without a partner, and goodness may be practised in retirement.'

"How far folitude may admit goodnefs, or advance it, I fhall not, replied Imlac, difpute at prefent. Remember the confeffion of the pious hermit. You will wish to return into the world, when the image of your companion has left your thoughts." "That time, faid Nekayah, will never come. The generous frankness, the modeft obfequioufnefs, and the faithful fecrecy of my dear Pekuah, will always be more miffed, as I fhall live longer to fee vice and folly."

"The ftate of a mind oppreffed with a fudden calamity, faid Imlac, is like that of the fabulous inhabitants of the new created earth, who, when the firft night came upon them, fuppofed that day would never return. When the clouds of forrow gather over us, we fee nothing

nothing beyond them, nor can imagine how they will be difpelled: yet a new day fucceeded to the night, and forrow is never long without a dawn of ease. But they who restrain themselves from receiving comfort, do as the favages would have done, had they put out their eyes when it was dark. Our minds, like our bodies, are in continual flux; fomething is hourly loft, and fomething acquired. To lofe much at once is inconvenient to either, but while the vital powers remain uninjured, nature will find the means of reparation. Distance has the fame effect on the mind as on the eye, and while we glide along the ftream of time, whatever we leave behind us is always leffening, and that which we approach increafing in magnitude. Do not fuffer life to ftagnate; it will grow muddy for want of motion: commit yourself again to the current of

the

the world; Pekuah will vanifh by degrees; you will meet in your way fome other favourite, or learn to diffufe yourself in general conversation."

"At least, said the prince, do not defpair before all remedies have been tried: the inquiry after the unfortunate lady is ftill continued, and fhall be carried on with yet greater diligence, on condition that you will promise to wait a year for the event, without any unalterable refolution.

Nekayah thought this a reasonable demand, and made the promise to her brother, who had been advised by Imlac to require it. Imlac had, indeed, no great hope of regaining Pekuah, but he fuppofed, that if he could fecure the interval of a year, the princess would be then in no danger of a cloifter.

CHAP.

CHAP. XXXV.

PEKUAH IS STILL REMEMBERED.

NEK

PROGRESS OF SORROW.

THE

TEKAYAH, feeing that nothing was omitted for the recovery of her favourite, and having, by her promife, fet her intention of retirement at a distance, began imperceptibly to return to common cares and common pleasures. She rejoiced without her own confent at the fupenfion of her forrows, and fometimes caught herself with indignation in the act of turning away her mind from the remembrance of her, whom yet she resolved never to forget.

She then appointed a certain hour of the day for meditation on the merits

and

and fondness of Pekuah, and for fome weeks retired conftantly at the time fixed, and returned with her eyes fwollen and her countenance clouded. By degrees fhe grew lefs fcrupulous, and suffered any important and preffing avocation to delay the tribute of daily tears. She then yielded to lefs occafions; fometimes forgot what she was indeed afraid to remember, and, at laft, wholly releafed herself from the duty of periodi cal affliction.

Her real love of Pekuah was yet not diminished. A thousand occurrences brought her back to memory, and a thousand wants, which nothing but the confidence of friendship can fupply, made her frequently regretted. She, therefore, folicited Imlac never to defift from inquiry, and to leave no art of intelligence untried, that, at least she. might