despised will always be envious, and still more envious and

malevolent if he is condemned to live in the presence of those who



despise him. The invitations by which they allure others to a

state which they feel to be wretched, proceed from the natural



malignity of hopelessmisery. They are weary of themselves and of

each other, and expect to find relief in new companions. They envy



the liberty which their folly has forfeited, and would gladly see

all mankind imprisoned like themselves.



"From this crime, however, I am wholly free. No man can say that

he is wretched by my persuasion. I look with pity on the crowds



who are annually soliciting admission to captivity, and wish that

it were lawful for me to warn them of their danger."



"My dear Imlac," said the Prince, "I will open to thee my whole

heart. I have long meditated an escape from the Happy Valley. I



have examined the mountain on every side, but find myself

insuperably barred - teach me the way to break my prison; thou



shalt be the companion of my flight, the guide of my rambles, the

partner of my fortune, and my sole director in the CHOICE OF LIFE.



"Sir," answered the poet, "your escape will be difficult, and

perhaps you may soon repent your curiosity. The world, which you



figure to yourself smooth and quiet as the lake in the valley, you

will find a sea foaming with tempests and boiling with whirlpools;



you will be sometimes overwhelmed by the waves of violence, and

sometimes dashed against the rocks of treachery. Amidst wrongs and



frauds, competitions and anxieties, you will wish a thousand times

for these seats of quiet, and willingly quit hope to be free from



fear."

"Do not seek to deter me from my purpose," said the Prince. "I am



impatient to see what thou hast seen; and since thou art thyself

weary of the valley, it is evident that thy former state was better



than this. Whatever be the consequence of my experiment, I am

resolved to judge with mine own eyes of the various conditions of



men, and then to make deliberately my CHOICE OF LIFE."

"I am afraid," said Imlac, "you are hindered by stronger restraints



than my persuasions; yet, if your determination is fixed, I do not

counsel you to despair. Few things are impossible to diligence and



skill."

CHAPTER XIII - RASSELAS DISCOVERS THE MEANS OF ESCAPE.



THE Prince now dismissed his favourite to rest; but the narrative

of wonders and novelties filled his mind with perturbation. He



revolved all that he had heard, and prepared innumerable questions

for the morning.



Much of his uneasiness was now removed. He had a friend to whom he

could impart his thoughts, and whose experience could assist him in



his designs. His heart was no longer condemned to swell with

silent vexation. He thought that even the Happy Valley might be



endured with such a companion, and that if they could range the

world together he should have nothing further to desire.



In a few days the water was discharged, and the ground dried. The

Prince and Imlac then walked out together, to converse without the



notice of the rest. The Prince, whose thoughts were always on the

wing, as he passed by the gate said, with a countenance of sorrow,



"Why art thou so strong, and why is man so weak?"

"Man is not weak," answered his companion; "knowledge is more than



equivalent to force. The master of mechanics laughs at strength.

I can burst the gate, but cannot do it secretly. Some other



expedient must be tried."

As they were walking on the side of the mountain they observed

• prince [´prins] n.王子；亲王；君主 (初中英语单词)


• honestly [´ɔnistli] ad.诚实地，老实地 (初中英语单词)


• curiosity [,kjuəri´ɔsiti] n.好奇；奇事；珍品 (初中英语单词)


• dispose [di´spəuz] v.处置；安排；布置 (初中英语单词)


• beginning [bi´giniŋ] n.开始，开端；起源 (初中英语单词)


• thither [´ðiðə] ad.到那里 a.那边的 (初中英语单词)


• freely [´fri:li] ad.自由地；慷慨地 (初中英语单词)


• european [juərə´pi:ən] a.欧洲的 n.欧洲人 (初中英语单词)


• estimate [´estimət, ´estimeit] n.估计；评价 vt.估价 (初中英语单词)


• ignorance [´ignərəns] n.无知，愚昧 (初中英语单词)


• knowing [´nəuiŋ] a.会意的，心照不宣的 (初中英语单词)


• rejoice [ri´dʒɔis] v.(使)高兴；欢庆 (初中英语单词)


• therefore [´ðeəfɔ:] ad.&conj.因此；所以 (初中英语单词)


• consequence [´kɔnsikwəns] n.结果；后果；推断 (初中英语单词)


• learning [´lə:niŋ] n.学习；学问；知识 (初中英语单词)


• perish [´periʃ] v.灭亡；消灭；(使)死去 (初中英语单词)


• communication [kə,mju:ni´keiʃən] n.通信；通讯联系 (初中英语单词)


• absent [´æbsənt, əb´sent] a.不在的 vt.使缺席 (初中英语单词)


• descend [di´send] v.下来，下降 (初中英语单词)


• facility [fə´siliti] n.容易；熟练；灵巧 (初中英语单词)


• unhappy [ʌn´hæpi] a.不幸的；不快乐的 (初中英语单词)


• injure [´indʒə] vt.伤害，损害，毁坏 (初中英语单词)


• relieve [ri´li:v] v.救济，援救；减轻 (初中英语单词)


• distress [di´stres] n.痛苦 vt.使苦恼 (初中英语单词)


• gratitude [´grætitju:d] n.感激，感谢 (初中英语单词)


• protection [prə´tekʃən] n.警戒；护照；通行证 (初中英语单词)


• mixture [´mikstʃə] n.混合；混合比；混合物 (初中英语单词)


• obtain [əb´tein] v.获得；买到；得到承认 (初中英语单词)


• riches [´ritʃiz] n.房地产；丰富 (初中英语单词)


• wealth [welθ] n.财富，财产 (初中英语单词)


• disappointment [,disə´pɔintmənt] n.失望；挫折 (初中英语单词)


• domestic [də´mestik] a.家庭的；本国的 (初中英语单词)


• valley [´væli] n.谷；河谷；流域 (初中英语单词)


• farewell [feə´wel] int.再见 n.&a.告别 (初中英语单词)


• performance [pə´fɔ:məns] n.履行；行为；工作 (初中英语单词)


• celebrate [´selibreit] vt.庆祝；表扬；赞美 (初中英语单词)


• annual [´ænjuəl] a.每年的 n.年刊 (初中英语单词)


• retreat [ri´tri:t] v.&n.退却；撤退；放弃 (初中英语单词)


• combine [kəm´bain] v.(使)结合；联合企业 (初中英语单词)


• consideration [kən,sidə´reiʃən] n.考虑；原因；体谅 (初中英语单词)


• useless [´ju:sləs] a.无用的，无价值的 (初中英语单词)


• impression [im´preʃən] n.印刷；印象；效果 (初中英语单词)


• stupid [´stju:pid] a.愚蠢的；糊涂的 (初中英语单词)


• wretched [´retʃid] a.可怜的；倒霉的 (初中英语单词)


• misery [´mizəri] n.痛苦；悲惨；穷困 (初中英语单词)


• relief [ri´li:f] n.救济；援救；减轻 (初中英语单词)


• wholly [´həul-li] ad.完全，十足；统统 (初中英语单词)


• persuasion [pə´sweiʒən] n.说服(力)；劝说；见解 (初中英语单词)


• admission [əd´miʃən] n.接纳；承认 (初中英语单词)


• companion [kəm´pæniən] n.同伴；同事；伴侣 (初中英语单词)


• flight [flait] n.逃走；飞行；班机 (初中英语单词)


• director [di´rektə] n.指导者；….长；导演 (初中英语单词)


• violence [´vaiələns] n.猛烈；暴力(行) (初中英语单词)


• evident [´evidənt] a.明显的，明白的 (初中英语单词)


• whatever [wɔt´evə] pron.&a.无论什么 (初中英语单词)


• despair [di´speə] vi.&n.绝望 (初中英语单词)


• diligence [´dilidʒəns] n.勤奋，努力 (初中英语单词)


• assist [ə´sist] v.协助；援助；搀扶 (初中英语单词)


• countenance [´kauntinəns] n.面部表情；脸色；面容 (初中英语单词)


• regulation [,regju´leiʃən] n.规则；章程；法规 (高中英语单词)


• superstition [,su:pə´stiʃən, ,sju:-] n.迷信(行为) (高中英语单词)


• successfully [sək´sesfəli] ad.成功地 (高中英语单词)


• leisure [´leʒə] n.空闲；悠闲；安定 (高中英语单词)


• motionless [´məuʃənləs] a.静止的；固定的 (高中英语单词)


• provoke [prə´vəuk] vt.挑拨；煽动；引起 (高中英语单词)


• treachery [´tretʃəri] n.背叛；背信弃义 (高中英语单词)


• learned [´lə:nid] a.有学问的，博学的 (高中英语单词)


• bounty [´baunti] n.慷慨；恩惠；赠物 (高中英语单词)


• reverence [´revərəns] n.尊敬；敬畏；尊严 (高中英语单词)


• trader [´treidə] n.商人；商船 (高中英语单词)


• pilgrim [´pilgrim] n.旅行者；香客 (高中英语单词)


• repose [ri´pəuz] v.&n.(使)休息；安息 (高中英语单词)


• notwithstanding [,nɔtwiθ´stændiŋ] prep.&conj.虽然；还是 (高中英语单词)


• distinguished [di´stiŋgwiʃt] a.卓越的，著名的 (高中英语单词)


• perpetual [pə´petʃuəl] a.永恒的；终身的 (高中英语单词)


• lament [lə´ment] v.哀悼 n.哀悼；恸哭 (高中英语单词)


• solitude [´sɔlitju:d] n.孤独；寂寞；荒凉 (高中英语单词)


• malice [´mælis] n.恶意；怨恨；预谋 (高中英语单词)


• community [kə´mju:niti] n.团体；社区；公众 (高中英语单词)


• esteem [i´sti:m] n.尊重 vt.认为；感到 (高中英语单词)


• hopeless [´həupləs] a.无望的，无可救药的 (高中英语单词)


• gladly [´glædli] ad.愉快地，高兴地 (高中英语单词)


• annually [´ænjuəli] ad.每年；按年计算 (高中英语单词)


• captivity [kæp´tiviti] n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 (高中英语单词)


• repent [ri´pent] v.后悔；悔改；悔悟 (高中英语单词)


• deliberately [di´libərətli] ad.故意地；慎重地 (高中英语单词)


• determination [di,tə:mi´neiʃən] n.决心；决定 (高中英语单词)


• innumerable [i´nju:mərəbəl] a.无数的，数不清的 (高中英语单词)


• impart [im´pɑ:t] vt.传授；赋予；告知 (高中英语单词)


• converse [´kɔnvə:s] n.交谈 a.相反的 (高中英语单词)


• mechanics [mi´kæniks] n.力学；构成法；技巧 (高中英语单词)


• secretly [´si:kritli] ad.秘密地；隐蔽地 (高中英语单词)


• superstitious [,sju:pə´stiʃəs] a.迷信的 (英语四级单词)


• inevitably [in´evitəbli] ad.不可避免地；必然地 (英语四级单词)


• whence [wens] ad.从何处；从那里 (英语四级单词)


• confirmation [,kɔnfə´meiʃən] n.证实；证据；确认 (英语四级单词)


• uncommon [ʌn´kɔmən] a.非常的，非凡的，罕见的 (英语四级单词)


• palestine [´pælistain] n.巴勒斯坦 (英语四级单词)


• languish [´læŋgwiʃ] vi.变得衰弱无力 (英语四级单词)


• virtuous [´və:tjuəs] a.道德的；善良的 (英语四级单词)


• impatience [im´peiʃəns] n.不耐烦，急躁 (英语四级单词)


• contemplation [,kɔntem´pleiʃən] n.注视；冥想；打算 (英语四级单词)


• obscurity [əb´skjuəriti] n.暗(淡)；朦胧；含糊 (英语四级单词)


• secrecy [´si:krəsi] n.保密；秘密 (英语四级单词)


• gladness [´glædnis] n.愉快，高兴，喜悦 (英语四级单词)


• resolved [ri´zɔlvd] a.决心的；坚定的 (英语四级单词)


• partake [pɑ:´teik] v.参与；分享；同吃 (英语四级单词)


• envious [´enviəs] a.妒忌的，羡慕的 (英语四级单词)


• lawful [´lɔ:fəl] a.合法的，守法的 (英语四级单词)


• amidst [ə´midst] prep.=amid (英语四级单词)


• willingly [´wiliŋli] ad.情愿地，乐意地 (英语四级单词)


• uneasiness [ʌn´i:zinis] n.不安，担忧；不自在 (英语四级单词)


• diversity [dai´və:siti] n.差异；多样性 (英语六级单词)


• laborious [lə´bɔ:riəs] a.吃力的 (英语六级单词)


• interchange [,intə´tʃeindʒ] vt.交换；兑换 n.交换 (英语六级单词)


• molest [mə´lest] vt.骚扰；使烦恼 (英语六级单词)


• recital [ri´saitl] n.背诵；叙述；音乐会 (英语六级单词)


• felicity [fi´lisiti] n.幸福；(措词)适当 (英语六级单词)


• dejected [di´dʒektid] a.垂头丧气的 (英语六级单词)


• malignant [mə´lignənt] a.恶意的；有害的 (英语六级单词)


• infest [in´fest] vt.(盗匪等)猖獗，侵扰 (英语六级单词)


• allure [ə´ljuə, ə´lur] vt.诱惑；吸引 (英语六级单词)


• vexation [vek´seiʃən] n.烦恼(的原因) (英语六级单词)