PAUL AND VIRGINIA, 13^ 



" procure them admiffion at Court. Perfecution 

 " is little praclifed in this age, fo indifferent to 

 '* every thing except fortune and pleafure ; but 

 *' knowledge and virtue feldom raife a petfon, 

 ** there, to a diftingui filed rank, becaufe every 

 " thing in the State is to be procured with money. 

 ** Formerly, thele qualities were fure of meeting 

 '* a recompenfe, by places either in the church, in 

 ** the magiftracy, or in the adminiftration ; but, 

 ** at prefent, they are only good for making books. 

 *' This fruit, however, fo little prized by the men 

 " of the World, is ever worthy of it's celeftial ori- 

 " gin. It is to thefe very books, that the honour 

 " is referved, of beftowing luftre on obfcure vir- 

 ** tue, of confoling the unfortunate, of enlightening 

 ** Nations, and of declaring the truth even to kings. 

 " It is, undoubtedly, the mod facred office with 

 " which Heaven can inveft a mortal on this Earth. 

 " Where is the man, who has it not in his power 

 " to confole himfelf for the injuflice, or the con- 

 ** tempt of thofe who have the difpofal of fortune, 

 *' when he refîeâs, that his work will be handed 

 ** down from age to age, from nation to nation, 

 " and will fcrve as a barrier againft error and ty- 

 *' ranny ; and that, from the bolom of obfcurity, 

 *' in which he has lived, a glory may iflue, which 

 ** fliall eclipfe that of the greateft part of Kings, 

 " whofe monuments fink into oblivion, in fpite of 

 ** the flatterers who reared, and who extol them ? 



Paul. 



