PAUL AND VIRGINIA. 189 



innocence come, by fome fecret means, to the relief 

 of a virtuous foul, which repofes confidence in 

 him alone ? Has he occafion to employ any exte- 

 rior fign to execute his will ; He who ads con- 

 tinually, in all his works, by an internal impulfe ? 



Why, then, doubt the reality of dreams ? Life, 

 filled with fo many vain and tranfitory projeéts, 

 what is it but a dream ? 



However that may be, thofe of my unfortunate 

 friends were foon realized. Paul died two months 

 after his beloved Firginia^ whofe name he repeated 

 incefTantly. Margaret expired eight days after her 

 fon, with a joy which it is bellowed only on vir- 

 tue to tafte. She took the mofl tender farevvel of 

 Madame de la Tour, " in the hope," faid flie, 

 *' of a fweet and eternal re-union. Death is the 

 " greatefl of blefhngs," added fne; " it is highly 

 " defirable. If life be a punifhment, we ought to 

 ** wilh for it's termination ; if it be a ftate of pro- 

 " bation, we ought to wifh it fhortened." 



Government took care of Domingo and Mary, 

 who were no longer in a condition for fervice, and 

 who did not long furvive their miftrefs. As for 

 poor Fidèle, he drooped to death nearly about the 

 fame time with his mafler. 



I condu(fled 



