CHA P. XI.

IMLAC'S NARRATIVE CONTINUED, A

HINT ON PILGRIMAGE.

MLAC now felt the enthusiastic fit,

IM

and was proceeding to aggrandize his own profeflion, when the prince cried. out, Enough! Thou haft convinced me, that no human being can ever be a poet. Proceed with thy narration."

"To be a poet, faid Imlac, is indeed very difficult." "So difficult, returned the prince, that I will at prefent hear no more of his labours. Tell me whither you went when you had feen Perfia."

"From Perfia, faid the poet, I travelled through Syria, and for three years refided in Palestine, where I conversed with great numbers of the northern and western nations of Europe; the nations which

2

which are now in poffeffion of all power and all knowledge; whofe armies are irresistible, and whofe fleets command the remoteft parts of the globe. When I compared these men with the natives of our own kingdom, and thofe that furround us, they appeared almost another order of beings. In their countries it is difficult to wish for any thing that may not be obtained: a thousand arts, of which we never heard, are continually labouring for their convenience and pleafure; and whatever their own climate has denied them is fupplied by their

commerce."

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By what means, said the prince, are the Europeans thus powerful, or why, fince they can fo eafily vifit Afia and Africa for trade or conqueft, cannot the Afiaticks and Africans invade their coafts, plant colonies in their ports, and give

give laws to their natural princes? The fame wind that carries them back would bring us thither."

"They are more powerful, Sir, than we, answered Imlac, because they are wifer; knowledge will always predomi nate over ignorance, as man governs the other animals. But why their knowledge is more than ours, I know not what reason can be given, but the unfearchable will of the Supreme Being."

"When, faid the prince with a figh, fhall I be able to vifit Palestine, and mingle with this mighty confluence of nations? Till that happy moment shall arrive, let me fill up the time with fuch representations as thou canst give me. I am not ignorant of the motive that affembles fuch numbers in that place, and cannot but confider it as the centre of wisdom and piety, to which the best E

and

and wifeft men of every land must be continually reforting."

"There are fome nations, faid Imlac, that send few vifitants to Palestine; for many numerous and learned fects in Europe concur to cenfure pilgrimage as fuperftitious, or deride it as ridi culous."

"You know, faid the prince, how little my life has made me acquainted with diversity of opinions: it will be too long to hear the arguments on both fides; you, that have confidered them, tell me the refult."

Pilgrimage, faid Imlac, like many other acts of piety, may be reasonable or fuperftitious according to the principles upon which it is performed. Long journeys in fearch of truth are not com. manded. Truth, fuch as is necessary to the regulation of life, is always found.

where

where it is honeftly fought. Change of place is no natural caufe of the increase of piety, for it inevitably produces diffipation of mind. Yet, fince men go every day to view the fields where great actions have been performed, and return with stronger impreffions of the event, curiofity of the fame kind may naturally dispose us to view that country whence our religion had its beginning; and I believe no man furveys thofe awful scenes without fome confirmation of holy refolutions. That the Supreme Being may be more easily propitiated in one place than in another, is the dream of idle fuperftition; but that fome places may operate upon our own minds in an uncommon manner, is an opinion which hourly experience will justify. He who supposes that his vices may be more fuccessfully combated in Paleftine, will,