N° 43.

TUESDAY, June 22, 1779.

Continuation of the Story of LA ROCHE.

THEY

HEY travelled by fhort ftages; for the philofopher was as good as his word, in taking care that the old man should not be fatigued. The party had time to be well acquainted with one another, and their friendship was increased by acquaintance. La Roche found a degree of fimplicity and gentleness in his companion, which is not always annexed to the character of a learned or a wife mạn. His daughter, who was prepared to be afraid of him, was equally undeceived. She found in him nothing of that self-importance which fuperior parts, or great cultivation of them, is apt to confer. He talked of every thing but philofophy or religion; he feemed to enjoy every pleasure and amusement of ordinary life, and to be interested in the moft common topics of difcourfe; when his knowledge or learning at any time appeared, it was deliver

ed

ed with the utmost plainnefs, and without the leaft shadow of dogmatism.

On his part, he was charmed with the fociety of the good clergyman and his lovely daughter. He found in them the guileless manner of the earliest times, with the culture and accomplishment of the moft refined ones. Every better feeling warm and vivid, every ungentle one repreffed or overcome. He was not addicted to love; but he felt himself happy in being the friend of Madamoiselle La Roche, and fometimes envied her father the poffeffion of fuch a child.

After a journey of eleven days, they arrived at the dwelling of La Roche. It was fituated in one of thofe valleys of the canton of Berne, where nature seems to repofe, as it were, in quiet, and has inclofed her retreat with mountains inacceffible. A ftream, that fpent its fury in the hills above, ran in front of the houfe, and a broken water-fall was feen through the wood that covered its fides; below, it circled round a tufted plain, and formed a little lake in front of a village, at the end of which appeared the fpire of La Roche's church, rifing above a clump of beeches.

Mr

enjoyed the beauty of the fcene; but, to his companions, it recalled the memory of a wife and parent they had lost.— The old man's forrow was filent; his daughter fobb'd and wept. Her father took her hand, kiffed it twice, preffed it to his bofom, threw up his eyes to heaven; and, having wiped off a tear that was just about to drop from each, began to point out to his guest some of the most striking objects which the profpect afforded.— The philofopher interpreted all this; and he could but flightly cenfure the creed from which it arose.

They had not been long arrived, when a number of La Roche's parithioners, who had heard of his return, came to the house to see and welcome him. The honeft folks were aukward, but fincere, in their profeflions of regard. They made fome attempts at condolence; it was too delicate for their hand

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ling; but La Roche took it in good part."It has pleafed God," faid he; and they faw he had fettled the matter with himself. Philofophy could not have done so much with a thousand words.

It was now evening, and the good peafants were about to depart, when a clock was heard

to

to ftrike feven, and the hour was followed by a particular chime. The country-folks, who had come to welcome their pastor, turned their looks towards him at the found; he explained their meaning to his gueft. "That is "the fignal," faid he, "for our evening ex"ercife; this is one of the nights of the week "in which fome of my parishioners are wont

to join in it; a little ruftic faloon ferves for "the chapel of our family, and such of the 66 good people as are with us; if you chufe "rather to walk out, I will furnish you "with an attendant; or here are a few old "books that may afford you fome entertain"ment within.". By no means," anfwered the philofopher; "I will attend Ma'"moiselle at her devotions." "She is our "organift," faid La Roche: " our neighbour"hood is the country of mufical mechanifm "and I have a fmall organ fitted up for the "purpose of aflifting our finging.”—“ Tis "an additional inducement," replied the other; and they walked into the room together. At the end ftood the organ mentioned by La Roche; before it was a curtain which his daughter drew afide, and, placing herself on a feat within, and drawing the curtain clofe,

was no

fo as to fave her the aukwardnefs of an exhibition, began a voluntary, folemn and beautiful in the highest degree. Mr — musician, but he was not altogether infenfible to mufic; this faftened on his mind more ftrongly from its beauty being unexpected. The folemn prelude introduced a hymn, in which fuch of the audience as could fing immediately joined; the words were mostly taken from holy writ; it spoke the praises of God, and his care of good men. Something was faid of the death of the juft, of fuch as die in the Lord The organ was touched with a hand lefs firm;-it paufed, it ceafed;

and the fobbing of Ma'moiselle La Roche was heard in its ftead. Her father gave a fign for ftopping the pfalmody, and rofe to pray. He was difcompofed at firft, and his voice faltered as he fpoke; but his heart was in his words, and its warmth overcame his embarraffment. He addressed a being whom he loved, and he fpoke for thofe he loved. His parishioners catched the ardour of the good old man; even the philofopher felt himself moved, and forgot, for a moment, to think why he fhould not.

La Roche's religion was that of fentiment,

not