88' STI^DIES OF NATURE. 



*' to work, and to offer up daily thankfgiving to 

 ** Him. Hitherto He has not abandoned us, nor 

 <' will He abandon us now. His providence 

 *' watches with peculiar care over the unhappy; 

 " you have told me fo a thoufand times, my dear 

 " mother ! Oh, I (hall never have refoluiion to 

 '* quit you." Madame de la Tour, much affe^fted, 

 returned, " I have no other intention than that of 

 ** rendering you happy, and of uniting you one 

 *' day to Pûu/y who is not your brother : Confider, 

 *■' likewife, that his fortune now depends entirely 

 ** on you." 



A young girl, in love, thinks that every one is 

 ignorant of it. She fpreads the fame veil over her 

 eyes which fhe wears on her heart ; but, wben it 

 is removed by the hand of a beloved friend, imme- 

 diately the fecret torments of her love tranfpire, as 

 through an opened barrier, and the gentle expan- 

 fions of confidence fucceed to the myfterious re- 

 ferve in which fhe had enveloped herfelf. Fit" 

 ginia, fenfibly alive to the new teflimonies of her 

 mother's kindnefs, freely related the many flrug- 

 gles which flie had experienced with herfelf, and 

 of which, God alone had been the witnefs ; that 

 fhe perceived the hand of his providence, in the 

 confolation adminiftered by a tender mother, who 

 approved of her inclination, and who would direft 

 her by wholefome counfel , and that now, refting 



entirely 



