rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第9节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


For　some　time　he　thought　choice　needless；　because　all　appeared　to　　him　really　happy。　　Wherever　he　went　he　met　gaiety　and　kindness；　and　　heard　the　song　of　joy　or　the　laugh　of　carelessness。　　He　began　to　　believe　that　the　world　overflowed　with　universal　plenty；　and　that　　nothing　was　withheld　either　from　want　or　merit；　that　every　hand　　showered　liberality　and　every　heart　melted　with　benevolence：　　〃And　　who　then；〃　says　he；　〃will　be　suffered　to　be　wretched？〃
Imlac　permitted　the　pleasing　delusion；　and　was　unwilling　to　crush　　the　hope　of　inexperience：　　till　one　day；　having　sat　awhile　silent；　　〃I　know　not；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃what　can　be　the　reason　that　I　am　　more　unhappy　than　any　of　our　friends。　　I　see　them　perpetually　and　　unalterably　cheerful；　but　feel　my　own　mind　restless　and　uneasy。　　I　　am　unsatisfied　with　those　pleasures　which　I　seem　most　to　court。　　I　　live　in　the　crowds　of　jollity；　not　so　much　to　enjoy　company　as　to　　shun　myself；　and　am　only　loud　and　merry　to　conceal　my　sadness。〃
〃Every　man；〃　said　Imlac；　〃may　by　examining　his　own　mind　guess　what　　passes　in　the　minds　of　others。　　When　you　feel　that　your　own　gaiety　　is　counterfeit；　it　may　justly　lead　you　to　suspect　that　of　your　　companions　not　to　be　sincere。　　Envy　is　commonly　reciprocal。　　We　are　　long　before　we　are　convinced　that　happiness　is　never　to　be　found；　　and　each　believes　it　possessed　by　others；　to　keep　alive　the　hope　of　　obtaining　it　for　himself。　　In　the　assembly　where　you　passed　the　　last　night　there　appeared　such　sprightliness　of　air　and　volatility　　of　fancy　as　might　have　suited　beings　of　a　higher　order；　formed　to　　inhabit　serener　regions；　inaccessible　to　care　or　sorrow；　yet；　　believe　me；　Prince；　was　there　not　one　who　did　not　dread　the　moment　　when　solitude　should　deliver　him　to　the　tyranny　of　reflection。〃
〃This；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃may　be　true　of　others　since　it　is　true　of　　me；　yet；　whatever　be　the　general　infelicity　of　man；　one　condition　　is　more　happy　than　another；　and　wisdom　surely　directs　us　to　take　　the　least　evil　in　the　CHOICE　OF　LIFE。〃
〃The　causes　of　good　and　evil；〃　answered　Imlac；　〃are　so　various　and　　uncertain；　so　often　entangled　with　each　other；　so　diversified　by　　various　relations；　and　so　much　subject　to　accidents　which　cannot　be　　foreseen；　that　he　who　would　fix　his　condition　upon　incontestable　　reasons　of　preference　must　live　and　die　inquiring　and　　deliberating。〃
〃But；　surely；〃　said　Rasselas；　〃the　wise　men；　to　whom　we　listen　with　　reverence　and　wonder；　chose　that　mode　of　life　for　themselves　which　　they　thought　most　likely　to　make　them　happy。〃
〃Very　few；〃　said　the　poet；　〃live　by　choice。　　Every　man　is　placed　in　　the　present　condition　by　causes　which　acted　without　his　foresight；　　and　with　which　he　did　not　always　willingly　co…operate；　and　　therefore　you　will　rarely　meet　one　who　does　not　think　the　lot　of　　his　neighbour　better　than　his　own。〃
〃I　am　pleased　to　think；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃that　my　birth　has　given　　me　at　least　one　advantage　over　others　by　enabling　me　to　determine　　for　myself。　　I　have　here　the　world　before　me。　　I　will　review　it　at　　leisure：　　surely　happiness　is　somewhere　to　be　found。〃

CHAPTER　XVII　…　THE　PRINCE　ASSOCIATES　WITH　YOUNG　MEN　OF　SPIRIT　AND　　GAIETY。

RASSELAS　rose　next　day；　and　resolved　to　begin　his　experiments　upon　　life。　　〃Youth；〃　cried　he；　〃is　the　time　of　gladness：　　I　will　join　　myself　to　the　young　men　whose　only　business　is　to　gratify　their　　desires；　and　whose　time　is　all　spent　in　a　succession　of　　enjoyments。〃
To　such　societies　he　was　readily　admitted；　but　a　few　days　brought　　him　back　weary　and　disgusted。　　Their　mirth　was　without　images；　　their　laughter　without　motive；　their　pleasures　were　gross　and　　sensual；　in　which　the　mind　had　no　part；　their　conduct　was　at　once　　wild　and　mean　…　they　laughed　at　order　and　at　law；　but　the　frown　of　　power　dejected　and　the　eye　of　wisdom　abashed　them。
The　Prince　soon　concluded　that　he　should　never　be　happy　in　a　course　　of　life　of　which　he　was　ashamed。　　He　thought　it　unsuitable　to　a　　reasonable　being　to　act　without　a　plan；　and　to　be　sad　or　cheerful　　only　by　chance。　　〃Happiness；〃　said　he；　〃must　be　something　solid　and　　permanent；　without　fear　and　without　uncertainty。〃
But　his　young　companions　had　gained　so　much　of　his　regard　by　their　　frankness　and　courtesy　that　he　could　not　leave　them　without　warning　　and　remonstrance。　　〃My　friends；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　seriously　　considered　our　manners　and　our　prospects；　and　find　that　we　have　　mistaken　our　own　interest。　　The　first　years　of　man　must　make　　provision　for　the　last。　　He　that　never　thinks；　never　can　be　wise。　　　Perpetual　levity　must　end　in　ignorance；　and　intemperance；　though　it　　may　fire　the　spirits　for　an　hour；　will　make　life　short　or　　miserable。　　Let　us　consider　that　youth　is　of　no　long　duration；　and　　that　in　mature　age；　when　the　enchantments　of　fancy　shall　cease；　and　　phantoms　of　delight　dance　no　more　about　us；　we　shall　have　no　　comforts　but　the　esteem　of　wise　men　and　the　means　of　doing　good。　　　Let　us　therefore　stop　while　to　stop　is　in　our　power：　　let　us　live　　as　men　who　are　some　time　to　grow　old；　and　to　whom　it　will　be　the　　most　dreadful　of　all　evils　to　count　their　past　years　by　follies；　　and　to　be　reminded　of　their　former　luxuriance　of　health　only　by　the　　maladies　which　riot　has　produced。〃
They　stared　awhile　in　silence　one　upon　another；　and　at　last　drove　　him　away　by　a　general　chorus　of　continued　laughter。
The　consciousness　that　his　sentiments　were　just　and　his　intention　　kind　was　scarcely　sufficient　to　support　him　against　the　horror　of　　derision。　　But　he　recovered　his　tranquillity　and　pursued　his　　search。

CHAPTER　XVIII　…　THE　PRINCE　FINDS　A　WISE　AND　HAPPY　MAN。

AS　he　was　one　day　walking　in　the　street　he　saw　a　spacious　building　　which　all　were　by　the　open　doors　invited　to　enter。　　He　followed　the　　stream　of　people；　and　found　it　a　hall　or　school　of　declamation；　in　　which　professors　read　lectures　to　their　auditory。　　He　fixed　his　eye　　upon　a　sage　raised　above　the　rest；　who　discoursed　with　great　energy　　on　the　government　of　the　passions。　　His　look　was　venerable；　his　　action　graceful；　his　pronunciation　clear；　and　his　diction　elegant。　　　He　showed　with　great　strength　of　sentiment　and　variety　of　　illustration　that　human　nature　is　degraded　and　debased　when　the　　lower　faculties　predominate　over　the　higher；　that　when　fancy；　the　　parent　of　passion；　usurps　the　dominion　of　the　mind；　nothing　ensues　　but　the　natural　effect　of　unlawful　government；　perturbation；　and　　confusion；　that　she　betrays　the　fortresses　of　the　intellect　to　　rebels；　and　excites　her　children　to　sedition　against　their　lawful　　sovereign。　　He　compared　reason　to　the　sun；　of　which　the　light　is　　constant；　uniform；　and　lasting；　and　fancy　to　a　meteor；　of　bright　　but　transitory　lustre；　irregular　in　its　motion　and　delusive　in　its　　direction。
He　then　communicated　the　various　precepts　given　from　time　to　time　　for　the　conquest　of　passion；　and　displayed　the　happiness　of　those　　who　had　obtained　the　important　victory；　after　which　man　is　no　　longer　the　slave　of　fear　nor　the　fool　of　hope；　is　no　more　emaciated　　by　envy；　inflamed　by　anger；　emasculated　by　tenderness；　or　depressed　　by　grief；　but　walks　on　calmly　through　the　tumults　or　privacies　of　　life；　as　the　sun　pursues　alike　his　course　through　the　calm　or　the　　stormy　sky。
He　enumerated　many　examples　of　heroes　immovable　by　pain　or　　pleasure；　who　looked　with　indifference　on　those　modes　or　accidents　　to　which　the　vulgar　give　the　names　of　good　and　evil。　　He　exhorted　　his　hearers　to　lay　aside　their　prejudices；　and　arm　themselves　　against　the　shafts　of　malice　or　misfortune；　by　invulnerable　　patience：　　concluding　that　this　state　only　was　happiness；　and　that　　this　happiness　was　in　every　one's　power。
Rasselas　listened　to　him　with　the　veneration　due　to　the　　instructions　of　a　superior　being；　and　waiting　for　him　at　the　door；　　humbly　implored　the　liberty　of　visiting　so　great　a　master　of　true　　wisdom。　　The　lecturer　hesitated　a　moment；　when　Rasselas　put　a　purse　　of　gold　into　his　hand；　which　he　received　with　a　mixture　of　joy　and　　wonder。
〃I　have　found；〃　said　the　Prince　at　his　return　to　Imlac；　〃a　man　who　　can　teach　all　that　is　necessary　to　be　known；　who；　from　the　unshaken　　throne　of　rational　fortitude；　looks　down　on　the　scenes　of　life　　changing　beneath　him。　　He　speaks；　and　attention　watches　his　lips。　　　He　reasons；　and　conviction　closes　his　periods。　　This　man　shall　be　　my　future　guide：　　I　will　learn　his　doctrines　and　imitate　his　life。〃
〃Be　not　too　hasty；〃　said　Imlac；　〃to　trust　or　to　admire　the　teachers　　of　morality：　　they　discourse　like　angels；　but　they　live　like　men。〃
Rasselas；　who　could　not　conceive　how　any　man　could　reason　so　　forcibly　without　feeling　the　cogency　of　his　own　arguments；　paid　his　　visit　in　a　few　days；　and　was　denied　admission。　　He　had　now　learned　　the　power　of　money；　and　made　his　way　by　a　piece　of　gold　to　the　　inner　apartment；　where　he　found　the　philosopher　in　a　room　half　　darkened；　with　his　eyes　misty　and　his　face　pale。　　〃Sir；〃　said　he；　　〃you　are　come　at　a　time　when　all　human　friendship　is　useless；　what　　I　suffer　cannot　be　remedied：　　what　I　have　lost　cannot　be　supplied。　　　My　daughter；　my　only　daughter；　from　whose　tenderness　I　expected　all　　the　comforts　of　my　age；　died　last　night　of　a　fever。　　My　views；　my　　purposes；　my　hopes；　are　at　an　end：　　I　am　now　a　lonely　being；　　disu