fuch a declaration. But Califta not only liftened to her lover without interrupting him, but answered him without ill nature, gave him leave to hope. Nor did she put his constancy to a tedious trial; The happiness for which he sighed was no longer delayed, than was necessary to prepare

the ceremony.

11. The marriage fettlements were eafily regulated betwixt the parties: for intereft was out of the question: The chief article confifted in the mutual exchange of hearts which was already fulfilled. What will be the lot of the new married couple? The happieft, I may venture to foretell, that mortals can enjoy upon earth.

12. No pleasures are comparable to thofe that affect the heart, and there are none, as I have obferved before, that affect it with fuch exquifite delight, as loving and being beloved. To this tender union we can never apply the words of Democritus, that the pleasure of love is but a short epilepsy. He meant, without doubt, that mere fenfual pleasure which has fo little in it of the nature of love, that a man may enjoy it without loving, and love without ever enjoying it.

13. They will be conftaut, in their love. This I dare alfo to predict; and I kcow the reafon. Their affection is not founded on the dazzling charms of beauty; they are both the friends of virtue; they love each other on this account. They will, therefore, continue to love, as long as they are virtuous-and their union itfelf is a pledge of their perfeverance, for nothing fo much fecures our continuance in the paths of virtue, as to have perpetually before our eyes the example of a perfon whom we love.

14. Nothing is capable of difturbing their happiness; but thofe difafters and misfortunes from which their love cannot fhelter them. But fuppofing fuch a reverfe of fortune would not their fate in this refpect be common with that of the rest of mankind? Those who have never tafted the pleasures of love, are not exempt from the like cafualties; and the lover is, at least, a gainer in regard to thofe pleasures which conftitute no finall prrt of the happiness of life.

15. Befides, even love itfelf, will greatly diminish the fenfe of their misfortunes. For love has the peculiar property of alleviating the fufferings of two fond hearts, and

of rendering their pleafures more exquifite. By this communication of diftrefs they feem to divide its weight: And on the contrary, by participation, their fatisfaction is doubled.

19. As a fquadron of horfe is with greater difficulty broken through by the enemy, in proportion to its clofenefs: fo the happy pair refift the attacks of adverfity with so much the more ftrength and fuccefs; as they are the more closely a united.

I.

CHAP. XIII.

SORROW, PIETT, DEVOTION, FILIAL OBEDIENCE.
STORY OF LA ROCHE.

M

ORE than forty years ago, an English philofopher, whofe works have fince been read and admired by all Europe, refided at a little town in France. Some difappointments in his native country had first driven him abroad, and he was afterwards induced to remain there, from having found in his retreat, where the connections even of nation and language were avoided, a perfect seclufion and retirement, highly favourable to the develope ment of abstract fubjects, in which he excelled all the writers of his time.

2. Perhaps in the fructure of fuch a mind, the finer and more delicate fenfibilities, are feldom known to have place; or, if originally implanted there, are in a great measure extinguished by the exertions of intenfe ftudy and profound investigation.

3. Hence the idea that philofophy and unfeelingness, are united, has become proverbial, and in common language, the former word is often fed to exprefs the latter. Our philofopher has been cenfured by fome, as deficient in warmth and feeling; but the mildnefs of his manners has been allowed by all; and it is certain that if he was not eafily melted into compaffion, it was, at leaft, not difficult to awaken his benevolence.

4. One morning, while he fat bufied in thofe fpecula-". tions, which afterwards aftonifhed the world, an old female domeftic, who ferved him for a houfe keeper, brought him word that an elderly, gentleman and his daughter had arrived in the village the preceding evening on their way te

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fome diftant country, and, that the father had been fuddenly leized in the night with a dangerous diforder, which the people of the inn, where they lodged, feared would prove

mortal.

5. That he had been fent for as having fome knowledge of medicine, the village furgeon being then abfent: and that it was truly piteous to fee the good old man, who feemad not fo much affected by his own diftrefs, as by that which it caufed to his daughter.

6. Her mafter laid afide the volume in his hand, and broke off the chain of ideas, it had infpired. His nightgown was changed for a coat, and he followed his governante to the fick man's apartment. It was the best in the little ina where they lay, but a paltry one notwithstanding. Our philofopher was obliged to ftoop as he entered it. It was floored with earth, and above were the joifts not plaiftered, and hung with cobwebs.

7. On a flock bed at one end, lay the old man whom he came to vifit; at the foot of it fat his daughter. She was dreffed in a clean white hed-gown; her dark locks hung locfely over it as the bent forward, watching the languid looks of her father. The philofopher and his houfe keeper had ftood fome moments in the room, without the young lady's being fenfible of their entering it.

3. Mademoiselle! faid the old woman at laft, in a foft tone. She turned and fhowed one of the fineft faces in the world. It was touched, not spoiled with forrow; and when The perceived a ftranger, whom the old woman now introduced to her, a blush at firft, and then the gentle ceremonial of native politeness, which the afflictions of the time tempered, but did not extinguish, crossed it for a moment, and changed its expreffior It was fweetnefs all, however, and our philofopher felt it ftrongly.

9. It was not a time for words; he offered his fervice in a few fincere ones.. Monfier lies miferably ill here," faid the governante; "if he could poffibly be moved any "If he could be moved to our houfe," faid her mafter. He had a fpare bed for a friend, and there was a great room, unoccupied, next to the governante's. It was contrived accordingly.

where."

10. The fcruples of the ftranger, who could look fcruples, though he could not fpeak them, were overcome, and

the bathful reluctance of his daughter gave way to her relief of its ufe to her father. The fick man was wrapped in blankets and carried across the street to the English gentleman's. The old woman helped the daughter to nurfe him there. The furgeon, who arrived foon after, prescribed a little, and nature did much for him; in a week he was able to thank his benefactor.

11. By that time his hoft had learned the name and character of his gueft. He was a proteflant and Clergyman of Switzerland, called La Roche, a widower, who had Tately buried his wife, after a long and lingering illness, for which travelling had been prefcribed; and was now returning home after an ineffectual journey, with his only child the daughter we have mentioned.

12. He was a devout man, as become his profeffion. He poffeffed devotion in all its warmth, but with none of its afperity; I mean that afperity which men, who are called devout, fometimes indulge. The philofopher, though he felt no devotion, never quarrelled with it in others. His governante joined the old man and his daughter, in the prayers and thanksgivings which they put up on his reco very, for the too was a heretic in the phrafe of the village.

13. The philofophier walked out with his long ftaff and his dog, and left them to their prayers and thanksgivings. "My mafter, "faid the old woman, "alas! he is not a Chriftian, but he is the best of unbelievers." "Not a Chriftian!" exclaimed Mademoiselle La Roche, " yet he faved my father! Heaven blefs him for it; I would he were a Chriftian."

14. "There is a pride in human knowledge, my child," faid her, father," which often blinds men to the fublime truths of revelation; hence they are oppofers of chriftianity. among men of virtuous lives as well as among those of diffipated and licentious characters. Nay, fometimes I have known the latter more tafily converted to the true faith than the former; because the fume of paffion is more eafly diffipated than the mift of falfe theory and delufive fpeculation." But this philofopher," faid his daughter, "alas! my father, he fhall be a Chriftian before he dies." 15. She was interrupted by the arrival of their landlord

He took her hand with an air of kindness-the drew it away from him in flence; threw down her eyes to the ground, and left the room. "I have been thanking God," faid the good La Roche, "for right," replied he landlord. ued the old man, hefitatingly,

my recovery." "That is I fhould not wish,” continto think otherwife; did I

not look up with gratitude to that Being, 1 fhould barely be fatisfied with my recovery, as a continuation of life, which it may be, is not a real good.”

16." Alas! I may live to with I had died: that you had left me to die, fir, inflead of kindly relieving me, (clafp ing the philofopher's haud) but when I look on this renovating being as the gift of the Almighty, I feel a far different fentiment. My heart dilates with gratitude and love to him. It is prepared for doing his will not as a duty, but as a pleasure: and regards every breach of it, not with d.fapprobation, but with horror."

17. You fay right my dear fir," replied the philofo pher; but you are not yet re-aftablifhed enough to talk much; you must take care of your health, and neither ftudy nor preach for fome time. I have been thinking over a fcheme that fuck me to day, when you mentioned your intended departure. I was never in Switzerland; I have a great mind to accompany your daughter and you into that country. I will help to take care of you by the road, for, as I was your first physician, I hold myself refponfible for

your cure.

18. La Roche's eyes gliftened at the propofal; his daughter was called and told of it. She was equally pleat ed with her father; for they really loved their landlord; not perhaps the lefs for his infidelity; at least that circumfance mixed a fort of pity with their regard for him. Their fouls were not of a mould, for harfler feelings-hatred never dwelt with them.

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19. They travelled by fhort flages; for the philofoher was as good as his word, in taking care that the old man fhould not be fatigued. The parties had time to be well acquainted with one another, and their friendship was encreafed by acquaintance. La Roche fourd a degree of Amplicity and gentleness in his companion, which is not always annexed to the character of a learned and wite mau.