gain, and many by the defire of living after their own manner without obfervation, and of lying hid in the obscurity of multitudes: for, in a city, populous as Cairo, it is poffible to obtain at the fame time the gratifications of fociety, and the fecrecy of folitude.

"From Cairo I travelled to Suez, and embarked on the Red fea, paffing along the coaft till I arrived at the port from which I had departed twenty years before. Here I joined myself to a caravan and re-entered my native country.

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"I now expected the careffes of my kinfmen, and the congratulations of my friends, and was not without hope that my father, whatever value he had fet upon riches, would own with gladness

and pride a fon who was able to add to the felicity and honour of the nation. But I was foon convinced that my thoughts were vain. My father had been dead fourteen years, having divided his wealth among my brothers, who were removed to fome other provinces. Of my companions the greater part was in the grave, of the rest some could with difficulty remember me, and fome confidered me as one corrupted by foreign manners.

"A man used to viciffitudes is not eafily dejected. I forgot, after a time, my disappointment, and endeavoured to recommend myself to the nobles of the kingdom: they admitted me to their ta bles, heard my story, and dismissed me. I opened a school, and was prohibited to teach. I then resolved to fit down in the

quiet

quiet of domestick life, and addreffed a lady that was fond of my converfation, but rejected my fuit, because my father was a merchant.

"Wearied at laft with folicitation and repulfes, I refolved to hide myself for ever from the world, and depend no longer on the opinion or caprice of others. I waited for the time when the gate of the happy valley should open that I might bid farewell to hope and fear: the day came; my performance was diftinguished with favour, and I refigned myself with joy to perpetual confinement."

"Haft thou here found happiness at laft? faid Raffelas. Tell me without referve; art thou content with thy condition? or, doft thou wish to be again

wandering and inquiring? All the inhabitants of this valley celebrate their lot, and, at the annual visit of the emperour, invite others to partake of their felicity."

Great prince, faid Imlac, I fhall speak the truth: I know not one of all your attendants who does not lament the hour when he entered this retreat. I am lefs unhappy than the reft, because I have a mind replete with images, which I can vary and combine at pleafure. I can amufe my folitude by the renovation of the knowledge which begins to fade from my memory, and by recollection of the accidents of my paft life. Yet all this ends in the forrowful confideration, that my acquirements are now useless, and that none of my pleasures can be again

en

enjoyed. The reft, whofe minds have no impreffion but of the prefent moment, are either corroded by malignant paffions, or fit ftupid in the gloom of perpetual

vacancy.

"What paffions can infest those, said the prince, who have no rivals? We are in a place where impotence precludes malice, and where all envy is repressed by community of enjoyments."

"There may be community, faid Imlac, of material poffeffions, but there can never be community of love or of esteem. It must happen that one will please more than another; he that knows himself defpifed will always be envious; and ftill more envious and malevolent, if he is