With observations like these the prince amused himself as he returned, uttering them with a plaintive voice, yet with a look that discovered him to feel some complaisance in his own perspicacity, and to receive some solace of the miseries of life, from consciousness of the delicacy with which he felt, and the eloquence with which he bewailed them. He mingled cheerfully in the diversions of the evening, and all rejoiced to find that his heart was lightened.

CHAPTER III.

THE WANTS OF HIM THAT WANTS NOTHING.

On the next day his old instructor, imagining that he had now made himself acquainted with his disease of mind, was in hope of curing it by counsel, and officiously sought an opportunity of conference, which the prince, having long considered him as one whose intellects were exhausted, was not very willing to afford : «< Why, said he, does this man thus intrude upon me? shall I be never suffered to forget

Telles étaient, chemin faisant, les réflexions auxquelles se livrait le prince. Sa voix avait quelque chose de plaintif, mais son regard annonçait pourtant la satisfaction d'avoir pu aussi subtilement saisir ces nouveaux aperçus. C'était une sorte d'adoucissement aux misères de sa condition que la conscience intime de ces sensations délicates et de l'éloquence avec laquelle il les exprimait. Il apporta un front plus serein au milieu des plaisirs de la soirée, et tous ceux qui les partageaient se sentirent eux-mêmes soulagés du poids qui ne pesait plus sur son cœur.

CHAPITRE III.

CE QUI MANQUE A CELUI QUI NE MANQUE DE RIEN.

Le jour suivant, le vieux mentor croyant avoir découvert le mal de Rasselas, conçut l'espoir de le guérir par ses conseils, et ne chercha plus qu'une occasion de lui parler; mais le prince, qui depuis long-temps le regardait comme un esprit usé, n'était point disposé à la lui offrir. « Pourquoi me poursuivre ainsi? se disait-il; me faudra-t-il entendre toujours des leçons qui pouvaient bien me plaire alors qu'elles étaient nouvelles, mais que j'aurais besoin

those lectures which pleased only while they were new, and to become new again must be forgotten?» He then walked into the wood and composed himself to his usual meditations; when, before his thoughts had taken any settled form, he perceived his pursuer at his side; and was at first prompted by his impatience to go hastily away; but, being unwilling to offend a man whom he had once reverenced and still loved, he invited him to sit down with him on the bank.

The old man, thus encouraged, began to lament the change which had been lately observed in the prince, and to inquire why he so often retired from the pleasures of the palace to loneliness and silence? « I fly from pleasure, said the prince, because pleasure has ceased to please; I am lonely because I am miserable, and am unwilling to cloud with my presence the happiness of others. — You, sir, said the sage, are the first who has complained of misery in the happy valley. I hope to convince you that your complaints have no real cause. You are here in full possession of all that the emperor of Abyssinia can bestow; here is neither labour to be endured nor danger to be dreaded, yet here is all that labour or danger can procure or purchase. Look round, and tell me which of

d'oublier pour qu'elles pussent exciter encore ma curiosité? » Puis il se dirigeait vers les bois et s'y livrait à ses méditations. Ses idées n'avaient pas encore eu le temps de se fixer, que déjà l'inévitable vieillard était à ses côtés. Dans son impatience, il voulut s'éloigner brusquement; mais, retenu par la crainte d'offenser un homme qu'il avait long-temps vénéré et qu'il aimait encore, il le pria de s'asseoir près de lui sur un tertre.

Le vieillard, encouragé par cet accueil, se mit à déplorer le changement qui s'était opéré dans le prince? Par quels motifs pouvait-il abandonner si souvent, pour la solitude et le silence, le palais et ses plaisirs? << Je fuis le plaisir, dit le prince, parce que le plaisir a cessé de me plaire; je suis seul parce que je suis malheureux et que je ne veux pas troubler, par ma présence, le bonheur des autres. Vous êtes le premier, dit le sage, qui se soit trouvé malheureux dans la vallée du bonheur. J'espère vous convaincre que vos plaintes sont sans fondement. Vous disposez sans réserve de tout ce que l'empereur d'Abyssinie a le pouvoir de donner. En ces lieux, jamais de danger ni de travail, et vous y possédez tout ce qu'il faut acquérir ailleurs par le travail ou le danger. Regardez autour de vous, dites-moi lequel de vos besoins n'est point satisfait,

your wants is without its supply: if nothing, how are you unhappy?

you want

That I want nothing, said the prince, or that I know not what I want, is the cause of my complaint; if I had any known want, I should have a certain wish; that wish would excite endeavour, and I should not then repine to see the sun move so slowly towards the western mountain, or lament when the day breaks, and sleep will no longer hide me from myself. When I see the kids and the lambs chasing one another, I fancy that I should be happy if I had something to pursue. But, possessing all that I can want, I find one day and one hour exactly like another, except that the latter is still more tedious than the former. Let your experience inform me how the day may now seem as short as in my childhood, while nature was yet fresh, and every moment showed me what I had never observed before. I have already enjoyed too much; give me something to desire. »

The old man was surprised at this new species of affliction, and knew not what to reply, yet was unwilling to be silent. « Sir, said he, if