"The present state of things is the confequence of the former, and it is natural to inquire what were the fources of the good that we enjoy, or the evil that we fuffer. If we act only for ourselves, to neglect the ftudy of hiftory is not prudent: if we are intrusted with the care of others, it is not just. Ignorance, when it is voluntary, is criminal; and he may properly be charged with evil who refufed to learn how he might prevent it.

"There is no part of history fo generally useful as that which relates the progrefs of the human mind, the gradual improvement of reafon, the fucceffive advances of fcience, the viciffitudes of learning and ignorance which are the light and darkness of thinking beings, the extinction and refufcitation of arts, and the revolutions of the intellectual world. If accounts of battles and invafions are peculiarly the bufinefs of princes, the ufeful or elegant arts are not to be neglected; thofe who have kingdoms to govern, have underftandings to cultivate.

"Example is always more efficacious than precept. A foldier is formed in war, and a painter muft copy pictures. In this, contemplative life has the advantage:* great actions are seldom seen, but the labours of art are always at hand for thofe who defire to know what art has been able to perform.

"When the eye or the imagination is ftruck with any uncommon work, the next tranfition of an active mind is to the means by which it was performed. Here begins the true ufe of fuch contemplation; we enlarge our comprehenfion by new ideas, and perhaps recover fome art loft to mankind, or learn what is lefs perfectly known in our

Own

1

own country. At least we compare our own with former times, and either rejoice at our improvements, or, what is the first motion towards good, difcover our defects."

"I am willing, faid the prince, to fee all that can deferve my fearch." "And I, faid the princefs, fhall rejoice to learn fomething of the manners of antiquity."

"The most pompous monument of Egyptian greatness, and one of the most bulky works of manual industry, faid Imlac, are the Pyramids; fabricks raised before the time of history, and of which the earliest narratives afford us only uncertain traditions. Of these the greateft is ftill ftanding very little injured by time.”

"Let us vifit them to-morrow, faid Nekayah. I have often heard of the Pyramids, and fhall not reft, till I have feen them within and without with my own eyes."

CHAP. XXX.

THEY VISIT THE PYRAMIDS.

TH HE refolution being thus taken, they fet out the next day. They laid tents upon their camels, being refolved to stay among the Pyramids till their curiofity was fully fatisfied. They travelled gently, turned afide to every thing remarkable, ftopped from time to time and converfed with the inhabitants, and obferved the various appearances of towns ruined and inhabited, of wild and cultivated nature.

When they came to the great pyramid, they were aftonished at the extent of the bafe, and the height of the top. Imlac explained to them the principles upon which the pyramidal form was chofen for a fabrick intended to co-extend its duration with that of the world; he fhewed that its gradual diminution gave it fuch ftability, as defeated all the common attacks of the elements, and could scarcely be overthrown by earthquakes themselves, the least refiftible of natural violence. A concuffion that fhould fhatter the pyramid would threaten the dissolution of the continent.

They measured all its dimenfions, and pitched their tents at its foot. Next day they prepared to enter its interior apartments, and having hired the common guides climbed up to the firft paffage, when the favourite of the princefs, looking into the cavity, stepped back and trembled. " Pekuah, said the princefs, of what art thou afraid?" "Of the narrow entrance, anfwered the lady, and of the dreadful gloom. I dare not enter a place which muft furely be inhabited by unquiet fouls. The original poffeffors of thefe dreadful vaults will start up before us, and perhaps fhut us in for ever." She fpoke, and threw her arms round the neck of her mistress.

"If all your fear be of apparitions, faid the prince, I will promise you safety: there is no danger from the dead; he that is once buried will be feen no more."

"That the dead are feen no more, faid Imlac, I will not undertake to maintain, against the concurrent and unvaried teftimony of all ages, and of all nations. There is no people, rude or learned,

among

among whom apparitions of the dead are not related and believed. This opinion, which perhaps prevails as far as human nature is diffused, could become univerfal only by its truth: thofe, that never heard of one another, would not have agreed in a tale which nothing but experience can make credible. That it is doubted by fingle cavillers, can very little weaken the general evidence; and some who deny it with their tongues confefs it by their fears,

drv.

Yet I do not mean to add new terrours to those which have already feized upon Pekuah. There can be no reason why spectres fhould haunt the pyramid more than other places, or why they fhould have power or will to hurt innocence and purity. Our entrance is no violation of their privileges; we can take nothing from them, how then can we offend them ?"

"My dear Pekuah, said the princefs, I will always go before you, and Imlac fhall follow you. Remember that you are the companion of the princess of Abiffinia."

"If the princess is pleased that her fervant should die, returned the lady, let her command fome death lefs dreadful than enclosure in this horrid cavern. You know I dare not difobey you: I muft go if you command me; but, if I once enter, I never fhall come back."

The princefs faw that her fear was too strong for expoftulation or reproof, and embracing her, told her that she should stay in the tent till their return. Pekuah was yet not fatisfied, but entreated the princess not to perfue fo dreadful a purpose as

that

that of entering the receffes of the pyramid. Though I cannot teach courage, faid Nekayah, I must not learn cowardice; nor leave at laft undone what I came hither only to do."

CHAP. XXXI.

THEY ENTER THE PYRAMID.

PERUAH defcended to the tents, and the rest entered the pyramid: they paffed through the

galleries, furveyed the vaults of marble, and examined the cheft in which the body of the founder is fuppofed to have been repofited. They then fat down in one of the moft fpacious chambers to rest a while before they attempted to return.

"We have now, faid Imlac, gratified our minds with an exact view of the greatest work of man, except the wall of China.

"Of the wall it is very easy to affign the motive. It fecured a wealthy and timorous nation from the incurfions of Barbarians, whofe unfkilfulness in arts made it easier for them to fupply their wants by rapine than by induftry, and who from time to time poured in upon the habitations of peaceful commerce, as vultures defcend upon domeftick fowl. Their celerity and fiercenefs made the wall neceffary, and their ignorance made it efficacious.

"But for the pyramids no reafon has ever been given adequate to the coft and labour of the work. The narrownefs of the chambers proves that it could afford no retreat from enemies, and treasures might have been repofited at far lefs expence with

equal