ollected in my travels.

"'But such a life was too unchecquered with misfortune to last. The
first stroke which attacked and almost destroyed my hopes of good was
the untimely loss of my dear and virtuous wife. The pestilential heats
of autumn overpowered her tender frame, and raised a consuming fever in
her veins; for some time she struggled against the disease, but at
length her pure and innocent spirit forsook this earth for ever, and
left me comfortless and forlorn to mourn her loss!

"'I will not, my worthy hosts, attempt to describe the inexpressible
distress which seized my soul at seeing myself thus deserted. There are
some philosophers who aspire to triumph over human feelings, and
consider all tender affections as disgraceful weaknesses; for my part, I
have never pretended to that degree in insensibility. I have, indeed,
opposed as criminal that habitual acquiescence in sorrow which renders
us unfit for the discharge of our duties; but while I have endeavoured
to _act_, I have never blushed at _feeling_, like a man. Even now, that
time has mitigated the keenness of the smart, I feel the habitual
anguish of an incurable wound. But let me rather hasten to relate the
few remaining events of a uniform unvaried life than detain you with a
useless repetition of my sorrows.

"'Scarcely had time afforded me a feeble comfort, when the recollection
of past misfortunes was almost extinguished by the new ones which
overwhelmed my country. The fertile plains of Syria abounded in all the
necessaries and conveniences of life; the vine seemed to grow
spontaneously in every valley, and offer its luxuriant produce to every
hand; the industrious insect which spins the wonderful substance called
_silk_ out of its bowels, though lately introduced into that part of
Asia, seemed to receive new vigour from the mildness of the climate;
corn and oil, the noblest fruits and the most salubrious herbs, were
found in the garden of every peasant; and the herds of cattle and
horses, which wandered over our luxuriant pastures, equalled or
surpassed all I had observed in other countries. But this profusion of
blessings, instead of being attended with any beneficial effects,
produced nothing but a foolish taste for frivolous employment and
sensuality; feasts, and dances, and music, and tricks of players, and
exhibitions of buffoons, were more attended to than all the serious and
important cares of life. Every young man was a critic in the sci