The History of Rasselas

Rasselas is a provocative fable about 'the choice of life'. Bored by the endless contentment of 'the happy valley' in which he has been brought up, Prince Rasselas escapes with his sister. They rove the world searching for the secret of happiness and striving to find the ideal way to live. Repeatedly the pleasures they glimpse dissolve on closer acquaintance, and the great men they admire prove flawed. Where, then, are happiness and purpose to be found?
These questions, of course, remain open for each generation; but none has discussed them with more wisdom and humanity than Dr. Johnson. Rasselas is a searching and often darkly humorous commentary on the human condition as well as a classic of English prose.

INTRODUCTION
1 Description of a palace in a valley
2 The discontent of Rasselas in the bappy valley
3 The wants of bim that wants nothing
4 The prince continues to grieve and muse
5 The prince meditats his escape
6 A dissertation on the art of flying
7 The prince finds a man of learning
8 The bistory of Imlac
9 The bistory of Imlac continued
10 Imlac's bistory continued:A dissertation upon poetry
11 Imlac's narrative continued:A bint on pilgrimage
12 The story of Imlac continued
13 Rasselas discovers the means of escape
14 Rasselas and Imlac receive an unexpected visit
15 The prince and princess leave the valley and see many wonders
16 They enter Cairo,and find every man bappy
17 The prince associates with young men of spirit and gaiety
18 The prince finds a wise and bappy man
19 A glimpse of pastoral life
20 The danger of prosperity
21 The bappiness of solitude:The bermit's bistory
22 The bappiness of a life led according to nature
23 The prince and bis sister divide between them the work of observation
24 The prince examines the bappiness of bigb stations
25 the prince pursues her enquiry with more diligence than success
……