PAUL AND VIRGINIA. 59 



penfivenefs, all the reft felt attraded toward that 

 one, and diflipated the bitternefs of thought, ra- 

 ther by feelings, than by reflexions. Each exerted, 

 to this effed, their particular charader : Margaret, 

 a lively gaiety ; Madame de la I'our, a mild theo- 

 logy ; Firginia, tender carelTes j Paul, frank nefs 

 and cordiality. Nay, Mary and Domingo^ contri- 

 buted their (hare of confolation. When they be- 

 held afflidion, they were afflided ; when they faw 

 tears flied, they wept. Thus the feeble plants in- 

 terlace their boughs, in order to refift the violence 

 of the hurricane. 



When the weather was fine, they went every 

 Sunday to mafs. to the church of PamplemoufTes, 

 the tower of which you fee below in the plain. 

 The wealthy Planters reforted thither in their pa- 

 lanquins ; and made many efforts to form an ac- 

 quaintance with thefe happily united families, and 

 invited them to partake of their parties of pleafure. 

 But they uniformly declined accepting fuch ten- 

 ders, civilly and refpedfuUy, under the convidion, 

 that perfons of confequence court the obfcure, 

 only for the pleafure of having compliant hangers- 

 on, and that it is impoffible to be complaifant, but 

 by flattering the paffions of another, whether they 

 be good or bad. On the other hand, they fliun- 

 ned, with no lefs circumfpedion, all intimacy with 



the 



