rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第5节

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y　drinking　at　the　fountain　　of　knowledge；　to　quench　the　thirst　of　curiosity。
〃As　I　was　supposed　to　trade　without　connection　with　my　father；　it　　was　easy　for　me　to　become　acquainted　with　the　master　of　a　ship；　and　　procure　a　passage　to　some　other　country。　　I　had　no　motives　of　　choice　to　regulate　my　voyage。　　It　was　sufficient　for　me　that；　　wherever　I　wandered；　I　should　see　a　country　which　I　had　not　seen　　before。　　I　therefore　entered　a　ship　bound　for　Surat；　having　left　a　　letter　for　my　father　declaring　my　intention。〃

CHAPTER　IX　…　THE　HISTORY　OF　IMLAC　（CONTINUED）。

〃WHEN　I　first　entered　upon　the　world　of　waters；　and　lost　sight　of　　land；　I　looked　round　about　me　in　pleasing　terror；　and　thinking　my　　soul　enlarged　by　the　boundless　prospect；　imagined　that　I　could　gaze　　around　me　for　ever　without　satiety；　but　in　a　short　time　I　grew　　weary　of　looking　on　barren　uniformity；　where　I　could　only　see　again　　what　I　had　already　seen。　　I　then　descended　into　the　ship；　and　　doubted　for　awhile　whether　all　my　future　pleasures　would　not　end；　　like　this；　in　disgust　and　disappointment。　　'Yet　surely；'　said　I；　　'the　ocean　and　the　land　are　very　different。　　The　only　variety　of　　water　is　rest　and　motion。　　But　the　earth　has　mountains　and　valleys；　　deserts　and　cities；　it　is　inhabited　by　men　of　different　customs　and　　contrary　opinions；　and　I　may　hope　to　find　variety　in　life；　though　I　　should　miss　it　in　nature。'
〃With　this　thought　I　quieted　my　mind；　and　amused　myself　during　the　　voyage；　sometimes　by　learning　from　the　sailors　the　art　of　　navigation；　which　I　have　never　practised；　and　sometimes　by　forming　　schemes　for　my　conduct　in　different　situations；　in　not　one　of　which　　I　have　been　ever　placed。
〃I　was　almost　weary　of　my　naval　amusements　when　we　safely　landed　at　　Surat。　　I　secured　my　money　and；　purchasing　some　commodities　for　　show；　joined　myself　to　a　caravan　that　was　passing　into　the　inland　　country。　　My　companions；　for　some　reason　or　other；　conjecturing　　that　I　was　rich；　and；　by　my　inquiries　and　admiration；　finding　that　　I　was　ignorant；　considered　me　as　a　novice　whom　they　had　a　right　to　　cheat；　and　who　was　to　learn；　at　the　usual　expense；　the　art　of　　fraud。　　They　exposed　me　to　the　theft　of　servants　and　the　exaction　　of　officers；　and　saw　me　plundered　upon　false　pretences；　without　any　　advantage　to　themselves　but　that　of　rejoicing　in　the　superiority　of　　their　own　knowledge。〃
〃Stop　a　moment；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃is　there　such　depravity　in　man　　as　that　he　should　injure　another　without　benefit　to　himself？　　I　can　　easily　conceive　that　all　are　pleased　with　superiority；　but　your　　ignorance　was　merely　accidental；　which；　being　neither　your　crime　　nor　your　folly；　could　afford　them　no　reason　to　applaud　themselves；　　and　the　knowledge　which　they　had；　and　which　you　wanted；　they　might　　as　effectually　have　shown　by　warning　as　betraying　you。〃
〃Pride；〃　said　Imlac；　〃is　seldom　delicate；　it　will　please　itself　　with　very　mean　advantages；　and　envy　feels　not　its　own　happiness　but　　when　it　may　be　compared　with　the　misery　of　others。　　They　were　my　　enemies　because　they　grieved　to　think　me　rich；　and　my　oppressors　　because　they　delighted　to　find　me　weak。〃
〃Proceed；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃I　doubt　not　of　the　facts　which　you　　relate；　but　imagine　that　you　impute　them　to　mistaken　motives。〃
〃In　this　company；〃　said　Imlac；　〃I　arrived　at　Agra；　the　capital　of　　Hindostan；　the　city　in　which　the　Great　Mogul　commonly　resides。　　I　　applied　myself　to　the　language　of　the　country；　and　in　a　few　months　　was　able　to　converse　with　the　learned　men；　some　of　whom　I　found　　morose　and　reserved；　and　others　easy　and　communicative；　some　were　　unwilling　to　teach　another　what　they　had　with　difficulty　learned　　themselves；　and　some　showed　that　the　end　of　their　studies　was　to　　gain　the　dignity　of　instructing。
〃To　the　tutor　of　the　young　princes　I　recommended　myself　so　much　　that　I　was　presented　to　the　Emperor　as　a　man　of　uncommon　knowledge。　　　The　Emperor　asked　me　many　questions　concerning　my　country　and　my　　travels；　and　though　I　cannot　now　recollect　anything　that　he　uttered　　above　the　power　of　a　common　man；　he　dismissed　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　obviou