The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia

Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia, leaves the easy life of the Happy Valley, accompanied by his sister Nekayah, her attendant Pekuah, and the much-travelled philosopher Imlac. Their journey takes them to Egypt, where they study the various conditions of men's lives, before returning home in a "conclusion in which nothing is concluded." Johnson's tale is not only a satire on optimism, but also an expression of truth about the human mind and its infinite capacity for hope.

For more than seventy ye...