44 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



*' fuffered !'* Margaret^ tranfported with delight, 

 locked Paul in her arms, laying : " And thou too, 

 " my fon, thou haft performed a good action !" 

 Being arrived at their cottage, with the children, 

 they gave a plentiful fupper to the black guides, 

 who returned to the woods, with a thoufand good 

 wifhes for their profperity. 



Every fucceeding day was, to thefe families, a 

 day of happinefs and tranquillity. They were 

 ftrangers to the torments of envy and of ambition. 

 They coveted not, from abroad, that vain reputa- 

 tion which is purchafed by intrigue, and which the 

 breath of calumny deftroys. It was fufficient for 

 them to be in the place of witnefs and of judge to 

 each other. In this ifland, where, as in all the 

 European Colonies, no curiofity is exprefled, ex- 

 cept in hunting after malicious anecdotes, their 

 virtues, nay, their very names were unknown. 

 Only, when a paffenger happened to afk, on the 

 road to Pamplemouffes, of one of the inhabitants 

 of the plain : *' Who lives in yonder cottages on 

 ** the top of the hill?" the anfwer returned, with- 

 out pretending to any farther knowledge of them, 

 was : " They are good people.'* Thus the violets, 

 from under the prickly (hrubbery, exhale at a dif- 

 tance their fragrant perfume, though they remain 

 unfeen. 



They 



