This was somewhat difficult. The philosopher had never received any visits from women, though he lived in a city that had in it many Europeans, who followed the manners of their own countries, and many from other parts of the world, that lived there with European liberty. The ladies would not be refused, and several schemes were proposed for the accomplishment3 of their design. It was proposed to introduce them as strangers in distress4, to whom the sage5 was always accessible; but after some deliberation it appeared that by this artifice6 no acquaintance could be formed, for their conversation would be short, and they could not decently importune7 him often. “This,” said Rasselas, “is true; but I have yet a stronger objection against the misrepresentation of your state. I have always considered it as treason against the great republic of human nature to make any man’s virtues9 the means of deceiving him, whether on great or little occasions. All imposture10 weakens confidence and chills benevolence11. When the sage finds that you are not what you seemed, he will feel the resentment12 natural to a man who, conscious of great abilities, discovers that he has been tricked by understandings meaner than his own, and perhaps the distrust which he can never afterwards wholly lay aside may stop the voice of counsel and close the hand of charity; and where will you find the power of restoring his benefactions to mankind, or his peace to himself?”
To this no reply was attempted, and Imlac began to hope that their curiosity would subside14; but next day Pekuah told him she had now found an honest pretence15 for a visit to the astronomer, for she would solicit16 permission to continue under him the studies in which she had been initiated17 by the Arab, and the Princess might go with her, either as a fellow-student, or because a woman could not decently come alone. “I am afraid,” said Imlac, “that he will soon be weary of your company. Men advanced far in knowledge do not love to repeat the elements of their art, and I am not certain that even of the elements, as he will deliver them, connected with inferences and mingled18 with reflections, you are a very capable auditress.” “That,” said Pekuah, “must be my care. I ask of you only to take me thither19. My knowledge is perhaps more than you imagine it, and by concurring20 always with his opinions I shall make him think it greater than it is.”
The astronomer, in pursuance of this resolution, was told that a foreign lady, travelling in search of knowledge, had heard of his reputation, and was desirous to become his scholar. The uncommonness21 of the proposal raised at once his surprise and curiosity, and when after a short deliberation he consented to admit her, he could not stay without impatience22 till the next day.
The ladies dressed themselves magnificently, and were attended by Imlac to the astronomer, who was pleased to see himself approached with respect by persons of so splendid an appearance. In the exchange of the first civilities he was timorous23 and bashful; but when the talk became regular, he recollected24 his powers, and justified25 the character which Imlac had given. Inquiring of Pekuah what could have turned her inclination26 towards astronomy, he received from her a history of her adventure at the Pyramid, and of the time passed in the Arab’s island. She told her tale with ease and elegance27, and her conversation took possession of his heart. The discourse28 was then turned to astronomy. Pekuah displayed what she knew. He looked upon her as a prodigy29 of genius, and entreated30 her not to desist from a study which she had so happily begun.
They came again and again, and were every time more welcome than before. The sage endeavoured to amuse them, that they might prolong their visits, for he found his thoughts grow brighter in their company; the clouds of solitude31 vanished by degrees as he forced himself to entertain them, and he grieved when he was left, at their departure, to his old employment of regulating the seasons.
The Princess and her favourite had now watched his lips for several months, and could not catch a single word from which they could judge whether he continued or not in the opinion of his preternatural commission. They often contrived32 to bring him to an open declaration; but he easily eluded33 all their attacks, and, on which side soever they pressed him, escaped from them to some other topic.
As their familiarity increased, they invited him often to the house of Imlac, where they distinguished34 him by extraordinary respect. He began gradually to delight in sublunary pleasures. He came early and departed late; laboured to recommend himself by assiduity and compliance35; excited their curiosity after new arts, that they might still want his assistance; and when they made any excursion of pleasure or inquiry36, entreated to attend them.
By long experience of his integrity and wisdom, the Prince and his sister were convinced that he might be trusted without danger; and lest he should draw any false hopes from the civilities which he received, discovered to him their condition, with the motives37 of their journey, and required his opinion on the choice of life.
“Of the various conditions which the world spreads before you which you shall prefer,” said the sage, “I am not able to instruct you. I can only tell that I have chosen wrong. I have passed my time in study without experience — in the attainment38 of sciences which can for the most part be but remotely useful to mankind. I have purchased knowledge at the expense of all the common comforts of life; I have missed the endearing elegance of female friendship, and the happy commerce of domestic tenderness. If I have obtained any prerogatives39 above other students, they have been accompanied with fear, disquiet40, and scrupulosity41; but even of these prerogatives, whatever they were, I have, since my thoughts have been diversified42 by more intercourse43 with the world, begun to question the reality. When I have been for a few days lost in pleasing dissipation, I am always tempted13 to think that my inquiries44 have ended in error, and that I have suffered much, and suffered it in vain.”
Imlac was delighted to find that the sage’s understanding was breaking through its mists, and resolved to detain him from the planets till he should forget his task of ruling them, and reason should recover its original influence.
From this time the astronomer was received into familiar friendship, and partook of all their projects and pleasures; his respect kept him attentive45, and the activity of Rasselas did not leave much time unengaged. Something was always to be done; the day was spent in making observations, which furnished talk for the evening, and the evening was closed with a scheme for the morrow.
The sage confessed to Imlac that since he had mingled in the gay tumults46 of life, and divided his hours by a succession of amusements, he found the conviction of his authority over the skies fade gradually from his mind, and began to trust less to an opinion which he never could prove to others, and which he now found subject to variation, from causes in which reason had no part. “If I am accidentally left alone for a few hours,” said he, “my inveterate47 persuasion48 rushes upon my soul, and my thoughts are chained down by some irresistible49 violence; but they are soon disentangled by the Prince’s conversation, and instantaneously released at the entrance of Pekuah. I am like a man habitually50 afraid of spectres, who is set at ease by a lamp, and wonders at the dread51 which harassed52 him in the dark; yet, if his lamp be extinguished, feels again the terrors which he knows that when it is light he shall feel no more. But I am sometimes afraid, lest I indulge my quiet by criminal negligence53, and voluntarily forget the great charge with which I am entrusted54. If I favour myself in a known error, or am determined55 by my own ease in a doubtful question of this importance, how dreadful is my crime!”
“No disease of the imagination,” answered Imlac, “is so difficult of cure as that which is complicated with the dread of guilt56; fancy and conscience then act interchangeably upon us, and so often shift their places, that the illusions of one are not distinguished from the dictates57 of the other. If fancy presents images not moral or religious, the mind drives them away when they give it pain; but when melancholy58 notions take the form of duty, they lay hold on the faculties59 without opposition60, because we are afraid to exclude or banish61 them. For this reason the superstitious62 are often melancholy, and the melancholy almost always superstitious.
“But do not let the suggestions of timidity overpower your better reason; the danger of neglect can be but as the probability of the obligation, which, when you consider it with freedom, you find very little, and that little growing every day less. Open your heart to the influence of the light, which from time to time breaks in upon you; when scruples63 importune you, which you in your lucid64 moments know to be vain, do not stand to parley65, but fly to business or to Pekuah; and keep this thought always prevalent, that you are only one atom of the mass of humanity, and have neither such virtue8 nor vice66 as that you should be singled out for supernatural favours or afflictions.”
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1
astronomer
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| n.天文学家 | |
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amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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accomplishment
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| n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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sage
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| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
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artifice
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| n.妙计，高明的手段；狡诈，诡计 | |
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importune
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| v.强求；不断请求 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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imposture
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| n.冒名顶替，欺骗 | |
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benevolence
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| n.慈悲，捐助 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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subside
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| vi.平静，平息；下沉，塌陷，沉降 | |
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pretence
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| n.假装，作假；借口，口实；虚伪；虚饰 | |
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solicit
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| vi.勾引；乞求；vt.请求，乞求；招揽(生意) | |
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initiated
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| n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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concurring
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| 同时发生的，并发的 | |
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uncommonness
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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timorous
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| adj.胆怯的，胆小的 | |
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recollected
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| adj.冷静的；镇定的；被回忆起的；沉思默想的v.记起，想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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prodigy
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| n.惊人的事物，奇迹，神童，天才，预兆 | |
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entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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eluded
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| v.（尤指机敏地）避开( elude的过去式和过去分词 )；逃避；躲避；使达不到 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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compliance
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| n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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attainment
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| n.达到，到达；［常pl.］成就，造诣 | |
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prerogatives
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| n.权利( prerogative的名词复数 )；特权；大主教法庭；总督委任组成的法庭 | |
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disquiet
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| n.担心，焦虑 | |
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scrupulosity
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| n.顾虑 | |
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diversified
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| adj.多样化的，多种经营的v.使多样化，多样化( diversify的过去式和过去分词 )；进入新的商业领域 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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46
tumults
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| 吵闹( tumult的名词复数 )； 喧哗； 激动的吵闹声； 心烦意乱 | |
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inveterate
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| adj.积习已深的，根深蒂固的 | |
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persuasion
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| n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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habitually
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| ad.习惯地，通常地 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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harassed
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| adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词 | |
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negligence
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| n.疏忽，玩忽，粗心大意 | |
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entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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dictates
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| n.命令，规定，要求( dictate的名词复数 )v.大声讲或读( dictate的第三人称单数 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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faculties
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| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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banish
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| vt.放逐，驱逐；消除，排除 | |
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superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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scruples
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| n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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lucid
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| adj.明白易懂的，清晰的，头脑清楚的 | |
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parley
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| n.谈判 | |
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vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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