to the woods and to the skies: the kid has forfaken the teat, and learned by degrees to climb the rocks in quest of independant fuftenance. I only have made no advances, but am ftill helpless and ignorant. The moon by more than twenty changes, admonished me of the flux of life; the stream that rolled before my feet upbraided my inactivity. I fat feasting on intellectual luxury, regardless alike of the examples of the earth, and the inftructions of the plaTwenty months are paft, who

nets.

fhall restore 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.

E now found that it would be very

HT

difficult to effect that which it was

very easy to fuppofe effected. When he looked round about him, he faw 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 despaired 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 position exposed to the perpetual observation of all the inhabitants.

He then examined the cavern through which the waters of the lake were difcharged; 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 ftream to flow through many narrow paffages, would ftop any body of folid bulk. He returned difcouraged 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 rofe 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 diversified his thoughts. He difcerned the various inftincts 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 knowledge