arrive, let me fill up the time with fuch reprefentations as thou canst give me. I am not ignorant of the motive that affembles fuch numbers in that place, and cannot but confider it as the centre of wisdom and piety, to which the best and wifeft men of every land must be continually reforting."

"There are fome nations, faid Imlac, that fend few vifitants to Paleftine; for many numerous and learned fects in Europe concur to cenfure pilgrimage as fuperftitious, or deride it as ridiculous."

"You know, faid the prince, how little my life has made me acquainted with diverfity of opinions: it will be too long to hear the arguments on both fides; you, that have confidered them, tell me the refult."

Pilgrimage, faid Imlac, like many other acts of piety, may be reafonable or fuperftitious, according to the principles upon which it is performed. Long journies in fearch of truth are not commanded. Truth, fuch as is neceffary to the regulation of life, is always found where it is oneftly fought. Change of place is no natural caufe of the increafe of piety, for it inevitably produces difiipation of mind. Yet, fince men go every day to view the fields where great actions have been performed, and return with ftronger impreffions of the event, curiofity of the fame kind may naturally difpofe us to view that country whence our religion had its beginning; and I believe no man furveys thofe awiul fcenes without fome confirmation of holy refolutions. That the Supreme Being may be more eafily propitiated in one place than in another, is

the

the dream of idle fuperftition; but that fome places may operate upon our own minds in an uncommon manner, is an opinion which hourly experience will justify. He who fuppofes that his vices may be more fuccefsfully combated in Palestine, will, perhaps, find himself mistaken, yet he may go thither without folly: he who thinks they will be more freely pardoned, difhonours at once his reafon and religion."

"Thefe, faid the prince, are European diftinctions. I will confider them another time. What have you found to be the effect of knowledge? Are thofe nations happier than we?"

"There is fo much infelicity, faid the poet, in the world, that fcarce any man has leifure from his own diftreffes to estimate the comparative happiness of others. Knowledge is certainly one of the means of pleasure, as is confeffed by the natural defire which every mind feels of increafing its ideas. Ignorance is mere privation, by which nothing can be produced it is a vacuity in which the foul fits 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 confequence of learning, we grow more happy as our minds take a wider range.

"In enumerating the particular comforts of life we shall find many advantages on the fide of the Europeans. They cure wounds and difeafes with which we languish and perish. We fuffer inclemencies of weather which they can obviate. They have engines for the difpatch of many laborious works,

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works, which we must perform by manual induftry. There is fuch communication between diftant places, that one friend can hardly be faid to be absent from another. Their policy removes all publick inconveniencies they have roads cut through their mountains, and bridges laid upon their rivers. And, if we defcend to the privacies of life, their habitations are more commodious, and their poffeffions are more fecure."

They are furely happy, faid the prince, who have all thefe conveniencies, of which I envy none fo much as the facility with which feparated friends interchange their thoughts."

"The Europeans, anfwered Imlac, are lefs unhappy than we, but they are not happy. Human life is every where a ftate in which much is to be endured, and little to be enjoyed."

"I

CHAP.

XII.

THE STORY OF IMLAC CONTINUED.

AM not yet willing, faid the prince, to fup. pofe that happinefs is fo parfimoniously distributed to mortals; nor can believe but that, if I haď the choice of life, I fhould be able to fill every day with pleasure. I would injure no man, and fhould provoke no refentment: I would relieve every distress, and should enjoy the benedictions of gratitude. I would chufe my friends among the wife, and my wife among the virtuous; and therefore fhould be in no danger from treachery or unkindness. My children fhould, by my care, be

learned

learned and pious, and would repay to my age what their childhood had received. What would dare to moleft him who might call on every fide to thoufands enriched by his bounty, or affifted by his power? And why fhould not life glide quietly away in the foft 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 ufeful. Let us leave them, and pursue our journey."

"From Palestine, faid Imlac, I paffed through many regions of Afia; in the more civilized 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 repofe 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 fported away the gay hours of dawning life, fitting round me in its evening, wondering at my tales, and liftening to my counfels.

"When this thought had taken poffeffion of my mind, I confidered every moment as wafted which did not bring me nearer to Abiffinia. I haftened into Egypt, and notwithstanding my impatience, was detained ten months in the contemplation of its ancient magnificence, and in enquiries after the remains of its ancient learning. I found in Cairo a mixture of all nations; fome brought thither by the love of knowledge, fome by the hope of gain, and many by the defire of living after their own manner without obfervation, and of lying hid in the obfcurity

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fcurity of multitudes: for in a city, populous as Cairo, it is poffible to obtain at the fame time the gratifications of fociety, and the fecrecy of folitude.

"From Cairo I travelled to Suez, and embarked on the Red Sea, paffing along the coaft till I arrived at the pert from which I had departed twenty years before. Here I joined myfelf to a caravan, and reentered my native country.

"I now expected the careffes of my kinfimen, and the congratulations of my friends, and was without hope that my father, whatever value he had fet upon riches, would own with gladness and pride a fon who was able to add to the felicity and honour of the nation. But I was foon convinced that my thoughts were vain. My father had been dead fourteen years, having divided his wealth among my brothers, who were removed to fome other provinces. Of my companions the greater part was in the grave, of the reft, fome could with difficulty remember me, and fome confidered me as one corrupted by foreign manners.

"A man ufed to viciffitudes is not eafily dejected. I forgot, after a time, my difappointment, and endeavoured to recommend myfelf to the nobles of the kingdom; they admitted me to their tables, heard my itery, and difmiffed me. I opened a fchool, and was prohibited to teach. I then refolved to fit down in the quiet of domeftick life, and addressed a lady that was fond of my converfation, but reje ed my fuit, becaufe my father was a merchant.

"Wearied at laft with folicitation and repulfes, I refolved to hide myfelf for ever from the world, and depend no longer on the opinion or caprice of others.