seven years a space equal to the circumference of the globe." They returned to their work day after day, and, in a fhort time, found a fiffure in the rock, which enabled them to pass far with very little obstruction. This Raffelas confidered as a good omen. "Do not disturb your mind," faid Imlac, "with other hopes or fears than reason may fuggeft: if you are pleafed with prognofticks of good, you will be terrified likewife with tokens of evil, and your whole life will be a prey to fuperftition. Whatever facilitates our work is more than an omen, it is a cause of fuccefs. This is one of thofe pleafing furprises which often happen to active refolution. Many things difficult to design prove easy to performance." CHAP. XIV. RASSELAS AND IMLAC RECEIVE AN UNEXPECTED VISIT. THE HEY had now wrought their way to the middle, and folaced their toil with the approach of liberty, when the prince, coming down to refresh himself with air, found his fifter Nekayah standing before the mouth of the cavity. He started and stood confused, afraid to tell his defign, and yet hopeless to conceal it. A few moments determined him to repose on her fidelity, and secure her secrecy by a declaration without reserve. "Do not imagine," said the princess, "that I came hither as a spy: I had long obferved from my window, that you and and Imlac directed your walk every day towards the fame point, but I did not suppose you had any better reason for the preference than a cooler fhade, or more fragrant bank; nor followed you with any other defign than to partake of your converfation. Since then not fufpicion but fondness has detected you, let me not lofe the advantage of my discovery. I am equally weary of confinement with yourself, and not lefs defirous of knowing what is done or fuffered in the world. Permit me to fly with you from this tastelefs tranquillity, which will yet grow more loathfome when have left me. You may deny you me to accompany you, but cannot hinder me from following." The prince, who loved Nekayah above his other fifters, had no inclination to refuse refuse her request, and grieved that he had loft an opportunity of fhewing his confidence by a voluntary communication. It was therefore agreed that she should leave the valley with them; and that, in the mean time, fhe fhould watch, left any other ftraggler should, by chance or curiofity, follow them to the mountain. At length their labour was at an end; they faw light beyond the prominence, and, iffuing to the top of the mountain, beheld the Nile, yet a narrow current, wandering beneath them. The prince looked round with rapture, anticipated all the pleafures of travel, and in thought was already tranfported beyond his father's dominions. Imlac, though very joyful at his escape, had lefs expectation of pleasure in the world, |