PAUL AND VIRGINIA. 21 



pea: of conjugal felicity, with which they foothed 

 their own woes to peace, frequently terminated in 

 a flood of tears ; the one, recoUeâiing the mi- 

 feries which (he had fuffered from having neglcdled 

 the forms of marriage, and the other, from having 

 fubmitted to it's laws; the one, from having been 

 raifed above her condition ; and the other, from 

 having defcended below her's ; but they confoled 

 themfelves with the thought, that the day would 

 come, when their children, more fortunate than 

 themfelves, would enjoy, at once, far from the 

 cruel prejudices of Europe, the pleafures of love, 

 and the happinefs of equality. 



Nothing, indeed, was to be compared with the 

 attachment which the babes already testified for 

 each other : If Paul happened to complain, they 

 (hewed Firginia to him; at the fight of her, he 

 fmiled, and was pacified. If" Firginia fuffered, you 

 were informed of it by the lamentations of Paul; 

 but this amiable child immediately concealed her 

 pain, that her fufferings might not diftrefs him. 

 I never arrived here, that I did not fee them both, 

 entirely naked, according to the cuftom of the 

 country, fcarceiy able to walk, holding each other 

 by the hands, and under the arms, as the conflel- 

 lation of the Twins is reprefented. Night itfelf 

 had not the power of feparating them; it fre- 

 quently furprized them, laid in the fame cradle, 



c q cheek 



