"Let us return," said Rasselas, "from this scene of mortality. How gloomy would be these mansions of the dead to him who did not know that he should never die, that what now acts shall continue its agency, and what now thinks shall think on forever. Those that 5 lie here stretched before us, the wise and the powerful of ancient times, warn us to remember the shortness of our present state: they were, perhaps, snatched away while they were busy like us in the choice of life."

"To me," said the princess, "the choice of life is 10 become less important; I hope hereafter to think only on the choice of eternity."

They then hastened out of the caverns, and under the protection of their guard returned to Cairo.

CHAPTER XLIX.

THE CONCLUSION, IN WHICH NOTHING IS CONCLUDED.

It was now the time of the inundation of the Nile : a few days after their visit to the catacombs, the river began to rise.

They were confined to their house. The whole region 5 being under water gave them no invitation to any excursions, and, being well supplied with materials for talk, they diverted themselves with comparisons of the different forms of life which they had observed, and with various schemes of happiness which each of them had 10 formed.

Pekuah was never so much charmed with any place as the Convent of St. Anthony, where the Arab restored her to the princess, and wished only to fill it with pious maidens, and to be made prioress of the 15 order; she was weary of expectation and disgust, and would gladly be fixed in some unvariable state.

The princess thought, that of all sublunary things knowledge was the best: she desired first to learn all sciences, and then proposed to found a college of 20 learned women, in which she would preside, that, by conversing with the old, and educating the young, she might divide her time between the acquisition and com

munication of wisdom, and raise up for the next age models of prudence, and patterns of piety.

The prince desired a little kingdom, in which he might administer justice in his own person, and see all the parts of government with his own eyes; but he 5 could never fix the limits of his dominion, and was always adding to the number of his subjects.

Imlac and the astronomer were contented to be driven along the stream of life, without directing their course to any particular port.

Of these wishes that they had formed they well knew that none could be obtained. They deliberated awhile what was to be done, and resolved, when the inundation should cease, to return to Abyssinia.

10

NOTES.

I. DICTION.

THE following words are peculiar to Johnson or are used by him in an unfamiliar sense :

Abstracted. For "abstract."

Accommodations.

Defined by Johnson as

"Conveniences,

things requisite to ease and refreshment."

Acquaintance. For "acquaintances."

Africk. For "Africa."

Airy. Applied to a person's disposition. Consult the dictionary.
Allay. Commonly used in Johnson's time for "alloy." Consult
the dictionary for the etymology of each word.
Character. In the sense of "the part one has to play."

Chariot. Consult the dictionary for the two meanings of this term.

Civil. In the sense of "civilized."

Contagion. Contagion of his confidence," "contagion of misery." Consult the dictionary for the plain and the metaphorical meaning of the word.

66

Controvertist 'Disputant."

Countenance. In the sense of "favor,"
," "good-will."

66

Crab. Consult the dictionary under cancer."

Discover. In the sense of "to show," "" to exhibit."
Discovery. In the sense of "disclosure,"
," "revelation."

Dog-star. Consult the dictionary under this word and "Sirius." "To restrain the rage of the dog-star," is a poetical expression borrowed from the Latin writers, for "to moderate the heat of the dog-days."