ARCADIA. ^ 353 



my misfortunes contraded my heart, andobfcured 

 my underrtandlng. But as foon as I recovered 

 the ufe of my reafoning powers, and began to re- 

 fled on the extreme danger which I had juft 

 efcaped, I fainted away. Oh, how weak is man, 

 in a paroxyfm of joy ! He is ftrong, only to en- 

 counter wo. Cephas brought me to myfelf, after 

 the manner of the Gauls, by fliaking about my 

 head, and blowing on my face. 



When I had recovered my fenfes, he took 

 my hands in his, and faid to me : " Oh, my 

 " friend, how many tears you have coft me ! 

 '* When the waves of the Ocean, which overfet 

 *' our vetfel, had feparated us, I found myfelf 

 ** caft, I know not how, upon the right-hand 

 ** bank of the Seine. My firfl; care was to feek 

 *' for you. I kindled fires upon the (hore ; I cal- 

 " led you by name ; I employed feveral of my 

 " compatriots, who had gathered together on 

 ** hearing my cries, to reconnoitre, in their boats, 

 " the banks of the river, to fee if they could not 

 " find you : all our refearches were inefFedaal. 

 " The day reappeared, and prefented to my view 

 " our veffel overturned, and her keel in the air, 

 '* clofe to the fhore where I was. It never occur- 

 " red to my thoughts that you might have landed 

 *' on the oppofite fhore, in my own country, Bel- 

 ** gium. It was not till the third day, that, be- 



voL. V. A a '* lieving 



