rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第6章

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issed　me　astonished　at　his　　wisdom　and　enamoured　of　his　goodness。
〃My　credit　was　now　so　high　that　the　merchants　with　whom　I　had　　travelled　applied　to　me　for　recommendations　to　the　ladies　of　the　　Court。　　I　was　surprised　at　their　confidence　of　solicitation　and　　greatly　reproached　them　with　their　practices　on　the　road。　　They　　heard　me　with　cold　indifference；　and　showed　no　tokens　of　shame　or　　sorrow。
〃They　then　urged　their　request　with　the　offer　of　a　bribe；　but　what　　I　would　not　do　for　kindness　I　would　not　do　for　money；　and　refused　　them；　not　because　they　had　injured　me；　but　because　I　would　not　　enable　them　to　injure　others；　for　I　knew　they　would　have　made　use　　of　my　credit　to　cheat　those　who　should　buy　their　wares。
〃Having　resided　at　Agra　till　there　was　no　more　to　be　learned；　I　　travelled　into　Persia；　where　I　saw　many　remains　of　ancient　　magnificence　and　observed　many　new　accommodations　of　life。　　The　　Persians　are　a　nation　eminently　social；　and　their　assemblies　　afforded　me　daily　opportunities　of　remarking　characters　and　　manners；　and　of　tracing　human　nature　through　all　its　variations。
〃From　Persia　I　passed　into　Arabia；　where　I　saw　a　nation　pastoral　　and　warlike；　who　lived　without　any　settled　habitation；　whose　wealth　　is　their　flocks　and　herds；　and　who　have　carried　on　through　ages　an　　hereditary　war　with　mankind；　though　they　neither　covet　nor　envy　　their　possessions。〃

CHAPTER　X　…　IMLAC'S　HISTORY　（CONTINUED）　…　A　DISSERTATION　UPON　　POETRY。

〃WHEREVER　I　went　I　found　that　poetry　was　considered　as　the　highest　　learning；　and　regarded　with　a　veneration　somewhat　approaching　to　　that　which　man　would　pay　to　angelic　nature。　　And　yet　it　fills　me　　with　wonder　that　in　almost　all　countries　the　most　ancient　poets　are　　considered　as　the　best；　whether　it　be　that　every　other　kind　of　　knowledge　is　an　acquisition　greatly　attained；　and　poetry　is　a　gift　　conferred　at　once；　or　that　the　first　poetry　of　every　nation　　surprised　them　as　a　novelty；　and　retained　the　credit　by　consent　　which　it　received　by　accident　at　first；　or　whether；　as　the　province　　of　poetry　is　to　describe　nature　and　passion；　which　are　always　the　　same；　the　first　writers　took　possession　of　the　most　striking　　objects　for　description　and　the　most　probable　occurrences　for　　fiction；　and　left　nothing　to　those　that　followed　them　but　　transcription　of　the　same　events　and　new　combinations　of　the　same　　images。　　Whatever　be　the　reason；　it　is　commonly　observed　that　the　　early　writers　are　in　possession　of　nature；　and　their　followers　of　　art；　that　the　first　excel　in　strength　and　invention；　and　the　latter　　in　elegance　and　refinement。
〃I　was　desirous　to　add　my　name　to　this　illustrious　fraternity。　　I　　read　all　the　poets　of　Persia　and　Arabia；　and　was　able　to　repeat　by　　memory　the　volumes　that　are　suspended　in　the　mosque　of　Mecca。　　But　　I　soon　found　that　no　man　was　ever　great　by　imitations。　　My　desire　　of　excellence　impelled　me　to　transfer　my　attention　to　nature　and　to　　life。　　Nature　was　to　be　my　subject；　and　men　to　be　my　auditors。　　I　　could　never　describe　what　I　had　not　seen。　　I　could　not　hope　to　move　　those　with　delight　or　terror　whose　interests　and　opinions　I　did　not　　understand。
Being　now　resolved　to　be　a　poet；　I　saw　everything　with　a　new　　purpose；　my　sphere　of　attention　was　suddenly　magnified；　no　kind　of　　knowledge　was　to　be　overlooked。　　I　ranged　mountains　and　deserts　for　　images　and　resemblances；　and　pictured　upon　my　mind　every　tree　of　　the　forest　and　flower　of　the　valley。　　I　observed　with　equal　care　　the　crags　of　the　rock　and　the　pinnacles　of　the　palace。　　Sometimes　I　　wandered　along　the　mazes　of　the　rivulet；　and　sometimes　watched　the　　changes　of　the　summer　clouds。　　To　a　poet　nothing　can　be　useless。　　　Whatever　is　beautiful　and　whatever　is　dreadful　must　be　familiar　to　　his　imagination；　he　must　be　conversant　with　all　that　is　awfully　　vast　or　elegantly　little。　　The　plants　of　the　garden；　the　animals　of　　the　wood；　the　minerals　of　the　earth；　and　meteors　of　the　sky；　must　　all　concur　to　store　his　mind　with　inexhaustible　variety；　for　every　　idea　is　useful　for　the　enforcement　or　decoration　of　moral　or　　religious　truth；　and　he　who　knows　most　will　have　most　power　of　　diversifying　his　scenes　and　of　gratifying　his　reader　with　remote　　allusions　and　unexpected　instruction。
〃All　the　appearances　of　nature　I　was　therefore　careful　to　study；　　and　every　country　which　I　have　surveyed　has　contributed　something　　to　my　poetical　powers。〃
〃In　so　wide　a　survey；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃you　must　surely　have　left　　much　unobserved。　　I　have　lived　till　now　within　the　circuit　of　the　　mountains；　and　yet　cannot　walk　abroad　without　the　sight　of　　something　which　I　had　never　beheld　before；　or　never　heeded。〃
〃This　business　of　a　poet；〃　said　Imlac；　〃is　to　examine；　not　the　　individual；　but　the　species；　to　remark　general　properties　and　large　　appearances。　　He　does　not　number　the　streaks　of　the　tulip；　or　　describe　the　different　shades　of　the　verdure　of　the　forest。　　He　is　　to　exhibit　in　his　portraits　of　nature　such　prominent　and　striking　　features　as　recall　the　original　to　every　mind；　and　must　neglect　the　　minuter　discriminations；　which　one　may　have　remarked　and　another　　have　neglected；　for　those　characteristics　which　are　alike　obvious　　to　vigilance　and　carelessness。
〃But　the　knowledge　of　nature　is　only　half　the　task　of　a　poet；　he　　must　be　acquainted　likewise　with　all　the　modes　of　life。　　His　　character　requires　that　he　estimate　the　happiness　and　misery　of　　every　condition；　observe　the　power　of　all　the　passions　in　all　their　　combinations；　and　trace　the　changes　of　the　human　mind；　as　they　are　　modified　by　various　institutions　and　accidental　influences　of　　climate　or　custom；　from　the　sprightliness　of　infancy　to　the　　despondence　of　decrepitude。　　He　must　divest　himself　of　the　　prejudices　of　his　age　and　country；　he　must　consider　right　and　wrong　　in　their　abstracted　and　invariable　state；　he　must　disregard　present　　laws　and　opinions；　and　rise　to　general　and　transcendental　truths；　　which　will　always　be　the　same。　　He　must；　therefore；　content　himself　　with　the　slow　progress　of　his　name；　contemn　the　praise　of　his　own　　time；　and　commit　his　claims　to　the　justice　of　posterity。　　He　must　　write　as　the　interpreter　of　nature　and　the　legislator　of　mankind；　　and　consider　himself　as　presiding　over　the　thoughts　and　manners　of　　future　generations；　as　a　being　superior　to　time　and　place。
〃His　labour　is　not　yet　at　an　end。　　He　must　know　many　languages　and　　many　sciences；　and；　that　his　style　may　be　worthy　of　his　thoughts；　　must　by　incessant　practice　familiarise　to　himself　every　delicacy　of　　speech　and　grace　of　harmony。〃

CHAPTER　XI　…　IMLAC'S　NARRATIVE　（CONTINUED）　…　A　HINT　OF　PILGRIMAGE。

IMLAC　now　felt　the　enthusiastic　fit；　and　was　proceeding　to　　aggrandise　his　own　profession；　when　then　Prince　cried　out：　　　〃Enough！　thou　hast　convinced　me　that　no　human　being　can　ever　be　a　　poet。　　Proceed　with　thy　narration。〃
〃To　be　a　poet；〃　said　Imlac；　〃is　indeed　very　difficult。〃
〃So　difficult；〃　returned　the　Prince；　〃that　I　will　at　present　hear　　no　more　of　his　labours。　　Tell　me　whither　you　went　when　you　had　seen　　Persia。〃
〃From　Persia；〃　said　the　poet；　〃I　travelled　through　Syria；　and　for　　three　years　resided　in　Palestine；　where　I　conversed　with　great　　numbers　of　the　northern　and　western　nations　of　Europe；　the　nations　　which　are　now　in　possession　of　all　power　and　all　knowledge；　whose　　armies　are　irresistible；　and　whose　fleets　command　the　remotest　　parts　of　the　globe。　　When　I　compared　these　men　with　the　natives　of　　our　own　kingdom　and　those　that　surround　us；　they　appeared　almost　　another　order　of　beings。　　In　their　countries　it　is　difficult　to　　wish　for　anything　that　may　not　be　obtained；　a　thousand　arts；　of　　which　we　never　heard；　are　continually　labouring　for　their　　convenience　and　pleasure；　and　whatever　their　own　climate　has　denied　　them　is　supplied　by　their　commerce。〃
〃By　what　means；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃are　the　Europeans　thus　powerful？　　or　why；　since　they　can　so　easily　visit　Asia　and　Africa　for　trade　or　　conquest；　cannot　the　Asiatics　and　Africans　invade　their　coast；　　plant　colonies　in　their　ports；　and　give　laws　to　their　natural　　princes？　　The　same　wind　that　carries　them　back　would　bring　us　　thither。〃
〃They　are　more　powerful；　sir；　than　we；〃　answered　Imlac；　〃because　　they　are　wiser；　know