UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 85 



themselves and the rich merchandise of the east, 

 so much more securely ?" 



<{ I do not think," replied he, " that it is very 

 extraordinary, for we must consider, in the first 

 place, that to build vessels like ours, would be 

 too hazardous an exertion for a people who are 

 governed despotically, and who can never feel 

 secure of the possession of their property. And 

 as to your ' rich merchandise of the east,' you 

 will not find much of that in the neighbourhood 

 of Bagdad at present ; you read of such in the 

 Arabian tales but nothing remains now, but 

 the misery, the decay, and the desolation, which 

 were so often foretold by the prophets." 



2d. I now perceive the meaning of the last 

 part of Thomson's description of happy Harvest 

 Home 



Thus they rejoice : nor think 



That with to-morrow's sun their annual toil 

 Begins again the never-ceasing round. 



For no sooner is that event over, than the la- 

 bourer begins the preparations fora future harvest. 

 The ploughs are all at work to-day, and I see 

 the fields which have but just yielded up their 

 rich burden, again prepared to receive the seeds 

 of another crop. But this, my uncle says, is ge- 

 nerally of a different species from the last, in order 

 to make a change in the nature of the nourish- 

 ment drawn from the soil. The ploughing in 



