î>AtJL AND VIRGINIA» 8l 



I took upon myfelf the charge of obtaining M, 

 de la Bourdonayes permifîion for this embarkation j 

 but 1 thought it neceflary, beforehand, to open the 

 bufinefs to Paul: how was I aftoniflied, however, 

 when that young man faid to me, with a good fenfe 

 far above his years : *' Why would you have me 

 " quit my family for a vifionary projed of fortune ? 

 " Can there be a more advantageous commerce in 

 ** the World, than the cultivation of a field, which 

 " fometimes yields fifty and a hundred fold ? If 

 " we wifli to engage in trade, can we not do fo, 

 ** by carrying our fuperfiuities from hence to the 

 ** city, without the neceflity of my rambling to the 

 *' Indies ? Our parents tell me that Domingo is old, 

 " and worn out ; but I am young, and daily ac- 

 " quiring frefli vigour. What if any accident 

 *' fhould befal them during my abfence, more efpe- 

 ** cially Firginia, who, even now, fuffers very fe- 

 " verely ? Ah, no! no! I can never bring myfeif 

 " to the refolution of quitting them." 



His anfwer greatly embarrafTed me j for Ma- 

 dame de la 'Tour had not concealed from me Fir- 

 ginia's condition, and the defire which flie herfelf 

 had of deferring their union till they were of a 

 more mature age, by feparaiing them from each 

 other. I durft not fo much as hint to Paul, that 

 fuch were her motives. 



VOL. V. o Whilft 



