4 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



tain truths of high moment, and this one in par- 

 ticular : That human happinefs confifts in living 

 conformably to Nature and Virtue. 



It was not necelTary for me, however, to com- 

 pofe a romance, in order to exhibit a reprefenta- 

 tion of happy families. I declare, in the moft fo- 

 lemn manner, that thofe which I am going to dif- 

 play, have actually exifted, and that their Hiflory 

 is ftridly true, as to the principal events of it. 

 They were authentically certified to me by many 

 refpeclable Planters, with whom I was acquainted, 

 in the Ifle of France. I have connefled with them 

 only a few indifferent circumftances ; but which, 

 being perfonal to myfelf, have, on that very ac- 

 count, the fame merit of reality. 



When I had formed, fome years ago, a very 

 imperfed flietch of this fpecies of Paftoral, I be- 

 fought a fine Lady, who lived very much in the 

 Great World, and certain grave perfonages, who 

 mingle very little with it, to hear it read over, , in 

 order to acquire fome pre-fentiment of the effeét 

 which it might produce on Readers of a charader 

 fo very different : I had the fatisfadion of obferv- 

 ing, that it melted them all into tears. This was the 

 only judgment which I could form on the matter, 

 as, indeed, it was all that I wiQied to know. But, as 

 a great vice frequently walks in the train of medio- 

 crity 



