rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第19部分

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〃In　time　some　particular　train　of　ideas　fixes　the　attention；　all　　other　intellectual　gratifications　are　rejected；　the　mind；　in　　weariness　or　leisure；　recurs　constantly　to　the　favourite　　conception；　and　feasts　on　the　luscious　falsehood　whenever　she　is　　offended　with　the　bitterness　of　truth。　　By　degrees　the　reign　of　　fancy　is　confirmed；　she　grows　first　imperious　and　in　time　despotic。　　　Then　fictions　begin　to　operate　as　realities；　false　opinions　fasten　　upon　the　mind；　and　life　passes　in　dreams　of　rapture　or　of　anguish。
〃This；　sir；　is　one　of　the　dangers　of　solitude；　which　the　hermit　has　　confessed　not　always　to　promote　goodness；　and　the　astronomer's　　misery　has　proved　to　be　not　always　propitious　to　wisdom。〃
〃I　will　no　more；〃　said　the　favourite；　〃imagine　myself　the　Queen　of　　Abyssinia。　　I　have　often　spent　the　hours　which　the　Princess　gave　to　　my　own　disposal　in　adjusting　ceremonies　and　regulating　the　Court；　I　　have　repressed　the　pride　of　the　powerful　and　granted　the　petitions　　of　the　poor；　I　have　built　new　palaces　in　more　happy　situations；　　planted　groves　upon　the　tops　of　mountains；　and　have　exulted　in　the　　beneficence　of　royalty；　till；　when　the　Princess　entered；　I　had　　almost　forgotten　to　bow　down　before　her。〃
〃And　I；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃will　not　allow　myself　any　more　to　play　　the　shepherdess　in　my　waking　dreams。　　I　have　often　soothed　my　　thoughts　with　the　quiet　and　innocence　of　pastoral　employments；　till　　I　have　in　my　chamber　heard　the　winds　whistle　and　the　sheep　bleat；　　sometimes　freed　the　lamb　entangled　in　the　thicket；　and　sometimes　　with　my　crook　encountered　the　wolf。　　I　have　a　dress　like　that　of　　the　village　maids；　which　I　put　on　to　help　my　imagination；　and　a　　pipe　on　which　I　play　softly；　and　suppose　myself　followed　by　my　　flocks。〃
〃I　will　confess；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃an　indulgence　of　fantastic　　delight　more　dangerous　than　yours。　　I　have　frequently　endeavoured　　to　imagine　the　possibility　of　a　perfect　government；　by　which　all　　wrong　should　be　restrained；　all　vice　reformed；　and　all　the　subjects　　preserved　in　tranquillity　and　innocence。　　This　thought　produced　　innumerable　schemes　of　reformation；　and　dictated　many　useful　　regulations　and　salutary　effects。　　This　has　been　the　sport　and　　sometimes　the　labour　of　my　solitude；　and　I　start　when　I　think　with　　how　little　anguish　I　once　supposed　the　death　of　my　father　and　my　　brothers。〃
〃Such；〃　said　Imlac；　〃are　the　effects　of　visionary　schemes。　　When　we　　first　form　them；　we　know　them　to　be　absurd；　but　familiarise　them　by　　degrees；　and　in　time　lose　sight　of　their　folly。〃

CHAPTER　XLV　…　THEY　DISCOURSE　WITH　AN　OLD　MAN。

THE　evening　was　now　far　past；　and　they　rose　to　return　home。　　As　　they　walked　along　the　banks　of　the　Nile；　delighted　with　the　beams　　of　the　moon　quivering　on　the　water；　they　saw　at　a　small　distance　an　　old　man　whom　the　Prince　had　often　heard　in　the　assembly　of　the　　sages。　　〃Yonder；〃　said　he；　〃is　one　whose　years　have　calmed　his　　passions；　but　not　clouded　his　reason。　　Let　us　close　the　　disquisitions　of　the　night　by　inquiring　what　are　his　sentiments　of　　his　own　state；　that　we　may　know　whether　youth　alone　is　to　struggle　　with　vexation；　and　whether　any　better　hope　remains　for　the　latter　　part　of　life。〃
Here　the　sage　approached　and　saluted　them。　　They　invited　him　to　　join　their　walk；　and　prattled　awhile　as　acquaintance　that　had　　unexpectedly　met　one　another。　　The　old　man　was　cheerful　and　　talkative；　and　the　way　seemed　short　in　his　company。　　He　was　pleased　　to　find　himself　not　disregarded；　accompanied　them　to　their　house；　　and；　at　the　Prince's　request；　entered　with　them。　　They　placed　him　　in　the　seat　of　honour；　and　set　wine　and　conserves　before　him。
〃Sir；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃an　evening　walk　must　give　to　a　man　of　　learning　like　you　pleasures　which　ignorance　and　youth　can　hardly　　conceive。　　You　know　the　qualities　and　the　causes　of　all　that　you　　behold　…　the　laws　by　which　the　river　flows；　the　periods　in　which　　the　planets　perform　their　revolutions。　　Everything　must　supply　you　　with　contemplation；　and　renew　the　consciousness　of　your　own　　dignity。〃
〃Lady；〃　answered　he；　〃let　the　gay　and　the　vigorous　expect　pleasure　　in　their　excursions：　　it　is　enough　that　age　can　attain　ease。　　To　me　　the　world　has　lost　its　novelty。　　I　look　round；　and　see　what　I　　remember　to　have　seen　in　happier　days。　　I　rest　against　a　tree；　and　　consider　that　in　the　same　shade　I　once　disputed　upon　the　annual　　overflow　of　the　Nile　with　a　friend　who　is　now　silent　in　the　grave。　　　I　cast　my　eyes　upwards；　fix　them　on　the　changing　moon；　and　think　　with　pain　on　the　vicissitudes　of　life。　　I　have　ceased　to　take　much　　delight　in　physical　truth；　for　what　have　I　to　do　with　those　things　　which　I　am　soon　to　leave？〃
〃You　may　at　least　recreate　yourself；〃　said　Imlac；　〃with　the　　recollection　of　an　honourable　and　useful　life；　and　enjoy　the　praise　　which　all　agree　to　give　you。〃
〃Praise；〃　said　the　sage　with　a　sigh；　〃is　to　an　old　man　an　empty　　sound。　　I　have　neither　mother　to　be　delighted　with　the　reputation　　of　her　son；　nor　wife　to　partake　the　honours　of　her　husband。　　I　have　　outlived　my　friends　and　my　rivals。　　Nothing　is　now　of　much　　importance；　for　I　cannot　extend　my　interest　beyond　myself。　　Youth　　is　delighted　with　applause；　because　it　is　considered　as　the　earnest　　of　some　future　good；　and　because　the　prospect　of　life　is　far　　extended；　but　to　me；　who　am　now　declining　to　decrepitude；　there　is　　little　to　be　feared　from　the　malevolence　of　men；　and　yet　less　to　be　　hoped　from　their　affection　or　esteem。　　Something　they　may　yet　take　　away；　but　they　can　give　me　nothing。　　Riches　would　now　be　useless；　　and　high　employment　would　be　pain。　　My　retrospect　of　life　recalls　　to　my　view　many　opportunities　of　good　neglected；　much　time　　squandered　upon　trifles；　and　more　lost　in　idleness　and　vacancy。　　I　　leave　many　great　designs　unattempted；　and　many　great　attempts　　unfinished。　　My　mind　is　burdened　with　no　heavy　crime；　and　therefore　　I　compose　myself　to　tranquillity；　endeavour　to　abstract　my　thoughts　　from　hopes　and　cares　which；　though　reason　knows　them　to　be　vain；　　still　try　to　keep　their　old　possession　of　the　heart；　expect；　with　　serene　humility；　that　hour　which　nature　cannot　long　delay；　and　hope　　to　possess　in　a　better　state　that　happiness　which　here　I　could　not　　find；　and　that　virtue　which　here　I　have　not　attained。〃
He　arose　and　went　away；　leaving　his　audience　not　much　elated　with　　the　hope　of　long　life。　　The　Prince　consoled　himself　with　remarking　　that　it　was　not　reasonable　to　be　disappointed　by　this　account；　for　　age　had　never　been　considered　as　the　season　of　felicity；　and　if　it　　was　possible　to　be　easy　in　decline　and　weakness；　it　was　likely　that　　the　days　of　vigour　and　alacrity　might　be　happy；　that　the　noon　of　　life　might　be　bright；　if　the　evening　could　be　calm。
The　Princess　suspected　that　age　was　querulous　and　malignant；　and　　delighted　to　repress　the　expectations　of　those　who　had　newly　　entered　the　world。　　She　had　seen　the　possessors　of　estates　look　　with　envy　on　their　heirs；　and　known　many　who　enjoyed　pleasures　no　　longer　than　they　could　confine　it　to　themselves。
Pekuah　conjectured　that　the　man　was　older　than　he　appeared；　and　was　　willing　to　impute　his　complaints　to　delirious　dejection；　or　else　　supposed　that　he　had　been　unfortunate；　and　was　therefore　　discontented。　　〃For　nothing；〃　said　she；　〃is　more　common　than　to　　call　our　own　condition　the　condition　of　life。〃
Imlac；　who　had　no　desire　to　see　them　depressed；　smiled　at　the　　comforts　which　they　could　so　readily　procure　to　themselves；　and　　remembered　that　at　the　same　age　he　was　equally　confident　of　　unmingled　prosperity；　and　equally　fertile　of　consolatory　　expedients。　　He　forbore　to　force　upon　them　unwelcome　knowledge；　　which　time　itself　would　too　soon　impress。　　The　Princess　and　her　　lady　retired；　the　madness　of　the　astronomer　hung　upon　their　minds；　　and　they　desired　Imlac　to　enter　upon　his　office；　and　delay　next　　morning　the　rising　of　the　sun。

CHAPTER　XLVI　…　THE　PRINCESS　AND　PEKUAH　VISIT　THE　ASTRONOMER。

THE　Princess　and　Pekuah；　having　talked　in　private　of　Imlac's　　astronomer；　thought　his　character　at　once　so　amiable　and　so　strange　　that　they　could　not　be　satisfied　without　a　nearer　knowledge；　and　　Imlac　was　requested　to　find　the　means　of　bringing　them　together。
This　was　somewhat　difficult。　　The　philosopher　had　never　received　　any　visits　from　women；　though　he　lived　in　a　city　that　had　in　it　　many　Europeans；　who　followed　the　manners　of　their　own　countries；　　and　many　from　other　parts　of　the　world；　that　lived　there　with　　European　liberty。　　The　ladies　would　not　be　refused；　and　several　　schemes　were　proposed　for　the　accomplishment　of　their　design。　　It　　was　proposed　to　introduce　them　as　strangers　in　distress；　to　whom　　the　sage　was　always　accessible；　but　after　some　deliberation　it　　appeared　that　by　this　artifice　no　acquaintance　could　be　formed；　for　　their　conversation　would　be　short；　and　they　could　not　decently　　importune　him　often。　　〃This；〃　said　Rasselas；　〃is　true；　but　I　have　　yet　a　stronger　objection　against　the　misrepresentation　of　your　　state。　　I　have　always　considered　it　as　treason　against　the　great　　republic　of　human　nature　to　make　any　man's　virtues　the　means　of　　deceiving　him；　whether　on　great　or　little　occasions。　　All　imposture　　weakens　confidence　and　chills　benevolence。　　When　the　sage　finds　　that　you　are　not　what　you　seemed；　he　will　feel　the　resentment　　natural　to　a　man　who；　conscious　of　great　abilities；　discovers　that　　he　has　been　tricked　by　understandings　meaner　than　his　own；　and　　perhaps　the　distrust　which　he　can　never　afterwards　wholly　lay　aside　　may　stop　the　voice　of　counsel　and　close　the　hand　of　charity；　and　　where　will　you　find　the　power　of　restoring　his　benefactions　to　　mankind；　or　his　peace　to　himself？〃
To　this　no　reply　was　attempted；　and　Imlac　began　to　hope　that　their　　curiosity　would　subside；　but　next　day　Pekuah　told　him　she　had　now　　found　an　honest　pretence　for　a　visit　to　the　astronomer；　for　she　　would　solicit　permission　to　continue　under　him　the　studies　in　which　　she　had　been　initiated　by　the　Arab；　and　the　Princess　might　go　with　　her；　either　as　a　fellow…student；　or　because　a　woman　could　not　　decently　come　alone。　　〃I　am　afraid；〃　said　Imlac；　〃that　he　will　soon　　be　weary　of　your　company。　　Men　advanced　far　in　knowledge　do　not　　love　to　repeat　the　elements　of　their　art；　and　I　am　not　cert