,illustration ,,zadig2 ,,or1 ,,the ,book of ,fate4 ,,an ,oriental ,,history1 ,translated from the ,french ,,original ,,of ,mr4 ,,voltaire4 ----,quo fata trahunt1 retrahuntque sequamur4 ,per varios casus1 per tot discrimina rerum1 ,tendimus in ,latium4----,,virg4 ,,london3 ,printed for ,,iohn ,,brindley1 ,bookseller to ,his ,royal ,highness the ,prince of ,wales1 in ,new ,bond-,street4 ,,mdccxlix4 ,,the ,,dedication ,,to ,,the ,,sultana ,,sheraa1 ,,by ,,sadi4 ,the #ahth of the ,month ,scheval1 in the ,year of the ,hegira1 #hcg4 ,thou ,joy of ev'ry ,eye6 ,thou ,torment of every ,heart6 ,thou ,intellectual ,light6 ,i do not kiss the ,dust of thy ,feet2 because thou seldom art seen out of the ,seraglio1 and when thou art1 thou walkest only on the ,carpets of ,iran1 or on ,beds of ,roses4 ,i here present you with a ,translation of the ,work of an ancient ,sage1 who having the ,happiness of living free from all ,avocations1 thought proper1 by ,way of ,amusement1 to write the ,history of ,zadig2 a ,performance1 that comprehends in it more ,instruction than1 'tis possible1 you may at first be aware of4 ,i beg you would indulge me so far as to read it over1 and then pass your impartial ,judgment upon it3 ,for notwithstanding you are in the ,bloom of your ,life2 tho' ev'ry ,pleasure courts you2 tho' you are ,nature's ,darling1 and have internal ,qualities in proportion to your ,beauty2 tho' the ,world resounds your ,praises from ,morning till ,night1 and consequently you must have a just ,title to a superior ,degree of ,understanding than the rest of your ,sex2 ,yet your ,wit is no ways flashy2 ,your ,taste is refin'd1 and ,i have had the ,honour to hear you talk more learnedly than the wisest ,dervise1 with his venerable ,beard1 and pointed ,bonnet3 ,you are discreet1 and yet not mistrustful2 you are easy1 but not weak2 you are beneficent with ,discretion2 you love your ,friends1 and create yourself no ,enemies4 ,your most sprightly ,flights borrow no ,graces from ,detraction2 you never speak a misbecoming ,word1 nor do an ill-natur'd ,action1 tho' 'tis always in your ,power4 ,in a ,word1 your ,soul is as spotless as your ,person4 ,you have1 moreover1 a little ,fund of ,philosophy1 which gives me just ,grounds to hope that you'll relish this ,historical ,performance better than any other ,lady of your ,quality would do4 ,it was originally compos'd in the ,chaldean ,language1 to which both you and my self are perfect ,strangers4 ,it was translated1 however1 into ,arabic1 for the ,amusement of the celebrated ,sultan ,,ouloug-,,beg4 ,it first appear'd in ,public1 when the ,arabian and ,persian ,tales of ,one ,thousand and ,one ,nights1 and ,one ,thousand and ,one ,days1 were most in ,vogue3 ,,ouloug chose rather to entertain himself with the ,adventures of ,zadig4 ,the ,sultanas indeed were more fond of the former4 ,how can you1 said the judicious ,,ouloug1 be so partial1 as to prefer a ,set of ,tales1 that are no ways interesting or instructive1 to a ,work1 that has a ,variety of ,beauties to recommend it8 ,oh6 replied the ,sultanas1 the less ,sense there is in them1 the more they are in ,taste2 and the less their ,merit1 the greater their ,commendation4 ,i flatter my self1 thou ,patroness of ,wisdom1 that thou wilt not copy after those thoughtless ,sultanas1 but give into the ,sentiments of ,,ouloug4 ,i am in hopes likewise1 when you are tir'd with the ,conversation of such as make those senseless ,romances abovemention'd their favourite ,amusements1 you will vouchsafe to listen for one ,minute or two1 to the ,dictates of solid ,sense4 ,had you been ,thalestris in the ,days of ,scander1 the ,son of ,philip2 had you been the ,queen of ,sheba1 in the ,reign of ,solomon1 those ,kings would have been proud to have taken a ,tour to visit you4 ,may the ,celestial ,virtues grant1 that your ,pleasures may meet with no ,interruption2 your ,charms know no ,decay2 and may your ,felicity be everlasting6 ,,sadi4 ,,the ,approbation4 ,i1 ,who have subscrib'd my ,name hereto1 ambitious of being thought a ,man of ,wit and ,learning1 have perus'd this ,,manuscript1 which ,i find1 to my great ,mortification1 amusing1 moral1 philosophical1 and fit to be read1 even by those who have an utter ,aversion to ,romances2 for which ,reason1 ,i have depretiated it1 as it deserves1 and have in direct ,terms told the ,,cadi-,,lesquier1 that 'tis a most detestable ,performance4 ,,the ,,contents4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,the blind ,eye ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,the ,nose ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,the ,dog and the ,horse1 c4 ,,chap4 ,,iv4 ,the ,envious ,man ,,chap4 ,v4 ,the ,force of ,generosity ,,chap4 ,,vi4 ,the ,just ,judge ,,chap4 ,,vii4 ,the ,force of ,jealousy ,,chap4 ,,viii4 ,the ,thresh'd ,wife ,,chap4 ,,ix4 ,the ,captive ,,chap4 ,x4 ,the ,funeral ,pile ,,chap4 ,,xi4 ,the ,evening's ,entertainment ,,chap4 ,,xii4 ,the ,rendezvous ,,chap4 ,,xiii4 ,the ,free-booter ,,chap4 ,,xiv4 ,the ,fisherman ,,chap4 ,,xv4 ,the ,basilisk ,,chap4 ,,xvi4 ,the ,tournaments ,,chap4 ,,xvii4 ,the ,hermit ,,chap4 ,,xviii4 ,the ,riddles1 or nigmas ,,zadig3 ,,an ,oriental ,history4 ,,chap4 ,i4 ,the ,blind ,,eye4 ,in the ,reign of ,king ,moabdar1 there was a young ,man1 a ,native of ,babylon1 by name ,zadig2 who was not only endowed by ,nature with an uncommon ,genius1 but born of illustrious ,parents1 who bestowed on him an ,education no ways inferior to his ,birth4 ,tho' rich and young1 he knew how to give a ,check to his ,passions2 he was no ways self-conceited2 he didn't always act up to the strictest ,rules of ,reason himself1 and knew how to look on the ,foibles of others1 with an ,eye of ,indulgence4 ,every one was surpriz'd to find1 that notwithstanding he had such a ,fund of ,wit1 he never insulted2 nay1 never so much as rallied any of his ,companions1 for that ,tittle ,tattle1 which was so vague and empty1 so noisy and confus'd2 for those rash ,reflections1 those illiterate ,conclusions1 and those insipid ,jokes2 and1 in short1 for that ,flow of unmeaning ,words1 which was call'd polite ,conversation in ,babylon4 ,he had learned from the first ,book of ,zoroaster1 that ,self-love is like a ,bladder full blown1 which when once prick'd1 discharges a kind of petty ,tempest4 ,zadig1 in particular1 never boasted of his ,contempt of the ,fair ,sex1 or of his ,facility to make ,conquests amongst them4 ,he was of a generous ,spirit2 insomuch1 that he was not afraid of obliging even an ungrateful ,man2 strictly adhering to that wise ,maxim of ,zoroaster4 ,when you are eating1 throw an ,offal to the ,dogs that are under the ,table1 lest they should be tempted to bite you4 ,he was as wise as he could well be wish'd2 since he was fond of no ,company1 but such as were distinguish'd for ,men of ,sense4 ,as he was well-grounded1 in all the ,sciences of the antient ,chaldeans1 he was no ,stranger to those ,principles of ,natural ,philosophy1 which were then known3 ,and understood as much of ,metaphysics as any one in all ,ages after him2 that is to say1 he knew little or nothing of the ,matter4 ,he was firmly convinc'd1 that the ,year consisted of #cfe ,days and an half1 tho' directly repugnant to the new ,philosophy of the ,age he liv'd in2 and that the ,sun was situated in the ,center of the ,earth2 ,and when the ,chief ,magi told him1 with an imperious ,air1 that he maintain'd erroneous ,principles2 and that it was an ,indignity offered to the ,government under which he liv'd1 to imagine the ,sun should roll round its own ,axis1 and that the ,year consisted of twelve ,months1 he knew how to sit still and quiet1 without shewing the least ,tokens of ,resentment or ,contempt4 ,as ,zadig was immensely rich1 and had consequently ,friends without ,number2 and as he was a ,gentleman of a robust ,constitution1 and remarkably handsome2 as he was endowed with a plentiful ,share of ready and inoffensive ,wit3 ,and1 in a ,word1 as his ,heart was perfectly sincere and open1 he imagin'd himself1 in some ,measure1 qualified to be perfectly happy4 ,for which ,purpose he determin'd to marry a gay young ,lady 7one ,semira by name7 whose ,beauty1 ,birth and ,fortune1 render'd her the most desirable ,person in all ,babylon4 ,he had a sincere ,affection for her1 grounded on ,honour1 and ,semira conceiv'd as tender a ,passion for him4 ,they were just upon the critical ,minute of a mutual ,conjunction in the ,bands of ,matrimony1 when1 as they were walking ,hand in ,hand together towards one of the ,gates of ,babylon1 under the ,shade of a ,row of ,palm-trees1 that grew on the ,banks of the ,river ,euphrates1 they were beset by a ,band of ,ruffians1 arm'd with ,sabres1 ,bows and ,arrows4 ,they were the ,guards1 it seems1 of young ,orcan 7,nephew of a certain ,minister of ,state7 whom the ,parasites1 kept by his ,uncle1 had buoy'd up with a ,permission to do1 with ,impunity1 whatever he thought proper4 ,this young ,rival1 tho' he had none of those internal ,qualities to boast of that ,zadig had1 yet he imagin'd himself a ,man of more ,power2 and for that ,reason1 was perfectly outrageous to see the other preferr'd before him4 ,this ,fit of ,jealousy1 the ,result of mere ,vanity1 prompted him to think that he was deeply in ,love with the fair ,semira2 and fir'd with that amorous ,notion1 he was determin'd to take her away from ,zadig1 by ,dint of ,arms4 ,the ,ravishers rush'd rudely upon her1 and in the ,transport of their ,rage1 drew the ,blood of a ,beauty1 the ,sight of whose ,charms would have soften'd the very ,tigers of ,mount ,imas4 ,the injur'd ,lady rent the very ,heavens with her ,exclamations4 ,where's my dear ,husband1 she cried8 ,they have torn me from the ,arms of the only ,man whom ,i adore4 ,she never reflected on the ,danger to which she was expos'd2 her sole ,concern was for her beloved ,zadig4 ,at the same ,time1 he defended her1 like a ,lover1 and a ,man of ,integrity and ,courage4 ,with the ,assistance only of two domestic ,servants1 he put those ,sons of ,violence to ,flight1 and conducted ,semira1 bloody as she was1 and in fainting ,fits1 to her own ,house4 ,no sooner was she come to her self1 but she fix'd her lovely ,eyes on her ,dear ,deliverer4 ,o ,zadig1 said she1 ,i love thee as affectionately1 as if ,i were actually thy ,bride3 ,i love thee1 as the ,man1 to whom ,i owe my ,life1 and what is dearer to me1 the ,preservation of my ,honour4 ,no ,heart sure could be more deeply smitten than that of ,semira4 ,never did the ,lips of the fairest ,creature living utter softer ,sounds2 never did the most enamoured ,lady breathe such tender ,sentiments of ,love and ,gratitude for his signal ,service2 never1 in short1 did the most affectionate ,bride express such ,transports of ,joy for the fondest ,husband4 ,her ,wounds1 however1 were but very superficial1 and she was soon recover'd4 ,zadig receiv'd a ,wound that was much more dangerous3 ,an unlucky ,arrow had graz'd one of his ,eyes1 and the ,orifice was deep4 ,semira was incessant in her ,prayers to the ,gods that they might restore her ,zadig4 ,her ,eyes were ,night and ,day overwhelm'd with ,tears4 ,she waited with ,impatience for the happy ,moment1 when those of ,zadig might dart their ,fires upon her2 but alas6 the wounded ,eye grew so inflam'd and swell'd1 that she was terrified to the last ,degree4 ,she sent as far as ,memphis for ,hermes1 the celebrated ,physician there1 who instantly attended his new ,patient with a numerous ,retinue4 ,upon his first ,visit1 he peremptorily declared that ,zadig would lose his ,eye2 and foretold not only the ,day1 but the very ,hour when that woful ,disaster would befal him4 ,had it been1 said that ,great ,man1 his right ,eye1 ,i could have administred an infallible ,specific2 but as it is1 his ,misfortune is beyond the ,art of ,man to cure4 ,tho' all ,babylon pitied the hard ,case of ,zadig1 they equally stood astonish'd at the profound ,penetration of ,hermes4 ,two ,days after the ,imposthume broke1 without any ,application1 and ,zadig soon after was perfectly recover'd4 ,hermes thereupon wrote a very long and elaborate ,treatise1 to prove that his ,wound ought not to have been heal'd4 ,zadig1 however1 never thought it worth his while to peruse his learned ,lucubrations2 but1 as soon as ever he could get abroad1 determin'd to pay the ,lady a ,visit1 who had testified such uncommon ,concern for his ,welfare1 and for whose ,sake alone he wish'd for the ,restoration of his ,sight4 ,semira he found had been out of ,town for three ,days2 but was inform'd1 by the bye1 that his intended ,spouse1 having conceived an implacable ,aversion to a one-ey'd ,man1 was that very ,night to be married to ,orcan4 ,at this unexpected ill ,news1 poor ,zadig was perfectly thunder-struck3 ,he laid his ,disappointment so far to ,heart1 that in a short ,time he was become a mere ,skeleton1 and was sick almost to death for some ,months afterwards4 ,at last1 however1 by ,dint of ,reflection1 he got the better of his ,distemper2 and the ,acuteness of the ,pain he underwent1 in some ,measure1 contributed towards his ,consolation4 ,since ,i have met with such an unexpected ,repulse1 said he1 from a capricious ,court-,lady1 ,i am determin'd to marry some substantial ,citizen's ,daughter4 ,he pitch'd accordingly upon ,azora1 a young ,gentlewoman extremely well-bred1 an excellent ,oeconomist1 and one1 whose ,parents were very rich4 ,their ,nuptials accordingly were soon after solemniz'd1 and for a whole ,month successively1 no two ,turtles were ever more fond of each other4 ,in ,process of ,time1 however1 he perceiv'd she was a little ,coquettish1 and too much inclin'd to think1 that the handsomest young ,fellows were always the most virtuous and the greatest ,wits4 ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,the ,,nose4 ,one ,day ,azora1 as she was just return'd home from taking a short ,country airing1 threw herself into a violent ,passion1 and swell'd with ,invectives4 ,what1 in ,god's ,name1 my ,dear1 said ,zadig1 has thus ruffled your ,temper8 ,what can be the ,meaning of all these warm ,exclamations8 ,alas6 said she1 you would have been disgusted as much as ,i am1 had you been an ,eye-witness of that ,scene of ,female ,falshood1 as ,i was ,yesterday4 ,i went1 you must know1 to visit the disconsolate ,widow ,cosrou1 who has been these two ,days erecting a ,monument to the ,memory of her young deceased ,husband1 near the ,brook that runs on one side of her ,meadow4 ,she made the most solemn ,vow1 in the ,height of her ,affliction1 never to stir from that ,tomb1 as long as ever that ,rivulet took its usual ,course4--,well6 and wherein1 pray1 said ,zadig1 is the good ,woman so much to blame8 ,is it not an incontestable ,mark of her superior ,merit and ,conjugal-,affection8 ,but1 ,zadig1 said ,azora1 was you to know how her ,thoughts were employ'd when ,i made my ,visit1 you'd never forget or forgive her4 ,pray1 my dearest ,azora1 what then was she about8 ,why1 the ,creature1 said ,azora1 was studying1 to be sure1 to find out ,ways and ,means to turn the ,current of the ,river4 ,azora1 in short1 harangu'd so long1 and1 was so big with her ,invectives against the young ,widow1 that her too affected1 vain ,shew of ,virtue1 gave ,zadig a secret ,disgust4 ,zadig had an intimate ,friend1 one ,cador by ,name1 whose ,spouse was perfectly honest1 and had in reality a greater ,regard for him1 than all ,mankind besides3 ,this ,friend ,zadig made his ,confident1 and bound him to keep a ,project of his entirely a ,secret1 by a ,promise of some valuable ,token of his ,respect4 ,azora had been visiting a ,female ,companion for two ,days together in the ,country1 and on the third was returning home3 ,no sooner1 however1 was she in ,sight of the ,house1 but the ,servants ran to meet her with ,tears in their ,eyes1 and told her1 that their ,master dy'd suddenly the ,night before2 that they durstn't carry her the doleful ,tidings1 but were going to bury ,zadig in the ,sepulchre of his ,ancestors1 at the ,bottom of the ,garden4 ,she burst into a ,flood of ,tears2 tore her ,hair2 and vow'd to die by his ,side4 ,as soon as it was dark1 young ,cador came1 and begg'd the ,favour of being introduc'd to the ,widow4 ,he was so1 and they wept together very cordially4 ,next ,day the ,storm was somewhat abated1 and they din'd together2 ,cador inform'd her1 that his ,friend had left him the much greater ,part of his ,effects1 and gave her to understand1 that he should think himself the happiest ,creature in the ,world1 if she would condescend to be his ,partner in that ,demise4 ,the ,widow wept1 sobb'd1 and began to melt4 ,more ,time was spent in ,supper than at ,dinner4 ,they discoursed together with a little more ,freedom4 ,azora was lavish of her ,encomiums on ,zadig2 but then1 'twas true1 she said1 he had some secret ,infirmities to which ,cador was a ,stranger4 ,in the ,midst of their ,midnight ,entertainment1 ,cador all on a sudden complain'd that he was taken with a most violent pleuretic ,fit1 and was ready to swoon away4 ,our ,lady being extremely concern'd1 and over-officious1 flew to her ,closet of ,cordials1 and brought down every ,thing she could think of that might be of ,service on this emergent ,occasion4 ,she was extremely sorry that the famous ,hermes was gone from ,babylon1 and condescended to lay her warm ,hand upon the ,part affected1 in which he felt such an agonizing ,pain4 ,pray ,sir1 said she1 in a soft1 languishing ,tone1 are you subject to this tormenting ,malady8 ,sometimes1 ,madam1 said ,cador1 so strong1 that they bring me almost to ,death's ,door2 and there is but one ,thing can infallibly cure me2 and that is1 the ,application of a dead ,man's ,nose to the part affected4 ,an odd ,remedy truly1 said ,azora4 ,not stranger1 ,madam1 said he1 than the ,great 99,arnon's infallible ,apoplectic ,necklaces4 99 ,there was at this ,time in ,babylon1 a famous ,doctor1 nam'd ,arnon1 who both cur'd ,apoplectic ,fits1 and prevented them from affecting his ,patients1 as was frequently advertiz'd in the ,gazettes1 by a little never-failing ,purse that he hung round their ,necks4 ,this ,assurance of ,success1 together with ,cador's personal ,merit1 determin'd ,azora in his ,favour4 ,after all1 said she1 when my ,husband shall be about to cross the ,bridge ,tchimavar1 from this ,world of ,yesterday1 to the other1 of ,to-morrow1 will the ,angel ,asrael1 think you1 make any ,scruple about his ,passage1 should his ,nose prove something shorter in the next ,life than 'twas in this8 ,she would venture1 however1 and taking up a sharp ,razor1 repair'd to her ,husband's ,tomb2 water'd it first with her ,tears1 and then intended to perform the innocent ,operation1 as he lay extended breathless1 as she thought1 in his ,coffin4 ,zadig mounted in a ,moment2 secur'd his ,nose with one ,hand1 and the ,incision-,knife with the other4 ,madam1 said he1 never more exclaim against the ,widow ,cosrou4 ,the ,scheme for cutting my ,nose off was much closer laid than hers of throwing the ,river into a new ,channel4 ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,the ,,dog and the ,,horse4 ,zadig found1 by ,experience1 that the first thirty ,days of ,matrimony 7as 'tis written in the ,book of ,zend7 is ,honey-,moon2 but the second is all ,wormwood4 ,he was oblig'd1 in short1 as ,azora grew such a ,termagant1 to sue out a ,bill of ,divorce1 and to seek his ,consolation for the future1 in the ,study of ,nature4 ,who is happier1 said he1 than the ,philosopher1 who peruses with ,understanding that spacious ,book1 which the supreme ,being has laid open before his ,eyes8 ,the ,truths he discovers there1 are of infinite ,service to him4 ,he thereby cultivates and improves his ,mind4 ,he lives in ,peace and ,tranquility all his ,days2 he is afraid of ,nobody1 and he has no tender1 indulgent ,wife to shorten his ,nose for him4 ,wrapped up in these ,contemplations1 he retir'd to a little ,country ,house on the ,banks of the ,euphrates2 there he never spent his ,time in calculating how many ,inches of ,water run thro' the ,arch of a ,bridge in a second of ,time1 or in enquiring if a ,cube ,line of ,rain falls more in the ,mouse-,month1 than in that of the ,ram4 ,he form'd no ,projects for making ,silk ,gloves and ,stockings out of ,spiders ,webbs1 nor of ,china-,ware out of broken ,glass-,bottles2 but he pry'd into the ,nature and ,properties of ,animals and ,plants1 and soon1 by his strict and repeated ,enquiries1 he was capable of discerning a ,thousand ,variations in visible ,objects1 that others1 less curious1 imagin'd were all alike4 ,one ,day1 as he was taking a solitary ,walk by the ,side of a ,thicket1 he espy'd one of the ,queen's ,eunuchs1 with several of his ,attendants1 coming towards him1 hunting about1 in deep ,concern1 both here and there1 like ,persons almost in ,despair1 and seeking1 with ,impatience1 for something lost of the utmost ,importance4 ,young ,man1 said the ,queen's chief ,eunuch1 have not you seen1 pray1 her ,majesty's ,dog8 ,zadig very cooly replied1 you mean her ,bitch1 ,i presume4 ,you say very right ,sir1 said the ,eunuch1 'tis a ,spaniel-,bitch indeed4--,and very small said ,zadig3 ,she has had ,puppies too lately2 she's a little lame with her left ,fore-foot1 and has long ,ears4 ,by your exact ,description1 ,sir1 you must doubtless have seen her1 said the ,eunuch1 almost out of ,breath4 ,but ,i have not ,sir1 notwithstanding1 neither did ,i know1 but by you1 that the ,queen ever had such a favourite ,bitch4 ,just at this critical ,juncture1 so various are the ,turns of ,fortune's ,wheel6 the best ,palfrey in all the ,king's ,stable had broke loose from the ,groom1 and got upon the ,plains of ,babylon4 ,the ,head ,huntsman with all his inferior ,officers1 were in ,pursuit after him1 with as much ,concern1 as the ,eunuch about the ,bitch4 ,the ,head ,huntsman address'd himself to ,zadig1 and ask'd him1 whether he hadn't seen the ,king's ,palfrey run by him4 ,no ,horse1 said ,zadig1 ever gallop'd smoother2 he is about five ,foot high1 his ,hoofs are very small2 his ,tail is about three ,foot six ,inches long2 the studs of his ,bit are of pure ,gold1 about #bc ,carats2 and his ,shoes are of ,silver1 about ,eleven penny ,weight a-piece4 ,what ,course did he take1 pray1 ,sir8 ,whereabouts is he1 said the ,huntsman8 ,i never sat ,eyes on him1 reply'd ,zadig1 not ,i1 neither did ,i ever hear before now1 that his ,majesty had such a ,palfrey4 ,the ,head ,huntsman1 as well as the ,head ,eunuch1 upon his answering their ,interrogatories so very exactly1 not doubting in the least1 but that ,zadig had clandestinely convey'd both the ,bitch and the ,horse away1 secur'd him1 and carried him before the grand ,desterham1 who condemn'd him to the ,knout1 and to be confin'd for ,life in some remote and lonely ,part of ,siberia4 ,no sooner had the ,sentence been pronounc'd1 but the ,horse and ,bitch were both found4 ,the ,judges were in some ,perplexity in this odd ,affair1 and yet thought it absolutely necessary1 as the ,man was innocent1 to recal their ,decree4 ,however1 they laid a ,fine upon him of ,four ,hundred ,ounces of ,gold1 for his false ,declaration of his not having seen1 what doubtless he did3 ,and the ,fine was order'd to be deposited in ,court accordingly3 ,on the ,payment whereof1 he was permitted to bring his ,cause on to a ,hearing before the grand ,desterham4 ,on the ,day appointed for that ,purpose he open'd the ,cause himself1 in ,terms to this or the like ,effect4 ,ye bright ,stars of ,justice1 ye profound ,abyss of universal ,knowledge1 ye ,mirrors of ,equity1 who have in you the ,solidity of ,lead1 the ,hardness of ,steel1 the ,lustre of a ,diamond1 and the ,resemblance of the purest ,gold6 ,since ye have condescended so far1 as to admit of my ,address to this ,august ,assembly1 ,i here1 in the most solemn ,manner1 swear to you by ,orosmades1 that ,i never saw the ,queen's illustrious ,bitch1 nor the sacred ,palfrey of the ,king of ,kings4 ,i'll be ingenuous1 however1 and declare the ,truth1 and nothing but the ,truth4 ,as ,i was walking by the ,thicket's ,side1 where ,i met with her ,majesty's most venerable chief ,eunuch1 and the ,king's most illustrious chief ,huntsman1 ,i perceiv'd upon the ,sand the ,footsteps of an ,animal1 and ,i easily inferr'd that it must be a little one4 ,the several small1 tho' long ,ridges of ,land between the ,footsteps of the ,creature1 gave me just ,grounds to imagine it was a ,bitch whose ,teats hung down2 and for that ,reason1 ,i concluded she had but lately pupp'd4 ,as ,i observ'd likewise some other ,traces1 in some ,degree different1 which seem'd to have graz'd all the ,way upon the ,surface of the ,sand1 on the ,side of the fore-,feet1 ,i knew well enough she must have had long ,ears4 ,and forasmuch as ,i discern'd2 with some ,degree of ,curiosity1 that the ,sand was every where less hollow'd by one ,foot in particular1 than by the other three1 ,i conceiv'd that the ,bitch of our most august ,queen was somewhat lamish1 if ,i may presume to say so4 ,as to the ,palfrey of the ,king of ,kings1 give me leave to inform you1 that as ,i was walking down the ,lane by the ,thicket-side1 ,i took particular ,notice of the ,prints made upon the ,sand by a ,horse's ,shoes2 and found that their ,distances were in exact ,proportion2 from that ,observation1 ,i concluded the ,palfrey gallop'd well4 ,in the next ,place1 the ,dust of some ,trees in a narrow ,lane1 which was but seven ,foot broad1 was here and there swept off1 both on the ,right and on the ,left1 about three ,feet and six ,inches from the ,middle of the ,road4 ,for which ,reason ,i pronounc'd the ,tail of the ,palfrey to be three ,foot and a half long1 with which he had whisk'd off the ,dust on both ,sides as he ran along4 ,again1 ,i perceiv'd under the ,trees1 which form'd a ,kind of ,bower of five ,feet high1 some ,leaves that had been lately fallen on the ,ground1 and ,i was sensible the ,horse must have shook them off2 from whence ,i conjectur'd he was five ,foot high4 ,as to the ,bits of his ,bridle1 ,i knew they must be of ,gold1 and of the ,value ,i mention'd2 for he had rubb'd the ,studs upon a certain ,stone1 which ,i knew to be a ,touch-stone1 by an ,experiment that ,i had made of it4 ,to conclude1 by the ,prints which his ,shoes had left of some ,flint-,stones of another ,nature1 ,i concluded his ,shoes were ,silver1 and of eleven penny ,weight ,fineness1 as ,i before mention'd4 ,the whole ,bench of ,judges stood astonish'd at the ,profundity of ,zadig's nice ,discernment4 ,the ,news was soon carried to the ,king and the ,queen4 ,zadig was not only the whole ,subject of the ,court's ,conversation2 but his ,name was mention'd with the utmost ,veneration in the ,king's ,chambers1 and his ,privy-,council4 ,and notwithstanding several of their ,magi declar'd he ought to be burnt for a ,sorcerer2 yet the ,king thought proper1 that the ,fine he had deposited in ,court1 should be peremptorily restor'd4 ,the ,clerk of the ,court1 the ,tipstaffs1 and other petty ,officers1 waited on him in their proper ,habit1 in order to refund the four ,hundred ,ounces of ,gold1 pursuant to the ,king's express ,order2 modestly reserving only three ,hundred and ninety ,ounces1 part thereof1 to defray the ,fees of the ,court4 ,and the ,domesticks swarm'd about him likewise1 in ,hopes of some small ,consideration4 ,zadig1 upon winding up of the ,bottom1 was fully convinc'd1 that it was very dangerous to be over-wise2 and was determin'd to set a ,watch before the ,door of his ,lips for the future4 ,an ,opportunity soon offer'd for the ,trial of his ,resolution4 ,a ,prisoner of ,state had just made his ,escape1 and pass'd under the ,window of ,zadig's ,house4 ,zadig was examin'd thereupon1 but was absolutely dumb4 ,however1 as it was plainly prov'd upon him1 that he did look out of the ,window at the same ,time1 he was sentenc'd to pay five ,hundred ,ounces of ,gold for that ,misdemeanor2 and moreover1 was oblig'd to thank the ,court for their ,indulgence2 a ,compliment which the ,magistrates of ,babylon expect to be paid them4 ,good ,god6 said he1 to himself1 have ,i not substantial ,reason to complain1 that my impropitious ,stars should direct me to walk by a ,wood's-,side1 where the ,queen's ,bitch and the ,king's ,palfrey should happen to pass by8 ,how dangerous is it to pop one's ,head out of one's ,window8 ,and1 in a ,word1 how difficult is it for a ,man to be happy on this ,side the ,grave8 ,,chap4 ,,iv4 ,the ,,envious ,,man4 ,as ,zadig had met with such a ,series of ,misfortunes1 he was determin'd to ease the ,weight of them by the ,study of ,philosophy1 and the ,conversation of select ,friends4 ,he was still possess'd of a little pretty ,box in the ,out-parts of ,babylon1 which was furnish'd in a good ,taste2 where every ,artist was welcome1 and wherein he enjoy'd all the rational ,pleasures that a virtuous ,man could well wish for4 ,in the ,morning1 his ,library was always open for the ,use of the ,learned2 at ,night his ,table was fill'd with the most agreeable ,companions2 but he was soon sensible1 by ,experience1 how dangerous it was to keep learned ,men ,company4 ,a warm ,dispute arose about a certain ,law of ,zoroaster2 which prohibited the ,eating of ,griffins3 ,but to what ,purpose said some of the ,company1 was that ,prohibition1 since there is no such ,animal in ,nature8 ,some again insisted that there must2 for otherwise ,zoroaster could never have been so weak as to give his ,pupils such a ,caution4 ,zadig1 in order to compromize the ,matter1 said2 ,gentlemen1 ,if there are such ,creatures in ,being1 let us never touch them2 and if there are not1 we are well assur'd we can't touch them2 so in either ,case we shall comply with the ,commandment4 ,a learned ,man at the upper ,end of the ,table1 who had compos'd thirteen ,volumes1 expatiating on every ,property of the ,griffin1 took this ,affair in a very serious ,light1 which would greatly have embarrass'd ,zadig1 but for the ,credit of a ,magus1 who was ,brother to his ,friend ,cador4 ,from that ,day forward1 ,zadig ever distinguish'd and preferr'd good1 before learned ,company3 ,he associated with the most conversible ,men1 and the most amiable ,ladies in all ,babylon2 he made elegant ,entertainments1 which were frequently preceded by a ,concert of ,musick1 and enliven'd by the most facetious ,conversation1 in which1 as he had felt the ,smart of it1 he had laid aside all ,thoughts of shewing his ,wit1 which is not only the surest ,proof that a ,man has none1 but the most infallible ,means to spoil all good ,company4 ,neither the ,choice of his ,friends1 nor that of his ,dishes1 was the ,result of ,pride or ,ostentation4 ,he took ,delight in appearing to be1 what he actually was1 and not in seeming to be what he was not2 and by that ,means1 got a greater real ,character than he actually aim'd at4 ,directly opposite to his ,house liv'd ,arimazes1 one puff'd up with ,pride1 who not meeting with ,success in the ,world1 sought his ,revenge in railing against all ,mankind4 ,rich as he was1 it was almost more than he could accomplish1 to procure ev'n any ,parasites about him4 ,tho' the rattling of the ,chariots which stopp'd at ,zadig's ,door was a perfect ,nuisance to him2 yet the good ,character which every ,body gave him was still a higher ,provocation4 ,he would sometimes intrude himself upon ,zadig1 and set down at his ,table without any ,invitation2 when there1 he would most certainly interrupt the ,mirth of the ,company1 as ,harpies1 they say1 infect the very ,carrion that they eat4 ,arimazes took it in his ,head one ,day to invite a young ,lady to an ,entertainment2 but she1 instead of accepting of his ,offer1 spent the ,evening at ,zadig's4 ,another ,time1 as ,zadig and he were chatting together at ,court1 a ,minister of ,state came up to them1 and invited ,zadig to ,supper1 but took no ,notice of ,arimazes4 ,the most implacable ,aversions have frequently no better ,foundations4 ,this ,gentleman1 who was call'd the envious ,man1 would have taken away the ,life of ,zadig if he could because most ,people distinguish'd him by the ,title of the ,happy ,man4 ,an ,opportunity of doing ,mischief1 says ,zoroaster1 offers itself a hundred ,times a ,day2 but that of doing a ,friend a good ,office but once a ,year4 ,arimazes went one ,day to ,zadig's ,house1 when he was walking in his ,garden with two ,friends1 and a young ,lady1 to whom he said ,abundance of fine ,things1 with no other ,design but the innocent ,pleasure of saying them4 ,their ,conversation turn'd on a ,war that the ,king had happily put an ,end to1 between him and his ,vassal1 the ,prince of ,hyrcania4 ,zadig having signaliz'd himself in that short ,war1 commended his ,majesty very highly1 but was more lavish of his ,compliments on the ,lady4 ,he took out his ,pocket ,book1 and wrote four extempore ,verses on that ,occasion1 and gave them the ,lady to read4 ,the ,gentlemen then present begg'd to be oblig'd with a ,sight of them1 as well as the ,lady1 ,but either thro' ,modesty1 or rather a self-,consciousness that he hadn't happily succeeded1 he gave them a flat ,denial4 ,he was sensible1 that a sudden poetic ,flight must prove insipid to every one but the ,person in whose ,favour it is written1 whereupon he snapt the ,table in two whereon the ,lines were wrote1 and threw both ,pieces into a ,rose-bush1 where they were hunted for1 but to no ,purpose4 ,soon after it happened to rain1 and all the ,company flew into the ,house1 but ,arimazes4 ,notwithstanding the ,shower1 he continued in the ,garden1 and never quitted it1 till he had found one ,moiety of the ,tablet1 which was unfortunately broke in such a ,manner1 that even the half ,lines were good sense1 and good ,metre1 tho' very short4 ,but what was still more remarkably unfortunate1 they appear'd at first ,view1 to be a severe satyr upon the ,king3 ,the ,words were these3 ,to flagrant ,crimes ,his ,crown he owes2 ,to peaceful ,times ,the worst of ,foes4 ,this was the first ,moment that ever ,arimazes was happy4 ,he had it now in his ,power to ruin the most virtuous and innocent of ,men4 ,big with his execrable ,joy1 he flew to his ,majesty with this virulent ,satyr of ,zadig's under his own ,hand4 ,not only ,zadig1 but his two ,friends and the ,lady were immediately close confin'd4 ,his ,cause was soon over2 for the ,judges turn'd a deaf ,ear to what he had to say4 ,when ,sentence of ,condemnation was pass'd upon him1 ,arimazes1 still spiteful1 was heard to say1 as he went out of ,court1 with an ,air of ,contempt1 that ,zadig's ,lines were ,treason indeed1 but nothing more4 ,tho' ,zadig didn't value himself on ,account of his ,genius for ,poetry2 yet he was almost distracted to find himself condemn'd for the worst of ,traitors1 and his two ,friends and the ,lady lock'd up in a ,dungeon for a ,crime1 of which he was no ways guilty4 ,he wasn't permitted to speak one ,word for himself4 ,his ,pocket-,book was sufficient ,evidence against him4 ,so strict were the ,laws of ,babylon6 ,he was carried to the ,place of ,execution1 through a ,croud of ,spectators1 who durstn't condole with him1 and who flock'd about him1 to observe whether his ,countenance chang'd1 or whether he died with a good ,grace4 ,his ,relations were the only real ,mourners2 for there was no ,estate in ,reversion for them2 three ,parts of his ,effects were confiscated for the ,king's ,use1 and the fourth was devoted1 as a ,reward1 to the use of the ,informer4 ,just at the ,time that he was preparing himself for ,death1 the ,king's ,parrot flew from her ,balcony1 into ,zadig's ,garden1 and alighted on a ,rose-bush4 ,a ,peach1 that had been blown down1 and drove by the ,wind from an adjacent ,tree1 just under the ,bush1 was glew'd1 as it were1 to the other ,moiety of the ,tablet4 ,away flew the ,parrot with her ,booty1 and return'd to the ,king's ,lap4 ,the ,monarch1 being somewhat curious1 read the ,words on the broken ,tablet1 which had no ,meaning in them as he could perceive1 but seem'd to be the broken ,parts of a ,tetrastick4 ,he was a great ,admirer of ,poetry2 and the odd ,adventure of his ,parrot1 put him upon ,reflection4 ,the ,queen who recollected full well the ,lines that were wrote on the ,fragment of ,zadig's ,tablet1 order'd that ,part of it to be produc'd3 ,both the broken ,pieces being put together1 they answered exactly the ,indentures2 and then the ,verses which ,zadig had written1 in a ,flight of ,loyalty1 ran thus1 ,tyrants are prone to flagrant ,crimes2 ,to ,clemency his ,crown he owes2 ,to ,concord and to peaceful ,times1 ,love only is the worst of ,foes4 ,upon this the ,king order'd ,zadig to be instantly brought before him2 and his two ,friends and the ,lady to be that ,moment discharg'd4 ,zadig1 as he stood before the ,king and ,queen1 fix'd his ,eyes upon the ,ground1 and begg'd their ,majesty's ,pardon for his little worthless1 poetical ,attempt4 ,he spoke1 however1 with such a becoming ,grace1 and with so much ,modesty and good ,sense1 that the ,king and the ,queen1 ordered him to be brought before them once again4 ,he was brought accordingly1 and he pleas'd them still more and more4 ,in short1 they gave him all the immense ,estate of ,arimazes1 who had so unjustly accus'd him2 but ,zadig generously return'd the wicked ,informer the ,whole to a ,farthing4 ,the envious ,man1 however1 was no ways affected1 but with the ,restoration of his ,effects4 ,zadig every ,day grew more and more in ,favour at ,court4 ,he was made a ,party in all the ,king's ,pleasures1 and nothing was done in the ,privy-,council without him4 ,the ,queen1 from that very ,hour1 shew'd him so much ,respect1 and spoke to him in such soft and endearing ,terms1 that in ,process of ,time1 it prov'd of fatal ,consequence to herself1 her ,royal ,consort1 to ,zadig1 and the whole ,kingdom4 ,zadig now began to think it was not so difficult a ,thing to be happy as at first he imagin'd4 ,,chap4 ,v4 ,the ,force of ,generosity4 ,the ,time now drew near for the ,celebration of a grand ,festival1 which was kept but once in five ,years4 ',twas a constant ,custom in ,babylon at the ,expiration of the ,term above-mention'd1 to distinguish that ,citizen from all the ,rest1 in the most solemn ,manner1 who had done the most generous ,action2 and the ,grandees and ,magi always sat as ,judges4 ,the ,satrap inform'd them of every praise-worthy ,deed that occurr'd within his ,district4 ,all were put to the ,vote1 and the ,king himself pronounc'd the ,definitive ,sentence4 ,people of all ,ranks and ,degrees came from the remotest ,part of the ,kingdom to be present at this ,solemnity4 ,the ,victor1 whoever he was1 receiv'd from the ,king's own ,hand a golden ,cup1 enrich'd with precious ,stones1 and upon the ,delivery1 the ,king made use of the following ,salutation4 ,receive this ,reward of your ,generosity1 and may the ,gods grant me ,thousands of such valuable ,subjects6 ,upon this memorable ,day1 the ,king appear'd in all the ,pomp imaginable on his ,throne of ,state1 surrounded by his ,grandees1 the ,magi1 and the ,deputies1 from all the surrounding ,nations1 of every ,province that attended these public ,sports1 where ,honour was to be acquir'd1 not by the ,velocity of the best ,race-,horse1 or by bodily ,strength1 but by intrinsic ,merit4 ,the principal ,satrap proclaim'd1 with an audible ,voice1 such ,actions as would entitle the ,victor to the inestimable ,prize2 but never mention'd one ,word of ,zadig's ,greatness of ,soul1 in returning his invidious ,neighbour all his ,estate1 notwithstanding he would have taken away his ,life3 ,that was but a ,trifle1 and not worth speaking of4 ,the first that was set up for the ,prize1 was a ,judge1 that had occasion'd a ,citizen to lose a very considerable ,cause1 through some ,mistake1 for which he was no ways responsible1 and made him ,restitution out of his private ,purse4 ,the next ,candidate was a ,youth1 that tho' violently in ,love with one that he intended shortly to make his ,spouse1 yet resign'd her to his ,friend1 who was just expiring at her ,feet2 and moreover1 gave her a ,portion at the same ,time4 ,after this appear'd a ,soldier1 who1 in the ,hyrcanian ,war1 had done a much more glorious ,action than the ,lover4 ,a ,gang of ,hyrcanians having taken his ,mistress from him1 he fought them bravely1 and rescued her out of their ,hands3 ,soon after1 he was inform'd1 that another ,band of the same ,party had hurried away his ,mother to a ,place not far distant2 he left his ,mistress1 all drown'd in ,tears1 and ran to his ,mother's ,assistance3 ,after that ,skirmish was over1 he returned to his ,sweet-heart1 and found her just expiring4 ,he would fain have plung'd a ,dagger into his ,heart that ,moment2 but his ,mother remonstrated to him1 that1 should he die1 she should be entirely helpless1 and upon that ,account only he had ,courage to live a little longer4 ,the ,judges seem'd very much inclin'd to give their ,votes for the ,soldier2 but the ,king prevented them1 by saying1 that the ,soldier's ,action was praise-worthy enough1 and so were those of the rest1 but none of them give me any ,surprize4 ,what ,zadig did ,yesterday perfectly struck me with ,astonishment4 ,i'll mention another ,instance4 ,i had some few ,days ago1 as a ,testimony of my ,resentment1 banish'd my ,prime-,minister1 and ,favourite ,coreb from the ,court4 ,i complain'd of his ,conduct in the warmest ,terms2 and all my ,sycophants about me1 told me that ,i was too merciful2 and loaded him with the sharpest ,invectives4 ,i ask'd ,zadig what his ,opinion was of ,coreb2 and he dar'd to give him the best of ,characters4 ,i must confess1 ,i have read in our publick ,records1 indeed1 of ,instances where ,restitution have been generally made1 for ,injuries committed by ,mistake2 where a ,mistress has been resign'd2 and where a ,mother has been preferr'd to a ,mistress2 but ,i never read of a ,courtier1 that would speak to the ,advantage of a ,minister in ,disgrace1 and against whom the ,sovereign was highly incens'd4 ,i'll give #bj1jjj ,pieces of ,gold to every ,candidate that has been this ,day proclaim'd1 but ,i'll give the ,cup to no one but ,zadig4 ,sire1 said ,zadig1 'tis your ,majesty alone1 that deserves the ,cup2 'tis you alone who have done an ,action of ,generosity1 never heard of before2 since you1 who are ,king of ,kings1 wasn't exasperated against your ,slave1 when he contradicted you in the ,heat of your ,passion4 ,every ,body gaz'd with ,eyes of ,admiration on the ,king and ,zadig4 ,the ,judge1 who had generously made ,restitution for his ,error2 the ,lover1 who had married his ,mistress to his ,friend2 the ,soldier1 who had preferr'd the ,welfare of his ,mother to that of his ,mistress2 received the promis'd ,donation from the ,monarch1 and saw their ,names register'd in the ,book of ,fame3 ,but ,zadig had the ,cup4 ,the ,king got the universal ,character of a good ,prince1 which he did not long preserve4 ,this joyful ,day was solemniz'd with ,festivals beyond the ,time by ,law establish'd4 ,tragedies were acted there that drew ,tears from the ,spectators2 and ,comedies that made them laugh2 ,entertainments1 that the ,babylonians were perfect ,strangers to3 ,the ,commemoration of it is still preserv'd in ,asia4 ,now1 said ,zadig1 ,i am happy at last2 but he was grosly mistaken4 ,,chap ,,vi4 ,the ,,judgments4 ,young as ,zadig was1 he was constituted chief ,judge of all the ,tribunals throughout the ,empire4 ,he fill'd the ,place1 like one1 whom the ,gods had endow'd with the strictest ,justice1 and the most solid ,wisdom4 ,it was to him1 the ,nations round about were indebted for that generous ,maxim2 that 'tis much more ,prudence to acquit two ,persons1 tho' actually guilty1 than to pass ,sentence of ,condemnation in one that is virtuous and innocent4 ,it was his firm ,opinion1 that the ,laws were intended to be a ,praise to those who did well1 as much as to be a ,terror to ,evildoers4 ,it was his peculiar ,talent to render ,truth as obvious as possible3 ,whereas most ,men study to render it intricate and obscure4 ,on the very first ,day of his ,entrance into his ,high ,office1 he exerted this peculiar ,talent4 ,a rich ,merchant1 and a ,native of ,babylon1 died in the ,indies4 ,he had made his ,will1 and appointed his two ,sons ,joint-,heirs of his ,estate1 as soon as they had settled their ,sister1 and married her with their mutual ,approbation4 ,moreover1 he left a specific ,legacy of #cj1jjj ,pieces of ,gold to that ,son1 who should1 after his ,decease1 be prov'd to love him best4 ,the ,eldest erected to his ,memory a very costly ,monument3 ,the ,youngest appropriated a considerable ,part of his ,bequest to the ,augmentation of his ,sister's ,fortune3 ,every one1 without ,hesitation1 gave the ,preference to the ,elder1 allowing the ,younger to have the greatest ,affection for his ,sister4 ,the ,legacy therefore was doubtless due to the ,eldest4 ,their ,cause came before ,zadig1 and he examin'd them apart4 ,to the former1 said ,zadig1 ,your ,father1 ,sir1 is not dead1 as is reported1 but being happily recover'd1 is on his ,return to ,babylon4 ,god be praised1 said the young ,man6 but ,i hope the ,expence ,i have been at in raising this superb ,monument will be consider'd4 ,after this1 ,zadig repeated the same ,story to the ,younger4 ,god be praised1 said he6 ,i will immediately restore all that he has left me2 but ,i hope my ,father will not recal the little ,present ,i have made my ,sister4 ,you have nothing to restore1 ,sir2 you shall have the ,legacy of the thirty thousand ,pieces2 for 'tis you that have the greatest ,veneration for your deceased ,father4 ,a young ,lady that was very rich1 had entred into a ,marriage-,contract with two ,magis2 and having receiv'd ,instructions from both ,parties for some ,months1 she prov'd with ,child4 ,they were both ready and willing to marry her4 ,but1 said she1 he shall be my ,husband1 that has put me into a ,capacity of serving my ,country1 by adding one to it4 ',tis ,i1 ,madam1 that have answered that valuable ,end1 said one2 but the other insisted 'twas his ,operation4 ,well6 said she1 since this is a ,moot-point1 ,i'll acknowledge him for the ,father of the ,child1 that will give him the most liberal ,education4 ,in a short ,time after1 my ,lady was brought to ,bed of a hopeful ,boy4 ,each of them insisted on being ,tutor1 and the ,cause was brought before ,zadig4 ,the two ,magi were order'd to appear in ,court4 ,pray ,sir1 said ,zadig to the first1 what ,method of ,instruction do you propose to pursue for the ,improvement of your young ,pupil8 ,he shall first be grounded1 said this learned ,pedagogue1 in the ,eight ,parts of ,speech2 then ,i'll teach him ,logic1 ,astrology1 ,magick1 the wide ,difference between the ,terms ,substance and ,accident1 ,abstract and ,concrete1 c4 c4 ,as for my ,part1 ,sir1 ,i shall take another ,course1 said the second2 ,i'll do my utmost to make him an honest ,man1 and acceptable to his ,friends4 ,upon this1 ,zadig said1 you1 ,sir1 shall marry the ,mother1 let who will be the ,father4 ,there came daily ,complaints to ,court against the ,itimadoulet of ,media1 whose ,name was ,irax4 ,he was a ,person of ,quality1 who was possess'd of a very considerable ,estate1 notwithstanding he had squander'd away a great ,part of it1 by indulging himself in all ,manner of expensive ,pleasures4 ,it was but seldom that an ,inferior was suffer'd to speak to him2 but not a ,soul durst contradict him3 ,no ,peacock was more gay2 no ,turtle more amorous2 and no ,tortoise more indolent and inactive4 ,he made false ,glory and false ,pleasures his sole ,pursuit4 ,zadig1 undertaking to cure him1 sent him forthwith1 as by express ,order from the ,king1 a ,musick-,master with twelve ,voices1 and #bd ,violins1 as his ,attendants2 a ,head ,steward1 with six ,men ,cooks1 and #d ,chamberlains1 who were never to be out of his ,sight4 ,the ,king issued out his ,writ for the punctual ,observance of his ,royal ,will2 and thus the ,affair proceeded4 ,the first ,morning1 as soon as the voluptuous ,irax had open'd his ,eyes1 his ,musick-,master1 with the ,voices and ,violins1 entred his ,apartment4 ,they sang a ,cantata1 that lasted two ,hours and three ,minutes4 ,every three ,minutes the ,chorus1 or ,burthen of the ,song1 was to this ,effect4 ,tisn't in ,words to speak your ,praise2 ,what mighty ,honours are your ,due6 ,to worth like yours we ,altars raise1 ,no ,monarch's happier1 ,sir1 than you4 ,after the ,cantata was over1 the ,chamberlain address'd him in a formal ,harangue for three ,quarters of an ,hour without ceasing2 wherein he took ,occasion to extol every ,virtue to which he was a perfect ,stranger2 when the ,oration was over1 he was conducted to ,dinner1 where the ,musicians were all in waiting1 and play'd1 as soon as he was seated at his ,table4 ,dinner lasted three ,hours before he condescended to speak a ,word4 ,when he did2 you say ,right1 ,sir1 said the chief ,chamberlain2 scarce had he utter'd four ,words more1 but ,right1 ,sir1 said the second4 ,the other two ,chamberlain's ,time was taken up in laughing with ,admiration at ,irax's ,smart ,repartees1 or at least such as he ought to have made4 ,after the ,cloth was taken away1 the adulating ,chorus was repeated4 ,this first ,day ,irax was all in ,raptures2 he imagin'd1 that this ,honour done him by the ,king of ,kings1 was the sole ,result of his exalted ,merit4 ,the second wasn't altogether so agreeable2 ,the third prov'd somewhat troublesome2 the fourth insupportable2 the fifth was tormenting2 and at last1 he was perfectly outrageous at the continual ,peal in his ,ears of ,no ,monarch's happier ,sir1 than you1 ,you say right1 c4 and at being daily harangu'd at the same ,hour4 ,whereupon he wrote to ,court1 and begg'd of his ,majesty to recal his ,chamberlain1 his ,musick-,master1 and all his ,retinue1 his ,head ,steward and his ,cooks1 and promis'd1 in the most submissive ,manner1 to be less vain1 and more industrious for the future4 ,tho' he didn't require so much ,adulations1 nor such grand ,entertainments1 he was much more happy2 for1 as ,sadder has it1 ,one continued ,scene of ,pleasure1 is no ,pleasure at all4 ,zadig every ,day gave incontestable ,proofs of his wondrous ,penetration1 and the ,goodness of his ,heart2 he was ador'd by the ,people1 and was the ,darling of the ,king4 ,the little ,difficulties that he met with in the first ,stage of his ,life1 serv'd only to augment his present ,felicity4 ,every ,night1 however1 he had some unlucky ,dream or another1 that gave him some ,disturbance4 ,one while1 he imagin'd himself extended on a ,bed of wither'd ,plants1 amongst which there were some that were sharp pointed1 and made him very restless and uneasy2 another ,time1 he fancied himself repos'd on a ,bed of ,roses1 out of which rush'd a ,serpent1 that stung him to the ,heart with his envenom'd ,tongue4 ,alas6 said he1 waking1 ,i was one while upon a ,bed of hard and nauseous ,plants1 and just this ,moment repos'd on a ,bed of ,roses4 ,but then the ,serpent4-- ,,chap4 ,,vii4 ,the ,force of ,,jealousy4 ,the ,misfortunes that attended ,zadig proceeded1 in a great ,measure1 from his ,preferment2 but more from his intrinsic ,merit4 ,every ,day he had familiar ,converse with the ,king1 his ,royal ,master1 and his august ,consort1 ,astarte4 ,and the ,pleasure arising from thence was greatly enhanc'd from an innate ,ambition of pleasing1 which1 in regard to ,wit1 is the same1 as ,dress is to ,beauty4 ,his ,youth1 and graceful ,deportment1 had a greater ,influence on ,astarte1 than she was at first aware of4 ,tho' her ,affection for him daily encreas'd2 yet she was perfectly innocent4 ,astarte would say1 without the least ,reserve or ,apprehension of ,fear1 that she was extreamly pleas'd with the ,company of one1 who was1 not only a ,favourite of her ,husband1 but the ,darling of the whole ,empire4 ,she was continually speaking in his ,commendation before the ,king3 ,he was the ,subject of her whole ,discourse amongst her ,ladies of ,honour1 who were as lavish of their ,praises as herself4 ,such repeated ,discourses1 however innocent1 made a deeper ,impression on her ,heart1 than she at that ,time apprehended4 ,she would every now and then send ,zadig some little ,present or another2 which he construed as the ,result of a greater ,value for him than she intended4 ,she said no more of him1 as she thought1 than a ,queen might innocently do1 who was perfectly assur'd of his ,attachment to her ,husband2 sometimes1 indeed1 she would express her self with an ,air of ,tenderness and ,affection4 ,astarte was much handsomer than either his ,mistress ,semira1 who had such a natural ,antipathy to a one-eyed ,lord1 or ,azora1 his late loving ,spouse1 that would innocently have cut his ,nose off4 ,the ,freedoms which ,astarte took1 her tender ,expressions1 at which she began to blush1 the ,glances of her ,eye1 which she would turn away1 if perceiv'd1 and which she fix'd upon his1 kindled in the ,heart of ,zadig a ,fire1 which struck him with ,amazement4 ,he did all he could to smother it2 he call'd up all the ,philosophy he was ,master of to his ,aid2 but all in vain1 for no ,consolation arose from those ,reflections4 ,duty1 ,gratitude1 and an injur'd ,monarch1 presented themselves before his ,eyes1 as avenging ,deities3 ,he bravely struggled2 he triumph'd indeed2 but this ,conquest over his ,passions1 which he was oblig'd to check every ,moment1 cost him many a deep ,sigh and ,tear4 ,he durst not talk with the ,queen any more1 with that ,freedom which was too engaging on both ,sides2 his ,eyes were obnubilated2 his ,discourse was forc'd and unconnected2 he turn'd his ,eyes another ,way2 and when1 against his ,inclination1 they met with those of the ,queen1 he found1 that tho' drown'd in ,tears1 they darted ,flames of ,fire3 ,they seem'd in ,silence to intimate1 that they were afraid of being in love with each other2 and that both burn'd with a ,fire which both condemn'd4 ,zadig flew from her ,presence1 like one beside himself1 and in ,despair2 his ,heart was over-charg'd with a ,burthen1 too great for him to bear3 ,in the ,heat of his ,conflicts1 he disclos'd the ,secrets of his ,heart to his trusty ,friend ,cador1 as one1 who1 having long groan'd under the ,weight of an inexpressible ,anguish of ,mind1 at once makes known the ,cause of his ,torments by the ,groans1 as it were1 extorted from him1 and by the ,drops of a cold ,sweat1 that trickled down his ,cheeks4 ,cador said to him2 'tis now some considerable ,time since1 ,i have discover'd that secret ,passion which you have foster'd in your ,bosom1 and yet endeavour'd to conceal even from your self4 ,the ,passions carry along with them such strong ,impressions1 that they cannot be conceal'd4 ,tell me ingenuously ,zadig2 and be your own ,accuser1 whether or no1 since ,i have made this ,discovery1 the ,king has not shewn some visible ,marks of his ,resentment4 ,he has no other ,foible1 but that of being the most jealous ,mortal breathing4 ,you take more ,pains to check the ,violence of your ,passion1 than the ,queen herself does2 because you are a ,philosopher2 because1 in short1 you are ,zadig2 ,astarte is but a weak ,woman2 and tho' her ,eyes speak too visibly1 and with too much ,imprudence2 yet she does not think her self blame-worthy4 ,being conscious of her ,innocence1 to her own ,misfortune1 as well as yours1 she is too unguarded4 ,i tremble for her2 because ,i am sensible her ,conscience acquits her4 ,were you both agreed1 you might conceal your ,regard for each other from all the ,world3 ,a rising ,passion1 that is smother'd1 breaks out into a ,flame2 ,love1 when once gratified1 knows how to conceal itself with ,art4 ,zadig shudder'd at the ,proposition of ungratefully violating the ,bed of his ,royal ,benefactor2 and never was there a more loyal ,subject to a ,prince1 tho' guilty of an involuntary ,crime4 ,the ,queen1 however1 repeated the ,name of ,zadig so often1 and her ,cheeks glow'd with such a red1 when ever she utter'd it2 she was one while so transported1 and at another1 so dejected1 when the ,discourse turn'd upon him in the ,king's ,presence2 she was in such a ,reverie1 so confus'd and stupid1 when he went out of the ,presence1 that her ,deportment made the ,king extremely uneasy4 ,he was convinc'd of every ,thing he saw1 and form'd in his ,mind an ,idea of a thousand ,things he did not see4 ,he observ'd1 particularly1 that ,astarte's ,sandals were blue2 so ,zadig's were blue likewise2 that as the ,queen wore yellow ,ribbands1 ,zadig's ,turbet was of the same ,colour3 ,these were shocking ,circumstances for a ,monarch of his ,cast of ,mind to reflect on6 ,to a ,mind1 in short1 so distemper'd as his was1 ,suspicions were converted into real ,facts4 ,all ,court ,slaves1 and ,sycophants1 are so many ,spies on ,kings and ,queens3 ,they soon discover'd that ,astarte was fond1 and ,moabdar jealous4 ,arimazius1 his envious ,foe1 who was as incorrigible as ever2 for ,flints will never soften2 and ,creatures1 that are by ,nature venemous1 forever retain their ,poison4 ,arimazius1 ,i say1 wrote an anonymous ,letter to ,moabdar1 the infamous ,recourse of sordid ,spirits1 who are the ,objects of universal ,contempt2 but in this ,case1 an ,affair of the last ,importance2 because this ,letter tallied with the baneful ,suggestions that ,monarch had conceiv'd4 ,in short1 his ,thoughts were now wholly bent upon ,revenge4 ,he determin'd to poison ,astarte on a certain ,night1 and to have ,zadig strangled by ,break of ,day4 ,orders for that ,purpose were expressly given to a merciless1 inhuman ,eunuch1 the ready ,executioner of his ,vengeance4 ,at that critical ,conjuncture1 there happen'd to be a ,dwarf1 who was dumb1 but not deaf1 in the ,king's ,apartment4 ,nobody regarded him3 ,he was an ,eye and ,ear-witness of all that pass'd1 and yet no more suspected than any irrational ,domestic ,animal4 ,this little ,dwarf had conceiv'd a peculiar ,regard for ,astarte and ,zadig3 ,he heard1 with equal ,horror and ,surprize1 the ,king's ,orders to destroy them both4 ,but how to prevent those ,orders from being put into ,execution1 as the ,time was so short1 was all his ,concern4 ,he could not write1 'tis true1 but he had luckily learnt to draw1 and take a ,likeness4 ,he spent a good ,part of the ,night in delineating with ,crayons1 on a ,piece of ,paper1 the imminent ,danger that thus attended the ,queen4 ,in one ,corner1 he represented the ,king highly incens'd1 and giving his cruel ,eunuch the fatal ,orders2 in another1 a ,bowl and a ,cord upon a ,table2 in the ,center was the ,queen1 expiring in the ,arms of her ,maids of ,honour1 with ,zadig strangled1 and laid dead at her ,feet4 ,in the ,horizon was the rising ,sun1 to denote1 that this execrable ,scene was to be exhibited by ,break of ,day4 ,no sooner was his ,design finish'd1 but he ran with it to one of ,astarte's ,female ,favourites1 then in waiting1 call'd her up1 and gave her to understand1 that she must carry the ,draught to ,astarte that very ,moment4 ,in the mean ,time1 the ,queen's ,attendants1 tho' it was ,dead of ,night1 knock'd at the ,door of ,zadig's ,apartment1 wak'd him1 and deliver'd into his ,hands a ,billet from the ,queen4 ,at first he could not well tell whether he was only in a ,dream or not1 but soon read the ,letter1 with a trembling ,hand1 and a heavy ,heart3 ,words can't express his ,surprise1 and the ,agonies of ,despair which he was in upon his perusal of the ,contents4 ,fly1 said she1 ,dear ,zadig1 this very ,moment2 for your ,life's in the utmost ,danger3 ,fly1 ,dear ,zadig1 ,i conjure you1 in the ,name of that fatal ,passion1 with which ,i have long struggled1 and which ,i now venture to discover1 as ,i am to make ,atonement for it1 in a few ,moments1 by the ,loss of my ,life4 ,tho' ,i am conscious to myself of my ,innocence1 ,i find ,i am to feel the ,weight of my ,husband's ,resentment1 and die the ,death of a ,traitor4 ,zadig was scarce able to speak4 ,he order'd his ,friend ,cador to be instantly call'd1 and gave him the ,letter the ,moment he came1 without opening his ,lips4 ,cador press'd him to regard the ,contents1 and to make the best of his ,way to ,memphis4 ,if you presume1 said he1 to have an ,interview with her ,majesty first1 you inevitably hasten her ,execution2 or if you wait upon the ,king1 the fatal ,consequence will be the same3 ,i'll prevent her unhappy ,fate1 if possible2 you follow but your own3 ,i'll give it out1 that you are gone to the ,indies3 ,i'll wait on you as soon as the ,hurricane is blown over1 and ,i'll let you know all that occurs material in ,babylon4 ,cador1 that ,instant1 order'd two of the fleetest ,dromedaries that could be got1 to be in readiness at a private ,back-,door belonging to the ,court2 he help'd ,zadig to mount his ,beast1 tho' ready to drop into the ,earth4 ,he had but one trusty ,servant to attend him1 and ,cador1 overwhelm'd with ,grief1 soon lost ,sight of his dearly beloved ,friend4 ,this illustrious ,fugitive soon reach'd the ,summit of a little ,hill1 that afforded him a fair ,prospect of the whole ,city of ,babylon3 ,but turning his ,eyes back towards the ,queen's ,palace1 he fainted away2 and when he had recover'd his ,senses1 he drown'd his ,eyes in a ,flood of ,tears1 and with ,impatience wish'd for ,death4 ,to conclude1 after he had reflected1 with ,horror1 on the deplorable ,fate of the most amiable ,creature in the ,universe1 and of the most meritorious ,queen that ever liv'd2 he for a ,moment commanded his ,passion1 and with a ,sigh1 made the following ,exclamations3 ,what is this mortal ,life6 ,o ,virtue1 ,virtue1 of what ,service hast thou been to me6 ,two young ,ladies1 a ,mistress1 and a ,wife1 have prov'd false to me2 a third1 who is perfectly innocent1 and ten thousand ,times handsomer than either of them1 has suffer'd ,death1 'tis probable1 before this1 on my ,account6 ,all the ,acts of ,benevolence which ,i have shewn1 have been the ,foundation of my ,sorrows1 and ,i have been only rais'd to the highest ,spoke of ,fortune's ,wheel1 for no other ,purpose than to be tumbled down with the greater ,force4 ,had ,i been as abandon'd as some ,miscreants are1 ,i had like them been happy4 ,his ,head thus overwhelm'd with these melancholy ,reflections1 his ,eyes thus sunk in his ,head1 and his meagre ,cheeks all pale and languid2 and1 in a ,word1 his very ,soul thus plung'd in the ,abyss of deep ,despair1 he pursu'd his ,journey towards ,egypt4 ,,chap4 ,,viii4 ,the ,thrash'd ,,wife4 ,zadig steer'd his ,course by the ,stars that shone over his ,head4 ,the ,constellation of ,orion1 and the radiant ,dog-star directed him towards the ,pole of ,canope4 ,he reflected with ,admiration on those immense ,globes of ,light1 which appear'd to the naked ,eye no more than little twinkling ,lights2 whereas the ,earth he was then traversing1 which1 in ,reality1 is no more than an imperceptible ,point in ,nature1 seem'd1 according to the selfish ,idea we generally entertain of it1 something very immense1 and very magnificent4 ,he then reflected on the whole ,race of ,mankind1 and look'd upon them1 as they are in ,fact1 a ,parcel of ,insects1 or ,reptiles1 devouring one another on a small ,atom of ,clay4 ,this just ,idea of them greatly alleviated his ,misfortunes1 recollecting the ,nothingness1 if we may be allow'd the ,expression1 of his own ,being1 and even of ,babylon itself4 ,his capacious ,soul now soar'd into ,infinity1 and he contemplated1 with the same ,freedom1 as if she was disencumber'd from her earthly ,partner1 on the immutable ,order of the ,universe4 ,but as soon as she cower'd her ,wings1 and resumed her native ,seat1 he began to consider that ,astarte might possibly have lost her ,life for his ,sake2 upon which1 his ,thoughts of the ,universe vanish'd all at once1 and no other ,objects appear'd before his distemper'd ,eyes1 but his ,astarte giving up the ,ghost1 and himself overwhelm'd with a ,sea of ,troubles3 ,as he gave himself up to this ,flux and ,reflux of sublime ,philosophy and ,anxiety of ,mind1 he was insensibly arriv'd on the ,frontiers of ,egypt3 ,and his trusty ,attendant had1 unknown to him1 stept into the first ,village1 and sought out for a proper ,apartment for his ,master and himself4 ,zadig in the mean ,time made the best of his ,way to the adjacent ,gardens2 where he saw1 not far distant from the ,high-way1 a young ,lady1 all drown'd in ,tears1 calling upon ,heaven and ,earth for ,succour in her ,distress1 and a ,man1 fir'd with ,rage and ,resentment1 in pursuit after her4 ,he had now just overtaken her1 and she fell prostrate at his ,feet imploring his ,forgiveness4 ,he loaded her with a thousand ,reproaches2 nor did he spare to chastise her in the most outrageous ,manner4 ,by the ,egyptian's cruel ,deportment towards her1 he concluded that the ,man was a jealous ,husband1 and that the ,lady was an ,inconstant1 and had defil'd his ,bed3 ,but when he reflected1 that the ,woman was a perfect ,beauty1 and to his thinking something like the unfortunate ,astarte1 he perceiv'd his ,heart yearn with ,compassion towards the ,lady1 and swell with ,indignation against her ,tyrant4 ,for ,heaven's sake1 ,sir1 assist me1 said she1 to ,zadig1 sobbing as if her ,heart would break1 ,oh6 deliver me out of the ,hands of this ,barbarian3 ,save1 ,sir1 ,o save my ,life4 ,upon these her shocking ,outcries1 ,zadig threw himself between the injur'd ,lady and the inexorable ,brute4 ,and as he had some smattering of the ,egyptian ,tongue1 he expostulated with him in his own ,dialect1 and said3 ,dear ,sir1 if you are endow'd with the least ,spark of ,humanity1 let me conjure you to have some ,pity and ,remorse for so beautiful a ,creature2 have some ,regard1 ,sir1 to the ,weakness of her ,sex4 ,how can you treat a ,lady1 who is one of ,nature's ,master-pieces1 in such a rude and outrageous ,manner1 one who lies weeping at your ,feet for ,forgiveness1 and one who has no other ,recourse than her ,tears for her ,defence8 ,oh6 ,oh6 said the jealous-pated ,fellow in a ,fury to ,zadig1 ,what6 ,you are one of her ,gallants1 ,i suppose4 ,i'll be reveng'd of thee1 thou ,villain1 this ,moment4 ,no sooner were the ,words out of his ,mouth1 but he quits hold of the ,lady1 in whose ,hair he had twisted his ,fingers before1 takes up his ,lance in a ,fury1 and endeavours to the utmost of his ,pow'r to plunge it in the ,stranger's ,heart3 ,zadig1 however1 being cool1 warded the intended ,blow with ,ease4 ,he laid fast hold of his ,lance towards the ,point4 ,one strove to recover it1 and the other to snatch it away by ,force4 ,they broke it between them4 ,whereupon the ,egyptian drew his ,sword4 ,zadig drew his3 ,they fought3 ,the former made a hundred rash ,passes one after another1 which the latter parried with the utmost ,dexterity4 ,the ,lady sat herself upon a ,grass-plat1 adjusting her ,head-dress1 and looking on the ,combatants4 ,the ,egyptian was too strong for ,zadig1 but ,zadig was more nimble and active4 ,the latter fought as a ,man whose ,hand was guided by his ,head2 the former as a ,mad-man who dealt about his ,blows at random4 ,zadig took the ,advantage1 made a ,plunge at him1 and disarm'd him4 ,and forasmuch as he found that the ,egyptian was hotter than ever1 and endeavour'd all he could to throw him down by ,dint of ,strength1 ,zadig laid fast hold of him1 flew upon him1 and tripp'd up his ,heels3 ,after that1 holding the ,point of his ,sword to his ,breast1 like a ,man of ,honour1 gave him his ,life4 ,the ,egyptian1 fir'd with ,rage1 and having no ,command of his ,passion1 drew his ,dagger1 and wounded ,zadig like a ,coward1 whilst the ,victor generously forgave him4 ,upon that unexpected ,action1 ,zadig1 being incens'd to the last ,degree1 plung'd his ,sword deep into his ,bosom4 ,the ,egyptian fetch'd a hideous ,groan1 and died upon the ,spot4 ,zadig then approach'd the ,lady1 and with a kind of ,concern1 in the softest ,terms told her1 that he was oblig'd to kill her ,insulter1 tho' against his ,inclinations4 ,i have aveng'd your ,cause1 and deliver'd you out of the merciless ,hands of the most outrageous ,man ,i ever saw4 ,now1 ,madam1 let me know your farther ,will and ,pleasure with me4 ,you shall die1 you ,villain6 ,you have murder'd my ,love4 ,oh6 ,i could tear your ,heart out4 ,indeed1 ,madam1 said ,zadig1 you had one of the most hot-headed1 oddest ,lovers ,i ever saw4 ,he beat you most unmercifully1 and would have taken away my ,life because you call'd me in to your ,assistance4 ,would to ,god he was but alive to beat me again1 said she1 blubbering and roaring2 ,i deserv'd to be beat4 ,i gave him too just ,occasion to be jealous of me4 ,would to ,god that he had beat me1 and you had died in his ,stead6 ,zadig more astonish'd1 and more exasperated than ever he was in all his ,life1 said to her3 ,really1 ,madam1 you put on such extravagant ,airs1 that you tempt me1 pretty as you are1 to thresh you most cordially in my ,turn2 but ,i scorn to concern my self any more about you4 ,upon this1 he remounted his ,dromedary1 and made the best of his ,way towards the ,village3 ,but before he had got near a hundred ,yards1 he return'd upon an ,out-cry that was made by four ,couriers from ,babylon4 ,they rode full ,speed4 ,one of them1 spying the young ,widow1 cried out4 ,there she is1 ,that's she4 ,she answers in every ,respect to the ,description we had of her4 ,they never took the least ,notice of her dead ,gallant1 but secur'd her directly4 ,oh6 ,sir1 cried she to ,zadig1 again and again1 dear ,sir1 most generous ,stranger1 once more deliver me from a ,pack of ,villains4 ,i most humbly beg your ,pardon for my late ,conduct and unjust ,complaint of you4 ,do but stand my ,friend1 at this critical ,conjuncture1 and ,i'll be your most obedient ,vassal till ,death4 ,zadig had now no ,inclination to fight for one so undeserving any more4 ,find some other to be your ,fool now1 ,madam2 you shan't impose upon me a second ,time4 ,i'll assure you1 ,madam1 ,i know better ,things4 ,besides he was wounded2 and bled so fast that he wanted ,assistance himself3 ,and 'tis very probable1 that the ,sight of the ,babylonian ,couriers1 who were dispatch'd from ,king ,moabdar1 might discompose him very much4 ,he made all the ,haste he could towards the ,village1 not being able to conceive what should be the real ,cause of the young ,lady's being secur'd by those ,babylonish ,officers1 and as much at a ,loss1 at the same ,time1 what to think of such a ,termagant and a ,coquet4 ,,chap4 ,,ix4 ,the ,,captive4 ,no sooner was ,zadig arriv'd at the ,egyptian ,village before-mention'd1 but he found himself surrounded by a ,croud4 ,the ,people one and all cried out6 ,see6 ,see6 there's the ,man that ran away with the beauteous ,lady ,missouf1 and murder'd ,cletofis4 ,gentlemen1 said he1 ,god forbid that ,i should ever entertain a ,thought of running away with the ,lady you speak of3 ,she is too much of a ,coquet3 ,and as to ,cletofis1 ,i did not murder him1 but kill'd him in my own ,defence4 ,he endeavour'd all he could to take my ,life away1 because ,i entreated him to take some ,pity and ,compassion on the beauteous ,missouf1 whom he beat most unmercifully4 ,i am a ,stranger1 who am fled hither for ,shelter1 and 'tis highly improbable1 that upon my first ,entrance into a ,country1 where ,i came for ,safety and ,protection1 ,i should be guilty of two such enormous ,crimes1 as that of running away with another ,man's ,partner1 and that of clandestinely murdering him on her ,account4 ,the ,egyptians at that ,time were just and humane4 ,the ,populace1 tis true1 hurried ,zadig to the ,town-,goal2 but they took care in the first ,place to stop the ,bleeding of his ,wounds1 and afterwards examin'd the suppos'd ,delinquents apart1 in order to discover1 if possible1 the real ,truth4 ,they acquitted ,zadig of the ,charge of wilful and premeditated ,murder2 but as he had taken a ,subject's ,life away1 tho' in his own ,defence1 he was sentenc'd to be a ,slave1 as the ,law directed4 ,his two ,beasts were sold in open ,market1 for the ,service of the ,hamlet2 ,what ,money he had was distributed amongst the ,inhabitants2 and he and his ,attendant were expos'd in the ,market-place to public ,sale4 ,an ,arabian ,merchant1 ,setoc by ,name1 purchas'd them both2 but as the ,valet1 or ,attendant1 was a robust ,man1 and better cut out for hard ,labour than the ,master1 he fetch'd the most ,money4 ,there was no ,comparison to be made between them4 ,zadig therefore was a ,slave subordinate to his ,valet2 they secur'd them both1 however1 by a ,chain upon their ,legs2 and so link'd they accompanied their ,master home4 ,zadig1 as they were on the ,road1 comforted his ,fellow-,slave1 and exhorted him to bear his ,misfortunes with ,patience3 ,but1 according to ,custom1 he made several ,reflections on the ,vicissitudes of human ,life4 ,i am now sensible1 said he1 that my impropitious ,fortune has some malignant ,influence over thine2 every ,occurrence of my ,life hitherto has prov'd strangely odd and unaccountable4 ,in the first ,place1 ,i was sentenc'd to die at ,babylon1 for writing a short ,panegyrick on the ,king1 my ,master4 ,in the next1 ,i narrowly escap'd being strangled1 for the ,queen his ,royal ,consort's speaking a little too much in my ,favour2 and here ,i am a joint-,slave with thy self2 because a turbulent ,fellow of a ,gallant would beat his ,lady4 ,however1 ,comrade1 let us march on boldly2 let not our ,courage be cast down2 all this may possibly have a happier ,issue than we expect4 ',tis absolutely necessary that these ,arabian ,merchants should have ,slaves1 and why should not you and ,i1 as we are but ,men1 be ,slaves as ,thousands of others are8 ,this ,master of ours may not prove inexorable4 ,he must treat his ,slaves with some ,thought and ,consideration1 if he expects them to do his ,work4 ,this was his ,discourse to his ,comrade2 but his ,mind was more attentive to the ,misfortunes of the ,queen of ,babylon4 ,two ,days afterwards ,setoc set out with his two ,slaves and his ,camels1 for ,arabia ,deserta4 ,his ,tribe liv'd near the ,desert of ,horeb4 ,the ,way was long and tedious4 ,setoc1 during the ,journey1 paid a much greater ,regard to ,zadig's ,valet1 than to himself2 because the former was the most able to load the ,camels2 and therefore what little ,distinctions were made1 they were in his ,favour4 ,it so happen'd that one of the ,camels died upon the ,road3 ,the ,load which the ,beast carried was immediately divided1 and thrown upon the ,shoulders of the two ,slaves2 ,zadig had his ,share4 ,setoc1 couldn't forbear laughing to see his two ,slaves crouching under their ,burthen4 ,zadig took the ,liberty to explain the ,reason thereof2 and convinc'd him of the ,laws of the ,equilibrium4 ,the ,merchant was a little startled at his philosophical ,discourse1 and look'd upon him with a more favourable ,eye than at first4 ,zadig1 perceiving he had rais'd his ,curiosity1 redoubled it1 by instructing him in several material ,points1 which were in some ,measure1 advantageous to him in his ,way of ,business3 ,such as1 the specific ,weight of ,metals1 and other ,commodities of various ,kinds1 of an equal ,bulk2 the ,properties of several useful ,animals1 and the best ,ways and ,means to make ,such as were wild1 tame by ,degrees1 and fit for ,service3 ,in short1 ,zadig was look'd upon by his ,master1 as a perfect ,oracle4 ,setoc now thought the ,master the much better ,man of the two4 ,he us'd him courteously1 and had no ,room to repent of his ,indulgence towards him4 ,being got to their ,journey's ,end1 the first ,step that ,setoc took was to claim a ,debt of five hundred ,ounces of ,silver of a ,jew1 who had borrow'd it in the ,presence of two ,witnesses2 but both of them were dead2 and as the ,jew was conscious he couldn't be cast for ,want of ,evidence1 appropriated the ,merchant's ,money to his own ,use1 and thank'd ,god that it lay in his ,power for once to bite an ,arabian with ,impunity4 ,setoc discover'd to ,zadig the unhappy ,situation of his ,case1 as he was now become his ,confident4 ,where was it1 pray1 said ,zadig1 that you lent this large ,sum to that ungrateful ,infidel8 ,upon a large ,stone1 said the ,merchant1 at the ,foot of ,mount ,horeb4 ,what sort of a ,man is your ,debtor1 said ,zadig8 ,oh6 he is as errand a ,rogue as ever breath'd1 reply'd ,setoc4 ,that ,i take for granted2 but1 says ,zadig1 is he a lively1 active ,man1 or is he a dull heavy-headed ,fellow8 ,he is one of the worst of ,pay-masters in the ,world1 but the merriest1 most sprightly ,fellow ,i ever met with4 ,very well6 said ,zadig1 let me be one of your ,council when your ,cause comes to be heard4 ,in short1 he summon'd the ,jew to attend the ,court2 where1 when the ,judge was sat1 ,zadig open'd the ,cause3 ,thou impartial ,judge of this ,court of ,equity1 ,i am come here1 in behalf of my ,master1 to demand of the ,defendant five hundred ,ounces of ,silver1 which he refuses to pay1 and would fain traverse the ,debt4 ,have you1 ,friend1 your ,witnesses ready to prove the ,loan1 said the ,judge8 ,no1 they are dead2 but there is a large ,stone still subsisting1 on which the ,money was deposited2 and if your ,excellence1 will be pleas'd to order the ,stone to be brought in ,court1 ,i don't doubt but the ,evidence it will give1 will be ,proof sufficient of the ,fact4 ,i hope your ,excellence will order1 that the ,jew and myself shall be oblig'd to attend the ,court1 till the ,stone comes1 and ,i'll dispatch a special ,messenger to fetch it1 at my ,master's ,expence4 ,your ,request is very reasonable1 said the ,judge4 ,do as you propose2 and so call'd another ,cause4 ,when the ,court was ready to break up1 ,well6 said the ,judge to ,zadig1 is your ,stone come yet8 ,the ,jew1 with a ,sneer1 replied1 your ,excellence may wait here till this ,time ,to-morrow1 before the ,stone will appear in ,court2 for 'tis above six ,mile off1 and it will require fifteen ,men to remove it from its ,place4 ',tis well6 replied ,zadig4 ,i told your ,excellence that the ,stone would be a very material ,evidence4 ,since the ,defendant can point out the ,place where the ,stone lies1 he tacitly confesses1 that it was upon that ,stone the ,money was deposited4 ,the ,jew thus unexpectedly confuted1 was soon oblig'd to acknowledge the ,debt4 ,the ,judge order'd that the ,jew should be tied fast to the ,stone1 without ,victuals or ,drink1 till he should advance the five hundred ,ounces of ,silver1 which were soon paid accordingly1 and the ,jew releas'd4 ,the ,slave ,zadig1 and this remarkable ,stone-,witness1 were in great ,repute all over ,arabia4 ,,chap4 ,x4 ,the ,,funeral ,,pile4 ,setoc1 transported with his good ,success1 of a ,slave made ,zadig his ,favourite ,companion and ,confident2 he found him as necessary in the ,conduct of his ,affairs1 as the ,king of ,babylon had before done in the ,administration of his ,government2 and lucky it was for ,zadig that ,setoc had no ,wife4 ,he discover'd1 that his ,master was in his ,temper benevolent1 strictly honest1 and a ,man of good natural ,parts4 ,zadig was very much concern'd1 that ,one of so much ,sense should pay divine ,adoration to a whole ,host of created1 tho' ,celestial ,beings1 that is to say1 the ,sun1 ,moon1 and ,stars1 according to the antient ,custom of the ,arabians4 ,he talk'd1 at first1 to his ,master1 with great ,precaution on so important a ,topick4 ,but at last told him1 in direct ,terms1 that they were created ,bodies1 as others1 tho' of less ,lustre1 and that there was no more ,adoration due to them1 than to a ,stock or a ,stone4 ,but1 said ,setoc1 they are eternal ,beings to whom we are indebted for all the ,blessings we enjoy2 they animate ,nature2 they regulate the ,seasons2 they are1 in a ,word1 at such an infinite ,distance from us1 that it would be downright impious not to adore them4 ,you are more indebted1 said ,zadig1 to the ,waters of the ,red ,sea1 which transport so many valuable ,commodities into the ,indies4 ,why1 pray1 may not they be deem'd as antient as the ,stars8 ,and if you are so fond of paying your ,adoration on ,account of their vast ,distance2 why don't you adore the ,land of the ,gangarides1 which lies in the utmost ,extremities of the ,earth4 ,no1 said ,setoc1 there is something so surprisingly more brilliant in the ,stars than what you speak of2 that a ,man must adore them whether he will or not4 ,at the ,close of the ,evening1 ,zadig planted a long ,range of ,candles in the ,front of his ,tent1 where ,setoc and he were to sup that ,night3 ,and as soon as he perceiv'd his ,patron to be at the ,door1 he fell prostrate on his ,knees before the ,wax-,lights4 ,o ye everlasting1 ever-shining ,luminaries1 be always propitious to your ,votary1 said ,zadig4 ,having repeated these ,words so loud as ,setoc might hear them1 he sat down to ,table1 without taking the least ,notice of ,setoc4 ,what6 said ,setoc1 somewhat startled at his ,conduct1 art thou at thy ,prayers before ,supper8 ,i act just as inconsistently1 ,sir1 as you do2 ,i worship these ,candles2 without reflecting on their ,makers1 or yourself1 who are my most beneficent ,patron4 ,setoc took the ,hint1 and was conscious of the ,reproof that was conceal'd so genteely under a ,vail4 ,the superior ,wisdom of his ,slave enlightned his ,mind2 and from that ,hour he was less lavish than ever he had been1 of his ,incense to those created ,beings1 and for the future1 paid his ,adoration to the eternal ,god who made them4 ,at that ,time there was a most hideous ,custom in high ,repute all over ,arabia1 which came originally from ,scythia2 but having met with the ,sanction of the bigotted ,brachmans1 threatn'd to spread its ,infection all over the ,east4 ,when a married ,man happen'd to die1 if his dearly beloved ,widow ever expected to be esteem'd a ,saint1 she must throw herself headlong upon her ,husband's ,funeral-,pile4 ,this was look'd upon as a solemn ,festival1 and was call'd the ,widow's ,sacrifice4 ,that ,tribe which could boast of the greatest ,number of burnt-,widows1 was look'd upon as the most meritorious4 ,an ,arabian1 who was of the ,tribe of ,setoc1 happen'd just at that ,juncture1 to be dead1 and his ,widow 7,almona by ,name7 who was a noted ,devotee1 publish'd the ,day1 nay1 the ,hour1 that she propos'd to throw herself 7according to ,custom7 on her deceased ,husband's ,funeral ,pile1 and be attended by a ,concert of ,drums and ,trumpets4 ,zadig remonstrated to ,setoc1 what a shocking ,custom this was1 and how directly repugnant to human ,nature2 by permitting young ,widows1 almost every ,day1 to become wilful ,self-,murderers2 when they might be of ,service to their ,country1 either by the ,addition of new ,subjects1 or by the ,education of such as demanded their ,maternal ,indulgence4 ,and1 by arguing seriously with ,setoc for some ,time1 he forc'd from him at last1 an ingenuous ,confession1 that the barbarous ,custom then subsisting1 ought1 if possible1 to be abolish'd4 ',tis now1 replied ,setoc1 above a thousand ,years since the ,widows of ,arabia have been indulg'd with this ,privilege of dying with their ,husbands2 and how shall any one dare to abrogate a ,law that has been establish'd ,time out of ,mind8 ,is there any ,thing more inviolable than even an antient ,error8 ,but1 replied ,zadig1 ,reason is of more antient ,date than the ,custom you plead for4 ,do you communicate these ,sentiments to the ,sovereigns of your ,tribes1 and in the mean while ,i'll go1 and sound the ,widow's ,inclinations4 ,accordingly he paid her a ,visit1 and having insinuated himself into her ,favour1 by a few ,compliments on her ,beauty1 after urging what a pity it was1 that a young ,widow1 ,mistress of so many ,charms1 should make away with herself for no other reason but to mingle her ,ashes with a ,husband that was dead2 he1 notwithstanding1 applauded her for her heroic ,constancy and ,courage4 ,i perceive1 ,madam1 said he1 you was excessively fond of your deceased ,spouse4 ,not ,i truly1 reply'd the young ,arabian ,devotee4 ,he was a ,brute1 infected with a groundless ,jealousy of my ,virtue2 and1 in short1 a perfect ,tyrant4 ,but1 notwithstanding all this1 ,i am determin'd to comply with our ,custom4 ,surely then1 ,madam1 there's a ,sort of secret ,pleasure in being burnt alive4 ,alas6 with a ,sigh1 cried ,almona1 'tis a ,shock indeed to ,nature2 but must be complied with for all that4 ,i am a profess'd ,devotee1 and should ,i shew the least ,reluctance1 my ,reputation would be lost for ever2 all the ,world would laugh at me1 should ,i not burn myself on this ,occasion3 ,zadig having forc'd her ingenuously to confess1 that she parted with her ,life more out of ,regard to what the ,world would say of her1 and out of ,pride and ,ostentation1 than any real ,love for the deceas'd1 he talk'd to her for some considerable ,time so rationally1 and us'd so many prevailing ,arguments with her to justify her due ,regard for the ,life which she was going to throw away1 that she began to wave the ,thought1 and entertain a secret ,affection for her friendly ,monitor4 ,pray1 ,madam1 tell me1 said ,zadig1 how would you dispose of yourself1 upon the ,supposition1 that you could shake off this vain and barbarous ,notion8 ,why1 said ,dame1 with an amorous ,glance1 ,i think verily ,i should accept of yourself for a second ,bed-fellow4 ,the ,memory of ,astarte had made too strong an ,impression on his ,mind1 to close with this warm ,declaration3 ,he took his leave1 however1 that ,moment1 and waited on the ,chiefs4 ,he communicated to them the ,substance of their private ,conversation1 and prevailed with them to make it a ,law for the future1 that no ,widow should be allow'd to fall a ,victim to a deceased ,husband1 till after she had admitted some young ,man to converse with her in private for a whole ,hour together4 ,the ,law was pass'd accordingly1 and not one ,widow in all ,arabia1 from that ,day to this1 ever observ'd the ,custom4 ',twas to ,zadig alone that the ,arabian ,dames were indebted for the ,abolition1 in one ,hour1 of a ,custom so very inhuman1 that had been practis'd for such a ,number of ,ages4 ,zadig1 therefore1 with the strictest ,justice1 was look'd upon by all the ,fair ,sex in ,arabia1 as their most bountiful ,benefactor4 ,,chap4 ,,xi4 ,the ,evening's ,entertainment4 ,setoc1 who would never stir out without his ,bosom-,friend 7in whom alone1 as he thought1 all ,wisdom center'd7 resolv'd to take him with him to ,balzora ,fair1 whither the richest ,merchants round the whole habitable ,globe1 us'd annually to resort4 ,zadig was delighted to see such a ,concourse of substantial ,tradesmen from all ,countries1 assembled together in one ,place4 ,it appear'd to him1 as if the whole ,universe was but one large ,family1 and all happily met together at ,balzora4 ,on the second ,day of the ,fair1 he sat down to ,table with an ,egyptian1 an ,indian1 that liv'd on the ,banks of the ,river ,ganges1 an ,inhabitant of ,cathay1 a ,grecian1 a ,celt1 and several other ,foreigners1 who by their frequent ,voyages towards the ,arabian ,gulf1 were so far conversant with the ,arabic ,language1 as to be able to discourse freely1 and be mutually understood4 ,the ,egyptian began to fly into a ,passion2 what a scandalous ,place is this ,balzora1 said he1 where they refuse to lend me a thousand ,ounces of ,gold1 upon the best ,security that can possibly be offer'd4 ,pray1 said ,setoc1 what may the ,commodity be that you would deposit as a ,pledge for the ,sum you mention4 ,why1 the ,corpse of my deceased ,aunt1 said he1 who was one of the finest ,women in all ,egypt4 ,she was my constant ,companion2 but unhappily died upon the ,road4 ,i have taken so much ,care1 that no ,mummy whatever can equal it3 ,and was ,i in my own ,country1 ,i could be furnish'd with what ,sum soever ,i pleas'd1 were ,i dispos'd to mortgage it4 ',tis a strange ,thing that ,nobody here will advance so small a ,sum upon so valuable a ,commodity4 ,no sooner had he express'd his ,resentment1 but he was going to cut up a fine boil'd ,pullet1 in order to make a ,meal on't1 when an ,indian laid hold of his ,hand1 and with deep ,concern1 cried out1 ,for ,god's ,sake what are you about8 ,why1 said the ,egyptian1 ,i design to make a ,wing of this ,fowl one ,part of my ,supper4 ,pray1 good ,sir1 consider what you are doing1 said the ,indian4 ',tis very possible1 that the ,soul of the deceas'd ,lady may have taken its ,residence in that ,fowl4 ,and you wouldn't surely run the ,risque of eating up your ,aunt8 ,to boil a ,fowl is1 doubtless1 a most shameful ,outrage done to ,nature4 ,pshaw6 ,what a ,pother you make about the boiling of a ,fowl1 and flying in the ,face of ,nature1 replied the ,egyptian in a ,pet2 tho' we ,egyptians pay divine ,adoration to the ,ox2 yet we can make a hearty ,meal of a ,piece of roast ,beef for all that4 ,is it possible1 ,sir1 that your ,country-men should act so absurdly1 as to pay an ,ox the ,tribute of divine ,worship1 said the ,indian8 ,absurd as you think it1 said the other1 the ,ox has been the principal ,object of ,adoration all over ,egypt1 for these hundred and thirty five thousand ,years1 and the most abandon'd ,egyptian has never been as yet so impious as to gain-say it4 ,ay1 ,sir1 an hundred thirty five thousand ,years1 say you1 surely you must be out a little in your ,calculation4 ',tis but about fourscore thousand ,years1 since ,india was first inhabited4 ,sure ,i am1 we are a more antient ,people than you are1 and our ,brama prohibited the eating of ,beef long before your ,nation ever erected an ,altar in ,honour of the ,ox1 or ever put one upon a ,spit4 ,what a ,racket you make about your ,brama6 ,is he able to stand the least in ,competition with our ,apis1 said the ,egyptian8 ,let us hear1 pray1 what mighty ,feats have been done by your boasted ,brama8 ,why1 replied the ,bramin1 he first taught his ,votaries to write and read2 and 'tis to him alone1 all the ,world is indebted for the ,invention of the noble ,game of ,chess4 ,you are quite out1 ,sir1 in your ,notion1 said a ,chaldean1 who sat within ,hearing3 ,all these invaluable ,blessings were deriv'd from the ,fish ,oanns2 and 'tis that alone to which the ,tribute of divine ,adoration is justly due4 ,all the ,world will tell you1 that 'twas a divine ,being whose ,tail was pure ,gold1 whose ,head resembled that of a ,man1 tho' indeed the ,features were much more beautiful2 and that he condescended to visit the ,earth three ,hours every ,day1 for the ,instruction of ,mankind4 ,he had a numerous ,issue1 as is very well known1 and all of them were powerful ,monarchs4 ,i have a ,picture of it at ,home1 to which1 as in ,duty ,i ought1 ,i ,say my ,prayers at ,night before ,i go to ,bed1 and every ,morning that ,i rise4 ,there is no ,harm1 ,sir1 as ,i can conceive1 in partaking of a ,piece of roast ,beef2 but1 doubtless1 'tis a mortal ,sin1 a ,crime of the blackest ,dye1 to touch a ,piece of ,fish4 ,besides1 you cannot justly boast of so illustrious an ,origin1 and you are both of you mere ,moderns1 in ,comparison to us ,chaldeans1 ,you ,egyptians lay claim to no more than #ace1jjj ,years1 and you ,indians1 but of #hj1jjj4 ,whereas we have ,almanacks that are dated #djjj ,centuries backwards4 ,take my ,word for it2 ,i speak nothing but ,truth2 renounce your ,errors1 and ,i'll make each of you a ,present of a fine ,portrait of our ,oanns4 ,a ,native of ,cambalu1 entring into the ,debate1 said1 ,i have a very great ,veneration1 not only for the ,egyptians1 ,chaldeans1 ,greeks1 and ,celt2 but for ,brama1 ,apis1 and the ,oanns1 but in my humble ,opinion1 the 99,li1 or as 'tis by some call'd1 the 99,tien1 is an ,object more deserving of divine ,adoration than any ,ox1 or ,fish1 how much soever you may boast of their respective ,perfections4 ,all ,i shall say1 in regard to my native ,country1 'tis of much greater ,extent1 than all ,egypt1 ,chaldea1 and the ,indies put together4 ,i shall lay no ,stress on the ,antiquity of my ,country2 for ,i imagine 'tis of much greater ,importance to be the happiest ,people1 than the most antient under the ,sun4 ,however1 since you were talking of the ,almanacks1 ,i must beg the ,liberty to tell you1 that ours are look'd upon to be the best all over ,asia2 and that we had several very correct ones before the ,art of ,arithmetick was ever heard of in ,chaldea4 99 ,the ,chinese ,term1 ,li1 signifies1 properly speaking1 natural ,light1 or ,reason2 and ,tien1 the ,heavens1 or the supreme ,being4 ,you are all of you a ,parcel of illiterate1 ignorant ,bigots1 cry'd a ,grecian3 ',tis plain1 you know nothing of the ,chaos1 and that the ,world1 as it now stands1 is owing wholly to ,matter and ,form4 ,the ,greek ran on for a considerable ,time2 but was at last interrupted by a ,celt1 who having drank deep1 during the whole ,time of this ,debate1 thought himself ten ,times wiser than any of his ,antagonists2 and wrapping out a great ,oath1 insisted1 that all their ,gods were nothing1 if set in ,competition with the ,teutath or the ,misletoe on the ,oak4 ,as for my part1 said he1 ,i carry some of it always in my ,pocket3 ,as to my ,ancestors1 they were ,scythians1 and the only ,men worth talking of in the whole ,world3 ',tis true1 indeed1 they would now and then make a ,meal of their ,country-men1 but that ought not to be urg'd as any ,objection to his ,country2 and1 in short1 if any one of you1 or all of you1 shall dare to say any thing disrespectful of ,teutath1 ,i'll defend its ,cause to the last ,drop of my ,blood4 ,the ,quarrel grew warmer and warmer1 and ,setoc expected that the ,table would be overset1 and that ,blood-shed would ensue4 ,zadig1 who hadn't once open'd his ,lips during the whole ,controversy1 at last rose up1 and address'd himself to the ,celt1 in the first ,place1 as being the most noisy and outrageous4 ,sir1 said he1 ,your ,notions in this ,affair are very just3 ,good ,sir1 oblige me with a ,bit of your ,misletoe4 ,then turning about1 he expatiated on the ,eloquence of the ,grecian1 and in a ,word1 soften'd in the most artful ,manner all the contending ,parties4 ,he said but little indeed to the ,cathayian2 because he was more cool1 and sedate than any of the others4 ,to conclude1 he address'd them all in general ,terms1 to this or the like ,effect3 ,my dear ,friends1 ,you have been contesting all this while about an important ,topick1 in which 'tis evident1 you are all unanimously agreed4 ,agreed1 quotha6 they all cried1 in an angry ,tone1 ,how so1 pray8 ,why said he to the hot1 testy ,celt1 is it not true1 that you do not in effect adore this ,misletoe1 but that ,being who created that ,misletoe and the ,oak1 to which it is so closely united8 ,doubtless1 ,sir1 reply'd the ,celt4 ,and you1 ,sir1 said he1 to the ,egyptian1 ,you revere1 thro' your venerable ,apis1 the great ,author of every ,ox's ,being4 ,we do so1 said the ,egyptian4 ,the mighty ,oanns1 tho' the ,sovereign of the ,sea1 continued he1 must give ,precedence to that ,power1 who made both the ,sea1 and every ,fish that dwells therein4 ,we allow it1 said the ,chaldean4 ,the ,indian1 adds he1 and the ,cathayan1 acknowledge one supreme ,being1 or first ,cause1 as well as you4 ,as to what that profound worthy ,gentleman the ,grecian has advanc'd1 is1 ,i must own1 a little above my weak ,comprehension1 but ,i am fully persuaded1 that he will allow there is a supreme ,being on whom his favourite ,matter and ,form are entirely dependent4 ,the ,grecian1 who was look'd upon as a ,sage amongst them1 said1 with ,abundance of ,gravity1 that ,zadig1 had made a very just ,construction of his ,meaning4 ,now1 ,gentlemen1 ,i appeal to you all1 said ,zadig1 whether you are not unanimous to a ,man1 in the ,debate upon the ,carpet1 and whether there are any just ,grounds for the least ,divisions or ,animosities amongst you4 ,the whole ,company1 cool at once1 caress'd him2 and ,setoc1 after he had sold off all his ,goods and ,merchandize at a round ,price1 took his ,friend ,zadig ,home with him to the ,land of ,horeb4 ,zadig1 upon his first ,arrival was inform'd1 that a ,prosecution had been carried on against him during his ,absence1 and that the ,sentence pronounc'd against him was1 that he should be burnt alive before a slow ,fire4 ,,chap4 ,,xii4 ,the ,,rendezvous4 ,whilst ,zadig attended his ,friend ,setoc to ,balzora1 the ,priests of the ,stars were determin'd to punish him4 ,as all the costly ,jewels1 and other valuable ,decorations1 in which every young ,widow that sacrificed her self on her ,husband's ,funeral-pile1 were their customary ,fees1 'tis no great ,wonder1 indeed1 that they were inclin'd to burn poor ,zadig1 for playing them such a scurvy ,trick4 ,zadig therefore1 was accus'd of holding heretical and damnable ,tenets1 in regard to the ,celestial ,host3 ,they depos'd1 and swore point-blank1 that he had been heard to aver1 that the ,stars never sat in the ,sea4 ,this horrid blasphemous ,declaration thunder-struck all the ,judges1 and they were ready to rend their ,mantles at the ,sound of such an impious ,assertion2 and they would have made ,zadig1 had he been a ,man of ,substance1 paid very severely for his heretical ,notions4 ,but in the ,height of their ,pity and ,compassion for even such an ,infidel1 they would lay no ,fine upon him2 but content themselves with seeing him roasted alive before a slow ,fire4 ,setoc1 tho' without ,hopes of ,success1 us'd all the ,interest he had to save his bosom ,friend from so shocking a ,death2 but they turn'd a deaf ,ear to all his ,remonstrances1 and oblig'd him to hold his ,tongue4 ,the young ,widow ,almona1 who by this ,time was not only reconcil'd to living a little longer1 but had some ,taste for the ,pleasures of ,life1 and knew that she was entirely indebted to ,zadig for it1 resolv'd1 if possible1 to free her ,benefactor from being burnt1 as he had before convinc'd her of the ,folly of it in her ,case4 ,she ponder'd upon this weighty ,affair very seriously2 but said nothing to any one whomsoever4 ,zadig was to be executed the next ,day2 and she had only a few ,hours left to carry her ,project into ,execution4 ,now the ,reader shall hear with how much ,benevolence and ,discretion this amiable ,widow behav'd on this emergent ,occasion4 ,in the first ,place1 she made use of the most costly ,perfumes2 and drest herself to the utmost ,advantage to render her ,charms as conspicuous as possible2 ,and thus gaily attir'd1 demanded a private ,audience of the ,high ,priest of the ,stars4 ,upon her first ,admittance into his august and venerable ,presence1 she address'd herself in the following ,terms4 ,o thou first-born and well-beloved ,son of the ,great ,bear1 ,brother of the ,bull1 and first ,cousin to the ,dog1 7these you must know were the ,pontiff's high ,titles7 ,i come to confess myself before you3 ,my ,conscience is my ,accuser1 and ,i am terribly afraid ,i have been guilty of a mortal ,sin1 by declining the stated ,custom of burning my self on my ,husband's ,funeral-pile8 ,what could tempt me1 in short1 to a ,prolongation of my ,life1 ,i can't imagine1 ,i1 who am grown a perfect ,skeleton1 all wrinkled and deform'd4 ,she paus'd1 and pulling off1 with a negligent but artful ,air1 her long silk ,gloves2 ,she display'd a soft1 plump1 naked ,arm1 and white as ,snow3 ,you see1 ,sir1 said she1 that all my ,charms are blasted4 ,blasted1 ,madam1 said the luscious ,pontiff2 ,no6 ,your ,charms are still resistless3 ,his ,eyes1 and his ,mouth1 with which he kiss'd her ,hand1 confirm'd their ,power3 ,such an ,arm1 ,madam1 by the ,great ,orasmades1 ,i never saw before4 ,alas6 said the ,widow1 with a modest ,blush2 my ,arm ,sir1 'tis probable1 may have the ,advantage of any hidden ,part2 but see1 good ,father1 what a ,neck is here2 as yellow as ,saffron1 an ,object not worth regarding4 ,then she display'd such a snowy1 panting ,bosom1 that ,nature could not mend it4 ,a ,rose-,bud on an ,ivory ,apple1 would1 if set in ,competition with her spotless ,whiteness1 make no better ,appearance than common ,madder upon a ,shrub2 and the whitest ,wool1 just out of the ,laver1 were she but by1 would seem but of a light-brown ,hue4 ,her ,neck1 her large black1 sparkling ,eyes1 that languishingly roll'd1 and seem'd as 'twere1 on ,fire2 her lovely ,cheeks1 glowing with ,white and ,red1 her ,nose1 that was not unlike the ,tower of ,mount ,lebanon1 her ,lips1 which were like two ,borders of ,coral1 inclosing two ,rows of the best ,pearls in the ,arabian ,sea2 such a ,combination1 ,i say1 of ,charms1 made the old ,pontiff judge she was scarce twenty ,years of ,age2 and in a kind of ,flutter1 to make her a ,declaration of his tender ,regard for her4 ,almona1 perceiving him enamour'd1 begg'd his ,interest in ,favour of ,zadig4 ,alas6 my dear ,charmer1 my ,interest alone1 when you request the ,favour1 would be but a poor ,compliment2 ,i'll take care his ,acquittance shall be signed by three more of my ,brother ,priests4 ,do you sign first1 however1 said ,almona4 ,with all my ,soul1 said the amorous ,pontiff1 provided----you'll be kind1 my dearest4 ,you do me too much ,honour1 said ,almona2 but should you give your self the ,trouble to pay me a ,visit after ,sunset1 and as soon as the ,star ,sheat twinkles on the ,horizon1 you shall find me1 most venerable ,father1 repos'd upon a rosy-colour'd silver ,sopha1 where you shall use your ,pleasure with your humble ,servant4 ,with that she made him a low ,courtesy2 took up ,zadig's general ,release as soon as duely sign'd1 and left the old ,doatard all over ,love1 tho' somewhat diffident of his own ,abilities4 ,the ,residue of the ,day he spent in his ,bagnio2 he drank large enlivening ,draughts of a ,water distill'd from the ,cinnamon of ,ceilan1 and the costly ,spices of ,tidor and ,ternate1 and waited with the utmost ,impatience for the up-rising of the brilliant ,sheat4 ,in the mean time ,almona went to the second ,pontiff4 ,he assur'd her that the ,sun1 ,moon1 and all the starry ,host of ,heav'n1 were but languid ,fires to her bright ,eyes4 ,he put the ,question to her1 in short1 at once1 and agreed to sign upon her ,compliance4 ,she suffer'd herself to be over-persuaded1 and made an ,assignation to meet him at a certain ,place1 as soon as the ,star ,algenib should make its ,appearance4 ,from him she repair'd to the third and fourth ,pontiff1 taking care1 wherever she went1 to see ,zadig's ,acquittance duely sign'd1 and made fresh ,appointments at the ,rising of ,star after ,star4 ,when she had carried her ,point thus far1 she sent a proper ,message to the ,judges of the ,court1 who had condemn'd ,zadig1 requesting that they would come to her ,house1 that she might advise with them upon an ,affair of the last ,importance4 ,they waited on her accordingly2 she produc'd ,zadig's ,discharge duly sign'd by four several ,hands1 and told them the ,definitive ,treaty between all the contracting ,parties4 ,each of the pontifical ,gallants observ'd their ,summons to a ,moment4 ,each was startled at the ,sight of his ,rival2 but perfectly thunderstruck to see the ,judges1 before whom the ,widow had laid open her ,case4 ,zadig procur'd an absolute ,pardon1 and ,setoc was so charm'd with the artful ,address of ,almona1 that he married her the next ,day4 ,zadig went afterwards to throw himself at the ,feet of his fair ,benefactress4 ,setoc and he took their ,leave of each other with ,tears in their ,eyes1 and vowing that an eternal mutual ,friendship should be preserv'd between them2 and1 in short1 should ,fortune at any ,time afterwards prove more propitious than could well be expected to either ,party2 the other should partake of an equal ,share of his ,success4 ,zadig steer'd his ,course towards ,syria2 forever pondering on the hard ,fate of the justly-admir'd ,astarte1 and reflecting on his own ,stars that so obstinately darted down their malignant ,rays1 and continu'd daily to torment him4 ,what1 said he6 to pay four hundred ,ounces of ,gold for only seeing a ,bitch pass by me2 to be condemn'd to be beheaded for four witless ,verses in ,praise of the ,king2 to be strangled to ,death1 because a ,queen was pleas'd to look upon me2 to be made a ,prisoner1 and sold as a ,slave for saving a young ,lady from being sorely abus'd by a ,brute rather than a ,man2 and to be upon the ,brink of being roasted alive1 for no other ,offence than saving for the future all the ,widows in ,arabia from becoming idle ,burnt-,offerings1 and mingling their ,ashes with those of their deceased worthless ,husbands4 ,,chap4 ,,xiii4 ,the ,,free-,,booter4 ,zadig1 arriving at the ,frontiers which separate ,arabia ,petra from ,syria1 and passing by a very strong ,castle1 several arm'd ,arabians rush'd out upon him1 and surrounding him1 cried out3 ,whatever you have belonging to you is our ,property1 but as for your ,person1 that is entirely at our ,sovereign's ,disposal4 ,zadig1 instead of making any ,reply1 drew his ,sword1 and as his ,attendant was a very couragious ,fellow1 he drew likewise4 ,those who laid hold on them1 first fell a ,sacrifice to their ,fury3 ,their ,numbers redoubled3 ,yet still1 ,both dauntless1 determin'd to conquer or to die4 ,when two ,men defend themselves against a whole ,gang1 the ,contest1 doubtless1 cannot last long4 ,the ,master of the ,castle1 one ,arbogad by ,name1 having been an ,eye-,witness from his ,window1 of the ,intrepidity and surprising ,exploits of ,zadig1 took a ,fancy to him4 ,he ran down therefore in ,haste1 and giving ,orders himself to his ,vassals to desist1 deliver'd the two ,travellers out of their ,hands4 ,whatever ,goods or ,chattels1 said he1 come upon my ,territories1 are my ,effects2 and whatever ,i find likewise that is valuable upon the ,premises of others1 is my free ,booty2 but1 as you appear1 ,sir1 to me to be a ,gentleman of uncommon ,courage1 you shall prove an ,exception to my general ,rule4 ,upon this1 he invited ,zadig into his magnificent ,mansion1 giving his inferior ,officers strict ,orders to use him with all due ,respect2 and at ,night ,arbogad was desirous of supping with ,zadig4 ,the ,lord of the ,mansion was one of those ,arabians1 that are call'd ,free-booters2 but a ,man who now and then did good ,actions amongst a ,thousand bad ones4 ,he plunder'd without ,mercy2 but was liberal in his ,benefactions4 ,when in ,action1 intrepid2 but in ,traffick1 easy enough2 a perfect ,epicure in his ,eating and ,drinking1 an absolute ,debauchee1 but very frank and open4 ,zadig pleas'd him extremely2 his ,conversation being very lively1 prolong'd their ,repast3 ,at last1 ,arbogad said to him2 ,i would advise you1 ,sir1 to enlist yourself in my ,troop2 you cannot possibly do a better ,thing3 ,my ,profession is none of the worst2 and in ,time1 you may become perhaps as great a ,man as myself4 ,may ,i presume1 ,sir1 to ask you one ,question2 how long may you have follow'd this honourable ,calling8 ,from my ,youth upwards1 replied his ,host1 ,i was only a ,valet at first to an ,arabian1 who indeed was courteous enough2 but ,servitude was a ,state of ,life ,i could not brook4 ,it made me stark-mad to see1 in a wide ,world1 which ought to be divided fairly between ,mankind1 that ,fate had reserv'd for me so scanty a ,portion4 ,i communicated my ,grievance to an old ,sage ,arabian4 ,son1 said he1 never despair2 once upon a ,time1 there was a ,grain of ,sand1 that bemoan'd itself1 as being nothing more than a worthless ,atom of the ,deserts4 ,at the ,expiration1 however1 of a few ,years1 it became that inestimable ,diamond1 which at this very ,hour1 is the richest1 and most admir'd ,ornament of the ,indian ,crown4 ,the old ,man's ,discourse fir'd me with some ,ambition2 ,i was conscious to myself that ,i was at that ,time the ,atom he mention'd1 but was determin'd1 if possible1 to become the ,diamond4 ,at my first setting out1 ,i stole two ,horses2 then ,i got into a ,gang2 where we play'd at small ,game1 and stopp'd the small ,caravans2 thus ,i gradually lessen'd the wide ,disproportion1 which there was at first between me and the rest of ,mankind3 ,i enjoy'd not only my full ,share of the good ,things of this ,life1 but enjoy'd them with ,usury4 ,i was look'd upon as a ,man of ,consequence1 and ,i procur'd this ,castle by my military ,atchievements4 ,the ,satrap of ,syria had ,thoughts of dispossessing me2 but ,i was then too rich to be any ,ways afraid of him2 ,i gave the ,satrap a certain ,sum of ,money1 upon ,condition that ,i kept quiet ,possession of my ,castle4 ,and1 moreover1 ,i aggrandiz'd my ,domains2 for he constituted me1 at the same ,time1 ,treasurer of the ,imports that ,arabia ,petra paid to the ,king of ,kings4 ,i executed my ,trust1 in every ,respect1 as ,i ought1 in the ,capacity of a ,collector2 but ,i never did1 nor never intended to balance my ,accounts4 ,the grand ,desterham of ,babylon sent hither1 in the ,name of the ,king ,moabdar1 a petty ,satrap1 with a ,commission to strangle me4 ,he and his ,attendants arriv'd here with his ,royal ,warrant4 ,i was appriz'd of the whole ,affair1 and1 accordingly1 order'd his whole ,retinue1 consisting of four inferior ,officers1 to be strangled before his ,face1 after the same ,manner as was intended for my ,execution4 ,after this1 ,i ask'd him what he thought the ,commission with which he was entrusted1 might reasonably be valued at2 he answer'd1 that he presum'd his ,premium 7had he succeeded7 might have amounted to about three ,hundred ,pieces of ,gold4 ,i made him sensible1 that it would be for his ,interest to be a commission'd ,officer under me2 ,i made him accordingly ,deputy ,free-booter4 ,he is at this very ,day not only the best ,officer1 but the richest ,i have in all my ,court4 ,if my ,word may be credited1 ,i'll raise your ,fortune as ,i have done his4 ,never was ,trade brisker in our ,way2 for ,moabdar1 is knock'd on the ,head1 and all ,babylon in the utmost ,confusion4 ,moabdar kill'd1 said you6 cry'd ,zadig1 and pray1 ,sir1 what is become of his ,royal ,consort1 ,astarte8 ,i know nothing at all of that ,affair1 replied ,arbogad1 all that ,i have to say1 is1 that ,moabdar became a perfect ,madman1 and had his ,brains beat out2 that all the ,people in ,babylon are cutting one another's ,throats1 and that the whole ,empire is laid waste2 that there is still an ,opportunity for making several bold ,pushes2 and let me tell you1 ,sir1 ,i have done my ,part1 and made the most on't4 ,but the ,queen1 ,sir1 said ,zadig2 pray favour me so far1 as to inform me1 if you know any ,thing of the ,queen4 ,i have heard great ,talk1 said he1 of a certain ,prince of ,hyrcania2 'tis very possible1 she may have listed herself amongst his ,concubines1 if she had the good ,fortune to escape the ,resentment of those popular ,tumults2 but my ,head1 ,sir1 is better turn'd for the ,highway than for ,news2 ,i have taken several ,ladies ,prisoners in the ,course of my ,excursions2 ,i keep none of them for my ,part2 and as to such as are handsomer than ordinary1 ,i make the best ,market ,i can of them1 without enquiring who they are4 ,their ,quality or ,titles will fetch no ,price at all2 a ,queen1 if she be homely1 is worth nothing4 ',tis probable1 ,sir1 ,i have dispos'd of the ,lady myself2 and 'tis possible1 likewise1 she may be dead2 'tis no ,concern of mine2 and to my thinking1 it should be an ,affair of no ,manner of ,importance to you4 ,after this ,declaration1 he drank so hard1 and confounded his ,ideas in such a ,manner1 that ,zadig was not one whit the wiser4 ,upon which he was struck dumb1 confounded1 and stood as motionless as a ,statue4 ,arbogad1 in the mean while1 swill'd down whole ,bumpers1 told a ,hundred merry ,tales1 and swore a thousand ,times over1 that he was the happiest ,creature upon ,god's ,earth2 persuading ,zadig to be as merry1 and thoughtless as himself4 ,at last1 being gradually overcome by the ,fumes of his ,liquor1 he fell fast asleep4 ,zadig spent the ,remainder of the ,night in deep ,contemplation1 and in all the ,uneasiness of ,mind imaginable4 ,what1 said he1 the ,king first became crazy1 and then was murder'd4 ,i think ,i have just ,grounds for ,complaint4 ,the whole ,empire is in ,confusion1 and torn to ,pieces1 and this ,free-booter is as happy as a ,king4 ,o ,fortune6 ,o ,fate6 a ,highwayman as happy as a ,monarch6 and the most amiable ,creature that ,nature ever fram'd has suffer'd perhaps1 an ignominious ,death1 or perhaps1 is in a ,state of ,life a thousand ,times worse than ,death itself6 ,o ,astarte6 ,astarte6 ,what art thou become8 ,as soon as it was ,break of ,day he went out1 and ask'd every one he saw if they knew any ,thing of her3 ,but the whole ,gang were too intent upon other ,matters1 to return him any ,answer4 ,by ,virtue of their ,night's ,excursions1 they had brought in some fresh ,booty1 and were busy in dividing the ,spoil4 ,all the ,favour he could procure1 in their ,hurry and ,tumult1 was1 to go away without the least ,examination4 ,he took the ,advantage of their ,remissness1 and mov'd off the ,premises1 but more overwhelm'd with ,grief and deep ,reflection than ever4 ,zadig1 in his ,march1 was very restless and uneasy4 ,his ,thoughts were forever rolling on the unfortunate ,astarte1 the ,king of ,babylon1 his ,bosom-,friend ,cador1 the happy ,free-booter1 ,arbogad1 the fair ,coquet1 that was taken ,prisoner on the ,confines of ,egypt1 by the ,babylonish ,courier2 in a ,word1 on the various ,scenes of ,misfortunes and ,disappointments1 which he had successively met with4 ,,chap4 ,,xiv4 ,the ,,fisherman4 ,when ,zadig had travelled some few ,leagues from ,arbogad's ,castle1 he found himself arriv'd at the ,banks of a little ,river2 incessantly deploring1 as he went along1 his unhappy ,fate1 and looking upon himself as the very ,picture of ill ,luck4 ,he perceiv'd at a little ,distance a ,fisherman1 reclin'd on a verdant ,bank by the ,river-side1 trembling1 scarce able to hold his ,net in his ,hand1 7which he seem'd but little to regard7 and with uplift ,eyes1 imploring ,heaven's ,assistance4 ,i am1 doubtless1 said the poor ,fisherman1 the most unhappy ,wretch that ever liv'd6 ,no ,merchant in all ,babylon1 it is very well known1 was ever so noted for selling ,cream-,cheeses as myself2 and yet ,i am ruin'd to all ,intents and ,purposes4 ,no ,man of my ,profession ever had a handsomer1 more compleat ,housewife1 than my ,dame was2 but ,i have been treacherously depriv'd of her4 ,i had still left a poor1 pitiful ,cottage1 but that ,i saw plunder'd and destroy'd4 ,i am cubb'd up here in a ,cell2 ,i have nothing to depend upon but my ,fishery1 and not one single ,fish have ,i caught4 ,thou unfortunate ,net6 ,i'll never throw thee into the ,water more3 ,much sooner will ,i throw myself in4 ,no sooner were the ,words out of his ,mouth1 but he started up1 and ran to the ,river-side1 like one that was resolutely bent to plunge in1 and get rid of a miserable ,life at once4 ,is it possible1 said ,zadig8 ,is there then the ,man in ,being more wretched than myself8 ,his ,benevolence1 and good ,will to save the poor ,man's ,life1 was as quick as the ,reflection he had just made6 ,he ran to his ,assistance2 he laid hold of him2 and ask'd him1 with an ,air of ,pity and ,concern1 the ,cause of his rash ,intention4 ',tis an old saying1 that a ,person is less unhappy when he sees himself not singular in ,misfortune4 ,but if we will credit ,zoroaster1 this is not from a ,principle of ,malignity1 but the ,effect of a fatal ,necessity4 ,he was attracted1 as it were1 to any ,person in ,distress1 as being ,one in the same unhappy ,circumstances4 ,the ,transport of a happy ,man1 would be a ,kind of ,insult2 but two ,persons in bad ,circumstances1 are like two weak ,shrubs1 which1 by propping up each other1 are fenc'd against a ,storm4 ,why are you thus cast down1 said ,zadig to the ,fisherman8 ,never sink ,man1 under the ,weight of your ,burden4 ,i can't help it1 said the poor ,fisherman2 ,i have not the least ,prospect of ,redress4 ,i was once1 ,sir1 the tip-top ,man of the whole ,village of ,derlbach1 near ,babylon1 where ,i liv'd1 and with the ,help of my ,wife1 made the best ,cream-,cheeses that were ever eaten in the ,persian ,empire4 ,her ,majesty1 the ,queen ,astarte1 and the famous ,prime-,minister ,zadig were very fond of them4 ,i serv'd the ,court with about six ,hundred of them1 ,i went the other ,day in ,hopes of being paid2 but before ,i had well got into the ,suburbs of ,babylon1 ,i was inform'd1 that not only the ,queen1 but ,zadig too had privately left the ,court3 ,whereupon ,i ran directly to ,zadig's ,house1 tho' ,i never sat ,eye on the ,man in all my ,life4 ,there ,i found the ,court-,marshals of the grand ,desterham1 plundering1 by ,virtue of his ,majesty's ,mandate1 all his ,effects1 in the most loyal ,manner4 ,from thence ,i made the best of my ,way to the ,queen's ,kitchin2 where1 applying my self to the ,steward of her ,household1 and his inferior ,officers2 one of them told me she was dead2 another1 that she was confin'd in ,prison2 a third1 indeed1 said that she had made her ,escape by ,flight2 all in general1 however1 assur'd me for my ,comfort1 that my ,cheeses would never be paid for4 ,from thence ,i went1 with my ,wife in my ,hand1 to ,lord ,orcan's2 who was another of my ,court-,customers2 of whom we begg'd for ,shelter and ,protection3 ,the ,favour1 ,i confess1 was readily granted to my ,wife2 but as for my own ,part1 ,i was absolutely rejected4 ,she was fairer1 ,sir1 than the fairest ,cheese ,i ever sold2 from whence ,i date all my ,misfortunes2 and the red that adorn'd her blushing ,cheeks was ten ,times more lively than any ,tyrian ,scarlet4 ,and between you and ,i1 ,sir1 that was the main ,cause of my ,wife's ,reception1 and my ,disgrace4 ,whereupon ,i wrote a doleful ,letter to my ,wife1 in all the ,agonies of one in the deepest ,despair3 ',tis very well1 said she1 to the ,messenger2 ,i have some little ,knowledge of the ,man2 ,i have heard say no one sells better ,cream-,cheeses than he does2 desire him1 next ,time he comes1 to bring a small ,parcel with him1 and let him know1 ,i'll take care he shall be punctually paid4 ,in the ,height of my ,misfortunes1 ,i determin'd to seek ,redress in a ,court of ,equity3 ,i had but six ,ounces of ,gold left3 ,two whereof went for a ,fee to my ,counsellor2 two to my ,lawyer1 who took my ,cause in ,hand1 and the other two to the ,judge's ,clerk4 ,notwithstanding what ,i had done1 my ,cause was not so much as commenc'd2 and ,i had already disburs'd more ,money than all my ,cheeses and my ,wife with them were worth4 ,i return'd therefore to my ,native ,habitation1 with a full ,resolution to sell it for the ,ransom of my ,wife4 ,my little ,cot1 with the ,appurtenances1 were worth about threescore ,ounces of ,gold3 ,but as the ,purchasers found ,i was necessitous1 and drove to my last ,shifts2 the first whom ,i apply'd to1 offer'd me thirty ,ounces2 the second1 twenty2 and the third1 but ten3 ,just as ,i had come to ,terms of ,accommodation with one of them1 the ,prince of ,hyrcania came to ,babylon1 and swept all before him4 ,my little ,cottage1 with all its ,furniture1 was first plunder'd of all that was valuable1 and at last reduc'd to ,ashes4 ,having thus lost my ,money1 my ,wife1 and my ,house1 ,i withdrew to this ,desart1 where you see me4 ,i have since endeavour'd to get my ,bread by ,fishing2 but the ,fish1 as well as all ,mankind1 desert me4 ,i scarce catch one in a ,day2 ,i am half starv'd2 and had it not been for your unexpected ,benevolence and ,generosity1 ,i had been at the ,bottom of the ,river before this4 ,this long ,detail of ,particulars1 however1 was not deliver'd without several ,interruptions2 for1 said ,zadig1 with ,abundance of ,warmth and ,confusion1 ,have you never heard1 ,sir1 of what is become of the ,queen ,astarte8 ,no ,sir1 not ,i1 said the disconsolate ,fisherman2 but this ,i know1 to my ,sorrow1 that neither the ,queen1 nor ,zadig1 ever paid me the least ,consideration in the ,world for my ,cream ,cheeses2 that my dear ,spouse is taken from me2 and that ,i am drove to the very ,brink of ,despair4 ,i am verily persuaded1 said ,zadig1 that you will not lose all your ,money4 ,i have heard much talk of that same ,zadig2 they say he is very honest1 and that if ever he returns to ,babylon1 as 'tis to be hop'd he will1 he'll discharge his ,debts with ,interest1 like a ,man of ,honour4 ,but1 as for your ,wife1 who appears to me1 to be no better than a ,wag-tail1 never take the ,trouble1 if you'll take my ,advice1 to hunt after her any more4 ,be rul'd1 and make the best of your ,way to ,babylon4 ,i shall be there before you1 as ,i shall ride1 and you will be on ,foot4 ,make your ,applications to the illustrious ,cador2 tell him you met his ,friend upon the ,road2 and stay there still ,i come4 ,observe my ,orders1 and 'tis very probable it may turn out to your ,advantage4 ,o puissant ,orosmades1 continu'd he1 you have made me1 'tis true1 an ,instrument of ,comfort to this poor ,man2 but what ,friend will you raise for me1 to alleviate my ,sorrows8 ,having utter'd this short ,expostulation1 he gave the distrest ,fisherman one full ,moiety of all the ,money he brought with him out of ,arabia4 ,the ,fisherman1 thunder-struck1 and transported with ,joy at so unexpected a ,benefaction1 kiss'd the ,feet of ,cador's ,friend1 and cried out1 sure you are a ,messenger of ,heaven1 sent down to be my ,saviour6 ,in the mean ,time1 ,zadig every now and then ask'd him ,questions1 and wept as he ask'd them4 ,what6 ,sir1 said the ,fisherman1 can you1 who are so bountiful a ,benefactor1 be in ,distress yourself8 ,alas6 said he1 ,friend1 ,i am a hundred ,times more unhappy than thou art4 ,but pray1 ,sir1 said the good ,man1 how can it possibly be1 that he1 who is so lavish of his ,favours1 should be overwhelm'd with greater ,misfortunes than the ,man he so generously relieves8 ,your greatest ,uneasiness1 said he1 arose from the ,narrowness of your ,circumstances2 but mine proceeds from an internal1 and much deeper ,cause4 ,pray1 ,sir1 said the ,fisherman1 has ,orcan robb'd you of your ,wife8 ,this ,interrogatory put ,zadig in a ,moment upon a ,retrospection of all his past ,adventures4 ,he recollected the whole ,series of his ,misfortunes2 commencing from that of the ,eunuch and the ,huntsman1 to his ,arrival at the ,free-booter's ,castle4 ,alas6 said he1 to the ,fisherman1 ,orcan1 'tis true1 deserves severely to be punish'd3 ,but for the ,generality1 we find1 such worthless ,barbarians are the ,favourites of ,fortune4 ,be that1 however1 as it will1 go as ,i bade you1 to my ,friend ,cador1 and wait there till ,i come4 ,they took their ,leave2 the ,fisherman blessing his propitious ,stars1 and ,zadig cursing1 every ,step he went1 the ,hour he was born4 ,,chap4 ,,xv4 ,the ,,basilisk4 ,as ,zadig was traversing a verdant ,meadow1 he perceiv'd several young ,female ,syrians1 intent on searching for something very curious1 that lay conceal'd1 as they imagin'd1 in the ,grass4 ,he took the ,freedom to approach one of them1 and ask her1 in the most courteous ,manner1 if he might have the ,honour to assist her in her ,researches4 ,have a care1 said she4 ,what we are hunting after1 ,sir1 is an ,animal1 that will not suffer itself to be touch'd by a ,man4 ',tis somewhat surprizing1 said ,zadig4 ,may ,i be so bold1 pray1 as to ask you what you are in ,pursuit after1 that shuns the ,touch of any ,thing but the ,hands of the ,fair ,sex4 ',tis1 ,sir1 said she1 the ,basilisk3 ,a ,basilisk1 ,madam1 said he6 ,and pray1 if you will be so good as to inform me1 with what ,view1 are you searching after a ,creature so very difficult to be met with8 ',tis1 ,sir1 said she1 for our ,lord and ,master ,ogul1 whose ,castle1 you see1 situate on the ,river-side1 at the ,bottom of the ,meadow4 ,we are all his ,vassals4 ,ogul1 you must know1 is in a very bad ,state of ,health1 and his first ,physician has order'd him1 as a ,specific1 to eat a ,basilisk1 boil'd in ,rose water3 ,and as that ,animal is very hard to be catch'd1 and will suffer nothing to approach it1 but one of our ,sex1 our dying ,sovereign ,ogul has promis'd to honour her1 that shall be so happy as to catch it for him1 so far as to make her his ,consort4 ,the ,case1 being thus circumstantiated1 ,sir1 ,i hope you will not interrupt me any longer1 lest my ,rivals here in the ,field should happen to circumvent me4 ,zadig withdrew1 and left the ,syrian ,ladies in ,quest of their imaginary ,booty1 in order to pursue his intended ,journey4 ,but as he came to the ,banks of a ,rivulet1 at the remotest part of the ,meadow1 he perceiv'd another young ,lady1 reclin'd on the ,grass1 and entirely disengag'd4 ,her ,stature seem'd majestic1 but her ,face was cover'd with a ,vail2 and her ,eyes were fixt1 as one at her ,looking-glass1 on the ,river4 ,every now and then a ,sigh burst out1 as if her ,heart were breaking4 ,in her ,hand she held a little ,wand or ,rod1 with which she was tracing out some ,characters on the dry ,sand1 that lay between the flow'ry ,bank she sat on1 and the purling ,current4 ,zadig's ,curiosity induc'd him1 unperceiv'd1 to observe her ,operations at some ,distance4 ,but approaching nearer1 and perceiving very distinctly the first ,character to be an ,z4 the next an ,a4 and the third a ,d4 he started2 but when he saw the additional ,capitals of ,i and ,g4 his ,astonishment was too great for ,words to express4 ,he stood for some ,time perfectly thunder-struck1 and as motionless as a ,statue2 ,at last1 in a soft1 faultring ,tone1 he broke ,silence3 ,o generous ,lady1 said he1 forgive a ,stranger1 one overwhelm'd with ,sorrows like yourself1 if he asks you1 by what amazing ,accident he finds the ,name of ,zadig delineated by so angelick a ,hand4 ,thus unexpectedly interrupted1 and at the ,sound of those ,words1 she turn'd her ,head2 and with a trembling ,hand1 lifting up her ,vail1 she espy'd ,zadig himself4 ,upon which1 she shriek'd2 and as her ,heart was flutter'd between the two ,extreams of ,transport and ,surprize1 she fainted away1 and gently dropp'd into his ,arms4 ',twas1 it seems ,astarte her self2 'twas the ,queen of ,babylon2 'twas the very ,goddess whom ,zadig ador'd2 'twas1 in short1 the very identical ,lady1 whose hard ,fate he had so long deplor'd2 and for whose sake he had felt so many agonizing ,pains4 ,for a few ,minutes he stood speechless1 and depriv'd1 as it were1 of all his senses1 whilst his ,eyes were fixt on his ,astarte1 who began to revive2 and cast a wishful ,glance at him1 attended with some ,confusion4 ,o ye immortal ,powers1 cried he1 who preside over the ,destiny of us frail ,mortals6 ,ye have restor'd me my ,astarte2 but alas6 at what a ,conjuncture1 in what a ,place1 and in what a ,state and ,condition do ,i view her8 ,he threw himself prostrate on the ,ground1 and kiss'd the ,dust of her ,feet4 ,the ,queen of ,babylon rais'd him up1 and oblig'd him to sit by her on the flow'ry ,bank whereon she was repos'd4 ,every now and then she wip'd her ,eyes1 as the ,tears trickl'd down afresh her lovely ,cheeks4 ,twenty times she endeavour'd to renew her ,discourse2 but was interrupted by her ,sighs2 she ask'd him over and over to relate to her the ,hardships he had ran thro' since their parting1 and by what ,chance he came to traverse that solitary ,meadow2 but prevented him at the same ,time from returning any ,answer1 by repeating ,question upon ,question4 ,at last1 she gave him a particular ,detail of her own ,misfortunes1 and again requested to know his4 ,both of them1 in short1 having1 in some ,measure1 appeas'd the ,tumult of their ,souls2 ,zadig1 in a few ,words1 inform'd her of the ,motives that brought him thither4 ,but tell me1 ,o unfortunate1 tho' ever-venerable ,queen1 how ,i came to find you out1 reclining on this verdant ,bank1 dress'd in this servile ,habit1 accompanied by other ,female ,slaves1 who1 ,i find1 have been all ,day long in ,quest after a ,basilisk1 which1 as ,i understand1 is by ,order of a celebrated ,physician1 to be dissolv'd in ,rose-water1 as a specific ,medicine for his dying ,patient4 ,whilst they busy in their fruitless ,search1 said the beauteous ,astarte1 ,i'll tell you the whole ,series of ,sorrows which ,i have undergone since last we parted2 and since ,heav'n has thus unexpectedly blest my ,eyes once more with the ,sight of my dear ,zadig1 ,i'll no longer exclaim against my impropitious ,stars4 ,you are not insensible1 that the jealous ,king my ,spouse1 was disgusted to find you the most amiable of all ,mortals1 and that for no other ,reason he determin'd to strangle you1 and poison me4 ,you know very well too1 that indulgent ,heav'n inspir'd1 as it were1 my little ,dwarf1 with artful ,means to give me timely ,notice of the rash ,resolutions of the ,king1 my cruel ,husband4 ,no sooner had the faithful ,cador oblig'd you to obey my ,orders1 and to fly the ,court1 but he ventur'd to enter my ,apartment in the ,dead of ,night thro' a private ,door4 ,he snatch'd me up1 and convey'd me directly into the ,temple of ,orosmades1 where the holy ,magus1 who was his ,brother1 lock'd me up in that august and awful ,statue1 that stands erect upon the ,pavement of the ,temple1 and ,colossus-like1 touches the lofty ,ceiling with his ,head4 ,there ,i lay conceal'd1 or rather buried for some ,time2 tho' taken all imaginable ,care of1 and furnish'd with all the ,necessaries of ,life by that venerable1 and loyal ,priest4 ,in the mean ,time1 his ,apothecary enter'd at ,break of ,day into my ,apartment1 with a ,potion in his ,hand1 compos'd of ,opium1 black ,hellebore1 ,aconite1 and other ,ingredients still more baneful4 ,whilst this mercenary ,officer of the ,king's ,vengeance was thus employ'd1 another as inhuman as himself1 went to your ,lodgings with the silken ,cord4 ,both1 however1 were disappointed1 as both of us were fled4 ,cador1 very officious1 flew to the ,king1 in order the more artfully to blind him2 and in a feign'd ,passion1 rail'd at us both1 and charg'd us both as perfidious ,traitors4 ,as for that ,villain ,zadig1 said he1 he has taken his ,flight towards ,india2 and your false1 ungrateful ,consort1 ,sire1 said he1 is fled to ,memphis4 ,the ,guards were order'd that ,moment to pursue us both4 ,the ,couriers1 who flew after me1 knew nothing of me4 ,i had never expos'd my ,face unveil'd to any one but your self1 and that too in the ,presence1 and by the express ,order of my ,royal ,master4 ,as they had no other ,marks to distinguish me from others but my ,stature1 as it had been describ'd1 a young ,lady1 just of my ,size1 but in all ,probability much more handsome1 presented herself to their ,view1 on the ,frontiers of ,egypt4 ,she was found alone1 and in a very disconsolate ,condition4 ,this ,lady must1 doubtless1 said they to themselves1 be the ,queen of ,babylon3 ,and without listning to her ,complaints1 convey'd her instantly to my ,husband ,moabdar4 ,their gross ,blunder at first incens'd his ,majesty to the last ,degree2 but after he had view'd the ,lady with an attentive ,eye1 he found she was extremely pretty1 and was soon pacify'd4 ,her ,name was ,missouf4 ,i have been since inform'd1 that her ,name in the ,egyptian ,language signifies the ,fair ,coquet4 ,and in ,effect1 she was so3 ,she had as much ,art1 however1 as ,caprice4 ,for she pleas'd the ,king of ,kings3 ,in short1 she had such an ,ascendancy over him1 that he didn't scruple in publick to own her as his ,wife4 ,when she had secur'd him thus far in her ,toils1 she never conceal'd her ,power1 but play'd the ,part of a perfect ,humourist4 ,she indulg'd herself in every ,whim that came in her ,head1 without ,fear of being brow-beat4 ,in the first ,place1 ,she insisted that the ,chief ,magus1 who was old and gouty1 should dance a ,saraband before her2 and upon his modest ,refusal to comply with so preposterous a ,request1 she persecuted him without ,mercy3 ,nothing would serve her ,turn1 in the next ,place1 but his ,majesty's grand ,master of the ,horse must make her a ,minc'd-pye4 ,the ,gentleman took the ,liberty to let her know1 that he was no profess'd ,cook2 a ,tart1 however1 he must make for her1 and she got him turn'd out of his ,place for being so monstrously careless1 as to burn one ,corner of the ,crust4 ,whereupon she gave his ,post to her favourite ,dwarf1 and made her ,fop of a ,page the ,keeper of his ,majesty's great ,seal1 and ,confidence4 ,thus she reign'd arbitrary1 and was the ,female ,tyrant of ,babylon4 ,all the ,world deplor'd the ,loss of me their former ,queen4 ,the ,king1 who never acted the ,part of a ,tyrant1 till the ,moment he would have imprison'd me1 and strangled you1 seem'd to have drown'd all his good ,qualities in his ,dotage on that capricious ,enchantress4 ,he came to the ,temple on the solemn ,festival of the sacred ,fire4 ,i saw him prostrate on the ,pavement before the ,statue1 wherein ,i was enclos'd1 imploring the ,gods to show'r down their choicest ,blessings on his beauteous ,missouf4 ,i1 with an audible and distinct1 but hollow ,tone1 address'd my self thus1 like an ,oracle1 to the ,king of ,kings4 ,the ,gods reject the ,vows of a ,monarch1 that acts the ,tyrant o'er his ,subjects2 ,one1 who could think of murdering an innocent ,wife2 and admit of a worthless ,beauty to supply her ,place4 ,moabdar was so startled at this unexpected ,answer from the ,god he ador'd1 that he was just at the ,point of ,distraction4 ,the ,oracle that ,i had deliver'd1 and the tyrannical ,proceedings of his new ,spouse ,missouf1 were enough to deprive him of his ,senses4 ,in short1 in a few ,days he became a perfect ,mad-man4 ,her ,caprice1 which seem'd a ,judgement from above1 portended a sudden ,revolution4 ,his ,subjects accordingly revolted1 and were instantly up in ,arms4 ,babylon1 that had so long indulg'd herself in ,indolence and ,ease1 became the ,seat1 or ,theatre of a bloody ,civil ,war4 ,whereupon ,i was taken from my magnificent ,prison1 the ,bowels of his ,god1 and set up at the ,head of a very powerful ,party4 ,your ,friend ,cador flew to ,memphis in hopes to find you there1 and bring you back to ,babylon4 ,the ,prince of ,hyrcania1 hearing of these intestine ,broils1 return'd with a powerful ,army1 in order to form a third ,party1 among the ,babylonians4 ,he attack'd the ,king1 who fled with his fair1 but fickle ,egyptian before him4 ,moabdar1 however1 was so closely pursu'd1 that he dy'd of the ,wounds he receiv'd in his ,retreat4 ,missouf became the fair ,victim of the ,conqueror4 ,as for my own ,part1 ,i had the ,misfortune to be over-power'd likewise1 and taken ,prisoner by an ,hyrcanian ,party1 who brought me into the ,presence of the young ,prince1 at the very ,juncture when ,missouf stood before him4 ,you'll smile1 doubtless1 when ,i tell you the ,prince look'd upon me as the most amiable ,captive of the two2 but then1 ,i presume you will be sorry to hear1 that my hard ,fate doom'd me to be a ,vassal in his ,seraglio4 ,he told me1 in direct ,terms1 that as soon as he had put an happy ,issue to one ,military ,expedition1 which would not1 he flatter'd himself1 be long unexecuted1 he would honour me with a ,visit4 ,judge the dreadful ,apprehensions ,i was under1 upon his making such a peremptory ,declaration4 ,my ,obligations to ,moabdar were all cancell'd1 and ,i was free to be the ,bride of ,zadig2 but instead of that1 ,i fell into the ,toils of a ,barbarian4 ,i answer'd him with all the ,resentment becoming one of my high ,character and unspotted ,virtue4 ,i had always heard say1 that ,heav'n bestow'd on ,persons of my ,rank1 such a peculiar ,mark of ,majesty and ,grandeur1 that with a bare ,word1 or the ,glance of an angry ,eye1 they could bring down1 and abase the ,pride of those audacious ,creatures that durst to thwart their ,inclinations4 ,i talk'd as big as a ,queen2 but ,i was treated like the most servile ,domestic4 ,the saucy ,hyrcanian1 without so much as vouchsafing me one ,single ,word1 turn'd to his black ,eunuch1 and told him that ,i was very impertinent2 but yet he could not help thinking ,i was very pretty4 ,he gave him therefore particular ,orders to take care of me1 and put me under the same ,regimen1 with respect to my ,diet1 as one of his ,favourites1 in order that ,i might recover my ,colour1 which was somewhat too languid2 in a ,word1 that ,i might become worthy in a little ,time of his ,royal ,favours1 and be duely qualified to receive him1 when he should honour me so far as to fix the ,day4 ,i told him1 ,i would die first3 ,he replied1 with a ,sneer1 that young ,ladies1 like me1 seldom kill'd themselves1 and that they were made for ,enjoyment2 and then turn'd upon his ,heel1 with as careless an ,air1 as a ,man would part with his ,paroquet1 when he had shut her up close in her gilded ,cage4 ,what a shocking ,state was ,i in for the first ,queen of the ,universe6 ,nay1 ,i'll say more1 for a ,heart that was wholly devoted to her ,zadig6 ,at these endearing ,words1 ,zadig threw himself at her ,feet1 and bath'd them with his ,tears4 ,astarte immediately rais'd him in the most courteous and engaging ,manner1 and thus continu'd her ,narration4--,i too plainly perceiv'd1 that ,i was subject to the ,tyranny of a ,barbarian1 and the ,rival of a ,coquet1 that was a ,slave like myself4 ,she related to me all her past ,adventures in ,egypt4 ,from the ,description she gave of her ,gallant1 the ,time and ,place1 the ,dromedary he was mounted on1 and from every other minute ,circumstance1 ,i imagin'd it was your self that play'd the ,hero in her ,favour4 ,as ,i made no ,doubt but that you resided somewhere in ,memphis1 ,i determin'd to go thither my self1 but in ,disguise4 ,beauteous ,missouf1 said ,i1 you are of a much sprightlier ,disposition than ,i am2 you will be able to amuse the gay young ,prince of ,hyrcania a thousand ,times better than ,i shall4 ,find out some ,way therefore for my ,escape2 by which you will be sole ,lady ,regent4 ,you will oblige me to the last ,degree1 by your friendly ,assistance1 and at the same ,time get rid of a ,rival4 ,missouf1 7cajol'd with the ,hint7 came into my ,measures directly4 ,she took care to send me packing forthwith1 with no other ,attendant than an old ,egyptian ,slave4 ,no sooner had ,i reach'd the ,borders of ,arabia1 but a notorious ,free-booter1 7one ,arbogad by ,name7 pick'd me up1 as ,i was strolling along1 and sold me to some ,merchants1 who convey'd me to yonder ,castle1 the magnificent ,residence of the ,emir ,ogul4 ,he purchas'd me at all ,adventures1 without enquiring what1 or who ,i was4 ,he is a perfect ,debauchee2 his sole ,delight lies in good ,eating1 ,wine1 and ,women2 and is one1 who imagines1 that the ,almighty sent him into the ,world for no other ,purpose but to gratify his unruly ,appetites4 ,he is excessively fat1 and puffs and blows every ,moment1 like one half choak'd4 ,when he has gorg'd himself so unmercifully that he is ready to burst1 his chief ,physician can persuade him to take any ,thing for his ,relief2 tho' he laughs at him1 and despises his ,advice when he's well and sober4 ,he has intimated to him1 that at present his ,life's in ,danger1 and nothing will restore him but a ,basilisk1 boil'd in ,rose-,water4 ,whereupon the grand ,ogul has promis'd his last ,favours to that ,slave1 whoever she be1 that shall be so fortunate as to catch a ,basilisk1 for him1 since it seems they are so seldom to be met with4 ,you see ,i have others to struggle for the ,honour propos'd1 and ,i never had a less ,inclination to find out this ,basilisk than at present1 since ,i have once more met with my dearest ,zadig4 ,after this ,declaration1 ,astarte and ,zadig renew'd with ,warmth the virtuous ,affection which they had long conceiv'd for each other2 and reciprocally utter'd all the tenderest ,expressions that ,love in ,distress could possibly devise4 ,and the ,genii1 who preside over all the soft ,passions1 wafted their mutual ,vows of eternal ,constancy and ,truth to the ,sphere of ,venus4 ,the whole ,train of ,slaves1 after a long fruitless ,search1 attended on ,ogul1 to inform him that all their strictest ,search was fruitless4 ,zadig desired that he might have the ,honour to be introduc'd into his ,presence4 ,accordingly he was1 and his ,address was to this or the like ,effect4 ,may immortal ,health descend from ,heaven to preserve a ,life1 ,sir1 so precious as yours is4 ,i am a ,physician by ,profession4 ,i flew to your ,palace1 on the first ,news of the dangerous ,situation you were in1 and have brought a ,basilisk with me1 distill'd in ,rose-,water4 ,i can have no ,hopes of the ,honour of your ,bed1 in ,case ,i succeed in my ,application3 ,all the ,favour ,i request1 is1 the ,release of one of your ,babylonish ,slaves1 who has been in your ,highness's ,retinue for some ,time4 ,and ,i am willing to be your ,bond-slave in her ,stead1 if ,i fail of restoring the most illustrious and magnificent ,ogul to his pristine ,state of ,health4 ,the ,proposition was readily embrac'd4 ,astarte was instantly discharg'd1 and set out for ,babylon1 with a proper ,attendant1 according to ,zadig's ,direction2 assuring her that she should hear every ,day1 by a special ,courier1 of his ,proceedings with his new ,patient4 ,the ,farewel which they took of each other1 was very affectionate and tender1 expressive of the strongest ,obligations to each other4 ,the ,moments of ,meeting1 and those of ,parting1 are 7as it is written in the sacred ,book of ,zend7 the two most remarkable ,epochas of a ,lover's ,life4 ,zadig's repeated ,protestations of ,affection for the ,queen were perfectly sincere1 and the pure ,dictates of his ,heart2 and the ,queen's ,love for ,zadig had made a deeper ,impression on hers1 than she thought proper to discover4 ,in the mean ,time1 ,zadig1 again addressing himself to ,ogul1 said2 my ,basilisk1 ,sir1 as others are1 is not to be drest or eaten2 but all its ,virtues must penetrate your whole ,fabrick1 thro' your ,pores2 ,i have inclos'd my never-failing ,sudorific in a ,bladder1 full-blown and carefully cover'd with the softest ,leather4 ,you must kick this ,bladder1 ,sir1 once a ,day about your ,hall for a whole ,hour together1 with all the ,vigour and ,activity you possibly can4 ,this ,medicine must be repeated every ,morning1 and ,i'll attend the ,operation3 ,upon your due ,observance of the ,regimen ,i shall put you under1 ,i doubt not1 but with the ,blessing of ,heav'n on my honest ,endeavours1 ,i shall give you ample ,demonstration of my being an ,adept in ,physick4 ,ogul1 upon making the first ,experiment1 was ready to expire for want of ,breath1 and thought he should die with the ,fatigue4 ,the second ,day did not prove altogether so irksome1 and he slept much better at ,night than he had done before4 ,in short1 our ,doctor in about eight ,days ,time1 perform'd an absolute ,cure4 ,his ,patient was as brisk1 active and gay1 as ,one in the ,bloom of his ,youth4 ,now1 ,sir1 said ,zadig1 ,i'll be ingenuous with you1 and disclose to you the important ,secret4 ,you have play'd at ,foot-ball these eight ,days successively2 and you have liv'd all that ,time1 within the ,bounds of ,sobriety and ,moderation4 ,know1 ,sir1 that there is no such ,animal in ,nature as a ,basilisk2 that ,health is to be secur'd by ,temperance and ,exercise2 and that the ,art of making ,health consistent with ,luxury1 is altogether as impracticable1 and an ,art1 in all ,respects1 as idle and chimerical1 as those of the ,philosopher's ,stone1 judicial ,astrology1 or any other ,reveries of the like airy and fantastic ,nature4 ,ogul's ,head-,physician1 apprehensive that this unexpected ,cure1 thus wrought by a ,stranger1 through such an ,anti-medicinal ,preparation1 might possibly not only render himself the ,object of ,contempt in the ,eye of his great ,master1 but cast a ,kind of ,slur in general on his whole ,fraternity1 conven'd a ,set of petty ,doctors and ,apothecaries1 who were his ,vassals1 and entirely devoted to his ,interest1 to find out some sure ,ways and ,means to cut off in private his dreadful ,rival2 but whilst their wicked ,plot was hatching1 ,zadig receiv'd a ,courier from the ,queen ,astarte4 ,,chap4 ,,xvi4 ,the ,,tournaments4 ,the ,queen was receiv'd at ,babylon with all the ,transports of ,joy that could possibly be express'd for the safe ,return of so illustrious and so beautiful a ,personage1 that had run thro' such a long ,series of ,misfortunes4 ,babylon at that ,time seem'd to be perfectly serene and quiet4 ,as for the young ,prince of ,hyrcania1 he was slain in ,battle4 ,the ,babylonians1 who were the ,victors1 declar'd that ,astarte should marry that ,candidate for the ,crown1 who should gain it by a fair and impartial ,election4 ,they were determin'd1 that the most valuable ,post of ,honour in the ,world1 namely1 that of being the ,royal ,consort of ,astarte1 and the ,sovereign of ,babylon1 should be the ,result of ,merit only2 and not be procur'd by any ,party-,factions or ,court-,intrigues4 ,a solemn ,oath was voluntarily taken by all ,parties1 that he who should distinguish himself by his superior ,valour and ,wisdom1 should unanimously be acknowledg'd the ,sovereign-,elect4 ,a spacious ,list1 or ,circus1 was pitched upon1 surrounded with commodious ,seats1 erected in an ,amphitheatrical ,manner1 and richly embellish'd some few ,leagues from the ,city4 ,thither the ,combatants1 or ,champions were to repair1 compleatly accoutred4 ,each of them had a distinct ,apartment to himself behind the ,lists1 where no ,soul could either see them1 or know who they were4 ,they were to enter the ,lists four several ,times4 ,those who were so happy as to conquer four ,competitors1 were afterwards to engage each other in single ,combat2 in order that he who should remain ,master of the ,field should be proclaim'd the happy ,victor4 ,four ,days afterwards1 they were to meet again1 accoutred as before1 and to explain all such nigmas1 or ,riddles1 as the ,magi should think proper to propose4 ,if their ,queries should prove too intricate and perplext for them to resolve1 they were to have ,recourse to the ,lists again1 and after that1 to fresh nigmas1 before they could be entitled to the ,election3 ,so that the ,tournaments were to be continu'd till ,one of the ,candidates should be twice a ,victor1 and shine as conspicuous1 with respect to his internal ,qualities1 as to his ,dexterity and ,address in heroic ,atchievements4 ,the ,queen1 in the mean ,time1 was to be narrowly watch'd1 and allow'd only to be a ,spectator of both their ,amusements1 at some considerable ,distance2 and moreover1 to be cover'd with a ,vail3 ,nor was she indulg'd so far as to speak one single ,word to any ,candidate whomsoever1 in order to prevent the least ,jealousy or ,suspicion either of ,partiality or ,injustice4 ,astarte took care1 by the ,courier1 to inform her ,lover of all the ,preliminary ,articles abovemention'd1 not doubting but that he would exert both his ,courage and ,understanding for her ,sake1 beyond any of the other ,competitors4 ,zadig accordingly set out for ,babylon1 and besought the ,goddess ,venus1 not only to fortify his ,courage1 but to illuminate his ,mind with ,wisdom on this important ,occasion4 ,the ,night before these martial ,atchievements were to commence1 ,zadig arrived upon the ,banks of the ,euphrates4 ,he inscrib'd his ,device amongst the ,list of ,combatants2 concealing1 at the same ,time1 both his ,person and ,name1 as the ,laws of the ,election required2 and accordingly1 withdrew to the ,apartment that was provided for him1 according to his ,lot4 ,cador1 who was just return'd to ,babylon1 having hunted all ,egypt over to no ,purpose1 in ,hopes to find his ,friend ,zadig1 brought a compleat set of ,armour into his ,lodge1 by express ,orders from the ,queen3 ,she sent him likewise ,one of the finest ,horses in all ,persia4 ,zadig knew that these ,presents could come from ,no-body but his dear ,astarte1 which redoubled his ,vigour and his ,hopes4 ,the next ,morning the ,queen being seated under a ,canopy of ,state1 enrich'd with precious ,stones2 and the ,amphitheatres being crowded with ,gentlemen and ,ladies of all ,ranks and ,conditions from ,babylon2 the ,competitors made their personal ,appearance in the ,circus3 ,each of them went up to the grand ,magus1 and laid down his particular ,device at his ,feet4 ,the ,devices were drawn by ,lot3 ,that of ,zadig was the last4 ,the first that advanc'd was a ,grandee1 one ,itabod by ,name1 immensely rich1 indeed1 and very haughty2 but no ways couragious2 exceedingly awkward1 and a ,man of no acquir'd ,parts4 ,the ,sycophants that hover'd round about him flatter'd him1 that a ,man of his ,merit couldn't fail of being ,king3 ,he imperiously replied1 ,one of my ,merit must be ,king3 ,whereupon he was arm'd ,cap-a-pee4 ,his ,armour was made of pure ,gold1 enamell'd with ,green4 ,the ,housings of his ,saddle were green1 and his ,lance embellish'd with green ,ribbands4 ,every ,one was sensible1 at first ,sight1 by ,itobad's ,manner of managing his ,horse1 that he was not the ,man whom ,heav'n had pitch'd upon to sway the ,babylonish ,scepter4 ,the first ,combatant that tilted with him1 threw him out of the ,saddle2 the second flung him quite over the ,crupper1 and laid him sprawling on the ,ground1 with his ,heels quiv'ring in the ,air4 ,itobad1 'tis true1 remounted1 but with so ill a ,grace1 that an universal ,laugh went round the ,amphitheatre4 ,the third1 disdaining to use his ,lance1 made only a ,feint at him3 ,then catch'd hold of his ,right ,leg1 and whirling him round1 threw him flat upon the ,sand4 ,the ,esquires1 who were the ,attendants1 ran to his ,assistance1 and with a ,sneer remounted him4 ,the fourth ,combatant catch'd hold of his ,left ,leg1 and unhors'd him again4 ,he was convey'd thro' the hissing ,multitude to his ,lodge1 where1 according to the ,law in that ,case provided1 he was to pass the ,night4 ,and as he hobbled along1 said he1 to the ,esquires1 what a sad ,misfortune is this to ,one of my ,birth and ,character6 ,the other ,champions play'd their ,parts much better2 and all came off with ,credit4 ,some conquer'd two of their ,antagonists1 and others were so far successful as to get the better of three4 ,none of them1 however1 except ,prince ,hottam1 vanquish'd four4 ,zadig1 at last1 enter'd the ,lists1 and dismounted all his four ,opponents1 one after the other1 with the utmost ,ease1 and with such an ,air and ,grace1 as gain'd him universal ,applause4 ,as the ,case stood thus1 ,zadig and ,hottam were to close the ,day's ,entertainment in a single ,combat4 ,the ,armour of the latter was of a blue ,colour mixt with ,gold1 and the ,housings of his ,saddle were of the same4 ,those of the former white as ,snow4 ,the ,multitude were divided in their ,wishes4 ,the ,knight in blue was the ,favourite of some of the ,ladies2 and others again were ,admirers of the ,cavalier in white4 ,the ,queen1 whose ,heart was in a perfect ,palpitation1 put up her secret ,prayers to ,venus to assist her darling ,hero4 ,the two ,champions making their ,passes and their ,volta's1 with the utmost ,dexterity and ,address1 and keeping firm in their ,saddles1 gave each other such ,rebuffs with their ,lances1 that all the ,spectators 7the ,queen only excepted7 wish'd for two ,kings of ,babylon4 ,at last1 their ,horses being tired1 and both their ,lances broke1 ,zadig made use of the following ,stratagem1 which his ,antagonist wasn't any ways appriz'd of4 ,he got artfully behind him1 and shooting with a ,spring on his ,horses ,buttocks1 grasp'd him close1 threw him headlong on the ,sand1 then jump'd into his ,seat1 and wheel'd round ,prince ,hottam1 while he lay sprawling on the ,ground4 ,all the ,spectators in general1 with loud ,acclamations1 cried out1 ,victory6 ,victory6 in favour of the ,champion in white4 ,hottam1 incens'd to the last ,degree1 got up1 and drew his ,sword4 ,zadig sprang from his ,horse with his ,sabre in his ,hand4 ,now1 behold the two ,chieftains upon their ,legs1 commencing a new ,trial of ,skill6 where they seem'd to get the better of each other alternately2 for both were strong1 and both were active4 ,the ,feathers of their ,helmets1 the ,studs of their ,bracelets1 their ,coats of ,mail1 flew about in ,pieces1 thro' the dry ,blows which they a thousand ,times repeated4 ,they struck at each other sometimes with the ,edge of their ,swords1 at other ,times they push'd1 as ,occasion offer'd3 ,now on the ,right1 then on the ,left2 now on the ,head1 then at the ,breast2 they retreated2 they advanc'd2 they kept at a ,distance2 they clos'd again2 they grasp'd each other1 turning and twisting like two ,serpents1 and engag'd each other as fiercely as two ,libyan ,lions fighting for their ,prey3 ,their ,swords struck ,fire almost at every ,blow4 ,at last1 ,zadig1 in order to recover his ,breath1 for a ,moment or two stood still1 and afterwards1 making a ,feint at the ,prince1 threw him on his ,back1 and disarm'd him4 ,hottam1 thereupon1 cried out1 ,o thou ,knight of the white ,armour6 ',tis you only are destin'd to be the ,king of ,babylon4 ,the ,queen was perfectly transported4 ,the two ,champions were reconducted to their separate ,lodges1 as the others had been before them1 in ,conformity to the ,laws prescrib'd4 ,several ,mutes were order'd to wait on the ,champions1 and carry them some proper ,refreshment4 ,we'll leave the ,reader to judge whether the ,queen's ,dwarf was not appointed to wait on ,zadig on this happy ,occasion4 ,after ,supper the ,mutes withdrew1 and left the ,combatants to rest their wearied ,limbs till the next ,morning2 at which ,time the ,victor was to produce his ,device1 before the ,grand ,magus1 in order to confer ,notes1 and discover the ,hero whoever he might be4 ,zadig slept very sound1 notwithstanding his amorous ,regard for the ,queen1 being perfectly fatigu'd4 ,itabod1 who lay in the ,lodge contiguous to his1 could not once close his ,eyes for ,vexation4 ,he got up therefore in the ,dead of the ,night1 stole imperceptibly into ,zadig's ,apartment1 took his white ,armour and ,device away with him1 and substituted his green ,one in its ,place4 ,as soon as the ,day began to dawn1 he repair'd1 with a seemingly undaunted ,courage1 to the ,grand ,magus1 to inform him1 that he was the mighty ,hero1 the happy ,victor4 ,without the least ,hesitation1 he gain'd his ,point1 and was proclaim'd ,victor before ,zadig was awake4 ,astarte1 astonish'd at this unexpected ,disappointment1 return'd with a ,heart overwhelm'd with ,despair1 to the ,court of ,babylon4 ,almost all the ,spectators were mov'd off from the ,amphitheatre before ,zadig wak'd3 ,he hunted for his ,arms2 but could find nothing but those in green4 ,he was oblig'd1 tho' sorely against his ,will1 to put it on1 having nothing else in his ,lodge to appear in3 ,confounded1 and big with ,resentment1 he drest himself1 and made his personal ,appearance in that despicable ,equipage4 ,the ,populace that were left behind in the ,circus1 hiss'd him every ,step he took1 they made a ,ring about him1 and treated him with all the ,marks of ,ignominy and ,contempt4 ,the most cowardly ,wretch breathing was never sure so sweated1 or hunted down as poor ,zadig6 ,he grew quite out of ,patience at last1 and cut his ,way thro' the insulting ,mob1 with his ,rival's ,sabre2 but he did not know what ,measures to pursue1 or how to rectify so gross a ,mistake4 ,it was not in his ,power to have a ,sight of the ,queen2 he could never recover the white ,armour again which ,she had sent him2 ,that was the ,compromise1 or the ,engagement1 to which the ,combatants had all unanimously agreed3 ,thus1 as he was on the one ,hand1 plung'd in an ,abyss of ,sorrow2 so on the other1 he was almost drove distracted with ,vexation and ,resentment4 ,he withdrew therefore1 in a solitary ,mood1 to the ,banks of the ,euphrates1 now fully persuaded1 that his impropitious ,star had shed its most baleful ,influence on him1 and that his ,misfortunes were irretrievable1 revolving in his ,mind1 all his ,disappointments from his first ,adventure with the ,court-,coquet1 who had entertain'd an utter ,aversion to a blind ,eye1 down to his late ,loss of his white ,armour4 ,see6 said he1 the fatal ,consequence of being a ,sluggard6 ,had ,i been more vigilant1 ,i had been ,king of ,babylon2 but what is more1 ,i had been happy in the ,embraces of my dearest ,astarte4 ,all the ,knowledge of ,books or ,mankind2 all the personal ,valour that ,i can boast of1 has only prov'd an ,aggravation of my ,sorrows4 ,he carried the ,point so far at last1 as to murmur at the unequal ,dispensations of ,divine ,providence2 and was tempted to believe1 that all ,occurrences were govern'd by a malignant ,destiny1 which never fail'd to oppress the ,virtuous1 and always crown'd the ,actions of such ,villains as the green ,knight1 with uncommon ,success4 ,in one of his frantick ,fits1 he put on the green ,armour1 that had created him such a ,world of ,disgrace4 ,a ,merchant happening to pass by1 he sold it to him for a ,trifle1 and took in ,exchange nothing more than a ,mantle1 and a ,cap4 ,in this ,disguise1 he took a solitary ,walk along the ,banks of the ,euphrates1 every ,minute reflecting in his ,mind on the partial ,proceedings of ,providence1 which never ceas'd to torment him4 ,,chap4 ,,xvii4 ,the ,,hermit4 ,as ,zadig was travelling along1 he met with a ,hermit1 whose grey and venerable ,beard descended to his ,girdle4 ,he had in his ,hand a little ,book1 on which his ,eyes were fix'd4 ,zadig threw himself in his ,way1 and made him a profound ,bow4 ,the ,hermit return'd the ,compliment with such an ,air of ,majesty and ,benevolence1 that ,zadig's ,curiosity prompted him to converse with so agreeable a ,stranger4 ,pray1 ,sir1 said he1 what may be the ,contents of the ,treatise you are reading with such ,attention4 ',tis call'd1 said the ,hermit1 the ,book of ,fate2 will you please to look at it4 ,he put the ,book into the ,hands of ,zadig1 who1 tho' he was a perfect ,master of several ,languages1 couldn't decypher one single ,character4 ,this rais'd his ,curiosity still higher4 ,you seem dejected1 said the good ,father to him4 ,alas6 ,i have ,cause enough1 said ,zadig4 ,if you'll permit me to accompany you1 said the old ,hermit1 perhaps ,i may be of some ,service to you4 ,i have sometimes instill'd ,sentiments of ,consolation into the ,minds of the ,afflicted4 ,zadig had a secret ,regard for the ,air of the old ,man1 for his ,beard1 and his ,book4 ,he found1 by conversing with him1 that he was the most learned ,person he had ever met with4 ,the ,hermit harangu'd on ,destiny1 ,justice1 ,morality1 the sovereign ,good1 the ,frailty of ,nature2 on ,virtue and ,vice1 in such a lively ,manner1 and in such a ,flow of ,words1 that ,zadig was attach'd to him by an invincible ,charm4 ,he begg'd earnestly that he would favour him with his ,company to ,babylon4 ,that ,favour ,i was going to ask my self1 said the old ,man4 ,swear to me by ,orosmades1 that you won't leave me1 for some ,days at least1 let me do what ,i please4 ,zadig took the ,oath requir'd1 and both pursu'd their ,journey4 ,the two ,travellers arriv'd that ,evening at a superb ,castle4 ,the ,hermit begg'd for an hospitable ,reception of himself and his young ,comrade4 ,the ,porter1 whom any ,one might have taken for some ,grandee1 let them in1 but with a kind of ,coldness and ,contempt4 ,however1 he conducted them to the ,head-,steward1 who went with them thro' every rich ,apartment of his ,master's ,house4 ,they were seated at ,supper afterwards at the lower ,end1 indeed1 of the ,table1 and where they were taken little or no ,notice of by the ,host2 but they were serv'd with as much ,delicacy and ,profusion1 as any of the other ,guests4 ,when they arose from ,table1 they wash'd their ,hands in a ,golden ,bason set with ,emeralds1 and other costly ,stones4 ,when 'twas ,time to go to ,rest1 they were conducted into a ,bed-chamber richly furnish'd2 and the next ,morning two ,pieces of ,gold were presented to him for their mutual ,service1 by a ,valet in waiting2 and then they were dismiss'd4 ,the ,proprietor of this ,castle1 said ,zadig1 as they were upon the ,road1 seems to me to be a very hospitable ,gentleman2 tho' somewhat too haughty indeed1 and too imperious3 ,the ,words were no sooner out of his ,mouth1 but he perceiv'd that the ,pocket of his ,comrade's ,garment1 tho' very large1 was swell'd1 and greatly extended3 ,he soon saw what was the ,cause1 and that he had clandestinely brought off the ,golden ,laver4 ,he durst not immediately take ,notice of the ,fact2 but was ready to sink at the very ,thoughts on't4 ,about ,noon1 the ,hermit rapp'd at a petty ,cottage with his ,staff1 the beggarly ,residence of an old1 rich ,miser4 ,he desir'd that he and his ,companion might refresh themselves there for a few ,hours4 ,an old1 shabby ,domestick let them in indeed1 but with visible ,reluctance1 and carried them into the ,stable1 where all their ,fare was a few musty ,olives1 and a ,draught or two of sower small ,beer4 ,the ,hermit seem'd as content with his ,repast1 as he was the ,night before4 ,at last1 rising off from his ,seat1 he paid his ,compliments to the old ,valet 7who had as watchful an ,eye over them all the ,time1 as if they had been a ,brace of ,thieves1 and intimated every now and then that he fear'd they would be benighted7 and gave him the two ,pieces of ,gold1 he had but just receiv'd that ,morning1 as a ,token of his ,gratitude for his courteous ,entertainment4 ,he added moreover1 ,i would willingly speak one ,word with your ,master before ,i go4 ,the ,valet1 thunder-struck at his unexpected ,gratuity1 comply'd with his ,request3 ,most hospitable ,sir1 said the ,hermit1 ,i couldn't go away without returning you my grateful ,acknowledgments for the friendly ,reception we have met with this ,afternoon4 ,be pleas'd to accept this ,golden ,bason as a small ,token of my ,gratitude and ,esteem4 ,the ,miser started1 and was ready to fall down backwards at the ,sight of so valuable a ,present4 ,the ,hermit gave him no ,time to recover out of his ,surprise1 but march'd off that ,moment with his young ,comrade4 ,father1 said ,zadig1 ,what is all this that ,i have seen8 ,you seem to me to act in a quite different ,manner from the ,generality of ,mankind4 ,you plunder ,one1 who entertain'd you with all the ,pomp and ,profusion in the ,world1 to enrich a covetous1 sordid ,wretch1 who treated you in the most unworthy ,manner4 ,son1 said the old ,man1 that ,grandee1 who receives ,visits of ,strangers1 with no other ,view than to gratify his ,pride1 and to raise their ,astonishment at the ,furniture of his ,palace1 will henceforward learn to be wiser2 and the ,miser to be more liberal for the ,time to come4 ,don't be surpris'd1 but follow me4 ,zadig was at a stand at present2 and couldn't well determine whether his ,companion was a ,man of greater ,wisdom than ordinary1 or a ,mad-man4 ,but the ,hermit assum'd such an ,ascendency over him1 exclusive of the ,oath he had taken1 that he couldn't tell how to leave him4 ,at ,night they came to a ,house very commodiously built1 but neat and plain2 where nothing was wanting1 and yet nothing profuse4 ,the ,master was a ,philosopher1 that had retir'd from the busy ,world1 in order to live in ,peace1 and form his ,mind to ,virtue4 ,he was pleas'd to build this little ,box for the ,reception of ,strangers1 in a handsome ,manner1 but without ,ostentation4 ,he came in ,person to meet them at the ,door1 and for a ,time1 advis'd them to sit down and rest themselves in a commodious ,apartment4 ,after some ,respite1 he invited them to a frugal1 yet elegant ,repast2 during which1 he talk'd very intelligently about the late ,revolutions in ,babylon4 ,he seem'd entirely to be in the ,queen's ,interest1 and heartily wish'd that ,zadig had entred the ,lists for the regal ,prize3 ,but ,babylon1 said he1 don't deserve a ,king of so much ,merit4 ,a modest ,blush appear'd in ,zadig's ,face at this unexpected ,compliment1 which innocently aggravated his ,misfortunes4 ,it was agreed1 on all ,hands1 that the ,affairs of this ,world took sometimes a quite different ,turn from what the wisest ,patriots would wish them4 ,the ,hermit replied1 the ,ways of ,providence are often very intricate and obscure1 and ,men were much to blame for casting ,reflections on the ,conduct of the ,whole1 upon the bare ,inspection of the minutest ,part4 ,the next ,topick they entred upon was the ,passions4 ,alas6 said ,zadig1 how fatal in their ,consequences6 ,however1 said the ,hermit1 they are the ,winds that swell the ,sail of the ,vessel4 ,sometimes1 'tis true1 they overset it2 but there is no such ,thing as sailing without them4 ,phlegm1 indeed1 makes ,men peevish and sick2 but then there is no living without it4 ,tho' every ,thing here below is dangerous1 yet ,all are necessary4 ,in the next ,place1 their ,discourse turn'd on sensual ,pleasures2 and the ,hermit demonstrated1 that they were the ,gifts of ,heaven2 for1 said he1 ,man cannot bestow either ,sensations or ,ideas on himself2 he receives them all2 his ,pain and ,pleasure1 as well as his ,being1 proceed from a superior ,cause4 ,zadig stood astonish'd1 to think how a ,man that had committed such vile ,actions1 could argue so well on such ,moral ,topicks4 ,at the proper ,hour1 after an ,entertainment1 not only instructive1 but ev'ry way agreeable1 their ,host conducted them to their ,bed-chamber1 thanking ,heaven for directing two such polite and virtuous ,strangers to his ,house4 ,he offer'd them at the same ,time some ,silver1 to defray their ,expences on the ,road2 but with such an ,air of ,respect and ,benevolence1 that 'twas impossible to give the least ,disgust4 ,the ,hermit1 however1 refus'd it1 and took his leave1 as he propos'd to set forward for ,babylon by ,break of ,day4 ,their ,parting was very affectionate and friendly2 ,zadig1 in particular1 express'd a more than common ,regard for a ,man of so amiable a ,behaviour4 ,when the ,hermit and he were alone1 and preparing for ,bed1 they talk'd long in ,praise of their new ,host4 ,as soon as ,day-light appear'd1 the old ,hermit wak'd his young ,comrade4 ',tis ,time to be gone1 said he2 but as all the ,house are fast asleep1 ,i'll leave a ,token behind me of my ,respect and ,affection for the ,master of it4 ,no sooner were the ,words out of his ,mouth1 but he struck a ,light1 kindled a ,torch1 and set the ,building in a ,flame3 ,zadig1 in the utmost ,confusion1 shriek'd out1 and would1 if possible1 have prevented him from being guilty of such a monstrous ,act of ,ingratitude4 ,the ,hermit dragg'd him away1 by a superior ,force4 ,the ,house was soon in a ,blaze3 ,when they had got at a convenient ,distance1 the ,hermit1 with an amazing ,sedateness1 turn'd back and survey'd the destructive ,flames4 ,behold1 said he1 our fortunate ,friend6 ,in the ,ruins1 he will find an immense ,treasure1 that will enable him1 from henceforth1 to exert his ,beneficence1 and render his ,virtues more and more conspicuous4 ,zadig1 tho' astonish'd to the last ,degree1 attended him to their last ,stage1 which was to the ,cottage of a very virtuous and well-dispos'd ,widow1 who had a ,nephew of about fourteen ,years of ,age4 ,he was a hopeful ,youth1 and the ,darling of her ,heart4 ,she entertain'd her two ,guests with the best ,provisions her little ,house afforded4 ,in the ,morning she order'd her ,nephew to attend them to an adjacent ,bridge1 which1 having been broken down some few ,days before1 render'd the ,passage dangerous to ,strangers4 ,the ,lad1 being very attentive to wait on them1 went formost4 ,when they were got upon the ,bridge2 come hither1 my pretty ,boy1 said the ,hermit1 ,i must give your ,aunt some small ,token of my ,respect for her last ,night's ,favours4 ,upon that1 he twisted his ,fingers in the ,hair of his ,head1 and threw him1 very calmly1 into the ,river4 ,down went the little ,lad2 he came up once again to the ,surface of the ,water2 but was soon lost in the rapid ,stream4 ,o thou ,monster6 thou worst of ,villains1 cry'd ,zadig6 ,didn't you promise1 said the ,hermit1 to view my ,conduct with ,patience8 ,know then1 that had that ,boy liv'd but one ,year longer1 he would have murder'd his ,foster-,mother4 ,who told you so1 you barbarous ,wretch1 said ,zadig8 ,and when did you read that inhuman ,event in your ,black-,book of ,fate8 ,who gave you ,permission pray1 to drown so innocent a ,youth1 that had never disoblig'd you8 ,no sooner had our young ,babylonian ceas'd his severe ,reflections1 but he perceiv'd that the old ,hermit's long ,beard grew shorter and shorter2 that the ,furrows in his ,face began to fill up1 and that his ,cheeks glow'd with a ,rose-coloured ,red1 as if he had been in the ,bloom of ,fifteen4 ,his ,mantle was vanish'd at once2 and on his ,shoulders1 which were before cover'd1 appear'd four angelic ,wings1 each refulgent as the ,sun4 ,o thou ,messenger of ,heaven6 ,o thou angelic ,form6 cry'd ,zadig1 and fell prostrate at his ,feet2 thou art descended from the ,empireum1 ,i find1 to instruct such a poor frail ,mortal as ,i am1 how to submit to the ,mysteries of ,fate4 ,mankind in general1 said the ,angel ,jesrad1 judge of the ,whole1 by only viewing the hither ,link of the ,chain4 ,thou1 of all the human ,race1 wast the only ,man that deserv'd to have thy ,mind enlighten'd4 ,zadig1 begg'd ,leave to speak4 ,i am somewhat diffident of myself1 'tis true2 but may ,i presume1 ,sir1 to beg the ,solution of one ,scruple8 ,would it not have been better to have chastiz'd the ,lad1 and by that ,means reform'd him1 than to have cut him off thus unprepar'd in a ,moment4 ,jesrad1 replied1 had he been virtuous1 and had he liv'd1 'twas his ,fate not only to be murder'd himself1 but his ,wife1 whom he would afterwards have married1 and the little ,infant1 that was to have been the ,pledge of their mutual ,affection4 ,is it necessary then1 venerable ,guide1 that there should be ,wickedness and ,misfortunes in the ,world1 and that those ,misfortunes should fall with ,weight on the ,heads of the ,righteous8 ,the ,wicked1 replied ,jesrad1 are always unhappy4 ,misfortunes are intended only as a ,touch-stone1 to try a small ,number of the ,just1 who are thinly scatter'd about this terrestrial ,globe3 ,besides1 there is no ,evil under the ,sun1 but some ,good proceeds from it3 ,but1 said ,zadig1 ,suppose the ,world was all ,goodness1 and there was no such ,thing in ,nature as ,evil4 ,then1 that ,world of yours1 said ,jesrad1 would be another ,world2 the ,chain of ,events would be another ,wisdom2 and that other ,order1 which would be perfect1 must of ,necessity be the everlasting ,residence of the supreme ,being1 whom no ,evil can approach4 ,that great and first ,cause has created an infinite ,number of ,worlds1 and no two of them alike4 ,this vast ,variety is an ,attribute of his ,omnipotence4 ,there are not two ,leaves on the ,trees throughout the ,universe1 nor any two ,globes of ,light amongst the ,myriad of ,stars that deck the infinite ,expanse of ,heaven1 which are perfectly alike4 ,and whatever you see on that small ,atom of ,earth1 whereof you are a ,native1 must exist in the ,place1 and at the ,time appointed1 according to the immutable ,decrees of him who comprehends the ,whole4 ,mankind imagine1 that the ,lad1 whom ,i plung'd into the ,river1 was drown'd by ,chance2 and that our generous ,benefactor's ,house was reduc'd to ,ashes by the same ,chance2 but know1 there is no such ,thing as ,chance1 all ,misfortunes are intended1 either as severe ,trials1 ,judgments1 or ,rewards2 and are the ,result of ,foreknowledge4 ,you remember1 ,sir1 the poor ,fisherman in ,despair1 that thought himself the most unhappy ,mortal breathing4 ,the great ,orasmades1 sent you to amend his ,situation4 ,frail ,mortal6 ,cease to contend with what you ought to adore4 ,but1 said ,zadig--whilst the ,sound of the ,word ,but dwelt upon his ,tongue1 the ,angel took his ,flight towards the tenth ,sphere4 ,zadig sunk down upon his ,knees1 and acknowledg'd an over-ruling ,providence with all the ,marks of the profoundest ,submission4 ,the ,angel1 as he was soaring towards the ,clouds1 cried out in distinct ,accents2 ,make thy ,way towards ,babylon4 ,,chap4 ,,xviii4 ,the ,,nigmas1 or ,,riddles4 ,zadig1 as one beside himself1 and perfectly thunder-struck1 beat his ,march at random4 ,he entred1 however1 into the ,city of ,babylon1 on that very ,day1 when those ,combatants who had been before engag'd in the ,list or ,circus1 were already assembled in the spacious ,outer-,court of the ,palace1 in order to solve the nigmas1 and give the wisest ,answers they could to such ,questions1 as the ,grand ,magus should propose4 ,all the ,parties concern'd were present1 except the ,knight of the ,green ,armour4 ,no sooner had ,zadig made his ,appearance in the ,city1 but the ,populace flock'd round about him3 ,no ,eye was satisfied with gazing at him3 ,all in general were lavish of their ,praises1 and in their ,hearts wish'd him their ,sovereign1 except the envious ,man1 who as he pass'd by1 fetch'd a deep ,sigh1 and turn'd his ,head aside4 ,the ,populace with loud ,acclamations attended him to the ,palace-,gate4 ,the ,queen1 who had heard of his ,arrival1 was in the utmost ,agony1 between ,hope and ,despair4 ,her ,vexation had almost brought her to ,death's ,door2 she couldn't conceive why ,zadig should appear without his ,accoutrements1 nor imagine which ,way ,itobad could procure the snow-white ,armour4 ,at the ,sight of ,zadig a confus'd ,murmur ran thro' the whole ,place4 ,every ,eye was surpriz'd1 tho' charm'd at the same ,time to see him again3 ,but then none were to be admitted into the ,assembly-,room except the ,knights4 ,i have fought as successfully as any one of them all1 said ,zadig1 tho' another appears clad in my ,armour2 but in the mean ,time1 before ,i can possibly prove my ,assertion1 ,i insist upon being admitted into ,court1 in order to give my ,solutions to such nigmas as shall be propos'd4 ',twas put to the ,vote4 ,as the ,reputation of his being a ,man of the strictest ,honour and ,veracity was so strongly imprinted on their ,minds1 the ,motion of his ,admittance was carried in the ,affirmative1 without the least ,opposition4 ,the first ,question the ,grand ,magus propos'd was this3 ,what is the longest and yet the shortest ,thing in the ,world2 the most swift and the most slow2 the most divisible1 and the most extended2 the least valu'd1 and the most regretted2 ,and without which nothing can possibly be done3 ,which1 in a ,word1 devours every ,thing how minute soever1 and yet gives ,life and ,spirit to every ,object or ,being1 however ,great8 ,itobad had the ,honour to answer first4 ,his reply was1 that a ,man of his ,merit had something else to think on1 than idle ,riddles2 'twas enough for him1 that he was acknowledg'd the ,hero of the ,circus4 ,one said1 the ,solution of the nigma propos'd was ,fortune2 others said the ,earth2 and others again the ,light3 ,but ,zadig pronounced it to be ,time4 ,nothing1 said he1 can be longer1 since 'tis the ,measure of ,eternity2 ,nothing is shorter1 since there is ,time always wanting to accomplish what we aim at4 ,nothing passes so slowly as ,time to him who is in ,expectation2 and nothing so swift as ,time to him who is in the perfect ,enjoyment of his ,wishes4 ,it's ,extent is to ,infinity1 in the ,whole2 and divisible to ,infinity in part4 ,all ,men neglect it in the ,passage2 and all regret the ,loss of it when 'tis past4 ,nothing can possibly be done without it2 it buries in ,oblivion whatever is unworthy of being transmitted down to ,posterity2 and it renders all illustrious ,actions immortal4 ,the ,assembly agreed unanimously that ,zadig was in the ,right4 ,the next ,question that was started1 was1 ,what is the ,thing we receive1 without being ever thankful for it2 which we enjoy1 without knowing how we came by it2 which we give away to others1 without knowing where 'tis to be found2 and which we lose1 without being any ways conscious of our ,misfortune8 ,each pass'd his ,verdict4 ,zadig was the only ,person that concluded it was ,,life4 ,he solv'd every nigma propos'd1 with equal ,facility4 ,itobad1 when he heard the ,explications1 always said that nothing in the ,world was more easy1 than to solve such obvious ,questions2 and that he could interpret a thousand of them without the least ,hesitation1 were he inclin'd to trouble his ,head about such ,trifles4 ,other ,questions were propos'd in regard to ,justice1 the sovereign ,good1 and the ,art of ,government4 ,zadig's ,answers still carried the greatest ,weight4 ,what ,pity 'tis1 said some who were present1 that one of so comprehensive a ,genius1 should make such a scurvy ,cavalier8 ,most illustrious ,grandees1 said ,zadig1 ,i was the ,person that had the ,honour of being ,victor at your ,circus2 the white ,armour1 most puissant ,lords1 was mine4 ,that awkward ,warrior there1 ,lord ,itobad1 dress'd himself in it whilst ,i was asleep4 ,he imagin'd1 it is plain1 that it would do him more ,honour than his own ,green one4 ,unaccoutred as ,i am1 ,i am ready1 before this august ,assembly1 to give them incontestable ,proof of my superior ,skill2 to engage with the ,usurper of the ,white ,armour with my ,sword only in my ,mantle and ,bonnet2 and to testify that ,i only was the happy ,victor of the justly admired ,hottam4 ,itobad accepted of the ,challenge with all the ,assurance of ,success imaginable4 ,he did not doubt1 but being properly accoutred with his ,helmet1 his ,cuirass1 and his ,bracelets1 he should be able to hue down an ,antagonist1 in his ,mantle and ,cap1 and nothing to skreen him from his ,resentment1 but a single ,sabre4 ,zadig drew his ,sword1 and saluted the ,queen with it1 who view'd him with ,transport mix'd with ,fear4 ,itobad drew his1 but paid his ,compliments to ,nobody4 ,he approach'd ,zadig1 as one1 whom he imagin'd incapable of making any considerable ,resistance4 ,he concluded1 'twas in his ,power to cut ,zadig into ,atoms4 ,zadig1 however1 knew how to parry the ,blow1 by dexterously receiving it upon his ,fort 7as the ,swords-men call it7 by which ,means ,itobad's ,sword was snapt in two4 ,with that ,zadig in an ,instant clos'd his ,adversary1 and by his superior ,strength1 as well as ,skill1 laid him sprawling on his ,back4 ,then holding the ,point of his ,sword to the opening of his ,cuirass1 ,submit to be stripp'd of your borrow'd ,plumes1 or you are a dead ,man this ,moment4 ,itobad1 always surpriz'd1 that any ,disappointment should attend a ,man of such exalted ,merit as himself1 very tamely permitted ,zadig to disrobe him by ,degrees of his pompous ,helmet1 his superb ,cuirass1 his rich ,bracelets1 his brilliant ,cuisses1 or ,armour for his ,thighs1 and other ,martial ,accoutrements4 ,when ,zadig had equipp'd himself ,cap-a-pee1 in his now recover'd ,armour1 he flew to ,astarte1 and threw himself prostrate at her ,feet4 ,cador prov'd1 without any great ,difficulty1 that the ,white ,armour was ,zadig's ,property4 ,he was thereupon acknowledg'd ,king of ,babylon1 by the unanimous ,content of the ,whole ,court2 but more particularly with the ,approbation of ,astarte1 who after such a long ,series of ,misfortunes1 now tasted the ,sweets of seeing her darling ,zadig thought worthy1 in the ,opinion of the whole ,world1 to be the ,partner of her royal ,bed4 ,itobad withdrew1 and contented himself with being call'd my ,lord within the narrow ,compass of his own ,domesticks4 ,zadig1 in short1 was elected ,king1 and was as happy as any ,mortal could be4 ,now he began to reflect on what the ,angel ,jesrad had said to him3 ,nay1 he reflected so far back as the ,story of the ,arabian ,atom of ,dust metamorphosed into a ,diamond4 ,the ,queen and ,he ador'd the ,divine ,providence4 ,zadig permitted ,missouf1 the ,fair ,coquet1 to make her ,conquests where she could4 ,he sent ,couriers to bring the ,free-booter ,arbogad to ,court1 and gave him an ,honourable ,military ,post in his ,army1 with a farther ,promise of ,promotion to the highest ,dignity2 but upon this express ,condition1 that he would act for the future as a ,soldier of ,honour2 but assur'd him at the same ,time1 that he'd make a publick ,example of him1 if he follow'd his ,profession of ,free-booting for the future4 ,setoc was sent for from the lonely ,desarts of ,arabia1 together with the fair ,almonza1 his new ,bride1 to preside over the commercial ,affairs of ,babylon4 ,cador was advanc'd to a ,post near himself1 and was his ,favourite ,minister at ,court1 as the just ,reward of his past ,services4 ,he was1 in short1 the ,king's real ,friend2 and ,zadig was the only ,monarch in the ,universe that could boast of such an ,attendant4 ,the ,dwarf1 tho' dumb1 was not wholly forgotten4 ,the ,fisherman was put into the ,possession of a very handsome ,house2 and ,orcan was sentenc'd1 not only to pay him a very considerable ,sum for the ,injustice done him in detaining his ,wife2 but to resign her likewise to the proper ,owner3 ,the ,fisherman1 however1 grown wise by ,experience1 soften'd the ,rigour of the ,sentence1 and took the ,money only in full of all ,accounts4 ,he didn't leave so much as ,semira wholly disconsolate1 tho' she had such an ,aversion to a blind ,eye2 nor ,azora comfortless1 notwithstanding her affectionate ,intention to shorten his ,nose2 for he sooth'd their ,sorrows by very munificent ,presents4 ,the envious ,informer indeed1 died with ,shame and ,vexation4 ,the ,empire was glorious abroad1 and in the full ,enjoyment of ,tranquility1 ,peace and ,plenty1 at home3 ,this1 in short1 was the true golden ,age4 ,the whole ,country was sway'd by ,love and ,justice4 ,every one blest ,zadig2 and ,zadig blest ,heav'n for his unexpected ,success4 ,,finis4 ,transcriber's ,notes3 ,spelling and punctuation are as found 7for example1 ,itabod_/,itobad was left as printed71 with one exception3 the original reads purcha'd in ,an ,arabian ,merchant1 ,setoc by ,name1 purchas'd them both2 ,hyphenated words are closed up if all other examples are closed1 otherwise not4 ,if there is a mix of broken and not1 then it was left with a hyphen4 ,italic possessives were changed for clarity 7for example1 ,zadig's not ,zadig's74