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Oppreffion is, in the Abiffinian dominions, neither frequent nor tolerated; but no form of government has been yet discovered, by which cruelty can be wholly prevented. Subordination fuppofes power on one part, and fubjection on the other; and if power be in the hands of men, it will fometimes be abused. The vigilance of the fupreme magistrate may do much, but much will ftill remain undone. He can never know all the crimes that are committed, and can seldom punish all that he knows."

"This, faid the prince, I do not understand, but I had rather hear thee than difpute. Continue thy narration.'

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"My father, proceeded Imlac, originally intended that I fhould have no other education, than fuch as might qualify me for commerce; and difcovering in me great strength of memory, and quickness of apprehenfion, often declared his hope that I fhould be fome time the richest man in Abiffinia."

"Why, faid the prince, did thy father defire the increase of his wealth, when it was already greater than he durft difcover or enjoy? I am unwilling to doubt thy veracity, yet inconfiftencies cannot both be true."

"Inconfiftencies, anfwered Imlac, cannot both be right, but, imputed to man, they may both be true. Yet diversity is not inconfiftency. My father might expect a time of greater fecurity. However, fome defire is neceffary to keep life in motion, and he, whose real wants are fupplied, muft admit those of fancy."

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This, faid the prince, I can in fome measure conceive. I repent that I interrupted thee."

"With this hope, proceeded Imlac, he fent me to fchool; but when I had once found the delight of knowledge, and felt the pleasure of intelligence and the pride of invention, I began filently to defpife riches, and determined to difappoint the purpose of my father, whofe groffnefs of conception raised my pity. I was twenty years old before his tenderness would expofe me to the fatigue of travel, in which time I had been inftructed, by fucceffive mafters, in all the literature of my native country, As every hour taught me fomething new, I lived in a continual courfe of gratifications; but, as I advanced towards manhood, I loft much of the reverence with which I had been ufed to look on my inftructors; because, when the leffon was ended, I did not find them wifer or better than common

men.

"At length my father refolved to initiate me in commerce, and opening one of his fubterranean treafuries, counted out ten thoufand pieces of gold. This, young man, faid he, is the stock with which you must negociate. I began with less than the fifth part, and you fee how diligence and parfimony have increased it. This is your own to waste or to improve. If you fquander it by negligence or caprice, you must wait for my death before you will be rich if, in four years, you double your stock, we will thenceforward let fubordination ceafe, and live together as friends and partners; for he fhall always be equal with me, who is equally fkilled in the art of growing rich.

"We

"We laid our money upon camels, concealed in bales of cheap goods, and travelled to the fhore of the Red Sea. When I caft my eye on the expanfe of waters, my heart bounded like that of a prifoner escaped. I felt an unextinguishable curiosity kindle in my mind, and refolved to snatch this opportunity of feeing the manners of other nations, and of learning fciences unknown in Abiffinia.

"I remembered that my father had obliged me to the improvement of my stock, not by a promise which I ought not to violate, but by a penalty which I was at liberty to incur; and therefore determined to gratify my predominant defire, and by drinking at the fountains of knowledge, to quench the thirst of curiofity.

"As I was fuppofed to trade without connexion with my father, it was eafy for me to become acquainted with the mafter of a fhip, and procure a paffage to fome other country. I had no motives of choice to regulate my voyage; it was fufficient for me that, wherever I wandered, I fhould fee a country which I had not feen before. I therefore entered a ship bound for Surat, having left a letter for my father declaring my intention.

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CHAP. IX.

THE HISTORY OF IMLAC CONTINUED.

WHEN I first entered upon the world of waters, and loft fight of land, I looked round. about me with pleafing terrour, and thinking my foul enlarged by the boundless prospect, imagined

that

that I could gaze round for ever without fatiety; but, in a short time, I grew weary of looking on barren uniformity, where I could only fee again what I had already feen. I then defcended into the ship, and doubted for a while whether all my future. pleasures would not end like this, in disgust and disappointment. Yet, furely, faid I, the ocean and the land are very different; the only variety of water is reft and motion, but the earth has mountains and vallies, deferts and cities: it is inhabited by men of different cuftoms and contrary opinions; and I may hope to find variety in life, though I fhould mifs it in nature.

"With this thought I quieted my mind, and amused myself during the voyage, fometimes by learning from the failors the art of navigation, which I have never practifed, and fometimes by forming schemes for my conduct in different fituations, in not one of which I have been ever placed.

"I was almost weary of my naval amusements when we landed fafely at Surat. I fecured my money, and purchasing some commodities for show, joined myself to a caravan that was paffing into the inland country. My companions, for fome reafon or other, conjecturing that I was rich, and, by my enquiries and admiration, finding that I was ignorant, confidered me as a novice whom they had a right to cheat, and who was to learn at the ufual expence the art of fraud. They expofed me to the theft of fervants, and the exaction of officers, and faw me plundered upon falfe pretences, without any advantage to themfelves, but

that

that of rejoicing in the fuperiority of their own knowledge."

"Stop a moment, faid the prince. Is there fuch depravity in man, as that he should injure another without benefit to himself? I can easily conceive that all are pleased with fuperiority; but your ignorance was merely accidental, which being neither your crime nor your folly, could afford them no reason to applaud themselves; and the knowledge which they had, and which you wanted, they might as effectually have fhewn by warning, as betraying you."

"Pride, faid Imlac, is feldom delicate, it will please itself with very mean advantages; and envy feels not its own happiness, but when it may be compared with the mifery of others. They were my enemies, because they grieved to think me rich; and my oppreffors, because they delighted to find me weak."

"Proceed, faid the prince: I doubt not of the facts which you relate, but imagine that you impute them to mistaken motives."

"In this company, faid Imlac, I arrived at Agra, the capital of Indoftan, the city in which the great Mogul commonly refides. I applied myself to the language of the country, and in a few months was able to converfe with the learned men; fome of whom I found morofe and referved, and others eafy and communicative; fome were unwilling to teach another what they had with difficulty learned themselves; and fome fhewed that the end of their tudies was to gain the dignity of inftructing.

"To

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