184 Assemblage of the Inhabitants. 



rending, than that of which I had just taken 

 leave. I now became convinced that, like sa- 

 tiety in pleasure, the human heart can endure 

 pain only to a certain extent. I had not 

 courage to explore further, and became ,iiHpa- 

 tient to escape from the repetition of scenes too 

 wretched for human nature to endure, and too 

 multiplied to be within my power to relieve. 



The passing of strangers, where there is so little 

 thoroughfare, at all times attracts noticeour 

 stopping created surprise. The whole popula- 

 tion of the village assembled curiosity the in- 

 ducement. The first group encircling the car- 

 riage was composed of children, whose health 

 and vivacity rendered them pleasing in spite of 

 the repulsive state of their dirty persons and 

 ragged apparel. The second circle was com- 

 posed of young women, some of whom had 

 considerable pretensions to beauty, in defiance 

 of the robes by which they were shrouded-^- 

 behind stood the elder branches of families, to 

 note what occurred. 



A survey of this assemblage produced as sud- 

 den a hesitancy in my ideas, as the meeting of two 

 mighty waves, from whose conflict we observe 

 a momentary calm arise. My heart, which had 

 been agitated with an agonizing pity for the 



