PAUL AND VIRGINIA. II5 



" Dear and much-loved mother, I remain your 

 ** obedient and affeftionate daughter, 



*' Virginia de la Tour." 



*' I recommend to your kindeft regards, Mary 

 " and DomingOy who took fueh care of my infancy: 

 " flroke Fidèle for me, who fbund me again when 

 " I was loll in the woods." 



Paul was much furprized that Firginia had not 

 made the leaft mention of him ; fhe, who had not 

 even forgotten the houfe-dog : he was entirely ig- 

 norant, that, be the letter of a female as long as it 

 may, the fondeft idea always comes in laft. 



In a poftfcript, Virginia particularly recom- 

 mended to Paul, two kinds of feeds, thofe of the 

 violet and of the fcabious. She gave him fome in- 

 formation refpeding the charaders of thefe plants, 

 and about the places in which it was mod proper 

 to fow them. The violet, (he told him, produced 

 a fmall flower, of a deep purple hue, which de- 

 lights to hide itfelf under the bufhes, but is foon 

 difcovered by it's delicious perfume. She defirfd 

 him to plant it on the brink of the fountain, at the 

 foot of her cocoa-tree. ** The fcabious," added 

 fhe, " bears a pretty flower of a pale blue, and it's 

 " bottom is black, interfperfed with white fpots. 

 ** One would think it to be in mourning : it is, 



I 2 likewife. 



