PAUL AND VIRGINIA. 11^ 



*' In the very bofom of riches, I am much poorer 

 ** than when I was with you, for I have nothing 

 " to give away. When I found that the many 

 ** magnificent accomplishments which I was def- 

 " tined to acquire, were not to procure me the 

 *' power of doing the fmallefl good, I hadrecourfe 

 ** to my needle, in the ufe of which, by good for- 

 " tune, you had inftrufled me. I, accordingly, 

 ** fend you fome pairs of ftockings, of my own 

 " manufacfture, for yourfelf, and my mama Mar- 

 " garet ; a cap for Domingo, and one of my red 

 *' handkerchiefs for Mary : I enclofe you, like- 

 *' wife, in this pacquet, the kernels of the fruits of 

 " which our deferts are compofed, together with 

 " the feeds of all kinds of trees, which 1 gathered, 

 ** during my hours of recreation, in the garden of 

 ** the convent. To thefe I alfo add, the feeds of 

 " the violet, the daify, the butter-flower, the poppy, 

 ** the blue-bottle, and the fcabious, which I have 

 " picked up in the fields. In the meadows of this 

 '* country, the flowers are far more beautiful than 

 ** in ours, but no one pays any regard to them. I 

 *' am very well aflured, that you, and my mama 

 " Margaret, will be much better pleafed with this 

 '* bag of feeds, than with the bag of piaflres, 

 ** which was the caufe of our feparation, and of 

 ** the tears which I have fince flied. I fhall feel the 

 ** greateft pleafure, if, one day, you have the fa- 

 VOL. v. I *' tisfadion. 



