82 STUDIES OF NATURE 



Whilft thefe tranfaâ:ions were going on, a veffel 

 newly arrived froLTi France, brought a letter to 

 Madame de la Tour, from her aunt. The fear of 

 death, without which the mod obdurate hearts 

 would never foften, had appalled her. She had 

 juft recovered from a dangerous diforder, vi'hich 

 produced, however, a deep melancholy, and which 

 age rendered incurable. She requefted her niece 

 to return to France : or, if the ftate of her health 

 was fuch, as to prevent her taking fo long a voy- 

 age, (lie enjoined her to fend Virginia thither, on 

 whom fhe intended to beftow a good education, a 

 place at Court, and a bequefl of all her pofleffions; 

 the return of her favour, the added, depended en- 

 tirely on compliance with thefe injundions. 



Scarcely had this letter been read, than it fpread 

 univerfal confternation in the family; Domingo and 

 Mary began to weep ; Paul, motionlefs with afto- 

 nifliment, feemed ready to burfl: with rage ; Fir- 

 ginia, her eyes ftedfaftly fixed on her mother, 

 dared not to utter a fyllable. " Can you bring 

 ** yourfelf to the refolution of quitting us ?'* faid 

 Margaret to Madame de la Tour. " No, my friend, 

 " no, my children," replied Madame de la Tour; 

 " 1 will never leave you ; with you I have lived, 

 *■* and with you I mean to die : I never knew what 

 *' happinefs was till I experienced your friendfhip: 

 " if my health is impaired, ancient forrows are the 



" caufe Y 



