I08 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



of this ardent, and reftlefs paffion, that men mufl 

 afcribe the origin of the generality of arts and 

 fciences ; and, it is from it's privations, that the 

 philofophy derives it's birth, which teaches us to 

 confole ourfelves for every lofs. Thus, Nature» 

 having made love the bond of union to all created 

 beings, has rendered it the grand moving principle 

 of Society, and the principal fource of our illumi- 

 nations, and of our pleafures. 



Paul did not greatly relifh the fludy of geo- 

 graphy, which, inftead of unfolding the nature of 

 each country, only prefents it's political divifions. 

 Hiflory, and efpecially modern hiftory, did not in- 

 terefb him much more. It only prefented to his 

 mind, general and periodical misfortunes, the rea- 

 fon of which, it was impoffible for him to pene- 

 trate ; wars without a caufe, and with no object in 

 view; contemptible intrigues ; nations, deftitute of 

 character, and fovereigns without a principle of 

 humanity. He even preferred, to fuch reading, 

 that of romance, which, having only in view, the 

 feelings, and the interefts of Man, fometimes dif- 

 played fituations fimilar to his own. Accordingly, 

 no book delighted him fo much as Telemachiis^ 

 from the piftures which it delineates of a country 

 life, and of the paffions, which are natural to the 

 human heart. He read to his mother, and to 

 Madame de la Tour, thofe paffages which affedted 



him 



