RasselasThe beliefs and practices surrounding the meanings and symbols of the spirit world in Vietnam are explored in detail in this study on popular religion in the country. The author shows an abiding interest in the subconscious life at a grassroots level, alongside rational formations of cosmological understanding which effect politics and economics on a national scale. By bringing together oral histories, reports and fiction writing alongside more conventional documented sources, this book reveals an area of history which has been largely neglected. |
Contents
Description of a palace in a valley | 3 |
The discontent of Rasselas in the happy valley | 5 |
The wants of him that wants nothing | 7 |
The prince continues to grieve and muse | 8 |
The prince meditates his escape II | 11 |
A dissertation on the art of flying | 12 |
The prince finds a man of learning | 14 |
The history of Imlac | 16 |
Rasselas discovers the means of escape | 28 |
Rasselas and Imlac receive an unexpected visit | 29 |
The prince and princess leave the valley and see many wonders | 31 |
They enter Cairo and find every man happy | 32 |
The prince associates with young men of spirit and gaiety 336 | 35 |
The prince finds a wise and happy man | 36 |
A glimpse of pastoral life | 38 |
The danger of prosperity | 39 |
The history of Imlac continued | 18 |
A dissertation upon poetry | 20 |
A hint on pilgrimage | 22 |
The story of Imlac continued | 25 |
The hermits history | 40 |
The happiness of a life led according to nature | 42 |
Common terms and phrases
Abyssinia afflicted afford amusements answered Imlac appeared Arab astronomer attention Bassa began Cairo cavern CHAPTER choice clouds companions condition considered continued conversation curiosity danger delight desire discourse discovered Dr Johnson dreadful endeavoured enjoy enquiry enter envy evil expected eyes fancy father favour favourite fear felicity folly happy valley hear heard hermit hope human imagination Johnson knowledge labour lady learned less live look maids mankind marriage mind misery mountains nature Nekayah never Nile observed OLIVER GOLDSMITH once opinion palace passed passions Pekuah perhaps Persia pleased pleasure poet prince princess pyramid Rasselas reason resolved rest retreat Rutherford College sage Samuel Johnson scrupulosity Sherlock Holmes solitude sometimes soon sorrow soul sound of music Stories suffer suppose surely thou thought travelled truth University of Kent virtue virtuous weary wonder youth