lower faculties predominate over the higher; that when fancy, the
parent of passion, usurps the dominion of the mind, nothing ensues
but the natural effect of unlawful government, perturbation, and
confusion; that she betrays the fortresses of the intellect to
rebels, and excites her children to sedition against their lawful
sovereign. He compared reason to the sun, of which the light is
constant, uniform, and lasting; and fancy to a meteor, of bright
but transitory lustre, irregular in its motion and delusive in its
direction.

He then communicated the various precepts given from time to time
for the conquest of passion, and displayed the happiness of those
who had obtained the important victory, after which man is no
longer the slave of fear nor the fool of hope; is no more emaciated
by envy, inflamed by anger, emasculated by tenderness, or depressed
by grief; but walks on calmly through the tumults or privacies of
life, as the sun pursues alike his course through the calm or the
stormy sky.

He enumerated many examples of heroes immovable by pain or
pleasure, who looked with indifference on those modes or accidents
to which the vulgar give the names of good and evil. He exhorted
his hearers to lay aside their prejudices, and arm themselves
against the shafts of malice or misfortune, by invulnerable
patience: concluding that this state only was happiness, and that
this happiness was in every one's power.

Rasselas listened to him with the veneration due to the
instructions of a superior being, and waiting for him at the door,
humbly implored the liberty of visiting so great a master of true