tion with the reft, either from the upper ftories by private galleries, or by fubterranean paffages from the lower apartments. Many of the columns had unfufpected cavities, in which a long race of monarchs had repofited their treasures. They then closed up the opening with marble, which was never to be removed but in the utmost exigencies of the kingdom; and recorded their accumulations in a book which was itfelf concealed in a tower not entered but by the emperour, attended by the prince who stood next in fucceffion.

CHAP.

СНА Р. II.

The difcontent of Raffelas in the happy valley.

H

ERE the fons and daughters of

Abiffinia lived only to know the foft viciffitudes of pleasure and repofe, attended by all that were fkilful to delight, and gratified with whatever the fenfes can enjoy. They wandered in gardens of fragrance, and flept in the fortreffes of fecurity. Every art was practifed to make them pleased with their own condition. The fages who inftructed them, told them of nothing but the miseries of publick life, and described all beyond the mountains as regions of calamity,

lamity, where difcord was always raging, and where man preyed upon man.

To heighten their opinion of their own felicity, they were daily entertained with fongs, the fubject of which was the happy valley. Their appetites were excited by frequent enumerations of different enjoyments, and revelry and merriment was the business of every hour from the dawn of morning to the close of

even.

These methods were generally fucceffful; few of the Princes had ever wished to enlarge their bounds, but paffed their lives in full conviction that they had all within their reach that art or nature could bestow, and pitied those whom fate had excluded from this feat of tranquility, as

the

the sport of chance, and the slaves of mifery.

Thus they rofe in the morning and lay down at night, pleased with each other and with themselves, all but Raffelas, who, in the twenty-fixth year of his age, began to withdraw himself from their pastimes and affemblies, and to delight in folitary walks and filent meditation. He often fat before tables covered with luxury, and forgot to taste the dainties that were placed before him : he rose abruptly in the midst of the fong, and hastily retired beyond the found of mufick. His attendants observed the change and endeavoured to renew his love of pleasure he neglected their officioufnefs, repulfed their invitations, and spent day after day on the banks of ri

vulets fheltered with trees, where he fometimes liftened to the birds in the branches, fometimes obferved the fish playing in the ftream, and anon cast his eyes upon the paftures and mountains filled with animals, of which fome were biting the herbage, and fome fleeping among the bufhes.

This fingularity of his humour made him much observed. One of the Sages, in whose conversation he had formerly delighted, followed him fecretly, in hope of difcovering the caufe of his difquiet. Raffelas, who knew not that any one was near him, having for fome time fixed his eyes upon the goats that were brousing among the rocks, began to compare their condition with his own.

What,"