the philofopher, you speak like one that has never felt the pangs of feparation." "Have you then forgot the precepts, faid Raffelas, which you so powerfully enforced? Has wifdom no ftrength to arm the heart against calamity? Confider, that external things are naturally variable, but truth and reafon are always the fame." "What comfort, faid the mourner, can truth and reafon afford me? of what effect are they now, but to tell me, that my daughter will not be restored ?”

The prince, whofe humanity would not fuffer him to infult mifery with reproof, went away convinced of the emptinefs of rhetorical found, and the inefficacy of polifhed periods and ftudied fentences.

HE

CHAP. XIX.

A GLIMPSE OF PASTORAL LIFE.

E was still eager upon the fame enquiry; and having heard of a hermit, that lived near the lowest cataract of the Nile, and filled the whole country with the fame of his fanctity, refolved to vifit his retreat, and enquire whether that felicity, which publick life could not afford, was to be found in folitude; and whether a man, whofe age and virtue made him venerable, could teach any peculiar art of fhunning evils, or enduring them?

Imlac and the princefs agreed to accompany him, and, after the neceffary preparations, they began their journey. Their way lay through the fields, where fhepherds tended their flocks, and the lambs were playing upon the pafture. This, faid the poet, is the life which has been often celebrated for

its innocence and quiet; let us pafs the heat of the day among the fhepherds tents, and know whether all our fearches are not to terminate in paftoral fimplicity."

The propofal pleafed them, and they induced the fhepherds, by small presents and familiar questions, to tell their opinion of their own ftate: they were fo rude and ignorant, fo little able to compare the good with the evil of the occupation, and so indiftinct in their narratives and defcriptions, that very little could be learned from them. But it was evident that their hearts were cankered with discontent; that they confidered themselves as condemned to labour for the luxury of the rich, and looked up with stupid malevolence toward thofe that were placed above them.

The princess pronounced with vehemence, that fhe would never fuffer these envious favages to be her companions, and that fhe fhould not foon be defirous of feeing any more fpecimens of ruftick happiness; but could not believe that all the accounts of primeval pleasures were fabulous, and was yet in doubt, whether life had any thing that could be justly preferred to the placid gratifications of fields and woods. She hoped that the time would come, when, with a few virtuous and elegant companions, the fhould gather flowers planted by her own hand, fondle the lambs of her own ewe, and liften, without care, among brooks and breezes, to one of her maidens reading in the fhade.

CHAP. XX.

THE DANGER OF PROSPERITY.

ON the next day they continued their journey, till the heat compelled them to look round for fhelter. At a fmall diftance they faw a thick wood, which they no fooner entered than they perceived that they were approaching the habitations of men. The fhrubs were diligently cut away to open walks where the fhades were darkeft; the boughs of oppofite trees were artificially interwoven; feats of flowery turf were raised in vacant spaces, and a rivulet, that wantoned along the fide of a winding path, had its banks fometimes opened into fmall bafons, and its stream fometimes obftructed by little mounds of ftone heaped together to increase its

murmurs.

They paffed flowly through the wood, delighted with fuch unexpected accommodations, and entertained each other with conjecturing what, or who, he could be, that, in thofe rude and unfrequented regions, had leifure and art for fuch harmless luxury.

As they advanced they heard the found of mufick, and faw youths and virgins dancing in the grove; and, going ftill further, beheld a stately palace built upon a hill furrounded with woods. The laws of eaftern hofpitality allowed them to enter, and the mafter welcomed them like a man liberal and wealthy.

He was skilful enough in appearances foon to difcern that they were no common guests, and spread

his table with magnificence. The eloquence of Imlac caught his attention, and the lofty courtesy of the princess excited his refpect. When they offered to depart he entreated their stay, and was the next day ftill more unwilling to difmifs them than before. They were eafily perfuaded to ftop, and civility grew up in time to freedom and confidence.

The prince now faw all the domefticks cheerful, and all the face of nature fmiling round the place, and could not forbear to hope that he fhould find here what he was feeking; but when he was congratulating the mafter upon his poffeffions, he anfwered with a figh, "My condition has indeed the appearance of happiness, but appearances are delufive. My profperity puts my life in danger; the Baffa of Egypt is my enemy, incenfed only by my wealth and popularity. I have been hitherto protected against him by the princes of the country; but, as the favour of the great is uncertain, I know not how foon my defenders may be perfuaded to fhare the plunder with the Baffa. I have fent my treasures into a diftant country, and, upon the first alarm, am prepared to follow them. Then will my enemies riot in my manfion, and enjoy the gardens which I have planted."

They all joined in lamenting his danger, and deprecating his exile: and the princess was fo much disturbed with the tumult of grief and indignation, that she retired to her apartment. They continued with their kind inviter a few days longer, and then went forward to find the hermit.

CHAP. XXI.

THE HAPPINESS OF SOLITUDE.

HISTORY.

THE HERMIT'S

TH

HEY came on the third day, by the direction of the peasants, to the hermit's cell: it was a cavern in the fide of a mountain, over-fhadowed with palm-trees; at fuch a distance from the cataract, that nothing more was heard than a gentle uniform murmur, fuch as compofed the mind to penfive meditation, especially when it was affifted by the wind whistling among the branches. The firft rude effay of nature had been fo much improved by human labour, that the cave contained feveral apartments appropriated to different ufes, and often afforded lodging to travellers, whom darkness or tempefts happened to overtake.

The hermit fat on a bench at the door, to enjoy the coolness of the evening. On one fide lay a book with pens and papers, on the other mechanical instruments of various kinds. As they approached him unregarded, the princefs obferved that he had not the countenance of a man that had found, or could teach the way to happiness.

They faluted him with great refpect, which he repaid like a man not unaccustomed to the forms of courts. "My children, faid he, if you have loft your way, you fhall be willingly fupplied with fuch conveniencies for the night as this cavern will afford. I have all that nature requires, and you will not expect delicacies in a hermit's cell."

They