3793-- the Indian cottage, a tale. 149 
by night. After all nature has beauties belonging to the night, which. 
are not lefs charming than those of the day; a famous poet, a coun- 
‘fryman of mine; has made them his sole theme in one of his works. 
‘But tell me, how did you find means ‘co render yourself happy during 
the day.’ 
“ T. was a good deal rained to be happy during the night, replied the 
Indian. Nature resembles a fine lady, who during the day exhibits the 
beauties of her face only to the public, and who during the night un- 
veils all her charms to her lover. Butif solitude has its enjoyments, 
‘it has also its privations. To the unfortunate, solitude seems a calm 
harbour, whence he can yiew the pafsions of other men blow over 
without being disturbed by them; but while he congratulates him- 
self on his own unruffled tranquillity, time hurries him along its 
current. We can never cast anchor in the river of life ; it carries a- 
Jong with equal rapidity, the man who struggles against the stream, 
2s it does him who sufiers himself to be carried along, the wise as 
well as the foolith ; and both arrive at the end of their days, the 
one after having abused life, and the other without haying known 
how to enjoy it. I did not with to be wiser than nature, nor to find 
my happinefs beyond the limits fhe has prescribed to man. I wilhed 
above all things to gain a friend to whom I might communicate nry 
‘pleasures and my pains. 1 sought one long among my equals; but I 
found only persons actuated by envy. Meanwhile I found one, sen- 
sible, grateful, taithful, and inaccefsible to prejudice ; indeed he was 
not one of the human species,— it was this dog that you see, They 
had exposed him, when a little whelp, at the corner of a street 
where he was ready to die of hunger. I was touched with pity for 
the poor creature; I reared him, he attached himself to me, and be- 
came my inseparable companion.—That was not enough, I wanted 2 
friend more unhappy than a dog ; one acquainted with all the evils 
of human society, and who might afsist me in supporting them; one, 
who fhould desire only the blefSimgs of nature, and with, whom I 
might enjoy them. It is only by fhelteripg each other mutually, and 
uniting their branches, that two tender young trees resist the storm. 
Providence crowned my desires in giving me a virtuous wife. It was 
in the source of my misfortunes that I found that of my happinefs. 
*€ One night that! was at the burial place cf the brahmins, I perceived 
by the light of the moon, a young female brahmin half covered with 
_her yellow veil. Atthesight of a woman of the kindred of my ty- 
fants, I started back with horrgr ; but returned through compafsion 
