СНА Р. XLVII.

THE PRINCE ENTERS, AND BRINGS A

NEW TOPICK.

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A

LL this," faid the astronomer, “I have often thought, but my reafon has been so long fubjugated by an uncontrolable and overwhelming idea, that it durft not confide in its own decifions. I now fee how fatally I betrayed my quiet, by fuffering chimeras to prey upon me in fecret; but melancholy fhrinks from communication, and I never found a man before, to whom I could impart my troubles, though I had been certain of relief. I rejoice to find my own fentiments confirmed by yours, who are not eafily deceived, and can have no motive or purpose to deceive. I hope that time and variety will diffi

pate the gloom that has fo long furrounded me, and the latter part of my days will be spent in peace."

"Your learning and virtue," said Imlac, "may juftly give you hopes."

Raffelas then entered with the princess and Pekuah, and inquired, whether they had contrived any new diversion for the next day?"Such," faid Nekayah, "is the state of life, that none are happy but by the anticipation of change: the change itself is nothing; when we have made it, the next wifh is to change again. The world is not yet exhausted; let me fee fomething to-morrow which I never faw before."

"Variety," faid Raffelas, "is fo neceffary to content, that even the happy valley difgufted me by the recurrence of its luxuries; yet I could not forbear to reproach myself with impatience, when

I faw

I saw the monks of St. Anthony support, without complaint, a life, not of uniform delight, but uniform hardship."

"Those men," anfwered Imlac, "are lefs wretched in their filent convent than the Abiffinian princes in their prifon of pleasure. Whatever is done by the monks is incited by an adequate and reasonable motive. Their labour fupplies them with neceffaries; it therefore cannot be omitted, and is certainly rewarded. Their devotion prepares them for another ftate, and reminds them of its approach, while it fits them for it. Their time is regularly diftributed: one duty fucceeds another, fo that they are not left open to the diftraction of unguided choice, nor loft in the shades of liftless inactivity. There is a certain · task to be performed at an appropriated hour; and their toils are cheerful, be

caufe

cause they confider them as acts of piety, by which they are always advancing towards endless felicity."

"Do you think," faid Nekayah, "that the monaftick rule is a more holy and less imperfect state than any other? May not he equally hope for future happinefs who converfes openly with mankind, who fuccours the diftreffed by his charity, inftructs the ignorant by his learning, and contributes by his industry to the general fyftem of life; even though he should omit some of the mortifications which are practised in the cloister, and allow himself fuch harmless delights as his condition may place within his reach ?"

This," faid Imlac, " is a question which has long divided the wife, and perplexed the good. I am afraid to decide on either part. He that lives well in the

world is better than he that lives well in a monaftery. But, perhaps, every one is not able to ftem the temptations of publick life; and if he cannot conquer, he may properly retreat. Some have little power to do good, and have likewife little strength to resist evil. Many are weary of their conflicts with adverfity, and are willing to eject those paffions which have long bufied them in vain. And many are difmiffed by age and diseases from the more laborious duties of fociety. In monafteries the weak and timorous may be happily sheltered, the weary may repofe, and the penitent may meditate. Those retreats of prayer and contemplation have something fo congenial to the mind of man, that, perhaps, there is fcarcely one that does not purpose to clofe his life in pious abftraction with a few affociates ferious as himself."