12 STUDIES OF NATURE, 



In an illand almoft a defert, the foil of which 

 was unappropriated, (lie did not chufe the moft 

 fertile diftrid of the country, nor that which was 

 the moft favourable for commerce ; but looking 

 about for fome lequeftered cove of the mountain, 

 fome hidden afylum, where flie might live fe- 

 cluded and unknown, (lie found her way from the 

 city to thefe rocks, into which flie flunk as into a 

 neft./lt is an inftind common to all beings pof- 

 feffed of fenfibility, under the preflure of calamity, 

 to feek Shelter in places, the w^ildeft and the moft 

 deferted ; as if rocks w^ere bulwarks againft mif- 

 fortune, or, as if the cilmnefs of Nature could 

 compofe the troubles of the foujyBut Providence, 

 which comes to our relief, when we aim only at 

 neceflary comforts, had in ftore for Madame de la 

 Tour, a bleffing which neither riches nor grandeur, 

 can purchafe ; and that bleffing was a friend. 



f 



In this place, for a year paft, had refided, a 



fprightly, good, and fenfible woman, called Mar- 



\garet. She was born in Brittany, of a plain family 



jof peafants, by whom ftie was beloved, and who 



Uvouldiiave rendered her happy, had ftie not been 



' weak enough to repofe confidence in the profef- 



fions of love, of a man of family in the neighbour- 



iiood, who had promifed to marry her; but who, 



|iaving gratified his paffion, abandoned her, and 



even 



