20 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



Ithat former fentiments, more ardent than thofe of 

 friendfliip, were re-kindled in their bofoms, a pure 

 and undefiled Religion, aflifled by chafte manners, 

 direfted them toward another life, like the flame 

 which flies off to Heaven, when it ceafes to find 

 nourifliment on the Earth. 



The duties of nature were ftill an additional 

 fource of happinefs to their fociety. Their mutual 

 friendfhip redoubled at the fight of their children, 

 the fruits of a love equally unfortunate. They 

 took delight to put them into the fame bath, and 

 to lay them to fleep in the fame cradle. They fre- 

 quently exchanged their milk to the children ; 

 " My friend," faid Madame de la Tour, " each 

 *' of us will have two children, and each of our 

 *^ children will have two mothers." Like two 

 buds which remain upon two trees of the fame 

 fpecies, all the branches of which have been broken 

 by the tempeft, produce fruits more delicious, if 

 each of them, detached from the maternal flock, 

 is grafted on the neighbouring ftem ; thus, thefe 

 two little children, deprived of their relations, were 

 filled with fentiments toward each other, more 

 tender than thofe of fon and daughter, of brother 

 and filler, when they were exchanged at the breafl:, 

 by the two friends who had given them being. 

 Already their mothers talked of their marriage, 

 though they were yet in the cradle, and this prof- 



ped 



