rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第1章

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Rasselas；　Prince　of　Abyssinia
by　Samuel　Johnson


CHAPTER　I　…　DESCRIPTION　OF　A　PALACE　IN　A　VALLEY。

YE　who　listen　with　credulity　to　the　whispers　of　fancy；　and　pursue　　with　eagerness　the　phantoms　of　hope；　who　expect　that　age　will　　perform　the　promises　of　youth；　and　that　the　deficiencies　of　the　　present　day　will　be　supplied　by　the　morrow；　attend　to　the　history　　of　Rasselas；　Prince　of　Abyssinia。
Rasselas　was　the　fourth　son　of　the　mighty　Emperor　in　whose　　dominions　the　father　of　waters　begins　his　course　…　whose　bounty　　pours　down　the　streams　of　plenty；　and　scatters　over　the　world　the　　harvests　of　Egypt。
According　to　the　custom　which　has　descended　from　age　to　age　among　　the　monarchs　of　the　torrid　zone；　Rasselas　was　confined　in　a　private　　palace；　with　the　other　sons　and　daughters　of　Abyssinian　royalty；　　till　the　order　of　succession　should　call　him　to　the　throne。
The　place　which　the　wisdom　or　policy　of　antiquity　had　destined　for　　the　residence　of　the　Abyssinian　princes　was　a　spacious　valley　in　　the　kingdom　of　Amhara；　surrounded　on　every　side　by　mountains；　of　　which　the　summits　overhang　the　middle　part。　　The　only　passage　by　　which　it　could　be　entered　was　a　cavern　that　passed　under　a　rock；　of　　which　it　had　long　been　disputed　whether　it　was　the　work　of　nature　　or　of　human　industry。　　The　outlet　of　the　cavern　was　concealed　by　a　　thick　wood；　and　the　mouth　which　opened　into　the　valley　was　closed　　with　gates　of　iron；　forged　by　the　artificers　of　ancient　days；　so　　massive　that　no　man；　without　the　help　of　engines；　could　open　or　　shut　them。
From　the　mountains　on　every　side　rivulets　descended　that　filled　all　　the　valley　with　verdure　and　fertility；　and　formed　a　lake　in　the　　middle；　inhabited　by　fish　of　every　species；　and　frequented　by　every　　fowl　whom　nature　has　taught　to　dip　the　wing　in　water。　　This　lake　　discharged　its　superfluities　by　a　stream；　which　entered　a　dark　　cleft　of　the　mountain　on　the　northern　side；　and　fell　with　dreadful　　noise　from　precipice　to　precipice　till　it　was　heard　no　more。
The　sides　of　the　mountains　were　covered　with　trees；　the　banks　of　　the　brooks　were　diversified　with　flowers；　every　blast　shook　spices　　from　the　rocks；　and　every　month　dropped　fruits　upon　the　ground。　　　All　animals　that　bite　the　grass　or　browse　the　shrubs；　whether　wild　　or　tame；　wandered　in　this　extensive　circuit；　secured　from　beasts　of　　prey　by　the　mountains　which　confined　them。　　On　one　part　were　flocks　　and　herds　feeding　in　the　pastures；　on　another　all　the　beasts　of　　chase　frisking　in　the　lawns；　the　sprightly　kid　was　bounding　on　the　　rocks；　the　subtle　monkey　frolicking　in　the　trees；　and　the　solemn　　elephant　reposing　in　the　shade。　　All　the　diversities　of　the　world　　were　brought　together；　the　blessings　of　nature　were　collected；　and　　its　evils　extracted　and　excluded。
The　valley；　wide　and　fruitful；　supplied　its　inhabitants　with　all　　the　necessaries　of　life；　and　all　delights　and　superfluities　were　　added　at　the　annual　visit　which　the　Emperor　paid　his　children；　when　　the　iron　gate　was　opened　to　the　sound　of　music；　and　during　eight　　days　every　one　that　resided　in　the　valley　was　required　to　propose　　whatever　might　contribute　to　make　seclusion　pleasant；　to　fill　up　　the　vacancies　of　attention；　and　lessen　the　tediousness　of　time。　　　Every　desire　was　immediately　granted。　　All　the　artificers　of　　pleasure　were　called　to　gladden　the　festivity；　the　musicians　　exerted　the　power　of　harmony；　and　the　dancers　showed　their　activity　　before　the　princes；　in　hopes　that　they　should　pass　their　lives　in　　blissful　captivity；　to　which　those　only　were　admitted　whose　　performance　was　thought　able　to　add　novelty　to　luxury。　　Such　was　　the　appearance　of　security　and　delight　which　this　retirement　　afforded；　that　they　to　whom　it　was　new　always　desired　that　it　might　　be　perpetual；　and　as　those　on　whom　the　iron　gate　had　once　closed　　were　never　suffered　to　return；　the　effect　of　longer　experience　　could　not　be　known。　　Thus　every　year　produced　new　scenes　of　　delight；　and　new　competitors　for　imprisonment。
The　palace　stood　on　an　eminence；　raised　about　thirty　paces　above　　the　surface　of　the　lake。　　It　was　divided　into　many　squares　or　　courts；　built　with　greater　or　less　magnificence　according　to　the　　rank　of　those　for　whom　they　were　designed。　　The　roofs　were　turned　　into　arches　of　massive　stone；　joined　by　a　cement　that　grew　harder　　by　time；　and　the　building　stood　from　century　to　century；　deriding　　the　solstitial　rains　and　equinoctial　hurricanes；　without　need　of　　reparation。
This　house；　which　was　so　large　as　to　be　fully　known　to　none　but　　some　ancient　officers；　who　successively　inherited　the　secrets　of　　the　place；　was　built　as　if　Suspicion　herself　had　dictated　the　plan。　　　To　every　room　there　was　an　open　and　secret　passage；　every　square　　had　a　communication　with　the　rest；　either　from　the　upper　storeys　by　　private　galleries；　or　by　subterraneous　passages　from　the　lower　　apartments。　　Many　of　the　columns　had　unsuspected　cavities；　in　which　　a　long　race　of　monarchs　had　deposited　their　treasures。　　They　then　　closed　up　the　opening　with　marble；　which　was　never　to　be　removed　　but　in　the　utmost　exigences　of　the　kingdom；　and　recorded　their　　accumulations　in　a　book；　which　was　itself　concealed　in　a　tower；　not　　entered　but　by　the　Emperor；　attended　by　the　prince　who　stood　next　　in　succession。

CHAPTER　II　…　THE　DISCONTENT　OF　RASSELAS　IN　THE　HAPPY　VALLEY。

HERE　the　sons　and　daughters　of　Abyssinia　lived　only　to　know　the　　soft　vicissitudes　of　pleasure　and　repose；　attended　by　all　that　were　　skilful　to　delight；　and　gratified　with　whatever　the　senses　can　　enjoy。　　They　wandered　in　gardens　of　fragrance；　and　slept　in　the　　fortresses　of　security。　　Every　art　was　practised　to　make　them　　pleased　with　their　own　condition。　　The　sages　who　instructed　them　　told　them　of　nothing　but　the　miseries　of　public　life；　and　described　　all　beyond　the　mountains　as　regions　of　calamity；　where　discord　was　　always　racing；　and　where　man　preyed　upon　man。　　To　heighten　their　　opinion　of　their　own　felicity；　they　were　daily　entertained　with　　songs；　the　subject　of　which　was　the　Happy　Valley。　　Their　appetites　　were　excited　by　frequent　enumerations　of　different　enjoyments；　and　　revelry　and　merriment　were　the　business　of　every　hour；　from　the　　dawn　of　morning　to　the　close　of　the　evening。
These　methods　were　generally　successful；　few　of　the　princes　had　　ever　wished　to　enlarge　their　bounds；　but　passed　their　lives　in　full　　conviction　that　they　had　all　within　their　reach　that　art　or　nature　　could　bestow；　and　pitied　those　whom　nature　had　excluded　from　this　　seat　of　tranquillity　as　the　sport　of　chance　and　the　slaves　of　　misery。
Thus　they　rose　in　the　morning　and　lay　down　at　night；　pleased　with　　each　other　and　with　themselves；　all　but　Rasselas；　who；　in　the　　twenty…sixth　year　of　his　age；　began　to　withdraw　himself　from　the　　pastimes　and　assemblies；　and　to　delight　in　solitary　walks　and　　silent　meditation。　　He　often　sat　before　tables　covered　with　luxury；　　and　forgot　to　taste　the　dainties　that　were　placed　before　him；　he　　rose　abruptly　in　the　midst　of　the　song；　and　hastily　retired　beyond　　the　sound　of　music。　　His　attendants　observed　the　change；　and　　endeavoured　to　renew　his　love　of　pleasure。　　He　neglected　their　　officiousness；　repulsed　their　invitations；　and　spent　day　after　day　　on　the　banks　of　rivulets　sheltered　with　trees；　where　he　sometimes　　listened　to　the　birds　in　the　branches；　sometimes　observed　the　fish　　playing　in　the　streams；　and　anon　cast　his　eyes　upon　the　pastures　　and　mountains　filled　with　animals；　of　which　some　were　biting　the　　herbage；　and　some　sleeping　among　the　bushes。　　The　singularity　of　　his　humour　made　him　much　observed。　　One　of　the　sages；　in　whose　　conversation　he　had　formerly　delighted；　followed　him　secretly；　in　　hope　of　discovering　the　cause　of　his　disquiet。　　Rasselas；　who　knew　　not　that　any　one　was　near　him；　having　for　some　time　fixed　his　eyes　　upon　the　goats　that　were　browsing　among　the　rocks；　began　to　compare　　their　condition　with　his　own。
〃What；〃　said　he；　〃makes　the　difference　between　man　and　all　the　rest　　of　the　animal　creation？　　Every　beast　that　strays　beside　me　has　the　　same　corporal　necessities　with　myself：　　he　is　hungry；　and　crops　the　　grass；　he　is　thirsty；　and　drinks　the　stream；　his　thirst　and　hunger　　are　appeased；　he　is　satisfied；　and　s