to the woods and to the fkies: the kid has forfaken the teat, and learned by degrees to climb the rocks in queft of independant fuftenance. I only have made no advances, but am ftill helpless and ignorant. The moon by more than twenty changes, admonifhed me of the flux of life; the stream that rolled before my feet upbraided my inactivity. I fat feafting on intellectual luxury, regardless alike of the examples of the earth, and the inftructions of the plaTwenty months are paft, who nets. fhall reftore them!" Thefe forrowful meditations fastened upon his mind; he past four months in refolving to lofe no more time in idle refolves, and was awakened to more vigorous exertion by hearing a maid, who who had broken a porcelain cup, remark, that what cannot be repaired is not to be regretted. This was obvious; and Raffelas reproached himself that he had not difcovered it, having not known, or not confidered, how many useful hints are obtained by chance, and how often the mind, hurried by her own ardour to diftant views, neglects the truths that lie open before her. He, for a few hours, regretted his regret, and from that time bent his whole mind upon the means of escaping from the valley of happiness. CHAP CHA P. V. The prince meditates his escape. H E now found that it would be very difficult to effect that which it was very easy to suppose effected. When he looked round about him, he saw himfelf confined by the bars of nature which had never yet been broken, and by the gate, through which none that once had paffed it were ever able to return. He was now impatient as an eagle in a grate. He paffed week after week in clambering the mountains, to fee if there was any aperture which the bushes might conceal, but found all the fummits inacceffible by their prominence. The iron gate gate he defpaired to open; for it was not only fecured with all the power of art, but was always watched by fucceffive fentinels, and was by its pofition exposed to the perpetual obfervation of all the inhabitants. He then examined the cavern through which the waters of the lake were dif charged; and, looking down at a time when the fun fhone ftrongly upon its mouth, he discovered it to be full of broken rocks, which, though they permitted the stream to flow through many narrow paffages, would ftop any body of folid bulk. He returned discouraged and dejected; but, having now known the bleffing of hope, refolved never to despair. In In these fruitless fearches he spent ten months. The time, however, paffed chearfully away in the morning he rose: with new hope, in the evening applauded his own diligence, and in the night slept found after his fatigue. He met a thousand amusements which beguiled his labour, and diverfified his thoughts. He difcerned the various instincts of animals, and properties of plants, and found the place replete with wonders, of which he purposed to folace himself with the contemplation, if he fhould never be able to accomplish his flight; rejoicing that his endeavours, though yet unfuceffful, had fupplied him with a fource of inexhaustible enquiry. But his original curiofity was not yet abated; he refolved to obtain fome know ledge |