1$ STUDIES OF NATURE. 



^aret. They were both perfedtly fatisfied ; but 

 requefted me not to feparate their habitation, 

 ** in order/* faid they to me, " that we may al- 

 ** ways have it in our power to fee, to converfe 

 " with, and to aflift each other.'* It was necef- 

 fary, however, that each of them fhould have a fe- 

 parate retreat. The cottage of Margaret was built 

 in the middle of the bafon, exaiflly upon the boun-. 

 dary of her own domain. I built clofe to it, upon 

 that of Madame de la Tour, another cottage ; fo 

 that thefe two friends were, at once, in the vici- 

 nity of each other, and on the property of their 

 families. I myfelf cut palifadoes in the mountain, , 

 and brought the leaves of the Latanier from the 

 fea-fide, to conftru^ft thefe two cottages, which 

 now, no longer prefent either door or roof. Alas ! 

 there ftill remains but too much for my recoUec-» 

 tion/ Time, which deftroys, with fo much rapi^ 

 dity the monuments of empires, feems to refpeél, 

 in thefe deferis, thofe of fiiendfliip, in order to 

 perpetuate my afflidion to the laft hour of my: 

 life. 



Scarcely was the fécond of the cottages com-, 

 pleted, when Madame de la Tour was delivered of a 

 daughter. I had been the god- father of Margaret^ s 

 child, who was called Paid. Madame de la Tour 

 begged me to name her daughter alfo, in coja- 

 jundion with her friend, who gave her the 



name 



