60 STUDIES OF NATURE, 



the lower inhabitants, who are, for the moft part, 

 jealous, back-biters, and vulgar. They paffed, at 

 firft, with one of thofe fets, for timid ; and with 

 the other, for haughty ; but their referved beha- 

 Tiour was accompanied with marks of politenefs 

 fo obliging, efpecially to perfons in diftrefs, that 

 they imperceptibly acquired the refpeâ: of the rich, 

 and the confidence of the poor. 



When mafs was over, they were frequently 

 fought unto, for the interpofition of fome gracious 

 office or another. It was a perfon in perplexity, 

 who applied to them for their kind advice ; or a 

 child, importuning them to vifit a fick mother, in 

 one of the adjoining hamlets. They always car- 

 ried about them fome receipts adapted to the dif- 

 cafes incident to the inhabitants, and they admini- 

 flered their prefcriptions with that good grace, 

 which communicates fuch a value to fmall fer- 

 vices. They fucceeded, particularly, in curing 

 the maladies of the mind, fo oppreflive, in a ftate 

 of folitude, and in an infirm ftate of body. Ma- 

 dame de la Tour fpoke with fo much confidence of 

 the Deity, that the fick perfon, liftening to her 

 difcourfe, felt the impreffion of his prefence. 

 From thefe vifits Virginia frequently returned with 

 her eyes bathed in tears, but her heart overflowing 

 with joy ; for flie had been blelTed with an oppor- 

 tunity 



