rasselas, prince of abyssinia-第11部分

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evity　and　prattle　which　had　no　meaning。　　She　found　their　　thoughts　narrow；　their　wishes　low；　and　their　merriment　often　　artificial。　　Their　pleasures；　poor　as　they　were；　could　not　be　　preserved　pure；　but　were　embittered　by　petty　competitions　and　　worthless　emulation。　　They　were　always　jealous　of　the　beauty　of　　each　other；　of　a　quality　to　which　solicitude　can　add　nothing；　and　　from　which　detraction　can　take　nothing　away。　　Many　were　in　love　　with　triflers　like　themselves；　and　many　fancied　that　they　were　in　　love　when　in　truth　they　were　only　idle。　　Their　affection　was　not　　fixed　on　sense　or　virtue；　and　therefore　seldom　ended　but　in　　vexation。　　Their　grief；　however；　like　their　joy；　was　transient；　　everything　floated　in　their　mind　unconnected　with　the　past　or　　future；　so　that　one　desire　easily　gave　way　to　another；　as　a　second　　stone；　cast　into　the　water；　effaces　and　confounds　the　circles　of　　the　first。
With　these　girls　she　played　as　with　inoffensive　animals；　and　found　　them　proud　of　her　countenance　and　weary　of　her　company。
But　her　purpose　was　to　examine　more　deeply；　and　her　affability　　easily　persuaded　the　hearts　that　were　swelling　with　sorrow　to　　discharge　their　secrets　in　her　ear；　and　those　whom　hope　flattered　　or　prosperity　delighted　often　courted　her　to　partake　their　　pleasure。
The　Princess　and　her　brother　commonly　met　in　the　evening　in　a　　private　summerhouse　on　the　banks　of　the　Nile；　and　related　to　each　　other　the　occurrences　of　the　day。　　As　they　were　sitting　together　　the　Princess　cast　her　eyes　upon　the　river　that　flowed　before　her。　　　〃Answer；〃　said　she；　〃great　father　of　waters；　thou　that　rollest　thy　　goods　through　eighty　nations；　to　the　invocations　of　the　daughter　of　　thy　native　king。　　Tell　me　if　thou　waterest　through　all　thy　course　a　　single　habitation　from　which　thou　dost　not　hear　the　murmurs　of　　complaint。〃
〃You　are　then；〃　said　Rasselas；　〃not　more　successful　in　private　　houses　than　I　have　been　in　Courts。〃　　〃I　have；　since　the　last　　partition　of　our　provinces；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃enabled　myself　to　　enter　familiarly　into　many　families；　where　there　was　the　fairest　　show　of　prosperity　and　peace；　and　know　not　one　house　that　is　not　　haunted　by　some　fury　that　destroys　their　quiet。
〃I　did　not　seek　ease　among　the　poor；　because　I　concluded　that　there　　it　could　not　be　found。　　But　I　saw　many　poor　whom　I　had　supposed　to　　live　in　affluence。　　Poverty　has　in　large　cities　very　different　　appearances。　　It　is　often　concealed　in　splendour　and　often　in　　extravagance。　　It　is　the　care　of　a　very　great　part　of　mankind　to　　conceal　their　indigence　from　the　rest。　　They　support　themselves　by　　temporary　expedients；　and　every　day　is　lost　in　contriving　for　the　　morrow。
〃This；　however；　was　an　evil　which；　though　frequent；　I　saw　with　less　　pain；　because　I　could　relieve　it。　　Yet　some　have　refused　my　　bounties；　more　offended　with　my　quickness　to　detect　their　wants　　than　pleased　with　my　readiness　to　succour　them；　and　others；　whose　　exigencies　compelled　them　to　admit　my　kindness；　have　never　been　　able　to　forgive　their　benefactress。　　Many；　however；　have　been　　sincerely　grateful　without　the　ostentation　of　gratitude　or　the　hope　　of　other　favours。〃

CHAPTER　XXVI　…　THE　PRINCESS　CONTINUES　HER　REMARKS　UPON　PRIVATE　　LIFE。

NEKAYAH；　perceiving　her　brother's　attention　fixed；　proceeded　in　her　　narrative。
〃In　families　where　there　is　or　is　not　poverty　there　is　commonly　　discord。　　If　a　kingdom　be；　as　Imlac　tells　us；　a　great　family；　a　　family　likewise　is　a　little　kingdom；　torn　with　factions　and　exposed　　to　revolutions。　　An　unpractised　observer　expects　the　love　of　　parents　and　children　to　be　constant　and　equal。　　But　this　kindness　　seldom　continues　beyond　the　years　of　infancy；　in　a　short　time　the　　children　become　rivals　to　their　parents。　　Benefits　are　allowed　by　　reproaches；　and　gratitude　debased　by　envy。
〃Parents　and　children　seldom　act　in　concert；　each　child　endeavours　　to　appropriate　the　esteem　or　the　fondness　of　the　parents；　and　the　　parents；　with　yet　less　temptation；　betray　each　other　to　their　　children。　　Thus；　some　place　their　confidence　in　the　father　and　some　　in　the　mother；　and　by　degrees　the　house　is　filled　with　artifices　　and　feuds。
〃The　opinions　of　children　and　parents；　of　the　young　and　the　old；　　are　naturally　opposite；　by　the　contrary　effects　of　hope　and　　despondency；　of　expectation　and　experience；　without　crime　or　folly　　on　either　side。　　The　colours　of　life　in　youth　and　age　appear　　different；　as　the　face　of　Nature　in　spring　and　winter。　　And　how　can　　children　credit　the　assertions　of　parents　which　their　own　eyes　show　　them　to　be　false？
〃Few　parents　act　in　such　a　manner　as　much　to　enforce　their　maxims　　by　the　credit　of　their　lives。　　The　old　man　trusts　wholly　to　slow　　contrivance　and　gradual　progression；　the　youth　expects　to　force　his　　way　by　genius；　vigour；　and　precipitance。　　The　old　man　pays　regard　　to　riches；　and　the　youth　reverences　virtue。　　The　old　man　deifies　　prudence；　the　youth　commits　himself　to　magnanimity　and　chance。　　The　　young　man；　who　intends　no　ill；　believes　that　none　is　intended；　and　　therefore　acts　with　openness　and　candour；　but　his　father；　having　　suffered　the　injuries　of　fraud；　is　impelled　to　suspect　and　too　　often　allured　to　practise　it。　　Age　looks　with　anger　on　the　temerity　　of　youth；　and　youth　with　contempt　on　the　scrupulosity　of　age。　　Thus　　parents　and　children　for　the　greatest　part　live　on　to　love　less　and　　less；　and　if　those　whom　Nature　has　thus　closely　united　are　the　　torments　of　each　other；　where　shall　we　look　for　tenderness　and　　consolations？〃
〃Surely；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃you　must　have　been　unfortunate　in　your　　choice　of　acquaintance。　　I　am　unwilling　to　believe　that　the　most　　tender　of　all　relations　is　thus　impeded　in　its　effects　by　natural　　necessity。〃
〃Domestic　discord；〃　answered　she；　〃is　not　inevitably　and　fatally　　necessary；　but　yet　it　is　not　easily　avoided。　　We　seldom　see　that　a　　whole　family　is　virtuous；　the　good　and　the　evil　cannot　well　agree；　　and　the　evil　can　yet　less　agree　with　one　another。　　Even　the　　virtuous　fall　sometimes　to　variance；　when　their　virtues　are　of　　different　kinds　and　tending　to　extremes。　　In　general；　those　parents　　have　most　reverence　who　most　deserve　it；　for　he　that　lives　well　　cannot　be　despised。
〃Many　other　evils　infest　private　life。　　Some　are　the　slaves　of　　servants　whom　they　have　trusted　with　their　affairs。　　Some　are　kept　　in　continual　anxiety　by　the　caprice　of　rich　relations；　whom　they　　cannot　please　and　dare　not　offend。　　Some　husbands　are　imperious　and　　some　wives　perverse；　and；　as　it　is　always　more　easy　to　do　evil　than　　good；　though　the　wisdom　or　virtue　of　one　can　very　rarely　make　many　　happy；　the　folly　or　vice　of　one　makes　many　miserable。〃
〃If　such　be　the　general　effect　of　marriage；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃I　　shall　for　the　future　think　it　dangerous　to　connect　my　interest　with　　that　of　another；　lest　I　should　be　unhappy　by　my　partner's　fault。〃
〃I　have　met；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃with　many　who　live　single　for　　that　reason；　but　I　never　found　that　their　prudence　ought　to　raise　　envy。　　They　dream　away　their　time　without　friendship；　without　　fondness；　and　are　driven　to　rid　themselves　of　the　day；　for　which　　they　have　no　use；　by　childish　amusements　or　vicious　delights。　　They　　act　as　beings　under　the　constant　sense　of　some　known　inferiority　　that　fills　their　minds　with　rancour　and　their　tongues　with　censure。　　　They　are　peevish　at　home　and　malevolent　abroad；　and；　as　the　outlaws　　of　human　nature；　make　it　their　business　and　their　pleasure　to　　disturb　that　society　which　debars　them　from　its　privileges。　　To　　live　without　feeling　or　exciting　sympathy；　to　be　fortunate　without　　adding　to　the　felicity　of　others；　or　afflicted　without　tasting　the　　balm　of　pity；　is　a　state　more　gloomy　than　solitude；　it　is　not　　retreat　but　exclusion　from　mankind。　　Marriage　has　many　pains；　but　　celibacy　has　no　pleasures。〃
〃What　then　is　to　be　done？〃　said　Rasselas。　　〃The　more　we　inquire　the　　less　we　can　resolve。　　Surely　he　is　most　likely　to　please　himself　　that　has　no　other　inclination　to　regard。〃

CHAPTER　XXVII　…　DISQUISITION　UPON　GREATNESS。

THE　conversation　had　a　short　pause。　　The　Prince；　having　considered　　his　sister's　observation；　told　her　that　she　had　surveyed　life　with　　prejudice　and　supposed　misery　where　she　did　not　find　it。　　〃Your　　narrative；〃　says　he；　〃throws　yet　a　darker　gloom　upon　the　prospects　　of　futurity。　　The　predictions　of　Imlac　were　but　faint　sketches　of　　the　evils　painted　by　Nekayah。　　I　have　been　lately　convinced　that　　quiet　is　not　the　daughter　of　grandeur　or　of　power；　that　her　　presence　is　not　to　be　bought　by　wealth　nor　enforced　by　conquest。　　　It　is　evident　that　as　any　man　acts　in　a　wider　compass　he　must　be　　more　exposed　to　opposition　from　enmity　or　miscarriage　from　chance。　　　Whoever　has　many　to　please　or　to　govern　must　use　the　ministry　of　　many　agents；　some　of　whom　will　be　wicked　and　some　ignorant；　by　some　　he　will　be　misled　and　by　others　betrayed。　　If　he　gratifies　one　he　　will　offend　another；　those　that　are　not　favoured　will　think　　themselves　injured；　and　since　favours　can　be　conferred　but　upon　few　　the　greater　number　will　be　always　discontented。〃
〃The　discontent；〃　said　the　Princess；　〃which　is　thus　unreasonable；　I　　hope　that　I　shall　always　have　spirit　to　despise　and　you　power　to　　repress。〃
〃Discontent；〃　answered　Rasselas；　〃will　not　always　be　without　reason　　under　the　most　just　and　vigilant　administration　of　public　affairs。　　　None；　however　attentive；　can　always　discover　that　merit　which　　indigence　or　faction　may　happen　to　obscure；　and　none；　however　　powerful；　can　always　reward　it。　　Yet　he　that　sees　inferior　desert　　advanced　above　him　will　naturally　impute　that　preference　to　　partiality　or　caprice；　and　indeed　it　can　scarcely　be　hoped　that　any　　man；　however　magnanimous　by　Nature　or　exalted　by　condition；　will　be　　able　to　persist　for　ever　in　fixed　and　inexorable　justice　of　　distribution；　he　will　sometimes　indulge　his　own　affections　and　　sometimes　those　of　his　favourites；　he　will　permit　some　to　please　　him　who　can　never　serve　him；　he　will　discover　in　those　whom　he　　loves　qualities　which　in　reality　they　do　not　possess；　and　to　those　　from　whom　he　receives　pleasure　he　will　in　his　turn　endeavour　to　　give　it。　　Thus　will　recommendations　sometimes　prevail　which　were　　purchased　by　money　or　by　the　more　destructive　bribery　of　flattery　　an