the princess repented of her hafty cenfure.

At laft Imlac began thus: "I do not now wonder that your reputation is fo far extended ; we have heard at Cairo of your wifdom, and came hither to implore your direction for this young man and maiden in the choice of life. "

"To him that lives well, anfwered the hermit, every form of life is good; nor can I give any other rule of choice, than to remove from all apparent evil."

"He will remove moft certainly from evil, faid the prince, who fhall devote himself to that folitude which you have recommended by your example."

"I have indeed lived fifteen years in folitude, faid the hermit, but have no defire that my example fhould gain any imitators. In my youth I profeffed arms, and was raised by degrees to the highest military rank. I have traversed wide countries at the head of my troops, and feen many battles and fieges. At

laft,

laft, being disgufted by the preferments of a younger officer, and feeling that my vigour was beginning to decay, I refolved to clofe my life in peace, having found the world full of fnares, difcord and mifery. I had once escaped from the perfuit of the enemy by the fhelter of this cavern and therefore chose it for my final refidence. I employed artificers to form it into chambers, and ftored it with all that I was likely to want.

1

"For fome time after my retreat, I rejoiced like a tempeft-beaten failor at his entrance into the harbour, being delighted with the fudden change of the noise and hurry of war to ftillness and repofe. When the pleasure of novelty went away, I employed my hours in examining the plants which grow in the valley and the minerals which I collected from the rocks. But that inquiry is now grown taftelefs and irkfome. I have been for fome time unfettled

H4

fettled and diftracted: my mind is difturbed with a thousand perplexities of doubt, and vanities of imagination, which hourly prevail upon me, because I have no opportunities of relaxation or diverfion. I am fometimes afhamed to think that I could not fecure myself from vice, but by retiring from the exercise of virtue, and begin to fufpect that I was rather impelled by refentment, than led by devotion, into folitude. My fancy riots in fcenes of folly, and I lament that I have loft fo much, and have gained fo little. In folitude, if I escape the example of bad men, I want likewife the counsel and converfation of the good. I have been long comparing the evils with the advantages of fociety, and refolve to return into the world to-morrow. The life of a folitary man will be certainly miferable but not certainly de

vout."

2

The

They heard his refolution with furprise, but after a fhort pause, offered to conduct him to Cairo. He dug up a confiderable treasure which he had hid among the rocks, and accompanied them to the city, on which, as he approached it, he gazed with rapture,

CHAP.

CHAP. XXIII.

THE HAPPINESS OF A LIFE LED ACCORDING TO NATURE.

RASSELAS went

LAS went often to an affembly. of learned men, who met at stated times to unbend their minds, and compare their opinions. Their manners were fomewhat coarfe, but their converfation was inftructive, and their difputations acute, though fometimes too violent, and often continued till neither controvertist remembered upon what question they began. Some faults were almost general among them: ry one was defirous to dictate to the reft, and every one was pleafed to hear the genius or knowledge of another depreciated.

eve

In this affembly Raffelas was relating his interview with the hermit, and

the