followed only by a fingle favourite, who did not know whither fhe was going.

"I am

They clambered through the cavity, and began to go down on the other fide. The princefs and her maid turned their eyes towards every part, and, feeing nothing to bound their profpect, confidered themselves as in danger of being loft in a dreary vacuity. They ftopped and trembled. almost afraid, faid the princefs, to begin a journey of which I cannot perceive an end, and to venture into this immenfe plain, where I may be approached on every fide by men whom I never faw." The prince felt nearly the fame emotions, though he thought it more manly to conceal them.

Imlac fimiled at their terrours, and encouraged them to proceed; but the princess continued irrefolute till fhe had been imperceptibly drawn for. ward too far to return.

In the morning they found fome fhepherds in the field, who fet milk and fruits before them. The princefs wondered that she did not fee a palace ready for her reception, and a table spread with delicacies; but, being faint and hungry, fhe drank the milk and eat the fruits, and thought them of a higher flavour than the products of the valley.

They travelled forward by easy journies, being all unaccustomed to toil or difficulty, and knowing, that though they might be miffed, they could not be pursued. In a few days they came into a more populous region, where Imlac was diverted with the admiration which his companions expreffed at the diverfity of manners, ftations, and employ

iments.

Their dress was fuch as might not bring upon them the fufpicion of having any thing to conceal, yet the prince, wherever he came, expected to be obeyed, and the princefs was frighted, because those that came into her prefence did not proftrate themfelves before her. Imlac was forced to obferve them with great vigilance, left they should betray their rank by their unusual behaviour, and detained them feveral weeks in the first village, to accustom them to the fight of common mortals.

By degrees the royal wanderers were taught to understand that they had for a time laid aside their dignity, and were to expect only fuch regard as liberality and courtesy could procure. And Imlac, having, by many admonitions, prepared them to endure the tumults of a port, and the ruggedness of the commercial race, brought them down to the fea-coaft.

The prince and his fifter, to whom every thing was new, were gratified equally at all places, and therefore remained for fome months at the port without any inclination to pafs further. Imlac was. content with their ftay, because he did not think it fafe to expose them, unpractised in the world, to the hazards of a foreign country.

At last he began to fear left they should be dif covered, and propofed to fix a day for their departure. They had no pretenfions to judge for themselves, and referred the whole fcheme to his direction. He therefore took paffage in a fhip to Suez; and, when the time came, with great difficulty prevailed on the princefs to enter the yeffel. They had a quick and profperous voyage, and from Suez travelled by land to Cairo.

CHAP. XVI.

THEY ENTER CAIRO, AND FIND EVERY MAN HAPPY.

AS they approached the city, which filled the ftrangers with aftonishment, "This, faid Imlac to the prince, is the place where travellers and merchants affemble from all the corners of the earth. You will here find men of every character, and every occupation. Commerce is here honourable : I will act as a merchant, and you fhall live as ftrangers, who have no other end of travel than curiofity; it will foon be obferved that we are rich; our reputation will procure us accefs to all whom we shall defire to know; you will fee all the conditions of humanity, and enable yourself at leifure to make your choice of life.

They now entered the town, ftunned by the noise, and offended by the crowds. Instruction had noť yet fo prevailed over habit, but that they wondered to fee themfelves pafs undiftinguifhed along the ftreet, and met by the lowest of the people without reverence or notice. The princefs could not at firft bear the thought of being levelled with the vulgar, and, for fome days, continued in her chamber, where she was served by her favourite Pekuah as in the palace of the valley.

Imlac, who understood traffick, fold part of the jewels the next day, and hired a houfe, which he adorned with fuch magnificence, that he was immediately confidered as a merchant of great wealth. His politeness attracted many acquaintance, and his generofity made him courted by many dependants.

His

His table was crowded by men of every nation, who all admired his knowledge, and folicited his favour. His companions, not being able to mix in the converfation, could make no difcovery of their ignorance or furprife, and were gradually initiated in the world as they gained knowledge of the language.

The prince had, by frequent lectures, been taught the use and nature of money; but the ladies could not, for a long time, comprehend what the merchants did with fmall pieces of gold and filver, or why things of fo little ufe fhould be received as equivalent to the neceffaries of life.

They studied the language two years, while Imlac was preparing to fet before them the various ranks and conditions of mankind. He grew acquainted with all who had any thing uncommon in their fortune or conduct. He frequented the voluptuous and the frugal, the idle and the bufy, the merchants and the men of learning.

The prince being now able to converfe with fluency, and having learned the caution neceffary to be obferved in his intercourfe with ftrangers, began to accompany Imlac to places of refort, and to enter into all affemblies, that he might make his choice of life.

For fome time he thought choice needlefs, because all appeared to him equally happy. Wherever he went he met gaiety and kindnefs, and heard the fong of joy or the laugh of careleffnefs. He began to believe that the world overflowed with univerfal plenty, and that nothing was withheld either from want or merit; that every hand fhowered liberality, VOL. XI.

E

and

and every heart melted with benevolence; " and who then, fays he, will be fuffered to be wretched?"

Imlac permitted the pleafing delufion, and was unwilling to crush the hope of inexperience, till one day, having fat a while filent, "I know not, faid the prince, what can be the reason that I am more unhappy than any of our friends. I fee them perpetually and unalterably cheerful, but feel my own mind restlefs and uneafy. I am unfatisfied with those pleasures which I seem most to court, I live in the crowds of jollity, not fo much to enjoy company as to fhun myfelf, and am only loud and merry to conceal my fadness."

"Every man, faid Imlac, may, by examining his own mind, guess what paffes in the minds of others: when you feel that your own gaiety is counterfeit, it may juftly lead you to fufpect that of your companions not to be fincere. Envy is commonly reciprocal. We are long before we are convinced that happiness is never to be found, and each believes it poffeffed by others, to keep alive the hope of obtaining it for himself. In the affembly, where you paffed the last night, there appeared fuch fprightliness of air, and volatility of fancy, as might have fuited beings of an higher order, formed to inhabit ferener regions, inacceffible to care or forrow yet, believe me, prince, there was not one who did not dread the moment when folitude fhould deliver him to the tyranny of reflection."

"This, faid the prince, may be true of others, fince it is true of me; yet, whatever be the general infelicity of man, one condition is more happy than

another,