wrong

fibility of a perfect government, by which all fhould be reftrained, all vice reformed, and all the fubjects preferved in tranquillity and innocence. This thought produced innumerable schemes of reformation, and dictated many useful regulations and falutary edicts. This has been the fport, and fometimes the labour, of my folitude; and I ftart, when I think with how little anguifh I once fuppofed the death of my father and my brothers."

"Such, fays Imlac, are the effects of vifionary fchemes: when we first form them we know them to be abfurd, but familiarize them by degrees, and in time lofe fight of their folly."

THE

CHAP. XLIV.

THEY DISCOURSE WITH AN OLD MAN.

HE evening was now far paft, and they rofe to return home. As they walked along the bank. of the Nile, delighted with the beams of the moon quivering on the water, they faw at a fmall diftance an old man, whom the prince had often heard in the affembly of the fages. "Yonder, faid he, is one whofe years have calmed his paffions, but not clouded his reafon : let us clofe the difquifitions of the night, by inquiring what are his fentiments of his own ftate, that we may know whether youth alone is to ftruggle with vexation, and whether any better hope remains for the latter part of life."

Here the fage approached and faluted them. They invited him to join their walk, and prattled a while, as acquaintance that had unexpectedly mes

one

one another. The old man was cheerful and talkative, and the way feemed fhort in his company. He was pleased to find himself not difregarded, accompanied them to their houfe, and, at the prince's request, entered with them. They placed him in the feat of honour, and fet wine and conferves before him.

Sir, faid the princefs, 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. Every thing muft fupply you with contemplation, and renew the conscioufnefs of your own dignity."

"Lady, answered he, let the gay and the vigorous expect pleasure in their excurfions; it is enough that age can obtain eafe. To me the world has loft its novelty: I look round, and fee what I remember to have seen in happier days. I reft against a tree, and confider, that in the fame fhade I once difputed upon the annual overflow of the Nile with a friend who is now filent in the grave. I caft my eyes upwards, fix them on the changing moon, and think with pain on the viciffitudes of life. I have ceased to take much delight in phyfical truth; for what have I to do with those things which I am foon to leave?"

"You may at least recreate yourself, faid Imlac, with the recollection of an honourable and useful life, and enjoy the praise which all agree to give you."

"Praise,

Praife, faid the fage, with a figh, is to an old man an empty found. I have neither mother to be delighted with the reputation of her fon, 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 intereft beyond myfelf. Youth is delighted with applaufe, because it is confidered as the earnest of fome future good, and because the profpect 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 lefs to be hoped from their affection or efteem. Something they may yet take away, but they can give me nothing. Riches would now be ufelefs, and high employment would. be pain. My retrospect of life recalls to my view many opportunities of good neglected, much time fquandered upon trifles, and more loft in idleness and vacancy. I leave many great defigns unattempted, and many great attempts unfinished. My mind is burdened with no heavy crime, and therefore I compofe myfelf to tranquillity; endeavour to abftract my thoughts from hopes and cares, which, though reafon knows them to be vain, ftill try to keep their old poffeffion of the heart; expect, with ferene humility, that hour which nature cannot long delay; and hope to poffefs, in a better ftate, that happinefs which here I could not find, and that virtue which here I have not attained."

He rofe and went away, leaving his audience not much elated with the hope of long life. The prince confoled himself with remarking, that it was not

reasonable

reasonable to be difappointed by this account; for age had never been confidered as the feafon of felicity, and if it was poffible 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 princefs fufpected that age was querulous and malignant, and delighted to reprefs the expectations of those who had newly entered the world. She had seen the poffeffors of eftates look with envy on their heirs, and known many who enjoyed pleasure no longer than they can 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 elfe fuppofed that he had been unfortunate, and was therefore difcontented: "For nothing, faid fhe, is more common, than to call our own condition the condition of life."

Imlac, who had no defire to fee them depreffed, fmiled at the comforts which they could fo readily procure to themselves, and remembered, that at the fame age, he was equally confident of unmingled profperity, and equally fertile of confolatory expedients. He forbore to force upon them unwelcome knowledge, which time itself would too foon imprefs. The princefs and her lady retired; the madnefs of the aftronomer hung upon their minds, and they defired Imlac to enter upon his office, and delay next morning the rifing of the fun.

CHAP. XLV.

THE PRINCESS AND PEKUAH VISIT THE ASTRONOMEK.

TH

HE princefs and Pekuah having talked in private of Imlac's aftronomer, thought his character at once fo amiable and fo ftrange, that they could not be fatisfied without a nearer knowledge; and Imlac was requested to find the means of bringing them together.

This was fomewhat difficult; the philofopher had never received any vifits 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 refufed, and several schemes were propofed for the accomplishment of their defign. It was proposed to introduce them as ftrangers in diftrefs, to whom the fage was always acceffible; but, after fome deliberation, it appeared, that by this artifice, no acquaintance could be formed, for their converfation would be short, and they could not decently importune him often. "This, faid Raffelas, is true; but I have yet a ftronger objection against the mifreprefentation of your ftate. I have always confidered it as treafon against the great republick of human nature, to make any man's virtues the means of deceiving him whether on great or little occafions. All imposture weakens confidence, and chills benevolence. When the fage finds that you are not what you feemed, he will feel the refentment natural

to