of　domestic　life；　and　addressed　a　lady　that　was　fond　of　my　　conversation；　but　rejected　my　suit　because　my　father　was　a　　merchant。
〃Wearied　at　last　with　solicitation　and　repulses；　I　resolved　to　hide　　myself　for　ever　from　the　world；　and　depend　no　longer　on　the　opinion　　or　caprice　of　others。　　I　waited　for　the　time　when　the　gate　of　the　　Ha