of the fruit; he therefore had recourfe to the blind man for affiftance. The latter was furprised at the proposal, and represented to him, that he could not conceive how he could affift him in fuch an enterprize, as he was deprived of fight; adding, that as they were both placed in the garden to preserve the fruit, they would, by plucking what they were ordered to fecure, fhamefully difobey their mafter, and confequently could expect nothing less than the fevereft punishment. The lame man ufed feveral arguments to remove the fcruples of his companion, and at laft fucceeded: when the blind man took him on his fhoulders and carried him from tree to tree, while the cripple plucked the fruit. They had hardly fatisfied their appetites, when the mafter came to take a view of his garden, and feeing the havock made in the fruit, was highly enraged. The two criminals would fain have excused themselves; the one al

ledging,

ledging, that for want of limbs it was im poflible for him to climb the trees, and the other, that, being denied the benefit of sight, it was abfurd to think he had gathered the fruit. But the mafter was not to be fo eafily deceived; he foon gave them to understand that he was no ftranger to their ftratagem, and the excufe they had formed to elude his enquiries. In fhort, the fact appeared fo evident, that they could not deny it, and were both driven from the garden.

"The blind man, continued the prince, is the body, which fees nothing but through the interpofition of the foul, which, like the lame man, cannot move without the affiftance of the other. The garden is the world, which all men are more or less anxious of enjoying. The mafter of the garden is the confcience, an impartial judge, placed by the deity in the human breast, and which continually animates us to pursue the paths

paths of virtue. The agreement made be-tween the blind man and the cripple implies, that the body and foul concur together, to do good or evil, and confequently that they ought to fhare equally in the rewards, or punishments."

Another question asked by Chimas was, Why the greatest men are sometimes guilty of the greatest exceffes? To which the prince answered by the following apologue.

"A black eagle, foaring far above the clouds, thought himself safe from every danger. But a fowler who had at a distance feen him afcend, took him for a kite, and fastened a piece of flesh in his nets. The eagle, whofe great height prevented him from difcerning the fnare, when he faw the prey, refolved to poffefs it. Accordingly he darted from his height, like an arrow from an Indian bow; feized on the prey, but was taken in the fnare of the fowler, who was furprised to find an eagle in a net he had Spread only for fmall birds." The

The prince having answered every quef. tion that had been proposed to him, was defirous of propofing fome himself; and accordingly addreffed feveral to the fagacious Chimas. But all his questions, like his anfwers, tended to prove, that his genius, his wisdom, and understanding, were equally admirable. Nor were his questions low and puerile: on the contrary they re lated to the fublimeft fubjects; the creation of the world and of matter; the origin of moral evil; the fource of the paffions; the operations of the deity on the human foul, and the depravity of nature, were the topics debated.

The exercife being ended, the king named his fon for his fucceffor; and when he was eighteen years of age, Kalahad, who found him felf drawing near his end, refigned to him his crown, and caused him to be pub. lickly acknowledged heir of all his domi nions. Nor did he forget to give him, with

his dying breath, the most wholesome advice.

68

My fon," faid he, " the angel of death is now approaching, and in a few moments a breathlefs carcafe will be all that remains of the once powerful Kalahad. Remember, therefore, my fon, that thou must now governt his mighty empire alone. Chimas, whose wisdom, experience, and integrity, I have long known, will give thee the wifeft counsel. Liften, my fon, to his advice; he will direct thy fteps, and never fuffer thee to wander from the paths of vir tue. Remember, O youthful monarch of Indoftan, that thy example will influence multitudes of people, it will constitute either their happiness, or misery. If thou art careful to direct thy paths by the precepts of reafon, and to liften to the dictates of confcience; if thou art indefatigable in punishing oppreffors, and those who wallow in wickedness, and careful to encourage

"

virtue