104 STUDIES OF NATURE, 



*' plains of light which furround them, and which 

 " are never obfciired by dark nefs or tempeft, do 

 *' you believe there is nothing but emptv fpace, 

 *^ and an eternal non-exiftence ! If we, who could 

 " give nothing to ourfelves, durft fet bounds to 

 ** that Power, from which we have received every 

 '' thing, we might believe ourfelves to beftationed 

 *•' here upon the limits of his empire, where life is 

 *' ever flruggling with death, and innocence with 

 " tyranny. 



" Without doubt, there is fomewhere a place in 

 ** which virtue receives it's reward. Firginia now 

 ** is happy. Ah ! if, from the abode of angels, 

 " Ihe could communicate to you her thoughts, 

 ** fhe would fay, as (lie did in her laft farewel : 

 " Oh, Paul, life is only a ftate of probation. I 

 *'. have been found faithful to the laws of Nature, 

 *' of love, and of virtue. I crofled the feas in 

 " obedience to my relations ^ I renounced riches 

 " to preferve my fidelity ; and 1 have preferred 

 '* death to the violation of modefty. Heaven has 

 " decreed, that the career of my earthly exiftence 

 *• has been fufficiently filled up. 1 have, for ever, 

 *' made my efcape from poverty, from calumny, 

 " from tcmpefts, and from the painful fpeftacle 

 *' of the woes of others. None of thofe ills which 

 *' terrify Mankind, can ever, in future, affect me; 

 " and yet you ftill pity me ! I am pure, and un- 



" fufceptible 



