CHAPTER XXIII--THE PRINCE AND HIS SISTER DIVIDE BETWEEN THEM THE
WORK OF OBSERVATION.
Rasselas returned home full of reflections, doubting how to direct
his future steps. Of the way to happiness he found the learned and
simple equally ignorant; but as he was yet young, he flattered
himself that he had time remaining for more experiments and further
inquiries. He communicated to Imlac his observations and his
doubts, but was answered by him with new doubts and remarks that
gave him no comfort. He therefore discoursed more frequently and
freely with his sister, who had yet the same hope with himself, and
always assisted him to give some reason why, though he had been
hitherto frustrated, he might succeed at last.
"We have hitherto," said she, "known but little of the world; we
have never yet been either great or mean. In our own country,
though we had royalty, we had no power; and in this we have not yet
seen the private recesses of domestic peace. Imlac favours not our
search, lest we should in time find him mistaken. We will divide
the task between us; you shall try what is to be found in the
splendour of Courts, and I will range the shades of humbler life.
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