ways appeased by some
employment. Those who have already all that they can enjoy, must enlarge
their desires. He that has built for use, till use is supplied, must
begin to build for vanity, and extend his plan to the utmost power of
human performance, that he may not be soon reduced to form another wish.

"I consider this mighty structure, as a monument of the insufficiency of
human enjoyments. A king, whose power is unlimited, and whose treasures
surmount all real and imaginary wants, is compelled to solace, by the
erection of a pyramid, the satiety of dominion and tastelessness of
pleasures, and to amuse the tediousness of declining life, by seeing
thousands labouring without end, and one stone, for no purpose, laid
upon another. Whoever thou art, that, not content with a moderate
condition, imaginest happiness in royal magnificence, and dreamest that
command or riches can feed the appetite of novelty, with perpetual
gratifications, survey the pyramids, and confess thy folly!"

CHAP. XXXIII.

THE PRINCESS MEETS WITH AN UNEXPECTED MISFORTUNE.

They rose up, and returned through the cavity, at which they had
entered, and the princess prepared for her favourite a long narrative of
dark labyrinths, and costly rooms, and of the different impressions,
which the varieties of the way had made upon her. But, when they came to
their train, they found every one silent and dejected: the men
discovered shame and fear in their countenances, and the women were
weeping in the tents.

What had happened they did not try to conjecture, but immediately
inquired. "You had scarcely entered into the pyramid," said one of the
attendants, "when a troop of Arabs rushed upon us; we were too few to
resist them, and too slow to escape. They were about to search the
tents, set us on our camels, and drive us along before them, when the
approach of some Turkish horsemen put them to flight; but they seized
the lady Pekuah with her two maids, and carried them away: the Turks are
now pursuing them by our instigation, but, I fear, they will not be able
to overtake them."

The princess was overpowered with surprise and grief. Rasselas, in the
first heat of his resentment, ordered his servants to follow him, and
prepared to pursue the robbers with his sabre in his hand. "Sir," said
Imlac, "what can you hope from violence or valour? the Arabs are mounted
on horses trained to battle and retreat; we have only beasts of burden.
By leaving our present