When ALMORAN was alone, he immediately locked the door; and throwing
himself upon a sofa in an agony of vexation and disapointment, of which
he was unwilling there should be any witness, he revolved in his mind
all the pleasures and honours of supreme dominion which had now suddenly
been snatched from him, with a degree of anguish and regret, not
proportioned to their real, but their imaginary value. Of future good,
that which we obtain is found to be less than our expectations; but that
of which we are disappointed, we suppose would have been more: thus do
the children of hope extract evil, both from what they gain, and from
what they lose. But ALMORAN, after the first tumult of his mind had
subsided, began to consider as well what was left him, as what had been
taken away. He was still without a superior, though he had an equal; he
was still a king, though he did not govern alone: and with respect to
every individual in his dominions, except one, his will would now be a
law; though with respect to the public, the concurrence of his brother
would be necessary to give it force. 'Let me then,' says he, 'make the
most of the power that is now put into my hand, and wait till some
favourable opportunity shall offer to increase it. Let me dissemble my
jealousy and disappointment, that I may not alarm suspicion, or put the
virtues of HAMET upon their guard against me; and let me contrive to
give our joint administration such a form, as may best favour my
design.'
Such were the reflections, with which ALMORAN soothed the anguish of his
mind; while HAMET was busied in speculations of a very different kind.
If he was pleased at reflecting, that he was raised from a subject to a
prince; he was pleased still more, when he considered his elevation as a
test of his father's affection to his person, and approbation of his
conduct: he was also delighted with the thought, that his brother was
associated with him in the arduous talk which he was now called to
perform. 'If I had been appointed to govern alone,' said he, 'I should
have had no equal; and he who has no equal, though he may have faithful
servants, can have no friend: there cannot be that union of interests,
that equal participation of good, that unrestrained intercourse of mind,
and that mutual dependence, which constitutes the pure and exalted
happiness of friendship. With ALMORAN, I shall share the supreme delight
of wresting the innocent and the helpless from the iron hand of
oppression; of animating merit by reward, and restraining the unworthy
by fear: I shall share, with ALMORAN, the pleasures of governing a
numerous, a powerful, and a happy people; pleasures which, however
great, are, like all others, increased by participation.'
While HAMET was thus enjoying the happiness, which his virtue derived
from the same source, from which the vices of ALMORAN had filled his
breast with anguish and discontent; OMAR was contriving in what manner
their joint government could best be carried into execution.
He knew that Solyman, having considered the dispositions of his sons,
was of opinion, that if they had been blended in one person, they would
have produced a character more fit to govern in his stead, than either
of them alone: ALMORAN, he thought, was too volatile and warm; but he
suspected, that HAMET would sink into inactivity for want of spirit: he
feared alike ALMORAN'S love of enterprize, and HAMET'S fondness for
retirement: he observed, in HAMET, a placid easiness of temper, which
might suffer the reins of government to lie too loose; and, in ALMORAN,
a quickness of resentment, and jealousy of command, which might hold
them too tight: he hoped, therefore, that by leaving them a joint
dominion, he should blend their dispositions, at least in their effects,
in every act of government that should take place; or that, however they
should agree to administer their government, the public would derive
benefit from the virtues of both, without danger of suffering from their
imperfections, as their imperfections would only operate against each
other, while, in whatever was right, their minds would naturally concur,
as the coincidence of rectitude with rectitude is necessary and eternal.
But he did not consider, that different dispositions operating
separately upon two different wills, would appear in effects very unlike
those, which they would concur to produce in one: that two wills, under
the direction of dispositions so different, would seldom be brought to
coincide; and that more mischiefs would probably arise from the contest,
than from the imperfections of either alone.
But Solyman had so long applauded himself for his project before he
revealed it to OMAR, that OMAR found him too much displeased with any
objection, to consider its weight: and knowing that peculiar notions are
more rarely given up, than opinions received from others, and made our
own only by adoption, he at length acquiesced, lest he should by farther
opposition lose his influence, which on other occasions he might still
employ to the advantage of the public; and took a solemn oath, that he
would, as far as was in his power, see the will carried into execution.
To this, indeed, he consented without much reluctance, as he had little
less reason to fear the sole government of ALMORAN, than a joint
administration; and if a struggle for superiority should happen, he
hoped the virtues HAMET would obtain the suffrages of the people in his
favour, and establish him upon the throne alone. But as change is itself
an evil, and as changes in government are seldom produced without great
confusion and calamity, he applied himself to consider in what manner
the government of ALMORAN and HAMET could be administered, so as most
effectually to blend their characters in their administration, and
prevent the conduct of one from exciting jealousy in the other.
After much thought, he determined that a system of laws should be
prepared, which the sons of Solyman should examine and alter till they
perfectly approved, and to which they should then give the sanction of
their joint authority: that when any addition or alteration should be
thought necessary, it should be made in the same manner; and that when
any insuperable difference of sentiment happened, either in this or in
any act of prerogative independent of the laws for regulating the
manners of the people, the kings should refer it to some person of
approved integrity and wisdom, and abide by his determination. OMAR
easily foresaw, that when the opinion of ALMORAN and HAMET should
differ, the opinion of ALMORAN would be established; for there were many
causes that would render ALMORAN inflexible, and HAMET yielding: ALMORAN
was naturally confident and assuming, HAMET diffident and modest;
ALMORAN was impatient of contradiction, HAMET was attentive to
argument, and felicitous only for the discovery of truth. ALMORAN also
conceived, that by the will of his father, he had suffered wrong; HAMET,
that he had received a favour: ALMORAN, therefore, was disposed to
resent the first appearance of opposition; and HAMET, on the contrary,
to acquiesce, as in his share of government, whatever it might be, he
had more than was his right by birth, and his brother had less. Thus,
therefore, the will of ALMORAN would probably predominate in the state:
but as the same cause which conferred this superiority, would often
prevent contention, OMAR considered it, upon the whole, rather as good
than evil.
When he had prepared his plan, therefore, he sent a copy of it, by
different messengers at the same time, both to ALMORAN and HAMET,
inclosed in a letter, in which he exprest his sense of obligation to
their father, and his zeal and affection for them: he mentioned the
promise he had made, to devote himself to their service; and the oath he
had taken, to propose whatever he thought might facilitate the
accomplishment of their father's design, with honour to them and
happiness to their people: these motives, which he could not resist
without impiety, he hoped would absolve him from presumption; and
trusting in the rectitude of his intentions, he left the issue to God.