PAUL AND VIRGINIA. 1/7 



^^ recompenfe worthy of her virtue. But how do 

 ^^ you know^ whether the objed:, from whom you 

 '* expeded happinefs fo pure, might not have 

 '' proved to you the fource of forrows innume- 

 " rable ? She was dowerlefs, and difmherited. You 

 ** would have had nothing, in future, to (hare with 

 *' her, but what the labour of your hands pro- 

 " duced. Rendered more delicate by her educa- 

 " tion, and more courageous by her very misfor- 

 *' tunes, you would have feen her daily finking 

 *' under the weight of the fatigues which (lie ex- 

 *' erted herfelf to divide with you. In the event of 

 " bringing you children, her troubles and your 

 " own would have been greatly increafed by the 

 " difficulty of fupporting alone, with you, your 

 " aged parents, and a growing family. 



'* You may tell mej the Governor would have 

 '^ affiiled us : but how do you know, whether, in 

 *' a colony which fo often changes it's rulers, you 

 *' would have always found fuch men as M. de la 

 '' Bonrdonaye ? Whether fome Governor might not 

 " have been fent hither, unpolilhcd and unprin- 

 *' cipled ? Or, whether your wife, in order to ob- 

 ." tain fonie miterable pittance, would not have 

 " been obliged to cringe to fuch a man ? Either 

 '' (lie would have become frail, and you would 

 *' have been an objeâ: of pity, or (lie would have 

 *' maintained her honour, and you mud have re- 



voL. V. N '' mained 



