History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia , livre ebook

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90 pages

English

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In this thought-provoking parable from esteemed essayist and lexicographer Samuel Johnson, a young prince has been banished to a small, secluded valley until it is his time to ascend to the throne. Will Rasselas be able to find happiness in his exile, or will he choose another course?

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Publié par	The Floating Press
Date de parution	01 mars 2017
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781776677399
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0134€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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THE HISTORY OF RASSELAS, PRINCE OF ABISSINIA
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SAMUEL JOHNSON

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The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abissinia First published in 1759 Epub ISBN 978-1-77667-739-9 Also available: PDF ISBN 978-1-77667-740-5 © 2015 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
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Chapter I - Description of a Palace in a Valley Chapter II - The Discontent of Rasselas in the Happy Valley Chapter III - The Wants of Him that Wants Nothing Chapter IV - The Prince Continues to Grieve and Muse Chapter V - The Prince Meditates His Escape Chapter VI - A Dissertation on the Art of Flying Chapter VII - The Prince Finds a Man of Learning Chapter VIII - The History of Imlac Chapter IX - The History of Imlac (Continued) Chapter X - Imlac's History (Continued)—A Dissertation Upon Poetry Chapter XI - Imlac's Narrative (Continued)—A Hint of Pilgrimage Chapter XII - The Story of Imlac (Continued) Chapter XIII - Rasselas Discovers the Means of Escape Chapter XIV - Rasselas and Imlac Receive an Unexpected Visit Chapter XV - The Prince and Princess Leave the Valley, and See ManyWonders Chapter XVI - They Enter Cairo, and Find Every Man Happy Chapter XVII - The Prince Associates with Young Men of Spirit andGaiety Chapter XVIII - The Prince Finds a Wise and Happy Man Chapter XIX - A Glimpse of Pastoral Life Chapter XX - The Danger of Prosperity Chapter XXI - The Happiness of Solitude—The Hermit's History Chapter XXII - The Happiness of a Life Led According to Nature Chapter XXIII - The Prince and His Sister Divide Between Them theWork of Observation Chapter XXIV - The Prince Examines the Happiness of High Stations Chapter XXV - The Princess Pursues Her Inquiry with More Diligencethan Success Chapter XXVI - The Princess Continues Her Remarks Upon Private Life Chapter XXVII - Disquisition Upon Greatness Chapter XXVIII - Rasselas and Nekayah Continue Their Conversation Chapter XXIX - The Debate on Marriage (Continued) Chapter XXX - Imlac Enters, and Changes the Conversation Chapter XXXI - They Visit the Pyramids Chapter XXXII - They Enter the Pyramid Chapter XXXIII - The Princess Meets with an Unexpected Misfortune Chapter XXXIV - They Return to Cairo Without Pekuah Chapter XXXV - The Princess Languishes for Want of Pekuah Chapter XXXVI - Pekuah is Still Remembered. The Progress of Sorrow Chapter XXXVII - The Princess Hears News of Pekuah Chapter XXXVIII - The Adventures of the Lady Pekuah Chapter XXXIX - The Adventures of Pekuah (Continued) Chapter XL - The History of a Man of Learning Chapter XLI - The Astronomer Discovers the Cause of His Uneasiness Chapter XLII - The Opinion of the Astronomer is Explained andJustified Chapter XLIII - The Astronomer Leaves Imlac His Directions Chapter XLIV - The Dangerous Prevalence of Imagination Chapter XLV - They Discourse with an Old Man Chapter XLVI - The Princess and Pekuah Visit the Astronomer Chapter XLVII - The Prince Enters, and Brings a New Topic Chapter XLVIII - Imlac Discourses on the Nature of the Soul Chapter XLIX - The Conclusion, in Which Nothing is Concluded
Chapter I - Description of a Palace in a Valley
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Ye who listen with credulity to the whispers of fancy, and pursuewith eagerness the phantoms of hope; who expect that age willperform the promises of youth, and that the deficiencies of thepresent day will be supplied by the morrow, attend to the historyof Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia.
Rasselas was the fourth son of the mighty Emperor in whosedominions the father of waters begins his course—whose bountypours down the streams of plenty, and scatters over the world theharvests of Egypt.
According to the custom which has descended from age to age amongthe monarchs of the torrid zone, Rasselas was confined in a privatepalace, with the other sons and daughters of Abyssinian royalty,till the order of succession should call him to the throne.
The place which the wisdom or policy of antiquity had destined forthe residence of the Abyssinian princes was a spacious valley inthe kingdom of Amhara, surrounded on every side by mountains, ofwhich the summits overhang the middle part. The only passage bywhich it could be entered was a cavern that passed under a rock, ofwhich it had long been disputed whether it was the work of natureor of human industry. The outlet of the cavern was concealed by athick wood, and the mouth which opened into the valley was closedwith gates of iron, forged by the artificers of ancient days, somassive that no man, without the help of engines, could open orshut them.
From the mountains on every side rivulets descended that filled allthe valley with verdure and fertility, and formed a lake in themiddle, inhabited by fish of every species, and frequented by everyfowl whom nature has taught to dip the wing in water. This lakedischarged its superfluities by a stream, which entered a darkcleft of the mountain on the northern side, and fell with dreadfulnoise from precipice to precipice till it was heard no more.
The sides of the mountains were covered with trees, the banks ofthe brooks were diversified with flowers; every blast shook spicesfrom the rocks, and every month dropped fruits upon the ground.All animals that bite the grass or browse the shrubs, whether wildor tame, wandered in this extensive circuit, secured from beasts ofprey by the mountains which confined them. On one part were flocksand herds feeding in the pastures, on another all the beasts ofchase frisking in the lawns, the sprightly kid was bounding on therocks, the subtle monkey frolicking in the trees, and the solemnelephant reposing in the shade. All the diversities of the worldwere brought together, the blessings of nature were collected, andits evils extracted and excluded.
The valley, wide and fruitful, supplied its inhabitants with allthe necessaries of life, and all delights and superfluities wereadded at the annual visit which the Emperor paid his children, whenthe iron gate was opened to the sound of music, and during eightdays every one that resided in the valley was required to proposewhatever might contribute to make seclusion pleasant, to fill upthe vacancies of attention, and lessen the tediousness of time.Every desire was immediately granted. All the artificers ofpleasure were called to gladden the festivity; the musiciansexerted the power of harmony, and the dancers showed their activitybefore the princes, in hopes that they should pass their lives inblissful captivity, to which those only were admitted whoseperformance was thought able to add novelty to luxury. Such wasthe appearance of security and delight which this retirementafforded, that they to whom it was new always desired that it mightbe perpetual; and as those on whom the iron gate had once closedwere never suffered to return, the effect of longer experiencecould not be known. Thus every year produced new scenes ofdelight, and new competitors for imprisonment.
The palace stood on an eminence, raised about thirty paces abovethe surface of the lake. It was divided into many squares orcourts, built with greater or less magnificence according to therank of those for whom they were designed. The roofs were turnedinto arches of massive stone, joined by a cement that grew harderby time, and the building stood from century to century, deridingthe solstitial rains and equinoctial hurricanes, without need ofreparation.
This house, which was so large as to be fully known to none butsome ancient officers, who successively inherited the secrets ofthe place, was built as if Suspicion herself had dictated the plan.To every room there was an open and secret passage; every squarehad a communication with the rest, either from the upper storeys byprivate galleries, or by subterraneous passages from the lowerapartments. Many of the columns had unsuspected cavities, in whicha long race of monarchs had deposited their treasures. They thenclosed up the opening with marble, which was never to be removedbut in the utmost exigences of the kingdom, and recorded theiraccumulations in a book, which was itself concealed in a tower, notentered but by the Emperor, attended by the prince who stood nextin succession.
Chapter II - The Discontent of Rasselas in the Happy Valley
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Here the sons and daughters of Abyssinia lived only to know thesoft vicissitudes of pleasure and repose, attended by all that wereskilful to delight, and gratified with whatever the senses canenjoy. They wandered in gardens of fragrance, and slept in thefortresses of security. Every art was practised to make thempleased with their own condition. The sages who instructed themtold them of nothing but the miseries of public life, and describedall beyond the mountains as regions of calamity, where discord wasalways racing, and where man preyed upon man. To heighten theiropinion of their own felicity, they were daily entertained withsongs, the subject of which was the Happy Valley. Their appetiteswere excited by frequent enumerations of different enjoyments, andrevelry and merriment were the business of every hour, from thedawn of morning to the close of the evening.
These methods were generally successful; few of the princes hadever wished to enlarge their bounds, but passed their lives in fullconviction that they had all within their reach that art or naturecould bestow, and pitied those whom nature had excluded from thisseat of tranquillity as the sport of chance and the slaves ofmisery.
Thus they rose in the morning and lay down at nig