PAUL AND VIRGINIA. 45 



They had banifhed from their cotiverfation the 

 praftice of evil-fpeaking, which, under an appear- 

 ance of juftice, neceflarily difpofes the heart to ha- 

 tred, or to falfehood ; for it is impoflible to refrain 

 from hating men, if we believe them to be wicked 5 

 and to live with the wicked, unlefs you conceal your 

 hatred of them, under falfe appearances of benevo- 

 lence. Evil fpeaking, accordingly, lays us under the 

 neceffity of being upon bad terms with others, or 

 with ourfelves. But without fitting in judgment on 

 men, in particular, they entertainedone another, only 

 in devifing the means of doing good to all in gene- 

 ral ; and, though they pofTefled not the power, they 

 had an invariable difpofition this way, which ani- 

 mated them with a benevolence at all times ready to 

 extend itfelf in an outward direiflion. By living, 

 therefore, in folitude, fo far from degenerating 

 into favages, they had become more humane. If 

 the fcandalous hiftory of Society did not fupply 

 them with matter of converfation, that of Nature 

 replenifhed their hearts with tranfports of wonder 

 and delight. They contemplated, with rapture, 

 the power of that Providence which, by their hands, 

 had difFufed amidft thefe barren rocks abundance, 

 gracefulnefs, pleafures pure, fimple, and perpetu- 

 ally renewing themfelves. 



Pauly at the age of twelve, more vigorous, and 

 more intelligent, than Europeans, in general, are 



at 



