Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia

erchants assemble from all corners of the earth. You will here find men of every character and every occupation. Commerce is here honourable. I w

sire to know; you shall see all the conditions of humanity, a

selves pass undistinguished along the streets, and met by the lowest of the people without reverence or notice. The Princess could not at first bear the thoug

s a merchant of great wealth. His politeness attracted many acquaintances, and his generosity made him courted by many dependants. His companions, not being able to

uld not for a long time comprehend what the merchants did with small pieces of gold and silver

onditions of mankind. He grew acquainted with all who had anything uncommon in their fortune or conduct.

ssary to be observed in his intercourse with strangers, began to accompany Imlac to pla

f joy or the laugh of carelessness. He began to believe that the world overflowed with universal plenty, and that nothing was withheld either from wa

e the reason that I am more unhappy than any of our friends. I see them perpetually and unalterably cheerful, but feel my own mind restless and uneasy. I am unsatisfied with

long before we are convinced that happiness is never to be found, and each believes it possessed by others, to keep alive the hope of obtaining it for himself. In the assembly where you passed the last night there appeared such sprightliness of air and volatil

atever be the general infelicity of man, one condition is more happy than anoth

r, so diversified by various relations, and so much subject to accidents which cannot be foreseen, that he who

en with reverence and wonder, chose that mode of life for th

s which acted without his foresight, and with which he did not always willingly co-operate, and t

advantage over others by enabling me to determine for myself. I have here the world