hus, compelled by misfortune to return to a state of
nature, those women had unfolded in their own bosoms, and in those of their
children, the feelings which are most natural to the human mind, and which
are our best support under evil.

"But as clouds sometimes arise which cast a gloom over the best regulated
tempers, whenever melancholy took possession of any member of this little
society, the rest endeavoured to banish painful thoughts rather by
sentiment than by arguments. Margaret exerted her gaiety; Madame de la Tour
employed her mild theology; Virginia, her tender caresses; Paul, his
cordial and engaging frankness. Even Mary and Domingo hastened to offer
their succour, and to weep with those that wept. Thus weak plants are
interwoven, in order to resist the tempests.

"During the fine season they went every Sunday to the church of the
Shaddock Grove, the steeple of which you see yonder upon the plain. After
service, the poor often came to require some kind office at their hands.
Sometimes an unhappy creature sought their advice, sometimes a child led
them to its sick mother in the neighbourhood. They always took with them
remedies for the ordinary diseases of the country, which they administered
in that soothing manner which stamps so much value upon the smallest
favours. Above all, they succeeded in banishing the disorders of the mind,
which are so intolerable in solitude, and under the infirmities of a
weakened frame. Madame de la Tour spoke with such sublime confidence of the
Divinity, that the sick, while listening to her, believed that he was
present. Virginia often returned home with her eyes wet with tears and her
heart overflowing with delight, having had an opportunity of doing good.
After those visits of charity, they sometimes prolonged their way by the
Sloping Mountain, till they reached my dwelling, where I had prepared
dinner for them upon the banks of the little river which glides near my
cottage. I produced on those occasions some bottles of old wine, in order
to heighten the gaiety of our Indian repast by the cordial productions of
Europe. Sometimes we met upon the seashore, at the mouth of little rivers,
which are here scarcely larger than brooks. We brought from the plantation
our vegetable provisions, to which we added such as the sea furnished in
great variety. Seated upon a rock, beneath the shade of the velvet
sunflower, we heard the mountain billows break at our feet with a dashing
noise;