h reverence, and heard with
obedience, and who had the power to extend his edicts, to a whole
kingdom. "There can be no pleasure," said he, "equal to that of feeling,
at once, the joy of thousands, all made happy by wise administration.
Yet, since by the law of subordination, this sublime delight can be in
one nation but the lot of one, it is, surely, reasonable to think, that
there is some satisfaction more popular and accessible; and that
millions can hardly be subjected to the will of a single man, only to
fill his particular breast with incommunicable content."

These thoughts were often in his mind, and he found no solution of the
difficulty. But, as presents and civilities gained him more familiarity,
he found that almost every man, who stood high in employment, hated all
the rest, and was hated by them, and that their lives were a continual
succession of plots and detections, stratagems and escapes, faction and
treachery. Many of those, who surrounded the bassa, were sent only to
watch and report his conduct; every tongue was muttering censure, and
every eye was searching for a fault.

At last the letters of revocation arrived, the bassa was carried in
chains to Constantinople, and his name was mentioned no more.

"What are we now to think of the prerogatives of power?" said Rasselas
to his sister: "is it without any efficacy to good? or, is the
subordinate degree only dangerous, and the supreme safe and glorious? Is
the sultan the only happy man in his dominions? or, is the sultan
himself subject to the torments of suspicion, and the dread of enemies?"

In a short time the second bassa was deposed. The sultan, that had
advanced him, was murdered by the janizaries, and his successour had
other views, and different favourites.

CHAP. XXV.

THE PRINCESS PURSUES HER INQUIRY WITH MORE DILIGENCE THAN SUCCESS.

The princess, in the mean time, insinuated herself into many families;
for there are few doors, through which liberality, joined with good-humour,
cannot find its way. The daughters of many houses were airy and
cheerful, but Nekayah had been too long accustomed to the conversation
of Imlac and her brother, to be much pleased with childish levity, and
prattle, which had no meaning. She found their thoughts narrow, their
wishes low, and their merriment often artificial. Their pleasures, poor
as they were, could not be preserved pure, but were imbittered by petty
competitions, and worthless emulation. They w