176 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



reafon. I, accordingly, replied : '* Yes, thefe are 

 ** the mountains, where your beloved Firginia once 

 " lived, and there is the portrait which you gave 

 " her, and which, in death, jfhe preffed to her 

 *' heart, the laft emotions of which were devoted 

 ** to thee." I then prefented to Paul the little 

 portrait which he had given Firginia, on the banks 

 of the fountain of the cocoa-trees. At fight of 

 this, a gloomy joy overfpread his countenance. 

 He eagerly feized the portrait with his feeble 

 hands, and preffed it to his Hps. Immediately, 

 his breaft became oppreffed, and to his blood-Qiot 

 eyes the tears ftarted, but were unable to flow. 



I faid to him : " My fon, attend to the words 

 *' of one who is your friend, who was fo to Firginia, 

 *' and who, in the ardor of your expedations, has 

 " frequently endeavoured to fortify your reafon 

 " againft the unforefeen calamities of human life. 

 " What is it you deplore with fo much bitternefs 

 " of foul ? Is it the misfortune which has befallen 

 " yourfelf ? Is it that which has befallen Firginia^" 



" The misfortune which has befallen yourfelf? 

 " Yes, I grant you it has been very fevere. You 

 " have loft the mod amiable of young women, 

 *' who would have made the mod virtuous of 

 " wives. She had facrificed her own interefts to 

 " your's, and preferred you to fortune, as the only 



" recompenfc 



