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misérable , to lessen Ihe misery of mankind ; make 

 others undersland the holiness of the conjugal 

 tie , before you form it for yourselves. Satisfy the 

 Nemesis of solemn nuptial rites ! Listen ! it is a 

 word of the ancient oracles , a word fallen from 

 «n high ; man is an incomplète being, destined to 

 complète himself successively by his own intelli- 

 gence , by his own will ; he can do nothing to 

 advance and perfect his nature , as long as he is 

 in want of the religions social sentiment , of that 

 sentiment which gives him a knowledge of God , 

 and a sympathy for his fellow créatures, Those by 

 ■whom providence intends to create such sentiments 

 must be of a marvellous purity. Orpheus, every 

 time I invoke the suprême power, I employ a 

 vague expression which affirms nothing on their 

 sex ; the mysteries of Samothrace or of Egypt will 

 teach thee the sexes of the gods. 



» Vola shed abundant tears ; why weepest thou , 

 said the old man , lovely light of the evening of 

 my days, why weepest thou? What will be want- 

 ing to our children? Will they not as we, enjoy 

 Ihe protection of the gods? They already possess 

 Ihat , which abundance and repose cannot give , 

 they bave that reciprocal affection which bas caused 

 our felicity and which makes every thing easy. 

 They will love each other better in solitude , 

 distress, privations, and even in misfortunes. May 

 heaven , however, remove them from their heads ! 

 He Ihen again blessed Orpheus and Eurydice , who 

 raised themselves , to sit at the feet of Vola. Vola, 



