neither pride nor gratitude; he was not exalted in his own esteem by the smiles of a woman who faw no other man, nor was much obliged by that regard, of which he could never know the fincerity, and which he might often perceive to be exerted, not fo much to delight him as to pain a rival. That which he gave, and they received, as love, was only a careless diftribution of fuperfluous time, fuch love as man can bestow upon that which he defpifes, fuch as has neither hope nor fear, neither joy nor forrow." "You have reafon, lady, to think yourself happy," faid Imlac, "that you have been thus eafily difmiffed. How could a mind, hungry for knowledge, be willing, in an intellectual famine, to lose such a banquet as Pekuah's converfation ?" "I am "I am inclined to believe," answered Pekuah, "that he was for fome time in fufpenfe; for, notwithstanding his promife, whenever I propofed to dispatch a meffenger to Cairo, he found fome excufe for delay. While I was detained in his house he made many incurfions into the neighbouring countries, and, perhaps, he would have refufed to difcharge me, had his plunder been equal to his wishes. He returned always courteous, related his adventures, delighted to hear my obfervations, and endeavoured to advance my acquaintance with the stars. When I importuned him to fend away my letters, he foothed me with profeffions of honour and fincerity; and, when I could be no longer decently denied, put his troop again in motion, and left me to govern in his abfence. I was much afflicted by this ftudied procrastination, M nation, and was fometimes afraid that I fhould be forgotten; that you would leave Cairo, and I muft end my days in an ifland of the Nile. "I grew at last hopeless and dejected, and cared fo little to entertain him, that he for a while more frequently talked with my maids. That he fhould fall in love with them, or with me, might have been equally fatal, and I was not much pleafed with the growing friendship. My anxiety was not long; for, as I recovered fome degree of cheerfulness, he returned to me, and I could not forbear to defpife my former uneafinefs. "He ftill delayed to fend for my ranfom, and would, perhaps, never have determined, had not your agent found his way to him. The gold, which he would not fetch, he could not reject when it was offered. He haftened to prepare prepare for our journey hither, like a man delivered from the pain of an intestine conflict. I took leave of my companions in the houfe, who difmiffed me with cold indifference." Nekayah having heard her favourite's relation, rose and embraced her, and Raffelas gave her an hundred ounces of gold, which fhe prefented to the Arab for the fifty that were promised. CHAP. XL. THE HISTORY OF A MAN OF LEARNING. THEY HEY returned to Cairo, and were so well pleafed at finding themfelves together, that none of them went much abroad. The prince began to love learning, and one day declared to Imlac, that he intended to devote himself to science, and pass the reft of his days in literary folitude. "Before you make your final choice," answered Imlac, "you ought to examine its hazards, and converfe with fome of those who are grown old in the company of themselves. I have juft left the obfervatory of one of the most learned aftronomers in the world, who has spent forty years in unwearied attention to the motions |