rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第23章

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CHAPTER　XLIII　…　THE　ASTRONOMER　LEAVES　IMLAC　HIS　DIRECTIONS。

〃'HEAR；　therefore；　what　I　shall　impart　with　attention；　such　as　the　　welfare　of　a　world　requires。　　If　the　task　of　a　king　be　considered　　as　difficult；　who　has　the　care　only　of　a　few　millions；　to　whom　he　　cannot　do　much　good　or　harm；　what　must　be　the　anxiety　of　him　on　　whom　depends　the　action　of　the　elements　and　the　great　gifts　of　　light　and　heat？　　Hear　me；　therefore；　with　attention。
〃'I　have　diligently　considered　the　position　of　the　earth　and　sun；　　and　formed　innumerable　schemes；　in　which　I　changed　their　situation。　　　I　have　sometimes　turned　aside　the　axis　of　the　earth；　and　sometimes　　varied　the　ecliptic　of　the　sun；　but　I　have　found　it　impossible　to　　make　a　disposition　by　which　the　world　may　be　advantaged；　what　one　　region　gains　another　loses　by　an　imaginable　alteration；　even　　without　considering　the　distant　parts　of　the　solar　system　with　　which　we　are　acquainted。　　Do　not；　therefore；　in　thy　administration　　of　the　year；　indulge　thy　pride　by　innovation；　do　not　please　thyself　　with　thinking　that　thou　canst　make　thyself　renowned　to　all　future　　ages　by　disordering　the　seasons。　　The　memory　of　mischief　is　no　　desirable　fame。　　Much　less　will　it　become　thee　to　let　kindness　or　　interest　prevail。　　Never　rob　other　countries　of　rain　to　pour　it　on　　thine　own。　　For　us　the　Nile　is　sufficient。'
〃I　promised　that　when　I　possessed　the　power　I　would　use　it　with　　inflexible　integrity；　and　he　dismissed　me；　pressing　my　hand。　　'My　　heart；'　said　he；　'will　be　now　at　rest；　and　my　benevolence　will　no　　more　destroy　my　quiet；　I　have　found　a　man　of　wisdom　and　virtue；　to　　whom　I　can　cheerfully　bequeath　the　inheritance　of　the　sun。'〃
The　Prince　heard　this　narration　with　very　serious　regard；　but　the　　Princess　smiled；　and　Pekuah　convulsed　herself　with　laughter。　　　〃Ladies；〃　said　Imlac；　〃to　mock　the　heaviest　of　human　afflictions　is　　neither　charitable　nor　wise。　　Few　can　attain　this　man's　knowledge　　and　few　practise　his　virtues；　but　all　may　suffer　his　calamity。　　Of　　the　uncertainties　of　our　present　state；　the　most　dreadful　and　　alarming　is　the　uncertain　continuance　of　reason。〃
The　Princess　was　recollected；　and　the　favourite　was　abashed。　　　Rasselas；　more　deeply　affected；　inquired　of　Imlac　whether　he　　thought　such　maladies　of　the　mind　frequent；　and　how　they　were　　contracted。

CHAPTER　XLIV　…　THE　DANGEROUS　PREVALENCE　OF　IMAGINATION。

〃DISORDERS　of　intellect；〃　answered　Imlac；　〃happen　much　more　often　　than　superficial　observers　will　easily　believe。　　Perhaps　if　we　　speak　with　rigorous　exactness；　no　human　mind　is　in　its　right　state。　　　There　is　no　man　whose　imagination　does　not　sometimes　predominate　　over　his　reason　who　can　regulate　his　attention　wholly　by　his　will；　　and　whose　ideas　will　come　and　go　at　his　command。　　No　man　will　be　　found　in　whose　mind　airy　notions　do　not　sometimes　tyrannise；　and　　force　him　to　hope　or　fear　beyond　the　limits　of　sober　probability。　　　All　power　of　fancy　over　reason　is　a　degree　of　insanity；　but　while　　this　power　is　such　as　we　can　control　and　repress　it　is　not　visible　　to　others；　nor　considered　as　any　deprivation　of　the　mental　　faculties；　it　is　not　pronounced　madness　but　when　it　becomes　　ungovernable；　and　apparently　influences　speech　or　action。
〃To　indulge　the　power　of　fiction　and　send　imagination　out　upon　the　　wing　is　often　the　sport　of　those　who　delight　too　much　in　silent　　speculation。　　When　we　are　alone　we　are　not　always　busy；　the　labour　　of　excogitation　is　too　violent　to　last　long；　the　ardour　of　inquiry　　will　sometimes　give　way　to　idleness　or　satiety。　　He　who　has　nothing　　external　that　can　divert　him　must　find　pleasure　in　his　own　　thoughts；　and　must　conceive　himself　what　he　is　not；　for　who　is　　pleased　with　what　he　is？　　He　then　expatiates　in　boundless　futurity；　　and　culls　from　all　imaginable　conditions　that　which　for　the　present　　moment　he　should　most　desire；　amuses　his　desires　with　impossible　　enjoyments；　and　confers　upon　his　pride　unattainable　dominion。　　The　　mind　dances　from　scene　to　scene；　unites　all　pleasures　in　all　　combinations；　and　riots　in　delights　which　Nature　and　fortune；　with　　all　their　bounty；　cannot　bestow。
〃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