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 interest beyond myself. Youth is delighted with applause, because it is confidered as the earneft of fome future good, and because the prospect 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 esteem. Something they may yet take away, but they can give me nothing. Riches would now be useless, and high employment would be pain. My retrofpect 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 myself to tranquillity; endeavour to abftract my thoughts from hopes and cares, which, though reafon knows them to be vain, still 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 happiness 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. confoled himself with remarking, that

The prince

it was not reasonable

reasonable to be difappointed by this account; for age had never been confidered as the season of felicity, and if it was poffible to be eafy 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 feen 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 else 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 astronomer hung upon their minds, and they defired Imlac to enter upon his office, and delay next morning the rifing of the fun.

СНА Р. XLV.

THE PRINCESS AND PEKUAH VISIT THE ASTRONOMER.

TH

HE princess and Pekuah having talked in private of Imlac's aftronomer, thought his character at once fo amiable and so strange, 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 refused, and several schemes were proposed 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 stronger objection against the misreprefentation of your state. 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

to a man who, confcious of great abilities, difcovers that he has been tricked by understandings meaner than his own, and, perhaps, the diftruft, which he can never afterwards wholly lay afide, may ftop the voice of counfel, and close the hand of charity; and where will you find the power of restoring his be nefactions to mankind, or his peace to himfelf?"

To this no reply was attempted, and Imlac began to hope that their curiofity would fubfide; but, next day, Pekuah told him, fhe had now found an honeft pretence for a visit to the astronomer, for fhe would folicit permiffion to continue under him the ftudies. in which the had been initiated by the Arab, and the princefs might go with her either as a fellowftudent, or because a woman could not decently come alone. "I am afraid, faid Imlac, that he will be foon weary of your company: men advanced far in knowledge do not love to repeat the elements of their art, and I am not certain that even of the elements, as he will deliver them connected with inferences, and mingled with reflections, you are a very capable auditrefs." "That, faid Pekuah, must be my care: I ask of you only to take me thither. My knowledge is, perhaps, more than you imagine it, and, by concurring always with his opinions, I fhall make him think it greater than it is."

The astronomer, in purfuance of this refolution, was told, that a foreign lady, travelling in fearch of knowledge, had heard of his reputation, and was defirous to become his fcholar. The uncommonnefs of the propofal raised at once his furprife and curiofity, and when, after a fhort deliberation, he conVOL. XI. fented

K

fented to admit her; he could not ftay without impatience till the next day.

The ladies dreffed themselves magnificently, and were attended by Imlac to the aftronomer, who was pleased to fee himself approached with refpect by perfons of fo fplendid an appearance. In the exchange of the first civilities he was timorous and bafhful; but when the talk became regular, he recollected his powers, and juftified the character which Imlac had given. Inquiring of Pekuah, what could have turned her inclination towards aftronomy? he received from her a hiftory of her adventure at the pyramid, and of the time paffed in the Arab's ifland. She told her tale with eafe and elegance, and her converfation took poffeffion of his heart. The difcourse was then turned to aftronomy: Pekuah difplayed what she knew he looked upon her as a prodigy of genius, and entreated her not to defift from a study which she had so happily begun.

They came again and again, and were every time more welcome than before. The fage endeavoured to amuse them, that they might prolong their vifits, for he found his thoughts grow brighter in their company; the clouds of folicitude vanished by degrees, as he forced himself to entertain them, and he grieved when he was left at their departure to his old employment of regulating the feafons.

The princefs and her favourite had now watched his lips for feveral months, and could not catch a fingle word from which they could judge whether he continued, or not, in the opinion of his preternatural commiffion. They often contrived to bring