366 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



your bread ; you are juft as happy as we in our 

 villas, with our wives, and refpected by all around. 

 But here is an evil of which you had no forefight. 

 I have received, in my country, calumny only, as 

 the reward of all my fervices ; I have experienced 

 nothing but ingratitude on the part of my friends, 

 and even of my patrons ; I am folitary, and have 

 no longer the means of fubfiftence ; I am a prey 

 to nervous difordersj I ftand in need of men, but 

 my foul is troubled at the fight of them, while I 

 reflect on the fatal reafons by which they are united, 

 and that there is no poflibility of interefting them, 

 but by flattering their parlions, and by becoming 

 vicious as they are. What good purpofe does it 

 ferve to have ftudied virtue ? It fh udders at fuch 

 recollections, and even without any reflection, 

 merely at the fight of men. The firft thing that 

 fails me is that very reafon, on which you defire 

 me to lean for fupport. All your fine logicks 

 vanifh, precifely at the moment when I have moft 

 need of them. Put a reed into the hand of a lick 

 perfon : the very firft thing that will drop from 

 him, when attacked by a fit of illnefs, is that fame 

 reed ; and if he ventures to reft his whole weight 

 upon it, moft probably it will break, and, per- 

 haps run through his hand. Death, you tell me, 

 \vill cure every thing ; but in order to die, I have 

 no occafion for all this reafoning ; befides, I do 

 not drop, with the vigor of life, into the arms of 



death, 



