it is not the felicity of man. I have maný diftreffes from which ye are free; I fear pain when I do not feel it; I fo metimes fhrink at evils recollected, and fometimes start at evils anticipated: furely the equity of providence has balan ced peculiar fufferings with peculiar enjoyments.".

With obfervations like these the prince amufed himself as he returned, uttering them with a plaintive voice, yet with a look that discovered him to feel fome complacence in his own perfpicacity, and to receive fome folace of the miseries of life, from consciousness of the delicacy with which he felt, and the eloquencé with which he bewailed them. He mingled cheerfully in the diverfions of the evening, and all rejoiced to find that his heart was lightened.

CHAP.

WANTS NOTHING.

On the next day his old inftructor ima

N

gining that he had now made himself acquainted with his disease of mind, was in hope of curing it by counfel, and officioufly fought an opportunity of conference, which the prince, having long confidered him as one whofe intellects were exhaufted, was not very willing to afford: "Why, faid he, Why, faid he, does this man thus intrude upon me; fhall I be never fuffered to forget thofe lectures which pleafed only while they were new, and to become new again muft be forgotten?" He then walked into the wood, and compofed himself to his ufual meditations; when before his thoughts had taken any fettled form, he perceived his purfuer at his fide, and was at

firft prompted by his impatience to go haftily away; but, being unwilling to offend a man whom he had once reverenced and still loved, he invited him to fit down with him on the bank.

The old man, thus encouraged, began to lament the change which had been lately observed in the prince, and to inquire why he so often retired from the pleasures of the palace, to loneliness and filence. "I fly from pleasure, faid the prince, because pleafure has ceased to pleafe; I am lonely because I am miferable, and am unwilling to cloud with my prefence the happiness of others." "You, Sir, faid the fage, are the first who has complained of mifery in the happy valley. I hope to convince you that your complaints have no real caufe. You are here in full poffeffion of all that the emperour of Abiffinia can bestow; here is neither labour to be endured nor

danger

danger to be dreaded, yet here is all that labour or danger can procure or purchafe. Look round and tell me which of your wants is without fupply: if you want nothing, how are happy?"

1

you un

"That I want nothing, faid the prince, or that I know not what I want, is the cause of my complaint; if I had any known want, I should have a certain wish; that wish would excite endea vour, and I fhould not then repine to fee the fun move fo flowly towards the western mountain, or lament when the day breaks and fleep will no longer hide me from myfelf. When I fee the kids and the lambs chafing one another, I fancy that I should be happy if I had fo mething to perfue. But, poffeffing all that I can want, I find one day and one hour exactly like another

except

that

that the latter is ftill more tedious than the former. Let your experience inform me how the day may now seem as fhort as in my childhood, while nature was yet fresh, and every moment fhewed me what I never had obferved before. I have already enjoyed too much; give me fomething to defire."

The old man was furprised at this new fpecies of affliction, and knew not what to reply, yet was unwilling to be filent. "Sir, faid he, "Sir, faid he, if you had feen the miseries of the world, you would know how to value your present ftate." "Now, faid the prince, you have given me fomething to defire; I fhall long to fee the miseries of the world, fince the fight of them is neceffary to happiness."

CHAP.